|
Muhammad in
Mecca
Muhammad
was born around AD 570 into the once-prominent clan of Banu
Hashim. His ancestors had been guardians of the sacred well
of Zamzam in Mecca, but by his time the clan, though engaged
in commerce, was not among the most influential. Muhammad's
father died before he was born. He was raised by his
grandfather and then by his uncle, Abu Talib. Muhammad
worked as a caravaner, and at twenty-five married his
employer, Khadija, a rich widow. They had four daughters and
several sons; all the boys died in infancy. In the years
before the revelations Muhammad was wont to retreat to the
mountains outside Mecca to pray in solitude. A tradition
reported as coming from Ibn Ishaq but not found in the
recension of Ibn Hisham indicates that Muhammad received
advice and support from a hanif—an Arabian
monotheist, a believer in one God though not a Jew or a
Christian—who taught him about the futility of worshiping
idols.
About the
year 610, the seeker after religious truth received his
first revelations. They came upon him like the breaking of
dawn. The first words revealed to him were the opening five
lines of sura (chapter) 96: "Recite: In the Name of
thy Lord who created, created Man of a blood-clot. Recite:
And thy Lord is the Most Generous, who taught by the Pen,
taught Man that he knew not." His consciousness of the
presence of the divine brought awe, fear, and foreboding.
In the
early years the content of these revelations was the vision
of a great, just God, Allah, who would on the day of
judgment weigh every man's works and consign him to bliss or
damnation. The early revelations emphasized the fear of the
last judgment, piety and good works, and warnings against
neglect of duties and heedlessness of the final day of
reckoning. Opposed to the worship of God and fear of the
last judgment were presumption, pride in human powers, and
attachment to the things of this world. This was the false
pride of the Meccans, which led them to the sin of
avarice—neglect of almsgiving and the poor. In addition to
preaching these ideas, Muhammad instituted ritual prayer.
Eschatological piety, ethical nobility, and prayer formed
the basis of early Islam.
The
revelation in the Quran bore important similarities to
Christianity and Judaism. For Muhammad the revelations came
from the same source. Christian parallels are evident in the
articulation of Muhammad's vision of the last judgment—the
prediction that it would come with thunder, trumpets, and
earthquakes, that the world would be destroyed and the dead
resurrected, that it would be a terrifying moment when, one
by one, all men passed before God, the angels interceding
only for the good. These details were found in the preaching
of itinerant Syrian monks and missionaries at the fairs of
Arabia. Ideas similar to Judaism, such as uncompromising
monotheism, belief in written revelations, the conception of
a prophet sent to a chosen people, and certain specific
religious practices are also prominent in the Quran. Yet
Muhammad's inspiration and the language in which it was
couched were original. He had been vouchsafed a personal
knowledge of God's being and will, and must have understood
his revelation in the sense of the Arabian monotheists, who
believed in a transcendent God but were neither Jews nor
Christians.
For three
years after the first revelations, Muhammad remained a
private person, coming to terms with God's message. He
related his experiences to his family and friends, and the
force of his inspiration and the compelling language in
which it was clothed persuaded them that his visions were
indeed divine revelations. A small group of people accepted
his ideas and gathered around him to hear and recite the
Quran. These were the first converts, and they included his
wife Khadija, Abu Bakr and 'li, later to be Caliphs (the
Prophet's successors as leaders of the Muslims).
After three
years the time had come for a public mission. In about 613
Muhammad received the revelation that begins "Rise and
warn." He began to preach publicly, a first step toward
injecting religious ideas into the actualities of social and
political life. Significantly, the first converts were
rootless migrants, poor men, members of weak clans, and
younger sons of strong clans—those people most dissatisfied
with the changing moral and social climate of Mecca, for
whom the Prophet's message proved a vital alternative.
Still,
apart from his small following, Muhammad's preaching met
with almost universal opposition. From the Quran we know
that the Quraysh, the traders who dominated Meccan life,
belittled Muhammad's revelations. They scoffed at the
bizarre notion of a last judgment and resurrection, and
asked for miracles as proof of the truth of his message.
Muhammad's only response—still the Muslim response—was
that the Quran itself, with its unique beauty of language,
is a miracle and a sign of revelation. Nonetheless the
Quraysh denounced Muhammad as a kahin, a soothsayer,
a disreputable sort of magician or madman. Then came
insults, harassment of Muhammad and his followers, and an
economic boycott that extended to keeping the Muslims from
purchasing food in the markets.
http://www.fathom.com/course/21701769/session1.html
Assalamu Alaikum,
Except for
the theme of monotheism, the Qur'n speaks more of the coming
Qiyamah —
also known as the Resurrection, the Day of
Judgment, Day of Gathering, and the Great Announcement — than of any other topic. This major theme and promise
is upheld not only in the Qur'an, but also in other
religious scriptures. Though opinions may differ on precise
details it is generally believed that it is connected to a
time of momentous upheaval, calamity and the end of Earth.
The Islam,
Qur'n And Al-Qiyamah website
is an attempt to examine in detail what different verses in
the Qur'an tell us about Qiyamah and to reconcile what
might appear as differing, even contradictory descriptions
of the event. It
contains hundreds of intellectually rigorous and critically
substantial pages demanding answers pertaining to this central theme of Islam,
and is the result of a five-year research. This study compels Muslims not to allow themselves to pick and choose verses that suit
their doomsday notion of Al-Qiyamah. Rather we must take the Qur'an
in its entirety and examine those resurrection-related
surahs that have
intellectually challenged our scholars over
the centuries and, as a result, have been disfigured beyond
recognition by mistranslations that reflect their views.
The
Sure Signs and descriptions
of the Day of Judgment in the Qur'n are generally agreeable
as follows:
1) There
is a set time for it;
He questions: "When is the Day of Resurrection?" At length, when the sight is dazed and the moon is buried in darkness, and the sun and moon are joined together that Day will Man
say; "Where is the refuge?"
