ISLAM - A Perspective (6.God is One)

Leadership is a pre-condition for any system to operate in a systematic fashion. Be it a family, educational institution, any organization or a country, all these are guided by a leader. For every creation in this world, there is a creator. There is no poetry without a poet. There is no art without an artist. The nature with its rapturous beauty and wonders, endless space, the orderly change over from day to night, the sun and moon, the orderly movements of the planets, the meticulous change of seasons, the mind boggling creation of the human body, the cooperation and coordination among the various organs teaches us something. What could that be?

Is the argument that such an amazing and intelligent universe originated on its own or by chance acceptable? Any random creation cannot operate so methodically and precisely without planning and proper leadership. There is an artist behind this stunning creation of art. HE is indeed the world’s greatest artist! We call him GOD.

“And your Allah is one Allah. There is no GOD but HE, most gracious, most merciful. Behold! in the creations of the Heaven and Earth; in the alternation of the night and the day; in the sailing of the ships through the ocean for the profit of mankind; in the rain which Allah sends from the skies; and the life which HE gives therewith to an Earth that is dead; in the beasts of all kinds that HE scatters through the Earth; in the change of the winds, and the clouds which they trail like their slaves between the sky and the Earth;- here indeed are signs for a people that are wise.” (Holy Quran 2:163,164)

Attributes of GOD

What are the attributes / qualities of such a GOD who has the capacity for such a wonderful creation? He cannot be a human. Nor can he be an animal or a plant. HE cannot be an inanimate object like a Sun or a Moon. The entire creation operates under a regulated framework. And any creation that operates under such a regulated framework cannot create another entity on its own. Hence that which is responsible for such a marvelous creation has to be something other than such regulated entities. It must also be possessing very different attributes from these regulated entities and capable of operating independent of them. Such a great power can only be called GOD. The Holy Quran clearly outlines the attributes of such a GOD.

“Say – HE is Allah, the one and only; Allah the Eternal, Absolute; HE begetteth not nor is he begotten; And there is none like unto HIM.” (Holy Quran 112:1-4)

“Allah – there is no GOD but HE – the living, the self-subsisting, the eternal, No slumber can seize Him nor sleep.” (Holy Quran 2:255)

The Prophets who were very close to GOD have only spoken to GOD but have never claimed to have seen HIM. Hence these Prophets have never ever attempted to describe GOD for us to visualize HIM. Hence they directed us to worship a formless GOD. 

  

GOD is ONE

If a group or a corporation or a country has more than one leader, then such an entity would not function efficiently and effectively. There would be lot of confusion. Hence for this grand universe, there has to be only one leader or a Master. Therefore, GOD is ONE. In his command there is no role for anyone else. This is emphasized in the Holy Quran.

“If there were, in the heavens and earth, other Gods besides Allah, there would have been confusion in both.” (Holy Quran 21:22)

“No son did Allah beget, nor is there any God along with him; If there were many Gods, behold, each God would have taken away what he had created, and some would have lorded it over others. Glory to Allah. He is free from the sort of things they attribute to HIM!” (Holy Quran 23:91)

All things in the universe – humans, plants, animals, sky, and planets are all inter-dependent. When all these are being made to act in an orderly fashion by one force or power, obviously there cannot be separate Gods for each of these.

The Holy Quran names such a GOD as Allah. The meaning of the Arabic word Allah is God. This word was in usage in Arabia even before Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) time. Even non-Muslims in Arabia referred to God as Allah during those times. The beauty of the word Allah is that it does not have a gender or a plural. Hence it is a unique word that cannot be categorized as a male or female. God cannot also be referred to in the plural. Hence the Holy Quran uses this word to refer to God.

God has 99 holy names. We can also call him using those. Each of those names refers to one of his qualities. For example, we can see a few of them.

AR-RAHMAN – the most beneficent

AR-RAHIM – the most merciful

AL-MALIK – the sovereign Lord

AL-KHALIQ – the creator

AS-SALAM – the source of peace  

AL-GHAFFAR – the forgiver

AR-RAZZAQ – the provider

AL-ADL – the just

One of the most often used holy name for God is ‘Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim’ which means ‘In the name of Allah, the most gracious and most merciful’. Before we commence anything, we need to recite this holy name. Each chapter in the Holy Quran starts with these lines. This is also the first dialogue in the Holy Quran.

God’s compassion is manifest in many ways. He created humans as the pinnacle of his creation. In addition, he has given them all types of capabilities and talents, means of living, guidance for living and sent prophets to exemplify his teachings. These are examples of his compassion. Humans are also being pardoned for their omissions and commissions if they feel remorse and seek his forgiveness. HE does forgive them due to his immense compassion.

