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MINARET

MONTHLY INTERNATIONAL

IN SERVICE OF ISLAM SINCE 1964

Organ of the World Federation of
Islamic Missions
An International Monthly
Devoted to Islamic Progress

VOL. 47 SAFAR / RABI-UL-AWWAL, 1431 A.H

NO. 2 (SEERAT NUMBER) FEBRUARY, 2010

PRICE :
Rs. 25/= (Pak)

WORLD FEDERATION OF ISLAMIC MISSIONS
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PRESIDENT:
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THE

so-asa^

MINARET

An International Monthly Devoted to Islamic Progress

Organ of

WORLD FEDERATION OF ISLAMIC MISSIONS, KARACHI.

-^^^^ o

Published in Memory of
Maulana Shah Muhammad Abdul Aleem Siddiqui Al-Qaderi (R.A.)

and
Maulana Dr. Muhammad Fazl-ur-Rahman Al-Ansari Al-Qaderi (R.A.)

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The "MINARET"

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Maulana Allah Yar Qaderi

Chief Editor:

Mustafa Fazil Ansari
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FIJI

Fazal Khan
Guyana (South America)

Mauritius

Ahmed B. Keeno
Mozambique

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Editor:

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Special Correspondents:

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Trinidad and Tobago

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Rizwan Mathew

Abdullah Ahmed

H.R. Azizuddin

IN THIS ISSUE

LFrom The Editor's Desk 3

2. Call From The Minaret 5

3. Safar-ul-Muzaffar 8

4. Rahmatul-lil-Alamin 15

5. Prophet Muhammad's (#) Multilateral
Agreement for Peaceful-Coexistance 19

6. Our Guide 24

7. Naqoosh-e-Seerat 27

8. (JV^UW^L/f^fc^ 36

"The MINARET may not necessarily agree with the opinions of the writers

Approved for Schools, Colleges and Educational Institutions vide Circular No. (DE / F.
Pub/ 11- A) (3082-3390) 72, Directorate of Education, Karachi Region, dated 8-5-1972

Published by the World Federation of Islamic Missions, Abdul Aleem Siddiqui and Islamic Centre Roads,

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Printed at M/s. Abrar Sons, Hydri Manzil, Bohra Pir, Karachi.

FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK .

The month of Rabi-ul-Awwal is held
in great reverence by Muslims all over the
world as it was in this auspicious month
that Allah the Almighty graced the earth
with the birth of His last Prophet, Hazrat

Muhammad (&) the fountain head of

guidance for the entire human race. The
advent of this greatest ever personality in
the history of mankind is enough to make
Rabi-ul-Awwal the most blissful of all
months, and no other distinction is needed
to invest it with sanctity The month of
Ramzan is justly held sacred because of
the revelation of the Divine Book of all
times, the Holy Qur'an. But the month of
Rabi-ul-Awwal is doubly sacred because
in it was born the bearer of this last
revealed Book of Guidance for all
mankind.

When Rabi-ul-Awwal comes, it
arouses the emotions of love and
reverence embeded in the hearts and
minds of Muslims, wherever they are, for
the Holy Prophet f#j and reminds them
of his traits with which he transformed
human life and brought about peace,
nobility, justice, brotherhood, tolerance
and mercy in the daily life of the people.
He lifted the illiterates and uncivilized Arab
tribes from misery vices and falsehood
and turned them into the best Ummah
ever known to the world.

In fact, the birth of the Holy Prophet
(^) is a unique Divine gift of mercy to the
humanity. In the words of Holy Qur'an:

"We have sent thee not save as a
mercy for the Universe." (21:107)

There is no doubt that the birth
anniversary of Prophet Muhammad f#j
is an occasion of universal rejoicing since
he was sent by God as Rahmat-ul-Lil-
Aalameen the blessing for all the world
and Mercy unto mankind. The Muslims
being his Ummah, have an special cause
for celebrating the occasion with
greatfulness and thanksgiving. Their
fervour and festivity notwithstanding, they
should on this occasion also ponder their
conduct in the light of Sunnah and Seerat
of the Prophet. Are we really following in
his footsteps in our deeds and conduct?
This is the question to be asked and
answered in all honesty.

This is the occasion to search our
souls to see whether we as individuals or
collectively following the Sunnah of the
Prophet f#j and how far we have strayed
away from his Seerat. Unfortunately as
we survey the scene in the Muslim world
in general and Pakistan in particular, we
see it riven by numerous factions and
divisions. Divisive forces are at work in
the shape of sectarianism, narrow
nationalism, territorial ambitions and
historical animosities. These schisms are
being fed and fostered by our foes to keep
the Ummah weak and divided.

The extraordinary events that unfolded
at the closing of the year that has just
folded itself and at the beginning of the
ongoing year lead us more towards
appraisal of our conduct. Standing at the
crossroads, in a way it never has been,
the country is dealing with an insurgency
that poses an existential threat. The germs
of this insurgency were planted by

February 2010

operators both within and outside Pakistan.
The country has almost slipped into a civil
war without quite realising as to whose
war is it, how it happened and where it
will end. The enemy, with which the
country's security forces are now battling,
is out for the control of Pakistan. It is to
be found not only on the foothills of
Himaliyah and K-2 but also in our own
streets, which is why this war is in essence
a civil war.

There is a pall of gloom, anxiety and
fear all over the country due to threats of
terror attacks, most notably in larger cities
which has thrown a damper in celebration.
Yet the people find someway to get on
with life and ensure that they can find
festivity no matter how great the odds.

In today's terror-stricken world
environment, the traumatic predicament
of Muslims at this critical juncture can
hardly be overepmhasized. Those
deliberately distorting Islam as a millitant
creed and its followers as people prone
to violence should know that the Prophet

(&) of Islam was the harbinger of hope
for humanity. Forebearance and
forgiveness were outstanding qualities of
his personality and patience in the face
of persistent provocation characterised
his behaviour. He adopted and advocated
path of moderation instead of extremism
and decried exaggeration even in religious
affairs.

Muslims are fortunate enough to have
the Seerat-un-Nabi amongst them to
inspire, motivate and sustain them. The
multifarious and multidirectional aspects
of Seerat demonstrate, apart from its lofty
spiritual and moral plane, its practical and
eminently applicable value in emerging
environments. The most appropriate way
to remember him is to shape our lives in
the mould and model set by the Prophet
(*).

May the best of prayers and favours
be upon Muhammad f#j who is His
prophet and most beloved, the most
beautiful, the model par excellence for all
of mankind in every aspect. . . . FARID

(-JJL- js* {\sj (J J ' y.

mm

MINARET

February 2010

CALL FROM THE MINARET

HIS EMINENCE MAULANA

MUHAMMAD ABDUL ALEEM SIDDIQUI

AL-QADRI

THE CODIFICATION

OF

ISLAMIC LAW

In the preliminary remarks, I have
made it plain that the Prophet of Islam
was the last Prophet (#), after whom no
one is to receive prophethood, and that
the law which humanity has received
through him is the Perfect Law, after which
no further law is needed and which stands
as the Code of Guidance for humanity till
the Last Day. In fact, the Holy Quran
claims, and history supports this claim,
that whatever the new forms which human
problems might take and however complex
may be the issues confronting humanity,
the Quranic Guidance is always competent
to meet the new situation. God Himself
describes the Holy Qur'an as:

"The Book which explains all things".
(XVI : 89).

This comprehensive and fundamental
Guidance, received in the light of the Holy
Prophet's Sunnah, and acted upon, is
always sufficient and always unfailing.

There may, however be certain points
of detail which might come into existence
in a certain situation, and the guidance
on that point might be implicit and not
explicit in the the Qur'an and the Sunnah.
In such a situation, there arises the need
for Qiyas (or Analogy) which consists in

MINARET !

discovering the implied guidance of the
Quran and the Sunnah on the point
concerned. The work of Qiyas is to be
performed by the experts of Islamic
learning and its Quranic sanction is found
in the verses which I shall presently quote.
The Holy Qur'an says:

"Do they not ponder over (the
teachings of) the Qur'an". (IV : 82).