Qur'n 75.6-10
2) That this event is inevitable;
In that is
a Sign for those who fear the penalty of the Hereafter:
that is a Day for which mankind will be gathered
together: that will be a Day of Testimony. Nor shall We
delay it but for a term appointed.
Qur'n
11.102-7
3)
Prophesied Sure Signs of Allah (SWT) will confirm Al-Qiyamah;
We will
show them Our signs in all the regions of the earth and in
their own souls until they clearly see that this is the
truth.
Qur'n 41.53
4) Qur'n
to be used as Allah's (SWT) Warning to humankind;
We know best what they say; And thou are not
one to overawe them by force. So admonish with the Qur'an
such as fear My Warning!
Qur'n
50.45
5) During Al-Qiyamah Allah (SWT) will not address those
who veil His Revelations by distorting the Qur'n;
Those
who conceal Allah's revelations in the Book, and
purchase for them a miserable profit — They swallow into
themselves naught but Fire: Allah will not address them
on the Day of Resurrection, nor purify them: Grievous will
be their Penalty. They are the ones who buy error in place
of Guidance, and torment in place of Forgiveness. Ah!
What boldness (they show) for the Fire!
Qur'n2.174-6
He will return you
(on the Day of Judgment) reverted back to when you were
first created. A section guided, and a section will go
astray.
Qur'n 7.30
6) The messengers
of Allah (SWT) on Earth will deliver Good News of
Al-Qiyamah, and they must prevail;
Allah has decreed: "It is I and My messengers who must
prevail": For Allah is One full of strength, able to
enforce His Will. Thou will not find any people who believe
in Allah and the Last Day, loving those who resist
Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their fathers
or their sons, or their brothers or their kindred.
For
such He has written Faith in their hearts, and strengthened
them with a Spirit from Himself. And he will admit them
to Gardens, beneath which Rivers flow, to dwell therein
(forever.) Allah will be well pleased with them, and they
with Him. They are the Party of Allah. Truly it is the Party
of Allah that will achieve Felicity.
Qur'n
58.21
7) Believers will be bitterly divided over the Good News;
Concerning what
are they disputing? Concerning the Great News about which
they cannot agree. Verily, they shall soon (come to) know! Verily,
verily they shall soon (come to) know!
Qur'n 78.1-5
So he gave nothing in charity, nor did he pray! — But on the contrary, he rejected Truth and turned away!
Then did he stalk to his family in full conceit! Woe to thee, (O man!), yea, woe! Again, woe to thee, (O man!), yea, woe!
Qur'n 75.31-35
8) Jesus (pbuh) would be one of the Signs of the Hour;
And (Jesus) shall
be a Sign (for the coming of) the Hour (of Judgment:
therefore have no doubt about the (Hour), but follow ye
Me: this is a Straight Way.
Qur'n 43.61
9) Qur'n
to be used as proof of authenticity to humankind regarding
the Message of Al-Qiyamah;
Verily in this (Qur'n) is a Message for people who would
(truly) worship Allah. We sent thee not, but as a Mercy for
all creatures.
Qur'n 21.106-7
Verily in this is a Message for any that has a heart and
understanding, or who gives ear and earnestly witnesses (the
Truth).
Qur'n 50.37
10) There
will be a Caller from a place quite near who will
declare and commence the Resurrection;
Verily
in this is a Message for any that has a heart and
understanding, or who gives ear and earnestly witnesses (the
Truth)... And listen for the Day when the Caller will call
out from a place quite near. The Day when they will hear a (mighty) Blast in Truth:
That will be the Day of Resurrection.
Qur'n
50.37-42
O you who
are clothed! Arise and warn, and your Lord do magnify, and
your garments do purify, and uncleanness do shun, and bestow
not favors that you may receive again with increase, and for
the sake of your Lord, be patient. For when the trumpet is
sounded, that, at that time, shall be a difficult day, for
the unbelievers, anything but easy.
Qur'n
74.1-10
11) Many humans will be unaware that Al-Qiyamah is taking
place;
And on the day
when the Hour riseth the guilty will vow that they did
tarry, but an hour — Thus were they ever deceived. But
those to whom knowledge and faith are given will say:
"The truth is, ye have tarried, by Allah's decree,
until the Day of Resurrection. This is the Day of
Resurrection, but ye used not to know."
Qur'n
30.55-57
12) During Al-Qiyamah Allah
(SWT) will not purify those who hide His Revelations by
misinterpreting the Qur'n;
Those
who conceal Allah's revelations in the Book, and
purchase for them a miserable profit — They swallow into
themselves naught but Fire: Allah will not address them
on the Day of Resurrection, nor purify them: Grievous will
be their Penalty. They are the ones who buy error in place
of Guidance, and torment in place of Forgiveness. Ah!
What boldness (they show) for the Fire!
Qur'n 2.174-6
13) The
verses revealing Al-Qiyamah will be collected from all over the Qur'n, promulgated, recited and
explained;
Move not thy tongue concerning the (Revelation of Al-Qiyamah), to make
haste therewith. It is for Us to collect it and to promulgate it: But when We have promulgated it, follow thou its recital:
Nay more, it is for Us to explain it.
Qur'n 75.16-19
14) Faces of those who believe that Al-Qiyamah has
commenced will be nadirah (shining
and radiant), while those
of disbelievers basirah
(dark, gloomy, sad and
frowning);
Some faces, that Day, will beam (in brightness and beauty)
— Looking towards their Lord; And some faces, that Day, will be sad and
dismal.
Qur'n
75.22-24
Despite all the above the Qur'an warns that most of the
Ummah and unbelievers will not be aware of, even believe this Great Event, even after
being warned!:
Warn them of the Day of Pining (distress) when all matters
have been judged, though they would still be unaware of it,
and unbelievers.
Qur'n 19.39
On the Day that
the Hour (of Reckoning) will be established, the
transgressors will swear that they tarried not but an
hour: thus were they used to being deluded! But those
endued with knowledge and faith will say: "Indeed ye
did tarry, within Allah's Decree, to the Day of
Resurrection, and this is the Day of Resurrection: but ye
— ye were not aware!"