“Say: O my servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the mercy of Allah. For Allah forgives all sins: for HE is oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Holy Quran 39:53)

The merciful GOD is also just. A person, who commits sins wantonly and without repenting for it, continues with his sinful activities, would be punished by GOD in this world and on the Day of Judgment.  

“Behold! They Lord did declare that he would send against them, to the Day of Judgment, those who would affect with grievous penalty. They Lord is quick in retribution, but HE is also oft-forgiving, most merciful.” (Holy Quran 7:167)

Hence we need to worship only such a noble and only GOD. You can approach HIM directly. You don’t need anyone else or any recommendation to approach HIM. HE is very near you!

“When My servants ask thee concerning me, I am indeed close to them: I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on Me; Let them also, with a will, listen to my call, and believe in Me: that they may walk in the right way.” (Holy Quran 2:186)

God can be known in two ways. One is to understand his creations, think about them and then realize his presence. The second way is to understand and realize him through the scriptures revealed through the prophets.  

Existential Positive Psychology

Positive Psychology (PP) is the scientific study of optimal human functioning and what makes life worth living. In other words, it is the psychology of the characteristics, conditions and processes which lead to flourishing. Initially when it was launched about a decade ago, it distanced itself from other branches of psychology. However, it has its roots in the works of William James in the late 19^th century, and humanistic psychology in the mid 20^th century. It also borrows from the ancient philosophers such as Aristotle and Plato. As a science, it focuses on discovering the empirical evidence for thriving.

PP originated from the University of Pennsylvania in the USA. The founders are psychology professors Martin Seligman, who is well known for his pioneering work on learned helplessness and later on learned optimism, and Mihalay Csikszentmihalyi best known for his work “Flow: The psychology of optimal experience”. The PP movement began in 1998 and since then new research articles and books on the subject have been written. The vast majority of psychology studies carried over the past 40 years have focused on the negative side of life such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, PTSD etc. PP redresses this imbalance by focusing on the human traits and circumstances which lead to thriving. The field is still holding sway over the researchers as is evident from the number of research papers, articles, bogs etc., that are being published over the past decade or so.

PP deals with well-being and happiness. Happiness, from ancient times, has been classified into Hedonic well-being and Eudaimonic well-being. The former refers to the happiness you get from feeling pleasure in the moment while the later is a broad term used by positive psychologists to refer to the happiness we gain from meaning and purpose in our lives, fulfilling our potential and feeling that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. These definitions have their own pitfalls and the positive psychologists had a number of reservations about them. Hence they went ahead and defined a new term “Subjective Well-Being (SWB)” which is expressed in the following formula:

SWB = Satisfaction with life + Positive Emotion – negative Emotion

Quite simple, right?

Just to give an idea of PP and its components, we can briefly look at the PP model of well-being postulated by Martin Seligman. It is defined as the PERMA model where

P – Positive Emotion – the experience of positive mood and feelings that are uplifting

E – Engagement – well-being you get from being totally absorbed in the task in hand

R – Relationships – Good, supportive and caring inter-personal connections are essential

M – Meaning – provides a stable foundation and sense of direction in life.

A – Accomplishment – includes everything from achievement, success and mastery at the highest level possible to progress towards goals and competence

However, there emerged another school of thought that felt the PP ignored the black reality of human existence. They also saw that Existential Psychology (EP) with its focus on death anxiety, meaninglessness and alienation is dark, because it does not focus on the joy of living. PP without existential insights and phenomenological analysis is full of adolescent exuberance but lacking depth. EP without rigorous research on human strengths and positive affects is full of wisdom but lacking in youthful vitality. Therefore it makes sense to bring the two domains of psychology together resulting in Existential Positive Psychology (EPP). 

EPP is a natural amalgam between PP and EP. The EPP psychologists, led by Dr. Paul Wong, discuss these 6 ultimate questions about human existence which deserves psychological investigation.

1.    Who am I? – What defines me? Who am I when everything is stripped away from me and I am reduced to a naked lonely soul? Is there anything unique and special about me?

2.    How can I be happy? – Why am I bored? Why am I so dissatisfied with life? What is the good life? Why is happiness so illusive? Is this all there is to life?

3.    What should I do with my life? – How should I then live? How could I live in a way that my life counts for something? What is my calling? To what should I devote the rest of my life?