About those who carry out this work
of pondering, the Holy Qur'an says:

"He granteth wisdom to whom He
pleaseth; and he to whom wisdom is
granted receiveth indeed a benefit over
flowing; but none will grasp the Message
save men of understanding". (II : 269).

We are again told :

"To whomsoever Allah wills good, He
grants him the understanding of religion".
(Al-Hadith)

"The Holy Qur'an further emphasizes
this tafaqquh, this "understanding of
religion" by saying:

"If a group from every party remained
behind, they could devote themselves to

February 2010

studies in religion, and admonish the
people when they return to them
(IX: 122).

At another place, the Holy Qur'an
says:

"And those who are firmly grounded
in knowledge say: "We believe in the Book;
the whole of it is from our Lord and none
will grasp the Message except men of
understanding". (Ill : 7).

Speaking about these men of
understanding. These Fuqaha, the Holy
Quran further observes:

"Do those who know and those who
do not know stand on the same footing".
(XXXIX : 9).

Then the Holy Quran makes it clear
as to who, even among the educated, is
entitled to be considered a true scholar
of religion. It is emphatic in pointing out
that the understanding of religion, the
wisdom, the firm grounding in knowledge
does not consist merely in reading certain
books. Nay it rather says:

"Verily, they alone are (true) scholars
(of religion) who fear God". (XXXV :28)

Thus the basic qualification is fear of
God. Only those who, side by side with
their pursuit of formal education, cultivate
their spirituality, whose hearts become
the seat of the fear of God, who, in every
action and in every saying, remember
their accountability before God, who, in
short, remain absorbed in the
remembrance of God, - they alone are
considered by the Holy Qur'an as men of

MINARET i

understanding. This is what we are told
in a verse which reads:

"Verily, in the creation of the heavens
and the earth, and in the alternation of
the night and day, there are signs for men
of understanding, - those who remember
God standing, sitting and reclining on their
sides and who ponder on the creation of
the heavens and the earth;" (III : 190,
191).

Their absorption in the remembrance
of God ultimately reveals to them the
realities behind things, until they cry out:

"O our Lord ! Thou hast not created
all this in vain ! Glory be to Thee ! Preserve
us from the doom of fire". (Ill : 191).

Understanding of religion and the
grasp of the problems of Islamic Law

form part of that real opening up of the
heart referred to just how. The next step
is the realisation of the higher verities, like
the Attributes of God, etc.

This is the group who have been
called the Ahl-az-Zikr (i.e., persons who
truly grasp the Message) in the Holy
Quran, which, as we have seen before,
describes its own self as Az-Zikr
(see XV : 9). It is these Ahl-az-Zikr, these
persons who combine spiritual illumination
with the religious knowledge of a very
high level, whom the Holy Qur'an regards
above the rest. In fact, it invites the general
Muslims to take them as their teachers
and to accept their legal deductions, for
it clearly lays down the principal:-

"Enquire from the Ahl-az-Zikr if you
do not know". (XVI : 43)

• February 2010

The Holy Quran is clear and plain.
We have not been permitted to interpret
its teachings in the light of our own little
education and meagre understanding.
For, by interpreting them in the light of our
pre-conceived opinions and prejudices,
we earn nothing but hell, as the Holy
Prophet (#) made it clear in the Hadith
quoted before. Again, because of the lack
of comprehensive vision, we shall at best
have a partial view of the problem. That
must land us in wrong conclusions. Thus
the animal self (Nafs-al-Ammarah) within
the sphere of physical pleasures will leads
us to all sorts of sins. It is only when we
subject ourselves to impartial guidance
that we can hope to escape the deceptions
of our prejudices.

Those who introduce their personal
opinions and desires into the
interpretations of religious matters may
well remember the powerful and
fundamental condemnation by the Holy
Qur'an in the following words:

"Seets thou such a one as taketh for
his god his own passion (or impulse)?
Couldst thou be disposer of affairs for
him? or, thinkest thou that most of them
listen or understand? They are only like
cattle; Nay, they are worse astray in path".
(XXV : 43, 44).

He who glories in personal
judgment. Without possessing the
qualifications laid down by the Qur'an, will
find, on honest self-examination, that he

is deceiving both himself and others. The
primary force in all such cases is the desire
to follow one's passions rather than to
subject oneself to the discipline of the
Qur'an and the Sunnah.

It is to save us from such pitfalls that
the Holy Qur'an has ordered us to seek
guidance from the Ahl-az-Zikr, from those
true experts of Islamic learning, who
because of their spiritual purity, are
capable of seeing things impartially, whose
lives are the embodiments of the fear of
God, who, when they interpret the Holy
Quran and the Hadith, do not rely on their
individual opinions, but exert fully to know
and understand the conclusions which
other experts have arrived at. They do not
suffer from self-worship and egotism, but
proceed in their search of the solution
with all humility and in conformity with the
view of the majority of the leaders of
Islamic knowledge. Such a consensus of
opinion when arrived at the solution of
some new legal detail is known as the
Ijma (or Consensus).

Thus we find there are four bases of
the codified Islamic Law, namely:-

1. The Book of God.

2. The Sunnah of the Prophet of God.

3. Understanding and Analogy.

4. Consensus of expert opinion.

Let us now cast a glance at history
and see how the Islamic law assumed the
codified form.

February 2010

Safar-ul-Muzaffar

(The 2nd Month of Islamic Calendar)
Hamid AM Aleemi

Meaning:

Literal meaning "Empty", in Pre-
Islamic days during this month the houses
used to be empty and deserted because
the ban on going to war in the Month of
Muharram came to an end and everyone
proceeded towards the battlefield.

Safar also means to be "Yellow".
When the names of the months were
being given, it was the season of autumn
and the leaves of the trees were yellow.

The Month of Safar during the Days of
Ignorance:

The Muhaddithin (the Scholars of
Hadith) have recorded many of the
superstitions harboured by the Arabs
during the Days of Ignorance. A few of
them are mentioned below:

1. The pre-lslamic Arabs believed
Safar to be a snake which lives in the
stomach of human being and bites the
person, when he feels hunger. This is the
discomfort one experiences when gripped
by the pangs of hunger.

2. Some said: Safar are worms which
originate in the liver and ribs due to which
the colour of the person becomes yellow,
a condition we know today as jaundice.

3. According to some, the month of
Safar flanked by Muharram and Rabiul
Awwal is full of calamities and misfortune.

With the advent of Islam and the
teachings of Prophet Muhammad (#),
all evil and incorrect beliefs common in
pre-lslamic times were discarded. (Ma-
sabata-Bissunnah).

The Month of Safar in Islam:

Safar-ul-Muzaffar is one of the most
precious Months because the Beloved
Prophet used to keep fast the 1 3th to 1 5th
of this month of the other Months of the
year, and because of the Urs (Death
Anniversary) of the Great Pillars of Islam,
who dedicated their lives for the Cause
of Islam and passed away in this month;
their Urs is celebrated every year with
great respect and reverence through out
the world, some of their names are
mentioned below:

1. Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariyah
Multani (RA) on 7th day.

2. Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhita'i (RA)
on 1 4th day.

3. Hazrat Daa'ta Gang Bukhsh AN
Hujwiri(RA) on 20th day.

4. Hazrat Imam Ahmed Raza Khan
Qadri (RA) on 25th Day.

5. Hazrat Mujaddid Alfi-Sani Sheikh
Ahmed Sirhindi (RA) on 28th day.

6. Hazrat Imam Hasan Mujtaba
(RDA) got martyrdom on 28th day.

February 2010

7. Hazrat Peer Mahar AN Shah (RA)
on 29th day.

Superstition & the Month of Safar:

To believe that the month of Safar is
inauspicious, and particularly to believe
that its first thirteen days are "bad luck" -
in Urdu known as "Tera Tezi" - or that it is
harmful to marry of propose to marry or
undertake a journey, etc. during these
days are beliefs which are against the
teachings of Islam.