Qur'n 30.55-6
Since many verses in the Qur'an
are Qiyamah specific it is important to learn as much
possible about them. Consider this point of dispute
with the unbelievers at the time of the Prophet:
They say:
"What! when we are reduced to bones and dust, should
we really be raised up (to be) a new creation?" Say:
"(Nay!) be ye stones or iron, "Or created matter
which, in your minds, is hardest (to be raised up), —
(Yet shall ye be raised up)!" then will they say:
"Who will cause us to return?" Say: "He who
created you first!" Then will they wag their heads
towards thee, and say, "When will that be?" Say,
"May be it will be quite soon!
Qur'n
17.49-51
We have not sent
thee (Muhammad) but to the whole of mankind, as a giver of
glad tidings and as a warner, but most of mankind still do
not know. And
they say: "When is this promise (i.e. the Day of
Resurrection will be fulfilled) if you are truthful?"
Say (O Muhammad
SAW): "The appointment
to you is for a Day, which you cannot put back for an hour
(or a moment) nor put forward."
Qur'n
34.28-30
Increasing
number of Muslims now express their belief, as do the
Believers of other
traditions, that these events are imminent. Some are beginning to discern, and
correctly so, that they are already upon us. The verses in the Qur'an also reflect
the same expectations:
It is Allah Who has
sent down the Book in Truth, and the Balance. And what
will make thee realize that perhaps the Hour is close at
hand?
Qur'n 42.17
Of what do they
ask one another? About the Great Event, about which they
differ? Nay! they shall soon come to know Nay! Nay! they
shall soon know.
Qur'n 78.1-5
In fact
1,400 years ago there was widespread resistance against Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the following verse
questions the probability of disbelieve in the future, when
the Resurrection actually comes upon them:
Await they aught
save the Hour, that it should come upon them unawares? But
some of its portents (indications and signs) have already
come, and when it (actually) is on them, how can they
benefit then by their reminder?
Qur'n
47.18
Another
Quranic prophecy clearly confirms
that, upon the return of the exiled Jews to the Holy Land, the Day of Judgment
commences:
And We said unto
the Children of Israel after him: Dwell in the land; but
when the promise of the Hereafter (wa'dul akhirati)
cometh to pass We shall bring you as a crowd gathered out
of various nations.
Qur'n
17.104
Then
there is expectation that "the
Mahdi, according to Islam, and
in particular its Shiite branch, is the Savior to come at
the time of the Last Judgment to save the world. It is
interesting to recall that Mahdi, in Sanskrit, is the
contraction of Ma Adi (Primordial Mother) in the same way
that the returning Savior according to Buddha, Maitreya, is
a contraction of Ma Treya (Trigunatmika).
The function of the Mahdi is similar to those attributed to
the Kalki of the Hindus, the Maitreya of the Buddhists or
the Christ King of the Christians."
In addition to verses of the Holy
Qur'an there are many traditions, hadiths, sayings of
Imams and Muslim scholars contributing to a common
consensus of the signs of the "Hour" which, if
taking the religious pulse of modern times, raises the
question of whether these things are already upon us:
"The Apostle of God said:
athere will come a time for my people when there will remain
nothing of the Qur'n except its outward form and nothing of
Islam except its name and they will call themselves by this
name even though they are the people furthest from it. The
mosques will be full of people but they will be empty of
right guidance. The religious leaders (Fuqaha) of that day
will be the most evil religious leaders under the heavens;
sedition and dissension will go out from them and to them
will it return.' " -ibn Babuya, Thawab ul-A'mal
All these momentous
events are to be preceded by warnings and announcements attempting to bring people back to the
religion of Allah (SWT) and the Straight Path, after they
have divided themselves into factions and sects which,
"disown each other and curse each other" (surah
29:25). A warning to precede the penalty, which must be
delivered before any punishment is meted to the
transgressors, is a cardinal sign of Allah's (SWT) mercy and justice.
Any religious scholar preaching that Allah's (SWT) Wrath of
Doomsday will erupt suddenly on this unsuspecting world is
surely deceived by Iblis. The following verses assure the
arrival of messengers or apostles before
any chastisement:
Whoever goes
aright, for his own soul does he go aright; and whoever
goes astray, to its detriment only does he go astray: nor
can the bearer of a burden bear the burden of another, nor
do We chastise until We raise an apostle.
Qur'n 17.15
And if We had
inflicted on them a penalty before this, they would have
said: "Our Lord! If only Thou hadst sent us a
messenger, we should certainly have followed Thy Signs
before we were humbled and put to shame.
Qur'n 20.134
Nor was thy Lord
the one to destroy a population until He had sent to its
center a messenger, rehearsing to them Our Signs;
nor are We going to destroy a population except when its
members practice iniquity.
Qur'n 28.59
But there is
scant information on Al-Qiyamah (The Resurrection), the very heart and soul of Islam. Abdullah
Yusuf Ali's The Holy Qur'n: Text, Translation and
Commentary — by far the most known, studied and respected English translation of the Qur'n — devotes
only five pages (inclusive of the entire text in Arabic and
its English translation) to this central theme of Islam. And
other Muslim scholars have done no better, although they
have produced countless thesis after thesis on far pettier
topics and hadiths.
According to Professor Mahmoud
M. Ayoub "theology
has confused the rank and file of Muslims. It has
discouraged any kind of innovative thinking. It has
paralyzed the intellectuals, preoccupying them with
unsolvable questions."
Of all the chapters in the Qur'n, surah 75 Al-Qiyamah (The
Resurrection) must have clearly confronted them with so
frightening a prophecy and promise of Divine intervention to collect,
promulgate, recite and explain in detail the only Surah
entirely devoted to Al-Qiyamah,
that
it could only be explained away by vagueness, briefness, distortion,
misinformation, untruth and outright deceit. But Allah (SWT)
warned humans not to move "thy tongue concerning
the (Resurrection), to make haste therewith"
since "it is for Us to
collect it and to promulgate it."