4.   How do I make the right choices? – How do I know that I am making the right decisions regarding career and relationships? How can I tell right from wrong? What do I know what is the responsible thing to do in complex situations with conflicting moral standards?

5.    Where do I belong? – Why do I feel so alone in the world? Why don’t I feel at home in this planet Earth? Where is my home? Where do I belong? How do I develop deep and meaningful relationships? Where can I find acceptance?

6.    What is the point of striving when life is so short? – Why should I struggle when life is transient and fragile? What is the point in building something only to see it swallowed up by death?

All of these questions are related to the human quest for existential understanding. It is the spirit of asking tough questions and rejecting pre-packaged easy answers that characterizes existential psychology. EPP is open to insights, wisdoms and research on all aspects of human existence from all sources regardless of the paradigm of knowledge claims, thus providing a richer research agenda. In short, EPP broadens the definition of PP as “the qualitative and quantitative study of what enables people to survive and flourish individually and collectively in the totality of life circumstances” What qualifies EPP as positive psychology is its emphasis on the uniquely human capacities for resilience and positive change.

References:

1.    Positive Psychology – A practical Guide – By Bridget Grenville-Cleave

2.    www.ExistentialPsychology.Org

Goals

We have all heard about “goals” in our working life. It always referred to short term goals, long term goals pertaining either to our company or to our careers. But have we really thought about goals for our life? Even if we have, perhaps it is desultory without any concrete action plans to achieve them. Even if we put forth efforts to achieve them, they may also be sporadic with insidious statements like “go with the flow”, a euphemistic expression for being rudderless and drifting as it were. If this is so, are there really “goals” for us human beings?

In this vast expanse of Universe, spanning across millions of light years, it may sound conceited to claim that man is the crown of creation. Nevertheless, taking our planet alone into consideration, man with his evolved intellect and other faculties like speech, comprehension, imagination etc., may, with due humility, claim such a distinction. If that is so, then how different are we from animals that live by instinct alone? Our goals and purpose in life distinguish us from animal kingdom. Each one of us may have many goals – one wants to enter into the Guinness book of world records for living in a pit filled with snakes for several days while another wants to jump from 30,000 feet without a parachute! Some want name and fame, while others want to amass wealth! There may be as many goals as there are people. Likewise, even for the same person, the goals may vary depending on his stage of life – as a child to a senior citizen. However, our scriptures point out that despite innumerable goals of mankind, they can all be classified into four categories. They are Artha, Kama, Dharma and Moksha – generally termed as “Purushartha.”

Artha – means wealth indicating all forms of wealth which are meant for one’s own security so that we can safeguard ourselves from diseases, suffering, hunger, thirst etc., This is required for basic survival – generally called food, clothing and shelter. In Sanskrit it is called “duhkha-nivrutti” meaning ‘freedom from pain”. Man being man, does not stop with these basics but embellishes them with types of dishes, varieties of homes and designer dresses to fulfill these basic needs!

Kama – which generally means desires is also about entertainment for our enjoyment. We listen to music, watch TV (not to forget our mobile with its WhatsApp messages and FB!), travel, read and so on so forth. These are also innumerable and catering to the myriad tastes of mankind. But fundamentally, this necessarily comes after Artha for we think of pleasures only after our basic security is taken care of.

Dharma – this is also called ‘Punyam’ or the invisible favourable factor or ‘Adrishtam’. Hindus believe in re-birth and therefore they not only worry about current life but also about their future birth and also the well being of their progeny. So they would want to pursue a dharmic way of life – noble activities prescribed in the scriptures – so that they acquire ‘Punyam’ in this birth. Such a Dharmic way of life contributes to their Artha and Kama also in legitimate ways. They also get a better life in their next birth.

Most of the humans pursue these three goals only (commonly referred to as ‘Preyas’). While it may not be bad at all to pursue these, we need to analyze the limitations of these three goals. First and foremost, while these goals are wonderful and worth pursuing, there is lot of pain, effort and competition in acquiring these. For example, if one has built a palatial house, that person always talks about the time, effort, hassles in obtaining permits and money spent on building that house! And ultimately it is also subject to decay, just as a scratch on a new car hurts us so much! There is no gain without a corresponding loss. Therefore, acquisition involves pain. Secondly, despite all acquisitions, we have dissatisfaction. Despite huge amounts of money we have, we feel insecure that inflation may eat it away. And our satisfaction is always in the future, starting right from childhood thinking that I will be satisfied once I complete schooling etc. And finally, these goals are addictive and we become dependent on them. Once you own a car, you cannot even travel by a bus on one day when your car has gone for servicing. The more we are dependent, the more we suffer. And what I can I say about our dependency on mobile phones these days?