In pre-lslamic days people considered
the month of Safar to be evil and ominous.
Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (#)
strongly rejected such beliefs and ideas.
The truth is that no time, day, month or
date is in itself evil, but the deeds of people
are either good or bad. The time spent in
the performance of good deeds will be
auspicious and the time spent in sins and
the disobedience of Allah Almighty will be
evil and ominous.

The month of Safar is not ominous.
Evil deeds and incorrect beliefs are
ominous and should be given up and
repented for. It is incorrect to postpone or
delay marriage or its proposal or a journey,
etc. because of such beliefs.

Now-a-days, some of the Muslims
hold incorrect beliefs regarding the Month
of Safar, as:

1 . Nikah (marriage ceremony) performed
in this month would not be successful.

2. This month is full of misfortune and
calamities.

business etc. during this month will bring
bad luck.

4. The first to the thirteenth of Safar is
ill-fortune and evil.

5. The person who distributes food or
money on the 1 3th of Safar will be saved
from its ill-fortune.

Some of the people argue that it
comes in the Hadith that "whoever gives
the good news of the ending of the month
of Safar, the Holy Prophet will give him
the glad tiding of entrance into Paradise",
this is a baseless Hadith. (Kashful Khifa:
2418, Vol: 2).

The polytheists believed the month
of Safar up to the 13th day to be
inauspicious; hence, Rasulullah (#)
rejected this superstition. It is therefore
wrong for Muslims to adopt the ways of
the non-Muslims and to entertain the very
beliefs which he had come to change.
The teachings of Allah Almighty and His
beloved Prophet Muhammad (#) give us
clear guidelines on such incorrect beliefs.
Allah Almighty says in the Qur'an: "No
calamity befalls but by the leave of Allah.
And whosoever believes in Allah, Allah
will guide his heart. And Allah Knows
everything". (11 : 64)

These erroneous beliefs have also
been condemned in the context of the
following Ahadith:

1 . There is not superstitious owl, bird, no
star-promising rain, no bad omen in the
month of Safar. (Sahih Muslim: 4118).

3. To commence any important venture,
MINARET !

2. There is no bad omen in the month of

February 2010

Safar and no Ghouls (evil spirits). (Sahih
Muslim: 4120).

3. There is no evil omen, no superstitious
owl, bird and no bad omen in the month
of Safar. (Sahih Bukhari: 5316, 5378)(.

The above Ahadith clearly refutes all
incorrect beliefs and superstitions
regarding the Month of Safar. these
incorrect beliefs flow from the pre-lslamic
period of Jahiliyyah (Days of Ignorance)
and unfortunately still going on.

What to do....?

1 . To shun all types of erroneous beliefs
and superstitions regarding the blessed
Month of Safar.

2. To understand that the most
unfortunate person is he, who disobeys
the Commandments of Allah Almighty and
His Beloved Prophet (#) for example: he
does not observe the Obligatory Prayers
five times a day, nor he pay Zakat (Islamic
alms-fee) etc.

3. We should understand that all
conditions which befalls us, good or bad,

favourable, or unfavourable are from Allah
Almighty (as a result of our actions). He
Says: "And whatever affliction reached
you is due to what Your hands have
earned; and He pardons much." ( 42 : 38).

4. On the first night of the month of Safar,
after Isha Prayer, every Muslim should
pray 4 Rakats (nafil prayer) in the following
manner: In the first Rakat after Surah
Fatiha recite Surah Kafiroon 15 times and
in the second Rakat Surah Ikhlas 15 times
and in the third Rakat Surah Falaq 15
times and in the fourth Surah Naas 15
times. After completing the prayer recite
4th verse from Surah Fatiha once in
Arabic, then read 70 times Darood
(Blessings upon the Holy Prophet). Then
Allah Almighty shall protect him from every
tribulation and difficulty and would give
him great reward. (Rahat Al Quloob).

May Allah protect all Muslims from
tribulations and difficulties in this world
and hereafter, and grant the ability to
accept and practice upon all the beautiful
teachings of our Beloved Prophet (#)
Aameen !

There is no poverty more than poverty

of knowledge and there is no gain

greater than the gain of wisdom and

the knowledge.

— Hadith-e-Nabavi (Masnad)

February 2010

Compliment

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116, Liaqat Market,

M. A. Jinnah Road, Karachi.

Phone: 32412840, 32428237, Fax: 32415797

E-mail: mntx@cyber.net.pk

February 2010

Celebrating Eid-Milaad-un-Nabi fyfp

in Rabi al Awwal

(The 3rd Month of Islamic Calendar)

by: Faisal Ahmad Aleemi

The Literal Meaning:

Buried:In the home of Ayesha.

It means "First Spring",

because Rabi means "Spring" and

Allah Almighty Says in the

Awwal means "First", When the

Holy Qur'an: "Say you, "only Allah"

names were being given, this month

grace and only His mercy, on it

Rabi 'al Awwal, and the month of

therefore let them rejoice. That is

Rabi' al Akhir followed, saw the end

better than all their wealth. (Yunus:

of Spring and thus named Rabi 'al

58). In this verse, Allah Almighty

Akhir.

tells us that we should be happy

when we receive blessings and

Significance of the Month:

mercy from Him. Without doubt, the

Our beloved Rasulullah $&, a

Prophet $& is the greatest mercy and

mercy of all mankind was born in

blessing of Allah Almighty. Allah

this month. He migrated from

Almighty Says in the Qur'an: "And

Makkah to Madina and departed

We sent not you, but a mercy for all

from this world 63 years later. Here

worlds". (Al-Anbiyaa, 107).

is a brief introduction of his great life

in the following:

Allah Almighty Says in the

Qur'an: "O prophet! The Communi-

BIRTH:

cator of unseen news, no doubt, we

Place: Makkah Mukarramah.

have sent you as a present beholder

Time: Subh»Sadiq (dawn).

and bearer of glad tidings and a

Day: Monday

warner and an inviter towards Allah

Date: 12th.

by His command and a brightening

Month: Rabi 'al Awwal

sun. And give glad tidings to the

Year: 570 A.D. (Anno Domini)

believers, that for them is great

bounty of Allah. (Al-Ahzaab, 45-47)

DEMISE:

Place: Home of Hazrat Ayesha.

Allah Almighty Says in the

Time: Between Chasht and Zawal

Qur'an: "...remind them of the day of

(forenoon & noon)

Allah". (Ibrahim: 5)

Day: Monday

Month: Rabi 'al Awwal

Allah's greatest favour on

Year: 1 1 AH. (After Hijra)

mankind is the birth of the Prophet

Age at the time of Death: 63 years

$&. This means that the Milaad

MINARET 12

\ February 2010

(Birth Day) of the Prophet $&■ is a
"Day of Allah", therefore we should
remember it. The greatest favour
which Allah Almighty has bestowed
us is the sending down of the
Prophet $&. Imam Muslim writes
that the Prophet $fa was asked about
the fast on Mondays, which he used
to keep, the Prophet $$- replied:
"This is the day of my birth, and the
revelation was sent to me". (Sahih
Muslim: 1978).