Then, after having announced it they were to follow
"its recital" And last, but not the least, the
Resurrection is "for Us to explain" —
leaving absolutely no ambiguity as to Allah's (SWT) Intention. This is
referred
as the Great News or Great Event in the Qur'n and was to
coincide with specific Sure Signs absolutely beyond human
manipulation or duplication
Thus it
is obvious that the
announcement
and detailed narration of the Resurrection
to the entire human
race was
Allah's (SWT) sole and explicit prerogative.
But
mere mortals with puny minds and huge egos have blabbed
their tongues about this Surah for the last 1400 years. They
collectively erased the mercy of the blessed Resurrection (Al Qadr or the Night of Power) for
all humankind,
substituting it with the nightmare of a Doomsday End (Al
Qariah or the Day of
Noise and Clamor)!
Now
the question of making such serious allegations
against so established a faith arises. How is it possible that so
obvious and fundamental Truths be hidden from so many by so
few for so long? Perhaps it must be asked: How was the Ummah deceived into speculating about Al-Qiyamah, despite
Allah's (SWT) explicit, simple and clear Warning not to do
so? This Islam, Qur'n and Al-Qiyamah website exposes
the depth of deception that the Ummah has been indoctrinated
over the centuries by their
ulama,
imams, ayatollahs, amirs, caliphs, mu'ttilah, aalims,
mujtahids, mullahs and muftis.
"The
Holy Quran is the final and highest authority for Muslims on all
matters. It is the fundamental source of the teachings of Islam. When
determining whether a certain belief or practice is a part of Islam or
not, the verdict of the Quran has the highest priority and must be
accepted even if it goes against common practice or one's own wishes.
If a Muslim differs with us regarding the meaning of a verse of the
Quran, we must still respect his views if he gives arguments from the
Holy Book in his support.”
www.tariq.bitshop.com
Thus,
before we proceed, it will be
fitting to introduce the sages' definition of the term truth.
It has been earlier demonstrated that without such a definition
men wander in a dry wilderness of hollow fancies,
unfounded opinions, worthless theories and hypostatized
words. This definition may sound quite simple, but it
implications are most profound. It should be graven deeply
on the heart. Here it is: "Truth is that which is beyond all
contradiction and free from all doubt; which is indeed
beyond the very possibility of both contradiction and doubt;
beyond the changes and alternations of time and vicissitude;
forever one and the same, unalterable and unaltering;
universal and therefore independent of all human ideation."
The first reason for the Ummah's inability to comprehend
Al-Qiyamah beyond their doomsday mindset lies in the fact that
about 90% of Muslims are
unable to understand the Arabic Qur'n. For example, it is common knowledge that
"many Pakistani and Indian Muslims are forced as
children to read the Quran in Arabic and still as adults
read the Quran in Arabic but they do not understand a single
word of what they read." This leaves them at the
mercy of religious zealots who exploit their illiteracy but,
ironically, are themselves like the blind describing the
elephant. Thus their mindset of a doomsday Al-Qiyamah predetermines the Ummah's
responses to its interpretations. This classic case of
collective scriptural illiteracy is the general malaise that
plagues the Islamic nations.
"Friday prayer leaders affirm from mosque
pulpits around the world belief in divine decree, be
it good or evil. They warn their faithful listeners
with this hadith: 'the most evil of things
are novelties; for every novelty is an innovation.
Every innovation is an error, and every error leads to
the Fire.'
While Christians considered theology 'the queen of
the sciences', Muslims came to consider it the work
of Satan. This is because theology has confused the
rank and file of Muslims. It has discouraged any kind
of innovative thinking. It has paralyzed the
intellectuals, preoccupying them with unsolvable
questions."
Mahmoud M. Ayoub
World Religions: The Islamic Tradition
The
second lies in the serious and sometimes fatal consequences
for those who dare challenge the established Islamic dogma.
Many do at their peril as the fatwa of blasphemy may bring
about dire consequences. Sometimes even the slightest deviation or just
plain honest interpretation of the Qur'n can bring the
wrath of collective rage and mob violence to bear on the conscientious victim.
In so volatile an atmosphere
pervading the Islamic nations who will dare voice his or
her disagreement with religious bodies over entrenched dogma
and officially endorsed interpretation of the
Qur'n?
"The
death sentence imposed on liberal Iranian academic Hashem Aghajari has been
confirmed, his lawyer has said.
Saleh Nikbakht says he has been officially
told of the re-imposition of the death penalty originally
passed on his client in 2002.
Mr Aghajari was charged with blasphemy for
saying that Muslims should not blindly follow religious
leaders.
The Supreme Court later annulled the sentence
and sent the case back to the provincial court for review.
The provincial court, in the western city of
Hamedan where Mr Aghajari made his comments, re-imposed the
death penalty earlier in May. ...
As well
as the death sentence for apostasy and insulting the early
imams, he received further sentences of a 10-year ban on
teaching, eight years in jail and 74 lashes for lesser
offences.
After student protests, Ayatollah
Khamenei was forced to step in and order a review of his
verdict.
Hashem Aghajari is a
war veteran who lost a leg in the 1980-88 war with Iraq."
BBC, Monday, 10 May, 2004
"Pakistani
sentenced to death for blasphemy
A court in Pakistan has sentenced a
medical lecturer, Dr Younus Shaikh, to death for blasphemy.
He had been accused of making derogatory remarks about the Prophet Mohammad
by suggesting he did not become a Muslim until he was 40 years old and that
his parents were not Muslims either.
The case was registered by a local Mullah, after a complaint by some
students....
The doctor had maintained his words were twisted and he could not conceive
of saying anything blasphemous....
According to human rights groups, Dr Younus is the third Muslim to be
sentenced to death for blasphemy."
BBC 18 August, 2001
"The
Islamic movement risks ceasing to form an authentic summons to cultural and spiritual renewal, and existing as little more than a
splintered array of maniacal factions. The prospect of such an
appalling and humiliating end to the story of a religion which once
surpassed all others in its capacity for tolerating debate and
dissent is now a real possibility."