Hence the scriptures advocate that, while there is nothing wrong in pursuing these three, we need to transcend these three and aim for the fourth goal which is “Freedom” or “Liberation”. Freedom from what is the question. It is freedom from all types of dependence on external factors. In other words, we should not depend on any external factor for our security – like people around me, money I possess etc.  Discovering happiness in ourselves, discovering security in ourselves is called Moksha or ‘Shreyas’. And also it is in our ignorance that we pursue permanent fulfillment through these impermanent objects that causes suffering. So ‘Moksha’ also implies freedom from suffering. What happens then is, if we do not depend on them, we need not bother about going head over heels in acquiring them. If they come to us, it is fine; else also it is fine. Their arrival is fine; their departure is fine too. This includes everything you can think of and this inner freedom is called Moksha and the highest Purushartha. This is also called ‘Parama Purushartha’ (Prime Purushartha) because there is no further pursuit once this is fulfilled. That is why when you do an archana in a temple, the priest chants “dharmaartha Kama Moksha chaturvidha Phala Purushartha siddyartham” indicating that “may all your purushartha’s be fulfilled.”

This is a topic that generates lot of discussion. Whether Dharma precedes Artha or whether all the four are inter-dependent are all deliberated in great depth by all learned scholars. I have followed the lectures of my Guru Swami Paramarthananda and mistakes, if any, in my narration are solely attributable to me.  

In Psychology, when the entire community was a bit down by the theories floated by Sigmund Freud and other neo-Freudians, humanist psychologists like Abraham Maslow brought a whiff of fresh air focusing on the positive aspects of the human psyche. He postulated his ‘hierarchy of needs’ which most of you might know. They are Physiological needs, Safety needs, Belonging needs, Esteem needs and finally Self-actualization. Does this roughly correspond to what our scriptures stated thousands of years ago?

And finally, can a ‘Liberated man’ be equated to a ‘Self actualized person’? Well, maybe it is a topic of discussion for some other time!

READING - An Enduring Habit

When exactly did I start reading? My earliest memories are that of my dad and mom telling me bed time stories – mostly the usual variety revolving around our puranas. As I grew older, I remember eagerly waiting for “Ananda Vikatan” and ”Kumudam” magazines which my mother used to read regularly. The cartoons and the cover pages were very captivating. As we moved on, we got introduced to the usual comics of those days – “Phantom – the Ghost who walks” – my favourite – one who transforms himself into Mr. Walker as her heads into the town with his horse Hero and wolf devil. “Mandrake the magician” was a favourite too. We used to read these comics on the sly in classes too at times. As I got into my high school, perhaps I started reading novels by Sandilyan (yavana Rani, kadal Pura), kalki (Ponniyin Selvan), Devan (tuppariyum sambu was one of my favourites – especially the weekly cartoons appearing in magazines). Those days we also had non-detailed texts in English and Tamil. I remember reading some of the classics like “The Three Musketeers” by Alexandar Dumas, “Oliver Twist” by Charles Dickens, “Ivanhoe” by Sir Walter Scott and the like. We also had a taste of Shakespeare in plays like Merchant of Venice (who can forget Shylock?) and Macbeth. I remember having Na. Parthasarathy’s “Kurinji Malar” as our Tamil non-detailed text in my degree class. Thirukkural was also part of our Tamil classes. However, I enjoyed reading all the Tamil short stories of the time – especially the crime thrillers – the “Kathi munayil Ratham” variety!

Later on came the era of Sujatha – who changed the way stories were told in Tamil. It was fascinating and in my memory no writer had such a great fan following those days. It so happened that he was our neighbour in Bengaluru and at the request of my college mates I had arranged a meeting with him for them to meet and have a chat with him. One of his stories reflected an event that occurred in our family and that showed me how a small incident can trigger a writer to weave a fabulous story around a simple event! As I got into my graduation, my brother-in-law introduced me to reading English books. I had hardly read English novels till then – reading them mostly as non-detailed texts. Like all the beginners, I started with Perry Mason novels and followed it up with all the James Hadley Chase, Alistair Maclean novels. Agatha Christie was not far behind. Who can forget the inimitable fictional Belgian detective Hercule Poirot and his curling mustache?