This proves that the Prophet
$& kept fast on Mondays to show
gratitude for his birth. Imam Bukhari
writes that: When Abu Lahab died,
someone from his household
(Prophet's uncle Hazrat Abbas
(RDA) saw him in a dream, he asked
him: what happened in the grave? He
said: "I am being punished severely,
but on Mondays, I get water from my
finger with which I freed Thawbiya
(his slave girl). (Sahih Bukhari:
4711). This proves that a disbeliever
(kafir), Abu Lahab, was happy on the
day of the birth of the Prophet $$■
and was rewarded by having his
punishment reduced. If this is so
with him, then indeed Allah will
bless a Muslim who rejoices the birth
of the Prophet #&. This Hadith has
been used by many Scholars
(Ulama), to justify the celebration of
"Milaad. A person may ask: "When
did Abbaas (RDA) have this dream?
Was it before or after he embraced
Islam?" The answer to this is that he

MINARET 1

had this dream after coming into the
fold of Islam. (Seerah-Ibn-Hasham).
Abu Lahab died after the battle of
Badr before which Hazrat Abbaas
(RDA) embraced Islam. If such a
person can be rewarded for celebra-
ting the Milaad of the Prophet $fr,
then imagine how great the reward
would be for a Muslim when he
celebrates it. Some people, have the
opinion that King Abu Sa'eed
introduced the celebration of this
occasion. This is not true because
Hafidh Ibn Kathir states that in the
5th Century of Hijri, a King named
Malik Shah celebrated it also with a
gathering. (Tareekh Ibn Katheer
biography of Malik Shah). All the
Muslims of the world celebrate the
Milaad of the Prophet $& with love
and respect. If someone does not
celebrate it, we do not call them a
kafir or sinner, because the matter of
Milaad does not affect the Faith
(Aqeedah) of a person. The celebra-
ting of this should not cause any
divisions among Muslims. Some one
may raise this objection: How can
there be an Eid-Milaad-un-Nabi
when there are only two Eids (AI-
Fitr and Al-Adhaa)? The answer of
this is that the term "Eid Day" does
not specifically apply to the Two Eid
Days, but to Blessed Days also, as
Allah Almighty Says in the Qur'an:
Prophet Jesus (AS) prayed to Allah
Almighty: "O Allah our Lord, send
down to us a tray of food from the
heaven so that it may be an occasion
of rejoicing for us, for the first and

February 2010

the last of us and a sign from You,
and provide for us and You are the
best of Providers." (Al-Maa'idah,
114).

Imam Hakim (RA) writes
that the Prophet $$■ said: "Friday is
also an Eid Day". Once, in the
Prophet's time Eid came on Friday
and the Prophet $# said: "Allah has
given you two Eids today"
(Mustadrak: 1015).

Imam Tirmidhee writes:
"Abdullah bin Abbaas (RDA) was
reciting verse 3 of surah Maa'ida,
from the Qur'an, a Jew, sitting close-
by heard it and said to Abdullah: "If
that Verse, which you recited, was
revealed to us, we would make that
day an Eid Day". Abdullah-bin-
Abbas (RDA) replied: "When this
verse was revealed, there were two
Eids on that day. One of them was
the Hajj day and the other Friday"
(Tirmidhee, "Kitab Tafsir": 2970).
From the references above, it is
proved that this term does not apply
to the two 'Eid Days" particularly,
but instead, it could be used for any
Islamic holy day. This means that we
can refer to "Milaad-un-Nabi" as
"Eid-Milaad-un-Nabi"

How to celebrate Milaad?

In this blissful month it is less
as much as we celebrate. If it is

MINARET 1

possible, so better must take bath
every day change cloth which must
be immaculate and fragmented. From
the beginning till 12 th of this month
we must keep our house immaculate
and lightened on this basis and pray
that Almighty Allah may bless our
graves with His Divine light, gather
in order to send salutations (Esal-e-
swab) to the beloved Prophet $$■ give
charity to the poor and remember his
birth and virtues of him.

We do not say that, one must
celebrate "Milaad" only on 12 th
Rabi-ul-Awwal, in fact it can be
celebrated at anytime of the year.
Generally Milaad-un-Nabi is
celebrated on the 12th of Rabi-ul-
Awwal, by Muslims all over the
world. In most of Muslim countries,
there is a public holiday for "Milaad-
un-Nabi", except some of the count-
ries, but even in these countries, the
people celebrate "Milaad" indivi-
dually. The birth of the Prophets of
Allah has been mentioned in the
Qur'an. For example, Adam, Musaa,
Isa, and Yahyaa (AS). May Allah
bless our hearts, houses, country
Pakistan and all the Muslims of the
World, with His Divine light, and
give us the Taufique (inspiration) to
celebrate this Blessed Day with great
respect and reverence all over our
life, Ameen!

!■ February 2010

RAHMATUL-LIL- 'ALAMIN

Mustafa F Ansari

Allah (swt) created the glorious personality
of the Holy Prophet (&) as a mercy for all,
thus establishing his universal prophet-
hood. The Holy Qur'an states that: " And
We have not sent you except as a Mercy
to all the worlds." (21:107). The Holy
Prophet {&) said that 'Allah did not send
me to reproach (and curse) people but as
a mercy to them and as one calling them
to the truth.' (Muslim).

Allah (swt) unveiled his design and
revealed the code of life for the entire
humanity to follow, through His Beloved
Messenger and Prophet Muhammad (#:)
to enable his followers to be eligible for
Allah's blessings and thus His mercy. The
Holy Prophet {&) set the pattern and
demonstrated the practicability of living a
life in consonance with the Qur'anic
injunctions. The Qur'an states that: "Verily,
in the Messenger of God, you have an
excellent model (33:21). He is the medium
of all the blessings of Allah (swt) for the
entire humanity. The humanity became
aware of Islam through him and thus he
is the basic personality in Islam and Iman.
The best pattern of human behaviour is
contained in the life of the Holy Prophet
(^). Finding the pleasure of Allah (swt),
therefore requires one to foTlow, with
intense love, the path charted by the Holy
Prophet Muhammad (^) who came as the
last and final Messenger and Prophet of
Allah (swt) and provided guidance
complete in all respects in the form of
Deen-e Islam.

The pursuit of one's destiny demands
a clear conceptual understanding of Allah's

ordained mission to be accomplished by
the human beings designated by Allah as
His vicegerent (2:30). Deeper under-
standing of the modalities and its intricacies
would ensure better accomplishment. The
divine requirement as contained in the
revealed word is to follow the Holy Prophet
(#). The modality is apparently clear but
the intricacies need deeper thought which
is the command of the Almighty
( OjjiMi MS! - do you not think).

The Holy Prophet (#), who came as
a mercy to the entire mankind, was
endowed with penultimate qualities to
serve as a model of the most perfect being
and thus an object of emulation for the
entire humanity. And again it is stated in -
the Qur'an that: "Verily you are the
standard par excellence" (68:4)

History bears testimony to the fact that
the Holy Prophet (#) came at a time when
almost the entire worJd had forsaken the
path of piety, righteousness, truth and the
gloom of ignorance had completely
overshadowed all moral values. The advent
of the Holy Prophet (^) came at a time
when the degradation of all ethical and
moral values had touched the lowest ebb
in the desert heartland of Arabia. The
charisma and love of his holy personality
so impacted these native, ignorant, ruthless,
heartless pagans that they turned into
civilized, caring and decent individuals of
model ethical discipline. It was the impact
of his forceful, lovable personality that within
a century of emergence of Islam, the Muslim
empire stretched from the Atlantic Ocean
in the West to central Asia in the East.

> February 2010

Allah (swt) categorically states in the
Holy Qur'an: If one wants Allah to love
him, one should follow and obey the Holy
Prophet and one would then be blessed
with the love of Allah (3:31).

The human beings are not robotic
animations but with complex intellect and
free will. Their intellectual capacity is
imbued with deep seated emotions which
qualify them to develop affinjties, establish
relationships and accept certain
parameters for acting in a certain way in
their worldly life. Love implies obedience
and submission. Obedience of command
of a benefactor - the Rahmatul-lil- 'Alamin
or those following in his footsteps with out
any feeling for the person being followed
would only be an empty jargon. Love is
the force which motivates us and compels
us to action. Devotee's devotion to the
compliance of a command in letter and
spirit requires establishment of a deep
seated association which culminates into
love and affection for the personality of
the role model (#).-lt is the consequence
of human intellect's comprehension and
appreciation of Allah's (swt) mercy and
blessing in the shape and form of the Holy
Prophet (&) on the humanity at large.