British convert to Islam, Abdal-Hakim Murad
www.islamfortoday.com
(September 30, 2001)
The
third answer is the hundreds and thousands of hadiths that
shape and mould Islamic thinking, obscuring the mind from
getting a true message of the living Al-Qur'n. The Hadiths,
collections of the sayings of Muhammad (pbuh), are
regarded as an excellent guide to base one's life on. But Muslims
are now unable to see the Divine Forest of the Qur'n because
the dense thicket of hadith shrubs and trees are being examined and admired
in the pettiest of detail. Alas, if only they had inspected the priceless mystical parables of the Qur'n with such
meticulous admiration and faith.
"7.
The rise and fall of Islam and its followers in history have
close connections with the religion they practised. But why
was it that when the ignorant Arabs adopted Islam they
became such a dynamic group of followers? But in the later
years, a lot of teachings deviating from Islam's true path
were spread and more Muslims became involved in a power
struggle while declaring that they were doing so in the name
of Islam.
8.
That is why three out of four Caliphs died through killings.
Only the first Caliph, Saidina Abu Bakar, was not killed.
Saidina Abu Bakar was known to be humble. When he was
appointed Caliph, he told everyone that they could criticise
him because he said he was a mere mortal and not a prophet.
The killing of Saidina Omar and Osman was surely because
there were followers of Islam who did not agree with their
leadership.
9.
But when Saidina Ali was appointed Caliph, the opposition to
him was very strong. War ensued between Saidina Ali and the
Muawiyah which eventually ended with the murder of Saidina
Ali, resulting in a split among the Muslims - the Sunni and
Shiite. The difference between the Sunnis and Shiites were
great but both argued that their religion was Islam. How is
it that the one religion brought by Prophet Muhammad SAW
could become two with wide differences? Surely one of them
is not Islamic, or probably each of them have different
interpretations of the religion which are both correct and
incorrect. What was clear was the fact that the different
interpretations and teachings was a result of a political
struggle, that is to become a Caliph by certain leaders.
10.
But different interpretations on Islam continued to be made.
Whether these were the results of problems brought by
changing eras or the political leaderships in these two
sides, scholars continued to make rulings (fatwas) all the
time. At the same time, some scholars introduced their own
ruling and formed groups or tariqat and others. To support
them, many of them created hadiths which had no real basis.
11.
Two hundred years after hijra, Bukhari collected a total of
600,000 hadiths. Out of these, he only verified 7,000 and
rejected about 593,000 which he believed were false and not
genuine.
12.
Other hadith scholars such as Muslim and Tarmizi accepted
even less than the 7,000. There were hadiths accepted by
Bukhari but rejected by other scholars who also studied
them, and vice versa.
13.
This happened only 200 years after hijra. After this, a lot
of hadiths were created by other people. There were many
opinions, interpretations and fatwas made and supported by
various means. Some of them were rejected by scholars who
came much later but this did not deter anyone to continue to
make fatwas without proper procedures approved by Islam.
Hence, the different interpretations.
14. The
truth is that in Islam's 1,400 years, they were exposed to a
variety of teachings each claiming to be Islamic but were
opposites of each other. There were 1,001 beliefs ranging
from narrow interpretations which rejected the present world
outright and a desire to bring Islam back 1,400 years
before, to one that alienated Islam and accepted secularism.
As a result, the followers became very confused....
Going by history, we can see that the progress and
achievements of the Islamic Empire in its early days were
due to the fact that there were not many differing
interpretations of Islam, not many false hadiths, and not
many shallow fatwas which could have confused the followers."
www.ikim.gov.my/
The
fourth is that the Qur'n is not chronologically written, and
is arranged with the longest surahs (chapters) in the
beginning and the least at the end. The longer surahs have
many diverse topics unrelated to each other, topics also to
be found in numerous other surahs — one has to go back and
forth in order to pick and join them together under
appropriate topics. Since is impossible to
ascertain the flow of Divine Revelation that was received by
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), it is
just as difficult to link seemingly unrelated verses of Al-Qiyamah. Only by
careful study and piecing together different
ayats of scattered surahs is it possible to breathe life and vitality to this central theme of Islam, and transform the Qur'n into a living,
life-sustaining divine guide for all humankind.
"Zaid
and his coadjutors, however, do not appear to have arranged
the materials which came into their hands upon any system
more definite than that of placing the longest and best
known Suras first, immediately after the Fatthah, or opening
chapter (the eighth in this edition); although even this
rule, artless and unscientific as it is, has not been
adhered to with strictness. Anything approaching to a
chronological arrangement was entirely lost sight of. Late
Medina Suras are often placed before early Meccan Suras; the
short Suras at the end of the Koran are its earliest
portions; while, as will be seen from the notes, verses of
Meccan origin are to be found embedded in Medina Suras, and
verses promulged at Medina scattered up and down in the
Meccan Suras. It would seem as if Zaid had to a great extent
put his materials together just as they came to hand, and
often with entire disregard to continuity of subject and
uniformity of style. The text, therefore, as hitherto
arranged, necessarily assumes the form of a most unreadable
and incongruous patchwork; "une assemblage," says
M. Kasimirski in his Preface, "informe et incohérent
de préceptes moraux, religieux, civils et politiques, mêlés
d'exhortations, de promesses, et de menaces" —
and
conveys no idea whatever of the development and growth of
any plan in the mind of the founder of Islam, or of the
circumstances by which he was surrounded and influenced...
.
Another important merit of Rodwell's edition is its
chronological arrangement of the Suras or chapters. As he
tells us himself in his preface, it is now in a number of
cases impossible to ascertain the exact occasion on which a
discourse, or part of a discourse, was delivered, so that
the system could not be carried through with entire
consistency."
G.