It was at this juncture that my brother-in-law Pancha Nerur introduced me to two of the greatest writers in my opinion – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and P G Wodehouse. Sherlock Holmes and Jeeves would live with me forever. I can read their books anytime, anywhere and any number of times. What writing! And what language! Bertie Wooster with his colloquial English and Jeeves with his impeccable responses are a treat to read and savour. In fact most of the time in our class, we used to discuss P G Wodehouse and his characters more than our Physics lessons! I continue to read these classics even today. And I was greatly thrilled when I was in London a few years ago and had the opportunity to drive on Baker Street!

It was also the time when series of well researched English Novels by authors like Arthur Hailey and Irving Wallace were in the market. “The Final Diagnosis” by the former and “The Man” by the latter were my favourites. I cannot forget Dr. Joe Pearson and Douglass Dilman – the lead characters in these novels. And let me confess – as much as I laugh when I read P G Wodehouse novels, I cry too when I read books. I have shed tears reading “The man” seeing the travails of the “Black President”. I was also introduced by my brother-in-law to books on Vedanta. I have developed an abiding interest in the subject and my book shelf has all sorts of books related to Vedanta. I read them as often I can and try to assimilate the immutable truths laid down there. Perhaps it was a fore runner to my interest in reading non-fiction.

Once I took up employment, my reading habit dwindled a lot though I did read occasionally. Books by Sidney Sheldon etc. were a rage then. “Rage of Angels” by Sheldon, “Kane and Abel”, “Shall we tell the President” by Jeffrey Archer were some of the books that I enjoyed. It was not like the old days. Marriage, Children, transfers all had their claim on my time and hardly had I time to read. However, my wife’s brother gifted me a book “Cosmos” by Carl Sagan during this period. It was a book that I have read several times. It opened up my interest in Cosmology in particular and science in general. More was to come later.

As I moved on in life, a turning point again came in early 90’s when I quit my job and moved to the US. My first stop was in Puerto Rico. As I visited a friend’s house, I saw a shelf full of books in English and Spanish. Surprisingly I saw a book on Ramana Maharishi. More importantly I saw a book titled “Your Erroneous Zones” by Dr. Wayne Dyer, a clinical psychologist. I read that book immediately that kindled my interest in Psychology and a host of other self-help books. His other books included “The sky is the Limit”, “The Power of Intentions” etc., I always note down references when I read books and this has helped me reach out to several similar others. From Wayne Dyer, I got introduced to Ram Dass (Richard Alpert) and Alan Watts, two of the writers whom I admire. Alan Watt’s “The supreme identity” and “The Book” are a must read for anyone interested in the business of life! "Be here Now" by Ram Dass is a classic.

I moved to USA thereafter. I had left my family behind and lived there alone. And it was the best time of my life as far as reading was concerned. The public libraries are superb and I used to spend 3-4 hours every Saturday browsing / reading books. In addition there were book stores like Barnes & Noble where you could spend hours together reading. I read a number of books on management – authors like John Maxwell, Ken Blanchard, Zig Zaglar, Norman Vincent Peale, Dale Carnegie, Napolean Hill, Scott M Peck, Stephen Covey et all. I also read books by Bertrand Russell and his classic “The conquest of Happiness” is a must read. Being a student of Physics I was drawn into reading books on Cosmology, Quantum mechanics and new age physics books like “ The Tao of Physics”, “The dancing Wu Li Masters”  which attempted to compare Eastern Philosophies with Physics much to the derision of the purists.

Fortunately on my return to India, my job involved lot of travel and I kept reading books of all genres. However, reading fiction and Tamil books are very rare these days – a regret that I need to correct soon. Now that I have retired, I have plenty of time and all the time in the world to read. I can safely say that I am a better human being because of the books I have read. My suggestion to friends would be to read at least 10 pages a day and I can assure you that the habit will catch on.

Times are changing and technology is all pervasive intruding into all aspects of our lives. Reading is no exception. Kindle is something that I use – but let me be honest – it is not the same as holding a book on hand. Nevertheless, one has to change with times and I am slowly attuning myself to this new gadget. However, reading is one habit that I shall continue till my last days. I must thank my parents who were avid readers and perhaps I have imbibed that habit from them with lot of motivation from my brother-in-law Pancha Nerur!

I have covered only major authors and genres that have had great impact on me though there are numerous other authors and titles that have gone through my hands! Happy reading!

ISLAM - A Perspective (5.Humanity is One)

Once when Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was seated in a discussion with his friends, a funeral procession of a Jew passed by. The prophet (pbuh) immediately stood up as a mark of respect. His companions asked him “Why did you stand up? After all he was a Jew.” “He is a human being too”, responded the Prophet (pbuh). This incident reaffirms the fact that even though people may follow different religions, they are equal.