It is this deep seated love in the hearts
of M'umineen for the refulgent personality
of the Rahmatul-lil- 'Alamin (^) which
moves them to ecstasy and drives them
to tears laden with wondrous thoughts and
sentiments for the beloved Prophet of Allah
- the Merciful. Holy Prophet (^) is reported
to have said that: "None of you can have
faith unless I become dearer to him than
his father and his son and all mankind"
(Bukhari). Allah (swt) Says in the Qur'an
that:" The Prophet is closer to the Believers
than their own souls. "(33:6)

Love is the predominant manifestation
of true faith - the Iman. On another
occasion, the Holy Prophet (&) is quoted
as saying: 'He who has no love has no
faith, he who has no love has no faith, and
he who has no love has no faith'.

In surah Taubah, it is stated that: 'Say,
if it be that your father, your sons, your
brothers, your mates or your kindred; the
wealth you have gained, the commerce in
which you fear a decline; or the dwellings
in which you delight - are dearer to you
than Allah or His Apostle or the striving in
His cause, than wait until Allah brings
about His Decision and Allah guides not
the rebellious." (9:24)

The above verse clearly illustrates that
absolutely nothing can take precedence
over a M'umins' love for Allah (swt) and
the Holy Prophet {&). The Companions
of the Holy Prophet (&) in their salutations
addressed him (&) with expressions
conveying the highest degree of reverence,
love and devotion. The fondness and love
with which the true believer follows in the
footsteps of the Holy Prophet (4&)
establishes the extent of his allegiance to
Islam and acquisition of Allah's favour.
One finds it as a binding principle in Salat
when one greets the Holy Prophet (£&) in
Attahiyyat by saluting him (£&) and
reaffirming a dynamic, vibrant relationship
with the Holy Prophet (&) when one recites
'Assalamu Alaika A'iyuhan Nabiu...' and
thereafter the Durood-e-lbrahimi.

To emulate the Holy Prophet (£fc), one
can not afford to miss any moment of one's
life without the fond memory of his (&)
deeds - the Sunnah - which represents
his (£&) active worldly life. It thus follows
that a Muslim's life has to be necessarily

MINARET

ie

February 2010

entrenched in the love and thoughts of the
life of the Holy Prophet (#) at all times
without which a Muslims' Iman or faith
does not attain completion and thus the
ultimate objective of achieving moral and
spiritual benefits would remain obscure.
Since his worldly life is the perfect example

for humanity, the transformation or molding
of individual personality towards perfection
follows as a consequence of one's whole
hearted adoption of the practical modalities
in this worldly sphere of activity
concurrently with intellectual, emotional
and spiritual commitment.

Abdullah Ibn 'Amr (*) reported Allah's
Messenger (^) as saying: "None amongst
you is a true believer unless his desires
become subservient to what I have brought."

(Mishkat)

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February 2010

PROPHET MUHAMMED'S (#)

MULTILATERAL AGREEMENT

FOR

PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE

HAFIZ DR. MUHAMMAD ADIL

The pact known as Meesaaq-i-Madina
is a multilateral agreement in the name of
the Holy Prophet Muhammad (#). It was
drawn up in the first year of Hijra. It is
highly regarded as a historical document
of the first order which played a noble part
in normalising relations and conditions
obtaining then in and around Medina. It is
also freely acknowledged that the
principles and the provisions of the
Agreement are germane to ensuring
peaceful co-existence of heterogeneous
elements of a society in any part of the
world.

Besides, the Agreement embellishes
further the prophetic figure of the Holy
Prophet as a Peacemaker and establishes
his bonafide for the first time in the eyes
of the non-believers. The Agreement thus
marks a great step forward for the Faith
on one hand and a wholesome change in
the approach of the erstwhile diehards
towards it on the other. The Agreement
indicates very clearly the end of the
beginning made in Makkah.

The Agreement contains fifty-three
clauses. The underlying idea running
through all of them is to foster unity
amongst the believers and amity towards
all; to treat different parties to the
Agreement - the believers, the non-
believers and the Jews - at par in the

MINARET 1

matter of their responsibilities relating to
peace and war while acknowledging that
the believers are, a separate entity as
distinct from others; to ensure freedom of
faith but emphasising all the same, the
excellence of Islam and its teachings; to
extol Islamic virtues and to ensure social
justice; to protect the law abiding and to
punish the lawless to create a sense of
collective responsibility for upholding the
righteous, and providing for the needy and
the helpless and to effectively deal with
miscreants an mischeifmongers,
aggressors and oppressors; to streamline
procedures for peace and war; and to
agree upon Allah and the Holy Prophet as
the final authority for arbitration and
adjudication.

We give below a gist of the provisions
of the clauses together with a translation
of the text of some of the important ones:

The Preamble of the Agreement
describes it as a Kitaab, contract from
Muhammad-un-Nabi (Muhammad the
Prophet) between the believers from the
Quraish of Makkah and those from Yasrib
(the old name for medina) and all those
who may join them as their followers and
take part in Jihad (Religious war) along
with them.

Clause 1 . declares that "the believers
) February 2010

are One community (Ummat-i-wahida)
distinct from the rest of the people."

Clause 2-10 pertain to the believers
belonging to the Quraish of Makkah
(Muhajirs) and those belonging to Banu
(house of) 'Auf. al-Haris, Saa'idah, Jusham,
an-Najjaar, Umer bin A'uf an-Nabeet and
Aus, permitting each of them to settle
according to their respective custom, cases
relating to ransom for the slain and those
taken as prisoners emphasising the need
in each case for a just and a righteous
behaviour.

Clause 11 contains a very humane
provision to the effect that "in no case the
believers shall leave an indigent believer
or a believer burdened with a large family
and thus unable to meet his obligations
without necessary help and assistance to
enable him to discharge his obligations
concerning ransom."

Clause 12 lays down that non-
believers shall conclude an agreement or
enter into an understanding with a client,
charge or subordinate of another believer
without the latter's permission.

Clause 13 requires God fearing
believers to be ever ready to take action
against any person who may be found
guilty of aggression, subversion or
seduction. The believers shall all raise
their hands together in striking down such
a person, no matter if he may happen to
be a son of one of them.

Clause 14 forbids a believer from
slaying another believer at the instance of
or for the sake of a non-believer nor to
support a non-believer against a believer.

MINARET 2

Clause 15 provides that even if the
humblest of believers were to promise
relief or protection to someone, it shall
become binding on the whole community
of the believers; it is so because the
believers are like brothers to each other.

Clause 16 enjoins wholesome moral
and social discipline upon the believers in
favour of their antagonists. It requires that
such of the Jews as may undertake to
abide by the terms of the Agreement, shall
not be discriminated against in the matter
of help or protection.

Clause 17 lays down that the believers
shall jointly negotiate and or conclude a
peace treaty on terms fair to all and which
shall be equally applicable to all. It forbids
a believer to conclude a separate peace,
leaving behind the other believers.

Clause 18 requires joint action for
defence in case of an attack.

Clause 1 9 concedes the right to claim
Qisaas (requital, reprisal) for loss of life
or limb suffered in the service of Allah.

Clause 20 extols piety, faith and
righteousness. It declares in plain words
that God fearing believers are the best
amongst the people and are on the most
righteous and straight path.

It will be observed that the clause 11
to 20 seek to streamline the social, moral
and spiritual conduct of the believers and
to instill in them the spirit of brotherhood
and of a unified approach and action.

Clause 21 forbids a Polytheist from
affording protection to life and property

3 February 2010

of a member of the tribe of Quraish, and
from creating any obstacle in the way of
a believer in this connection.

Clause 22 requires a joint action in
case a believer is wrongfully slain.

Clause 23 makes it the bouden duty
of a believer who agrees to abide by the
terms of the Agreement and who has
pledged his faith in Allah and the Day of
Judgement, to refrain from helping and
protecting a miscreant. A person who acts
otherwise is forewarned that he shall earn
the wrath of and damnation by Allah on
the Day of Judgement. There would be
no means of saving him from his terrible
affliction.