Margoliouth
(Appraisal of J.M. Rodwell's The Koran)
The
fifth answer may lie in
Friedrich
Nietzsche's scathing
condemnation of theologians blindly defending their
religious regimes, leaving little doubt as to how they
condition and mould the masses into religious retards
incapable of exercising their own mental faculties to
ascertain Truth for themselves. This severe censure applies
to theologians of all traditions and, as in the case of Al-Qiyamah, is more than justified.
"I make war
on this theologian instinct: I have found traces of it everywhere.
Whoever has theologian blood in his veins has a wrong and dishonest
attitude towards all things from the very first. The pathos that
develop out of this is called faith: closing one's eyes with respect
to oneself for good and all so as not to suffer from the sight of
incurable falsity. Out of this erroneous perspective on all things one
makes a morality, a virtue, a holiness for one self, one unites the
good conscience with seeing falsely — one demands that no other kind
of perspective shall be accorded any value after one has rendered
one's sacrosanct with the names 'God,' 'redemption,' 'eternity.' I
have dug out the theologian instinct everywhere: it is most
widespread, peculiarly subterranean form of falsity that exists on
earth. What a theologian feels to be true must be false: this provides
almost a criterion of truth. It is his deepest instinct of
self-preservation which forbids any part of reality whatever to be
held in esteem or even spoken of. Wherever the influence of the
theologian extends value judgment is stood on its head, the concepts
atrue' and 'false' are necessary reversed: that which is most harmful
to life is here called atrue,' that which enhances, intensifies,
affirms, justifies it and causes it to triumph is called 'false.' "
F.
Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols
The
sixth, and perhaps the most important reason, is that 1400
years ago the chapter of Al-Qiyamah foretold a Day of
Judgment for all human beings. Embedded firmly in this
particular surah, and safeguarded by a phalanx of parables
and prophecies, were the Sure Signs of Allah that would
trigger Al-Qiyamah. These preordained manifestations were to
be absolutely beyond human manipulation. That was the time the
Holy Qur'n was to burst into life and compel universal
submission to its authority, barring none.
But,
alas, over the centuries the Thieves of Truth numbering in the hundreds and thousands first molested, then
raped, and finally mutilated the revelation of Al-Qiyamah
beyond recognition, before leaving it pregnant with distortion, delusion and
deceit. Till today the Ummah still recoils at it in fear and terror.
From the wanton seed of their unforgivable collective orgy was born the satanic lie that the wrath of Allah (SWT) will descend suddenly
on humankind without warning, and punish
the sinners in a murderous rage of death and destruction —
thus fulfilling Iblis' promise to Allah that he will mislead
Adam's descendents till the Day of Resurrection.
(Allah) said: "O Iblis!
what is your reason for not being among those who
prostrated themselves?" (Iblis) said: "I am not
one to prostrate myself to man, whom Thou didst create
from sounding clay, from mud moulded into shape."
(Allah) said: "Then get thee out from here; for thou
art rejected, accursed. "And the curse shall be on
thee till the day of Judgment." (Iblis) said: "O
my Lord! give me then respite till the Day the (dead) are
raised." (Allah) said: "Respite is granted thee
till the Day of the Time appointed." (Iblis) said:
"O my Lord! because Thou hast put me in the wrong, I will make (wrong) fair-seeming to them on the earth, and I
will put them all in the wrong. Qur'n
15.32-39
(Allah) said: "Get thee down from this: it
is not for thee to be arrogant here: get out, for thou art
of the meanest (of creatures)." He said: "Give
me respite till the day they are raised up." (Allah) said: "Be thou among those who have
respite." He said: "Because thou hast thrown me
out of the way, lo! I will lie in wait for them on thy
straight way: "Then will I assault them from before
them and behind them, from their right and their left: Nor wilt thou find, in most of them, gratitude (for thy
mercies)." (Allah) said: "Get out from this,
disgraced and expelled. If any of them follow thee,—
Hell will I fill with you all. Qur'n
7.13-18
Allah (SWT) is Ar-Raheem, the
Bestower of Mercy to disbelievers and believers alike, and to the more
pious and the less pious among the believers. Moreover — and
it is extremely important to understand this easily
overlooked fact — Iblis was
only granted respite to mislead till, not after,
the commencement of the Resurrection. Al-Qiyamah is now
revealed as not the fiery End that those deceived by Iblis
have the faithful believe, but as the most glorious era of
inner peace, spiritual cleansing and priceless participation
in the promised Resurrection for all humankind. Only the
Thieves of Truth are able to twist the words of Allah (SWT) regarding
Al-Qiyamah, though they have no
answers to the following clear questions and facts pertaining to that fateful Day:
Do they really believe that an all-encompassing punishment by God
will not come upon them, or the Hour overtake them suddenly while they
remain unaware of it? Qur'n 12.107
We have not sent thee (Muhammed) but to the whole of mankind, as a
giver of glad tidings and as a warner, but most of mankind still do not
know. Qur'n 34.28
On the Day that the Hour (of Reckoning) will be established, the
transgressors will swear that they tarried not but an hour: thus were they
used to being deluded! But those endued with knowledge and faith will say:
"Indeed ye did tarry, within Allah's Decree, to the Day of
Resurrection, and this is the Day of Resurrection: but ye — ye were not
aware!" Qur'n
30.55-6
This
non-profit Islam, Qur'n And Al-Qiyamah website not
only answers the above quotes beyond any doubt, but also
declares the Good News of the Qur'n and calls on every
Believer (Muslim and non-Muslim) to bear witness to Al-Qiyamah. It is a
no-holds-barred open book and challenge to all Islamic
scholars
— ulama, imams, ayatollahs, amirs, caliphs, mu'ttilah, aalims, mujtahids, mullahs and muftis
—
to rebut and prove it false. Should they fail to do so,
a forgone conclusion of which we are absolutely assured,
they must submit to the Truth of the Qur'n. They can either
accept or deny the Good News of Al-Qiyamah. In the Hereafter
they will bear the
consequences of their acts regarding the announcement of
this Great Event and the universal declaration to bear
witness to the Resurrection.