Once, Abu Dhar Ghifari, one of the Prophet’s (pbuh) earliest companions, addressed a black person derisively as a person born to a black woman. That person complained about this to the Prophet (pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh) called Abu Dhar and asked him to apologize to that person. This again reiterates that there is no difference in humans based on one’s birth.

“Humans are all equal as the teeth of a comb”, said the prophet (pbuh). If the teeth in a comb are not uniform and are uneven, they may hurt your scalp. Similarly, if we create inequalities in a society, that would hurt that society.

 “O Mankind, reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single person.” (Holy Quran 4:1)

“O Mankind, We created you from a single pair of male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other, not that ye may despise each other. Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.” (Holy Quran 49:13)

The above revelations imply a number of truths.  

1.    The entire human race can be traced back to one man and woman, who are the first parents. If that is the case, how can be one child of a mother superior to another child of the same mother? No one had the option to be born into a particular religion or a race or community!

2.    The human race which thus started from a single source later on spread across the globe dividing itself into multiple races, communities, groups etc. Based on the environment in which they lived, their external appearances changed and evolved over time. These external differences are only to identify the different races and not to create inequalities!

3.    One who lives his life in fear of God with discipline alone is the dearest to God!

4.    God created all human beings. Hence, God shows the same love and mercy towards all human beings. HE does not discriminate based on Religion, language, birth, colour, sex, or nationality. God delivers his judgment based purely on the good deeds done by humans.

5.    Man does not bring anything when he is born. He also does not take anything with him when he dies. Hence, birth and death are common to every human being.

6.    When God who created man is ONE, his creation, the human race can only be one too! (Holy Quran)

When Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) started his preaching in Arabia, inequalities were at its peak in the society there. The Arabs were considered superior while the non-Arabs were called ‘Ajami’ meaning ‘dumb’. The ‘Qureshi’ tribe was considered superior to all other tribes. The blacks were treated as slaves and were tortured. During ‘Haj’ pilgrimage, the tribes that considered themselves superior did not join the other tribes in the worship. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) changed this state of affairs and established an egalitarian society.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) appointed Bilal, his companion who was a slave, as the first muezzin. He encouraged inter-tribe marriages. He also got his relative Zaynab marry Zayd though Zayd was from a slave community. He appointed Usama, who belonged to a slave community, as his commander. Thus he paved the way for marriages between tribes perceived to be superior and inferior.

How the Prophet (pbuh) achieved this in a matter of 23 years is a matter of introspection for us and should be our guiding principles. Initially he brought about a change in the mindset of the people. As far as social evils are concerned, enacting laws alone will not yield results unless we bring about a change in the thinking and mindset of people. He also initiated this change in thought process through the medium of worship. The prayers, especially, laid the foundation and served as a training ground for fostering this unity. The prayers, held five times a day, enabled people to stand shoulder-to-shoulder without any differences, and made a big impact in bringing about this change. During prayers, no one is given any preference or priority. During Haj pilgrimage, the Prophet (pbuh) established a process or method to bring about unity among different nationalities irrespective of race, language or colour.

The Prophet’s (pbuh) teachings and actions annihilated the pride of the Qureshi tribe that considered themselves superior. He gave self-confidence to the people who were descendants of slaves, gave them positions of authority and instilled in them the belief that they were inferior to none. He brought about unity among the people who were divided among themselves. He neither allowed one group to fight against another nor allowed any prejudice to develop.   

“He joined your hearts in love, so that by HIS Grace, ye became brethren;” (Holy Quran 3:103)

ISLAM - A Perspective (4.Communal Harmony)

“You say that Islam propagates peace; but in most of the Islamic Republics violence keeps erupting every now and then. Terrorism has become a way of daily life in most of these countries,” seems to be the legitimate question raised by many. “You say that religions advocate peace; then why is that there are so many conflicts in the name of religion?” is the question generally addressed to the people who follow any religion.

The answer to religious conflicts and terrorism is one and the same. People do not follow the values and tenets or principles that religions teach. Instead they use religion as a mere identification, collection of rituals and as a tool to dominate others. This has led to the present situation. We shall briefly see what Islam has to offer to tackle these two issues that are disrupting peace world over.  

Unity in diversity

The different religions and principles are an inseparable part of history. There is a convergence of views between different religions as also divergence. Even within the same religion, there are differing views. Therefore, unity in diversity is the only practical solution feasible. This would lead to unity. The society that Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) created in Medina was a pluralistic society. There were Muslims as also Jews. In the city of Najran, just outside Medina, Christians lived. All of them lived together without any conflict.