Clause 24 reminds the believers of
their duty to turn to Allah and His Prophet
in case of a difference or a dispute arising
between them.

Clause 25 to 42 concern the Jews
and extend to them such provisions of the
Agreement as relevant in their case. They
are given the freedom of faith and the right
to decide cases of ransom according to
their custom. They are made responsible,
as long as they fight along with the
believers, for their share of the expenses
of war. The tribes of the Jews specifically
mentioned (vide clauses 26-36) as parties
to the Agreement are those belonging to
Banu (house of) 'Auf, an-Najjaar al-Haris,
Saa'idah, Jusham, Aus, Sa'laba, Jufna,
being a branch of Sa'lba, shutarbah, the
subordinate associates of Sa'lba and
branches of other tribes of the Jews.

Clause 37 forbids the Jews from going
to war without the permission of

Muhammad (#).

(It is the most significant clause. This
part of the Agreement takes away the
initiative for starting hostilities from unsafe
hands and entrusts it to the safest possible
hands; namely those of the Holy Prophet.
It also goes to acknowledge the fact that
such authority is due to the Holy Prophet
and can be exercised by him in his own
right).

Clause 38 clears the way for claiming
compensation for bodily injuries and
expressly confines the responsibility for
any act of bloodshed to the person
concerned and his family excepting of
course the one who has been the victim
of the act of agression.

Clause 39 concerns the respective
responsibility to meet their own expenses.

Clause 40 requires united action after
mutual consultations to safeguard common
interests against an agressor who declares
war on those who are parties to the
Agreement, namely, the Jews and the
believers. They shall act in a trust-worthy
and not in a treacherous manner.

Clause 41 lays down that no one shall
be held responsible for the acts of omission
and commission of his ally provided the
oppressed shall be helped in all
circumstances.

Clause 42 makes the Jews
responsible for their share of the expenses
of war as long as they fight side by side
with the believers (and not otherwise).

Clause 43 guarantees the sanctity of

1 February 2010

the place of Medina against any
aggression on the part of the signatories
of the Agreement.

Clause 44 extends equal treatment,
rights and obligations under the Agreement
in respect of those who may seek
protection.

Clause 45 forbids giving any protection
to a woman without the permission of her
family.

Clause 46 provides that in case a new
problem or dispute arises which it may be
feared may lead to bloodshed amongst
the parties to the Agreement, the matter
shall be put before Allah and His Prophet.
It makes it clear that Allah is pleased to
see the Agreement being acted upon with
utmost care and sincerity.

Clause 47 forbids all help to the
Quraish and their ally.

Clause 48 makes joint action for help
and support incumbent on parties to the
Agreement, (the Jews, non-believers and
the believers) in the case of an attack on
Yasrib.

Clause 49 enjoins the parties (the
attackers and the defenders) to respond
to the call for peace and to accept an
invitation to participate in it and to be a
party to it.

Clause 50 fixes responsibility for
assault and defence against the one who
may be fighting face to face.

Clause 51 extends all the provisions
of Agreement to the Jews and Aus and

those affiliated to Aus.

Clause 52 contains an overriding
condition that none of the provisions of
the Agreement shall be misconstrued to
favour an aggressor or an oppressor. One
who goes out to fight and one who keeps
to his house shall be equally entitled to
security, exception being made in respect
of the aggressor or the oppressor.

Clause 53 assures help from Allah
and Muhammad-ur-Rasoolullah (the
Messenger of Allah) to such of them as
are honest and steadfast in their pledge
and promise.

It will be noted that the Agreement
was between Muslims (Muhajirs and
Ansars), and non-Muslims, the Jewish and
the Idolatrous member of the different
tribes found in and around Medina. They
had been fighting against each other in all
matters because they never had someone
to contain them and consolidate their
common interest. Having been ruined
morally and materially they (other then the
Muslims) longed for peace, and therefore,
jumped at the offer made to them by the
Holy Prophet (#). They were wise enough
to believe that the Holy Prophet (#) alone
could help them and welcomed him as a
saviour. The Agreement was acceptable
to them on this count also that under it
each and every one of the signatory tribe
and its factions friends and sympathiser
tribe could keep to its own set of beliefs,
faith and custom. It did not go beyond the
common interest and did not tread on their
tender toes by interfering in or cutting
across their rights or privileges.

The immediate impact of the

! February 2010

Agreement was that it welded the believers
into one distinct community and also
brought peace to the different tribes who
were, for historical, ethnical or even
personal reasons at loggerheads with each
other. By one gesture of kindness they
were persuaded to sink their ancestoral
jealousies and differences. More
importantly they were made to realise what
was in their common interest and who
could be their common leader.

It was the peerless personality of the
Holy Prophet (#) which had opened their
eyes, softened their hearts and broadened
their-minds to realise the prophetic love
and concern for their general good.

The Agreement was extended from
time to time to cover all the neighbouring
tribes who wanted to avail themselves of
it. The Holy Prophet (#) undertook a
number of journeys to different places to
get the Agreement ratified by such of the
tribes as were not the original signatories.

Summing up, we may say that the
Agreement put an end to a choas and

confusion and created an atmosphere
conducive to moral and material progress,
provided a legal and a moral basis to settle
disputes and stop bloodshed and banned
war. It also put an end to conspiracies and
fifth-column activities for subversions and
curbed the unlimited powers of the tribal
cheifs and took the decision making power
from out of their hands. It put the tribes
on the road to civilisation and strengthened
the hands of the aggrieved to take action
against wanton aggression and
remoresless perversion. It is the first written
Constitution of the world provided by the
universal personality of the Holy Prophet
Muhammad (#) to cement different tribes,
professing different creeds, colours and
races.

We cannot but hold our breath in
admiration for the Holy Prophet (#): how
he did put his finger on the hard core of
the distressing malady and how adroitly
he treated it by awakening the sense of
unity in adversity and a commonly agreed
procedure for promoting the good and
apprehending evil.

Abu Omamah (RDA) reported Allah's Messenger

(#) as saying: "No people, who have once found

the right way, ever go astray except through disputation,"

then Allah's Messenger (#) recited this

verse "They set it forth to you only by way of

disputation. Lo, they are contentious people. "

(Qur'an 43:58)
(Ahmad, Tirmizi and Ibn Majah)

February 2010

mm mm

Dr. Maulana Muhammad Fazl-ur-Rahman Al-Ansari
Al-Qaderi (R.A.)

After fourteen centuries, the world of
Islam stands today exactly where the
Arabs stood before the Holy Prophet (#)
united them into a single nation. The
political conditions of the world in those
days were more similar to what we are
seeing in today's world.

In those days, there were two
dominating political powers, viz, the
Byzantine and the Persian. The world of
today is also dominated by two world
powers, America and Russia. China stood
in those days exactly as it stands today-a
power by itself, and not powerful enough
to affect the political conditions prevailing
in the world in a general way.

The Arabs were then divided into
many tribes, each tribe constituting a
separate political unit. They were engaged
in ceaseless wars against each other,
killing, robbing, and enslaving one another.
Because of their disunity, they constituted
neither a political power nor a military
power, despite the fact that they were
better fighters and were more daring and
courageous than the cultured people of
Byzantium and Persia. Whenever an Arab
tribe become insolent or did anything that
displeased the Super Powers of those
days, they would set some of their vassal
princes against it and force it into
subjugation. Today, the world of Islam
stands exactly where the Arab tribes stood
in those days, because of their disunity,
not because they lack in manliness or
courage. Today, whenever a Muslim state
becomes 'insolent' and begins to form its
own independent policy, paying no heed
to the dictates of the Super Powers, it is

MINARET 2

brought back to its 'right sense' through
the military might of some vassal nation.