But with so many Thieves of Truth preaching their version of Islam,
often in constant conflict with the rest, what are the
chances of them humbling to the Good News?
"For
example, as you well know, there are many competing groups
of Muslims today in the ideological wars. There are the
Saudi-funded Salafies, the Iranian funded Mullahs, the
Egyptian/Syrian Brotherhood groups, the Tablighi Jamaati
people, the mysterious Hizb at Tahreer, the Jamati Islami
groups, the African American Muslim groups, the secularist
Indo-Pak groups and about twenty others. Each group has its
own scholars who "prove" to the faithful that the
other groups are inferior. These same "scholars"
often issue "Fatwas" or religious verdicts about
items of concern for individual members and life goes on in
the happy dreamland of exclusive truth.
These groups often issue contradictory Fatwas and rarely
ever work together on anything. How many of you have been to
a gathering of one of these or other groups where the
"big scholar" is treated like a celebrity?
Well-wishers and sycophants fawning all over him. (It's
always a "him.") What's the average, concerned
Muslim supposed to think when the "scholars" are
often so full of pride and arrogance that they are
repulsive? The hierarchy involved in the "scholar"
system in amazing! The big Maulanas are usually the fattest.
The medium Maulanas have shorter beards and smaller bellies,
while the Maulana wanna-bees are thin and stand off in the
fringes of the great procession. (Don't get angry at me for
pointing out what everyone knows.)"
www.islamfortoday.com/
These major
disbeliefs listed below excludes one completely from the fold of Islam.
There are five types of Major Disbelief.
(a) "Al-Kufr-al-Takdhieb".
This implies disbelieving the Divine Truth or denial of any of the Articles
of Faith.
Almighty Allah
says:
"Then who
does more wrong than one who utters a lie against Allah and denies the Truth
(the Qur'n) when it comes to him. Is there not in Hell an abode for the
disbelievers?" Holy Qur'n (39:32)
(b)
"Al-Kufr-al-Aba was-Stakbara ma't-Tasdeeq". This implies
rejection and pride to bow to Allah's Commandments after conviction of their
truth.
Almighty Allah
says:
"And
(remember) when We said to the angels: Prostrate yourself before Adam, and
they prostrated save Iblis; he refused and was proud and was one to the
disbelievers, (disobedient to Allah)." (Holy Quran
2:34)
(c)
"Al-Kufr-ash-Shak wa Az-Zan". This implies doubting or
lacking of conviction in the six Articles of Faith.
Almighty Allah
says:
"And he
went into his garden while in a state, unjust to himself. He said: I think
not that this will ever perish and I think not that the Hour will ever come,
and if indeed I am brought back to my Lord (on the Day of Resurrection) I
surely shall find better than these two (gardens) when I return to Him. His
companion said to him during the talk with him: Do you disbelieve Him Who
created you out of dust (i.e., your father Adam), then out of a drop of
semen, then fashioned you into a man? But as for my part (I believe) that He
is Allah, my Lord, and none shall I associate as partners with my
Lord." (Holy Qur'n 18:35-38)
(d)
"Al-Kufr-al-Irad". This implies turning away from the Truth
knowingly or deviating from the obvious Signs which Allah has revealed.
Almighty Allah
says:
"We created
not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them except with Truth
and for an appointed term. But those who disbelieve turn away from that
whereof they are warned." Holy Quran (46:3)
(e)
"Al-Kufr-an-Nifaq". This implies hypocritical disbelief.
Almighty Allah
says:
"They have
made their oaths a screen (for their hypocrisy) thus they hinder (men) from
the Path of Allah. Verily, evil is what they used to do. That is because
they believed, then disbelieved, so a seal was set on their hearts,
therefore they understand not." Holy Quran (63:2-3)
Thus
will these major disbeliefs
fulfill
the prophetic irony of Al-Qiyamah. Those who hear
this Truth for the very first time ever will, on the
contrary, reject it and return to their families in
full conceit, i.e. brimming with their own ideas, thought,
concepts, and personal opinions.
And
we challenge the Ummah to bear witness to their own
disbelief, one that is clearly predicted for them in no uncertain
terms:
But on the contrary, he rejected Truth and turned away! Then
did he stalk to his family in full conceit! Woe to thee, (O
man!), yea, woe! Again, woe to thee, (O man!), yea, woe!
Qur'n 75.32-35
And
then one by one the phalanx of prophecies will rise to
defend the Sure Signs of Al-Qiyamah from the enemies of Allah
(SWT),
who will be asked in the Afterlife:
"O
ye assembly of Jinns and men! Came there not unto you messengers from
amongst you, setting
forth unto you My Signs, and warning you of the meeting of this day of
yours?" They
will say: "We bear witness against ourselves." It
was the life of this world that deceived them. So against themselves will
they bear witness that they rejected Faith. (The
messengers were sent) thus, for thy Lord would not destroy, for their
wrongdoing men's inhabitants, whilst
their occupants were unwarned.
Qur'n
6.130-131
Both
Muslim
and non-Muslim messengers from amongst us are now upholding
the Qur'n and setting forth Allah's Signs, explicitly warning
humankind of Al-Qiyamah. It is
imperative that the Ummah in particular, and non-Muslims in
general, now meticulously examine these
pages with their hearts, minds and souls so that they may
make an informed individual judgment. May Allah (SWT) be their indispensable
Guide.