Do not hurt the Feelings

One of the main reasons for religious conflicts is because people denigrate and malign other religions. On one side, the religious folks attack each other. On the other, in the name of freedom of expression, the incidence of people without any religious affiliations attacking religions is on the increase. People stoop to defame religious leaders, who are held in high esteem by their communities, by depicting them in cartoons and obscene pictures. Mostly these are not constructive and rational criticisms. Such people indulge in this just to gain some cheap popularity and increasing the sales. They forget that the freedom of expression comes with a responsibility. They also forget that all such freedom is not without limits!

The Holy Quran ordains us to desist from hurting the feelings. “Revile not ye those whom they call upon besides Allah, lest they out of spite revile Allah in their ignorance.” (Holy Quran 6:108). We can critique a religion without igniting passions and in a logical manner appealing to the intellect. We can also espouse the cause of our own religion in an eloquent and gracious manner. “Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious.” (Holy Quran 16:125). The Holy Quran has also critiqued other philosophies but without hurting their sentiments and belittling or demeaning them in anyway.

Do not get emotional about criticisms

When someone criticizes or attacks your religion, do not get emotional, advises Islam. Just as any idea or a view-point has support, so also it is natural to have opposition for that as well. People who are happy when receiving endorsements about their view-points should also be patient when they get opposing and differing views. When people lose patience and indulge in violent activities, peace in society is bound to be disrupted. Their principles get weakened and receive a setback as well.

When Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) propagated Islam, people ridiculed him and the tenets he preached. He was vilified as a ‘liar’, ‘sorcerer’ and of unsound mind. They said that Holy Quran was written by someone and taught to the Prophet (pbuh). They further added that he was lying that the Holy Quran was revealed to him by God. They scoffed at him saying that this was a myth from their ancestors. They created poems chiding him. Even after all these incidents, the prophet (pbuh) never once asked his followers to attack his detractors, and even after assuming the leadership of Medina he did not do so. He advised his followers to be patient and act in accordance with the will of God. He also exhorted them to ignore fools and respond with logical and rational arguments tempered with reasoning.

God says thus in the Holy Quran

“Ye shall certainly be tried and tested in your possessions and in your personal selves; and ye shall hear much that will grieve you, from those who received the book before you and those who worship many Gods. But if ye preserve patiently, and guard against evil, then that will be determining factor in all affairs.” (Holy Quran 3:186)

“And have patience with what they say, and leave them with noble (dignity). And leave Me (alone to deal with) those with possession of good things of life, who yet deny the Truth; and bear with them for a little while.” (Holy Quran 73:10,11)

“And the servants of Allah, the most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, “Peace!” (Holy Quran 25:63)

From the above sayings it is clear that when one’s religion is attacked, one needs to act with patience and dignity. Then one needs to engage in debates with rational arguments based on reasoning.

The arguments that the Prophet (pbuh) created the Holy Quran were countered with the following arguments. “He has been living amidst you for years. He has never uttered a falsehood. He cannot read and write. How can a person who cannot read or write create the Holy Quran which is in a poetic style? If you have doubts whether the Holy Quran is God’s revelation, bring a book that is matching in such poetic style as the Holy Quran.” The Prophet (pbuh) directed the poets among his followers to respond to these fault-finders in a poetic form.

Hence when the principles and religion we follow are attacked, we should not be guided by our emotions and take law into our hands. Instead, we should approach it in a rational and logical manner. We should be able to identify and expose those who are criticizing for the sake of publicity. In case there is some truth in what those detractors say, then we should also be willing to accept the truth.   

ISLAM - A Perspective (3. Peace)

‘ISLAM’ is an Arabic word, which literally carries the meaning of ‘peace’ as also ‘submission’ / ‘self-surrender’. If you submit to GOD’s commandments, you will be peaceful. If you fail to surrender to HIS will, then you will be bereft of peace. The word ‘Islam’, therefore, signifies this great truth. The people who follow Islam are called Muslims. The Arabic word Muslim also carries the meaning as to one who is in a state or condition of submission to God’s will and therefore is peaceful. (The word Islam and Muslim have the same root letters s,l,m). To attain peace and to give peace are a Muslim’s primary duties.