This striking similarity is also found in
the moral aspect. The Arabs of the pre-
Islamic Era were at the lowest point of
moral degeneration — and so are we today.
Gross selfishness, corruption and
obscenity are the most outstanding
features of our social life. Our personal
gains always reign supreme in our mind,
we are willing to sacrifice the national
interest for our petty personal interest —
nay, we are even willing to sell our nation
into slavery in exchange for some paltry
personal gain. There are of course some,
in each Muslim state, who are grieved to
behold the 'Ummah' sink so low and have
a sincere desire to improve the conditions.

From the time the Holy Prophet (#)
began his mission to the moment he
breathed his last was a period of twenty
three years. Within this short span of time
what he did was the greatest miracle ever
wrought in human history. The picture of
Arabia stood completely changed. The
ferocious and warning tribes were united
and welded into a strong and powerful
nation. This revolution did not go unnoticed
by the 'Super powers' of those days, and
the Arabs were soon engulfed in hostilities
with them. It finally resulted into open
warfare. What resulted from this? — the

very Arabs who used to be subjugated
and suppressed by petty vassal princes,
swept through the mighty Persian Empire
and set the emperor fleeing to China. The
conquest of Persia was completed durig

the period of Hazrat Umar, the second
Caliph. Byzantium suffered many defeats

I- February 2010

and lost much of its territory but it was not
completely wiped out of existence until
the period of the Turkish Caliphate.

This was only one aspect of the Holy
Prophet's reform. The Political supremacy
thus gained had resulted from the moral
reform wrought by him. He created a
society free from racial, linguistic and tribal
prejudices, free from class strife, free from
selfishness and couscious of common
interests. It is certainly hard for man to be
free from selfish motives but if the
individuals are not taught and trained to
forego personal interests for the sake of
common interest the nation soon falls a
prey to the selfishness of its component
parts. In this connection it may not be out
of place to quote an incident from early
Muslim History.

Once Medina was struck by famine
and the provision of food grains was
almost at an end. Then one day, there
arrived a large quantity of grains belonging
to Hazrat Uthman (R.A). Merchants came
to him from all parts of the city to purchase
their requirements. But Hazrat Uthman
refused to sell it at the price offered. They
offered a still higher price, but Hazrat
Uthman flatly refused to sell his grain at
that price; he said that he would sell it to
him who would pay ten times more than
the price they offered. It was too much for
the famine stricken population. It was
unimaginable for the Muslims of those
days that one of them could become as
heartless and selfish, as a hoarding Jew.
They began to raise slogans of protest
and displeasure. There was a sweet smile
on the face of Hazrat Uthman (R.A.) in
return for the protests. "Patience, friends!"
He said, "I am resolved to sell it to One
who gives me ten times the price offered.
You know God grants ten-fold reward for
each act of virtue. I sell it to God — take it
all as a free gift". The protests turned into
appreciation and admiration.

MINARET 2

How did the Holy Prophet (#)
accomplish this moral reform? Nothing
can thrive in a void, it requires a support
and the support of moral values is faith —
not traditional, but a living and vibrant faith
in God. It is quite true that every act an
individual performs has its effect on the
society and the effect produced on the
entire society also reverts to the performer
of the act as a member of the society. But
this complicated system of action and
reaction is too much for a layman to
realise. Hence he is always motivated by
the immediate gains, neglectful of the
consequences in the long run. He can
only be restrained by a sound and living
faith in God. Sometimes it also happens
that an evil-doer escapes the
consequences of evil wrought by him,
leaving the entire nation to reap the bitter
fruit thereof. There are, amongst us, such
parasites who have long been sucking
the life-blood of the nation and when it
was caught in a certain calamity they fled
to safety. Hence, no consideration or fear
of material consequences has greater
effect on the preservation of moral values
than faith in God.

The first and foremost lesson,
therefore, taught by the Holy Prophet to
his followers was that of faith in God, an
Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omniscient
God-the God, Who watches His servants
and remains by their side wherever they
are - Who will reward them for acts of
virtue and punish them for vices.

To have faith in an unseen God is
perhaps the most difficult task man can
accomplish. The faith which is commonly
professed is not conviction, it is the
admission of authority as a convenient
idea. As regards such faith, the Holy
Qur'an has said:

"The villagers say: 'We believe'. Say
(O Prophet): ye did not believe, but say-

> February 2010

we did surrender-as faith did not yet enter
your hearts". (Al-Hujarat)

This feeble faith does not enable one
to risk his all, even his life, for the cause
of virtue. Faith in God is not a mere dogma,
it has got to be obtained through
observation of the creation of God and
sound argument and judgement. The Holy
Qur'an lays great emphasis on observation
and meditation. It says:

"Behold! in the creation of Heavens
and the earth, and the alternation of Night
and Day, there are, indeed, signs for men
of understanding." (3:190)

But even meditation and argument
lead man only half the way. The sort of
faith which is obtained thus may be termed
as probability, not certainty. Yet this
probability is a valuable understanding as
it sets man probing still further into the
unknown realm of spiritual realities. This
is the state where one cannot lay implicit
faith on reasoning without risking the peril
of being lost in the labyrinth of thought.
This is the stage where Divine help should
be invoked through prayer and the
observance of a disciplined moral life. The
Holy Prophet (#) has said that man in
never closer to God than the moment
when he lies prostrate before Him in
prayer. This is why he has termed prayer
as Mi'raj (spiritual ascension) of the
believers. Those who want to experience
spiritual realities should observe a morally
disciplined life and seek the closeness to
their Lord by appearing often in His August
Presence. There is a Hadith-e-Qudsi in
which God says:

"Whoever become an enemy of one
of My friends (faithful believers) I proclaim

war against him. No servant seeks My
closeness with an act dearer to Me than
what I have rendered as obligatory to him.
My servant seeks My closeness through
voluntary (prayers virtue) until I begin to
love him; and when I love him, I become
his ears with which he hears, I become
his eyes through which he sees, I become
his hand with which he grips, I become
his leg with which he walks. I grant him
what he asks Me and I give him refuge
when he seeks it. I never hesitate in doing
whatever I do as I hesitate to take back
the soul of a believer who does not want
to die and I do not want to displease him,
though there is no escape for him from
death." (Bukhari)

When this stage is attained, faith is
perfected. Such are the people who rise
high above all considerations of sorrow
and fear. They live in a state of perpetual
bliss. They become impregnable. This
high altitude of spiritual elation may not
be possible for all individuals, but lesser
degrees are possible for many.

This is what the Holy Prophet did for
the first thirteen years. He taught them
moral values, and how to live a morally
disciplined life. He infused them with a
living and vibrant belief in God. Then
began the second phase of his mission
which was unavoidable, i.e., the spread
of Islam to the tribes all over Arabia, and
then to the neighbouring countries. This
was done more by example than in any
other way. This nation continued in
prosperity just as long as they were
steadfast to the examples of the Prophet
(#). And when they turned away they
were destroyed. This is a lesson to ponder
over.

26

February 2010

NAQOOSH-E-SEERAT

Hakim Muhammad Said (Shaheed)

Translated in English by

Rati uzzaman Zuberi

The Fear of Allah

Once a large number of people from me."
the desert thronged Masjid-e-Nabavi and

besieged the Messenger of Allah. The The Holy Prophet (#) was very
Companions seeing this rushed towards tender-hearted and while praying used to
them and pushed them away from the weep for the fear of Allah.
Holy Prophet (*).

A Companion narrates that one day

The Messenger of Allah left the when he went to see the Holy Prophet
mosque and went to Hazrat A'ishah's (#) he found him offering prayers and
apartment. The roughness with which the weeping. Tears were rolling down his face
people from the desert had besieged the and he was sobbing.
Holy Prophet (#) had hurt him and in his

annoyance, the Messenger of Allah Once the Messenger of Allah was
involuntarily said something against them, attending a burial. Tears filled his eyes as
But immediately he turned his face towards he sat by the grave and he said to the
Ka'abah and raising his hands in people:
supplication to Allah said: "0 Almighty

Allah! 1 am but a human being. Do not "0 people! Prepare yourself for this
punish me if somebody gets hurt through day".