"The
Qur'n's Addressees:
Another point
that has to be inferred from the Qur'nic text during its analytical study,
is to determine the identity of those who are addressed by it. There are
certain expressions like "guidance for the God fearing,"
"guidance and good tiding for the believers," "to admonish
and caution him who is alive," which often recur in the Qur'n. Here
the question may arise: Of what need is guidance for those who are already
guided, the pious and the righteous? Moreover, we see that the Qur'n
describes itself in these words:
It
is but a reminder unto all beings, and you shall surely know its tiding,
after a while. (38:87-88)
Then, is this book meant
for all the people of the world, or is it for the believers alone? In
another verse addressing the Prophet, God the Most Exalted, says:
We
have not sent thee, save as a mercy unto all beings. (21:107)
A more detailed explanation
of this matter would be undertaken during the course of later discussion
regarding the historical aspect of the Qur'n. Here it is just sufficient to
mention that the Qur'n is addressed to all the people of the world. It does
not single out any particular nation or group. Everyone who accepts the
invitation of the Qur'n is assured of spiritual salvation. However, the
verses which mention the Qur'n as the book of guidance for the believers
and the God-fearing (mu'minun and muttaqun), clearly specify the kind of
people who will be attracted towards it and others who will turn away from
it. The Qur'n never names any particular nation or tribe as being its
devotees. It does not take sides with a specially chosen people."
www.al-islam.org
A common ground must be found for non-Muslims to confirm the central message of
the Quran by presenting them with irrefutable evidence which they can
cross-examine and, most important of all, not able to refute. The Islam, Qur'n
And Al-Qiyamah
website does exactly that, no matter how controversial some of
the contents may be. Since this initial explosion of prophetic Truth is being
heard for the very first time it is bound to cause adverse reactions but, just
as Qur'n predicts, commences Al-Qiyamah: "The Day when they will hear a (mighty) Blast in Truth:
That will be the Day of Resurrection." (Qaf)
Again it must be repeated, and one that the Ummah must understand with
foresight, is that the
Resurrection is for all humankind. Until and unless the traditions and
scriptures of
non-Muslims
— name=TOP>who represent about 80% of the non-Ummah
population
— name=TOP>are related to this central theme of Islam
they will not be interested. Thus another website
upholding their religious traditions and eschatological
expectations, anchored by the entire contents and central
theme of this site, has been set up. It is called
www.adishakti.org/
and
titled SHRI ADI SHAKTI: THE KINGDOM OF GOD, and caters to Hindus, Christians,
Jews, Buddhist and other traditions.
Muslims should understand that the Christian Last Judgment and the Islamic
Al-Qiyamah or Resurrection are one and the same, and run parallel to each
other. The Qur'n declares that Jesus (PBUH) is the Sign of the Hour of the
Resurrection when He fulfils His promise to send the Comforter Shri Mataji
Nirmala Devi to explain about the Last Judgment.
The central theme of the non-Muslim
www.adishakti.org/
site is Shri Adi Shakti (Hindus,
Buddhists, Jain, Sikhs) and Kingdom of God (Jews, Christians).
For non-Muslims to accept the Qur'n and surrender to the
Call of Al-Qiyamah, it is imperative that message must also be delivered by a
non-Muslim. It will absolutely not work otherwise, and is a
non-issue. The Ummah cannot and must not challenge this
simple solution to the graceful submission to His Will.
Thus
in order to collect, promulgate and explain Surah 75 Al-Qiyamah
(The Resurrection) to the Christians, Jews, Hindus,
Buddhists, Sikhs and Muslims Allah (SWT) has sent His Rûh (Spirit) Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, a Sure Sign backed by surah
97:1-5 Al Qadr (The Night of Power and Honour). His Rûh was born a Christian and later
became a Hindu in order that all traditions are represented.
A Muslim without question can never accomplish this
task. The upholding of the Qur'n by a non-Muslim is
absolutely indispensable for the success of a universal
surrender to the Call of Al-Qiyamah. Only the Believers will not question the
Wisdom of
Jaami' un Naas, the Gatherer of Humankind, and
will submit to His Will irrespective of their practiced religion.
Shri Mataji
Nirmala Devi is the Adi Shakti of Hinduism, Imam Mahdi of Islam, Comforter
of Christianity, Maitreya of Buddhism and Aykaa Mayee (One Mother) of
Sikhism. The Mahdi, in Sanskrit, is the contraction of Ma Adi (Primordial
Mother) in the same way that the Maitreya is a contraction of Ma Treya
(Mother Threefold, Trigunatmika). The Mahdi, according to Islam, is the
Savior to come at the time of the Last Judgment to save the world. The
function of the Mahdi is similar to those attributed to the Buddhist
Maitreya or Christian Comforter. The Adi Shakti, Ma Adi, Ma Treya, Aykaa
Mayee and Comforter are one and same Divine Feminine.
She has come as a Teacher and Guide for people of every religion and those
of no religion. The Comforter also enlightens humanity to the teachings of
Jesus and prepares them for the eternal Afterlife during this Golden Age of
the Last Judgment and Resurrection.
14 centuries have passed the Holy Qur'n was revealed.
Surely Allah (SWT) has a Plan for all humankind which lies
hidden deep in the parables of the Holy Qur'n, camouflaged and
safeguarded until the Sure Signs of Al-Qiyamah blasts them
into submission!
But the centuries-old distortion of the Holy
Qur'n by scholars and theologians alike will deceive many who will still
wait for doomsday (Al Qariah or the Day of Noise and
Clamour). Thus even
after hearing this Good News of the living, breathing Qur'n to witness and
participate in the Resurrection (Al Qadr or the Night
of Power), they will reject and ridicule it! So it was prophesied in the Qur'n
that Allah's (SWT) Holy Plan for humanity will be rejected and ridiculed, and so shall it begin to manifest in
the hearts of the disbelievers!
And in the Hereafter
they will be asked:
"O
ye assembly of Jinns and men! Came there not unto you messengers from
amongst you, setting
forth unto you My Signs, and warning you of the meeting of this day of
yours?"
Qur'n
6.130-13
May none deny in the
Hereafter that they were not aware of messengers on Earth
setting forth Allah's (SWT) Signs of Al-Qiyamah and warning
all to surrender to His Call that the Resurrection has begun!
Wa maa alainaa illa
al-balaagh — there is nothing upon us except to convey (the
truth).
Wasalam
LAA
UQSIM BI-YAWM AL-QIYAMAH;
WA-LAA UQSIM BI-AN-NAFSAL-LAWWAAMAH
I do
call to witness the Resurrection Day;
And I do call to witness the
self-reproaching Spirit.
|