THE HOLY QUR'AAN

And of mankind there is he whose conversation on the life
of this world pleaseth thee (Muhammad), and he calleth
Allah to witness as to that which is in his heart; yet he is
the most rigid of opponents.

Surah Al-Baqarah - 2, Verse - 204

February 2010

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ISTUDENTS CORNER|

MUHAMMAD (s:)- A PERFECT MAN

This earth has seen great men in
thousands, who achieved greatness in
one area or another. Some of them even
left their marks on the pages of history.
Great kings, warriors, conquerers,
philosophers, lawgivers, poets and military
generals came on the stage of this world
and temporarily influenced the lives of
people in one way or another and left
without leaving anything permanent in the
form of their personal example or eternal
teaching. Some of these great men might
have influenced some aspects of human
life in different ways and in different
manners but none has affected it in its
totality. God's Messengers were the only
persons who influenced human life in its
totality. They brought virtue and goodness
and removed evil and sufferings. They
purified the entire system of their day,
economic, social and political, from
excesses and malpractices and
established justice and benevolence in
every walk of life. They made these
revolutionary changes in society through
their Divine Teachings and personal
examples, and not by coercion. They ruled
over the hearts of the people and not over
lands and countries, because they were
true benefactors of the people and worked
day and night for their welfare and
happiness without any reward. A great
many men of outstanding ability and
personality have lived on this earth but
very little is known about their daily life.
Even the Messenger of God, such as
Ibrahim, Moses and Jesus (peace be upon
them all), who changed the course of
history and influenced the lives of men by

MINARET 2

their Divine Teachings and outstanding
personal examples, have not left behind
much from which present or future
generations can get inspiration.

Their teachings have been either
changed or lost and do not exist in their
original form. The records of their lives,
sayings and doings are incomplete. There
life histories are very sketchy and do not
present a sufficient picture of the
outstanding and loving personalities which
inspired and won admiration and reverence
from millions of people. With the loss of
their original teacihngs and the record of
their life stories, present and future
generations can hardly draw any
inspiration from their sublime examples.
Even if some part of their teachings can
be found mixed with other people's
teachings, it would hardly inspire present
of future generations without the loving
and outstanding personlity of the
Messenger, because no teachings or
philosophy, however noble and high, can
ever inspire people without the personal
example of the Messenger. There is no
denying the fact that the personality of the
teacher and his ability to create practical
examples to inspire the people is essential
for the success of his teaching and mission.

Muhammad (#) is the only Messenger
and man in history whose entire life record
is fully preserved. Not only the important
events of his life, but the record of his daily
life, from birth to death, is written on the
pages of history. All his sayings, doings,
actions and the details of his conduct and

i February 2010

character are kept; evey details of his life-
style such as how he walked, talked, sat,
and prayed. What was the colour of his
eyes, his hair, his face? How did he dress?
What Surahs did he recite in prayers before
and after sleep; when riding a horse or a
camel; before and after meals; and at the
time of putting on new clothes, etc? How
did he live with his family and what was
his behaviour with his wives, servants,
etc? In short, his whole life, at home, in
the mosque and outside, was fully known
to his companions, and was recorded as
an open book so that the following
generations could learn lessons and get
inspiration from his example.

Another thing about his life is that it is
most comprehensive and perfect and can
serve as an ideal for men and women of
all ages, working in all professions and
trades. Muhammad was not only a
Messenger but a man as well. He taught
people to be good, honest and just in their
private as well as public dealings and his
teaching was not confined to the mosque.
At home he talked with his wives and in
the market place he explained principles
of buying and selling. When he was
receiving deputations from abroad, he
talked about inter-state matters which laid
the foundations of international law. When
at war, he devised laws of war and peace.
While deciding disputes between his
companions he gave them a civil and
criminal code of judgement. And to protect
the rights of individuals and groups in the
state he gave them the judgements which
later became the constitutional law of the
Islamic state.

In short, he passed through various
stages in his life and experienced many

different situations at first hand. In his
childhood, he was a herdsman and looked
after the sheep of his foster-parents and
later on, at Makkah, he looked after his
family's and neighbour's heards. He
became a trader by profession and worked
for some time in the capacity to earn his
living. He went on trading trips to others
neighbouring countries. He married, had
children and lived a very happy life with
his family. Later on, at Medinah, he
became the head of the community and
acted in various capacities: as a judge,
chief administrator, a military commander,
etc. Thus he had vast experience in various
positions and had gained a great deal of
knowledge of human needs in diverse
circumstances.

Fortunately, he left a comprehensive
account of all his experiences for the
benefit of future generations. His teachings
are preserved in their original form in the
Qur'an, and his sayings and doings are
preserved in the form of Hadith. These
records cover matters of morality,
spirituality, economics, sociology, and
politics. The advice is absolutely perfect
and free from human weakness. It shows
us the moderate way of life, avoiding both
extremes of the right and the left. Besides,
it is practical and meets all the needs of
man. Above all, the living example of
Muhammad is completely preserved to
command love and reverence from his
followers and inspire generations of people
for ever. These two sources, the teachings
and the life example of Muhammad will
always provide light and guidance to those
who need it whatever walks of life they
are in.

Muhammad's life is a perfect model

) February 2010

and example for people to follow to attain
goodness, piety and success in their
individual as well as social life. People can
seek Light from his Message and
Guidance from his life; the two are the
eternal sources of guidance for men (and
women) in their struggle to achieve
perfection in the moral, spiritual and social
areas of life. He has set very high and
noble ideals through his practical example
for all mankind to follow in every field of
life.

The Qur'an describes the personality
of this great man in these words, "And you
(stand) on an exalted standard of
character." (68:4). Thus, in the words of
the Qur'an, the standard of his character
and personality was far, far above that of
other human beings. He possessed the
best and noblest qualities of the perfect
man. He was like a jewel illuminating the
dark environment with his radiant
personality, ideal example and glorious
Message.

Someone once enquired about his
character and manners from his wife,
A'isha, and she replied that the Qur'an
was his character. This means that not
only did he verbally teach the Qur'an to
the people, but practised it and was himself
a perfect example of the Qur'an in practice.
Whatever the Qur'an commanded, he
obeyed, and whatever it forbade, he
abstained from it more than anyone else.
He adopted, more than anyone else, the
good qualities the Qur'an honoured and
rejected those it condemned. According
to his wife, A'isha, he never beat any of
his servants and never took revenge on
his own behalf for anything.

Anas said that he served Muhammad

for ten years from the time he was eight
years old and the Prophet never blamed
him for anything which was destroyed by
his hand. If any member of the Prophet's
family blamed him, Muhammad would
simply ask them to leave him alone. Anas
also said that he had the best character.
And Jabir reported the Prophet as saying,
"God has sent me to perfect good qualities
and to complete good deeds." (Mishkat).

Muhammad was thus a true example
of a perfect man. He lived the life of an
ordinary man. He helped the poor,
orphans, and widows. He was kind to the
weak and hospitable to strangers and
travellers. He suffered from all but harmed
none. He was affectionate and loving
towards his friends and forgiving and
merciful towards his enemies. He was
sincere and honest in his mission; good
and fair in his dealings; and just in deciding
affairs of friends as well as of enemies. In
short, all goodness and all excellence
seem to have combined in the person of
Muhammad.

A person of such magnitude
transcends the barriers of time and space.
People of all ages can find something in
his life to provide them with guidance in
their various fields of activity. The Holy
Qur'an clearly mentions this aspect of life,
"We have indeed, in the Messenger of
God, a good example (of conduct) for
anyone whose hope is in God and the
Final Day." (33:21).

He is an ideal example for men (and
women) to follow in their daily life, and
people who believe in God and hope for
the Day of Judgement can find in him a
true ideal and an excellent example for
them to follow.

1 February 2010

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