‘A person who does not harm others either through words or deed alone is a true Muslim’. ‘A person who safeguards lives and possessions of other people alone is a true believer’. ‘A person who has a sumptuous feast while his neighbour is hungry is not a true believer’. These are some of the sayings of the Prophet (pbuh) that further endorse the basic meaning of Islam as peace. 

Some people call Islam as Mohammadan religion and call Muslims as Mohammadans. However, these words have slowly faded away from usage. If we accept the term ‘Mohammadan religion’, then it follows that Islam was founded by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), which is not true. As we have seen earlier, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the last Prophet. He came to expound the truths that were already told by the earlier Prophets.

Say ye: “We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) prophets from their Lord: we make no difference between one and another of them: And we bow to Allah (In Islam)” (Holy Quran 2:136)

From the above verse it is clear that the Prophet (pbuh) did not initiate a new religion. Mohammadan would imply that Muslims worship Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). But truth be told, Muslims do not worship Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). They worship the only God. They regard Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to be a messenger of God and as a role model to be followed. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) always maintained that he was also human and that he would die one day.

Islam was created by God. It is, therefore, true that it is not linked to any particular person or race. In this universe, all creations, both animate and inanimate, except man act as ordained by God. They do not have the capacity, knowledge or freedom to deviate from these laid down laws. The Earth rotates at its pre-determined velocity. It cannot deviate from its pre-determined path, speed and time. This rule is applicable to everything that exists in this universe except man. Hence all these creations, perhaps except man, are acting peacefully.

Man alone has been bestowed with the privilege of thinking and acting as per his will. When man attempts to misuse this privilege, then he loses peace. ‘Drinking is the mother of all evils’ said God. Instead, man converted that as the mother of all earnings. This has resulted in family quarrels, divorces, murder, loot and sexual violence. ‘People are progeny of a single man and woman. Therefore all are equal’ said God. However, man created all types of inequalities. The result is that society is divided on class or communal lines with incessant conflicts. ‘Don’t even go near shameful acts’, said God. Man stepped beyond his limits engaging in prostitution, illegitimate and forbidden relationships resulting in sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS and deteriorating moral standards. Hence God addressed these people saying ‘and peace to all who follow guidance’. (Holy Quran 20:47)

Man will attain three types of benefits if he follows the commandments of the Lord.  They are peace with God, peace with creation and peace with self. Islam shows the way for all these three types of peace.

1. Peace with God

Accepting the only God, worshipping HIM and surrendering to HIS commandments will lead us to peace with God. HE has created us as the crown jewel of creation and has provided us with capabilities, means of livelihood and guidance. Therefore, if we remember HIM and be grateful, we shall be peaceful. When HIS likes become our likes and when his dislikes become our dislikes, then we become worthy of God’s love. ‘By remembering God, mind becomes peaceful’. (Holy Quran)

2. Peace with creation

We can be at peace with all of creation if we accept that all men, nations and languages are equal; grant human rights; discharge our duties and responsibilities properly; act with justice and be loving.

3. Peace with Self

We can attain peace with ourselves if we keep our mind and body pure. We need to discard some of the negative thoughts or traits like being overly materialistic, being obsessed with one’s position, ostentation, arrogance, jealousy and a vindictive attitude. Instead, if we cultivate love, compassion, truthfulness, forgiving attitude, sacrifice in our mind, then our mind will become peaceful. ‘Truly he succeeds that purifies it’. (Holy Quran 91:9)

We can attain also attain peace of mind if we keep our bodies also clean like our mind. We need to abstain from drinking, drugs, smoking, illegitimate and prohibited relationships. We also should not indulge in self-harm. ‘Make not your own hands contribute to your own destruction’. (Holy Quran 2:195)

Islam advocates greeting each other with the phrase ‘As-salam Alaikum’ which means ‘peace be unto you’. Islam also reiterates that we need to greet in the same manner when we finish our prayers as also while entering the house. Islam, therefore, endeavours to create a peaceful man and a peaceful society.

ISLAM - A Perspective (Prophet Muhammad-pbuh)

Muhammad (pbuh) was born around 570 CE to Abdullah and Aminah. He was a posthumous child. He lost his mother also before he was six. When he was a young boy, he was a cowherd. When he was 10, he was involved in his paternal uncle’s business and visited Syria as a part of the trade delegation. In his 25^th year, he became well known in Mecca for his qualities of integrity, honesty and discipline. He came to be called AL-Amin (the trustworthy) and AS-Sadiq (the truthful) by the people. People entrusted their valuables to him for safe keeping. In case of any disputes, people accepted him as their arbiter.

Impressed with Muhammad’s (pbuh) integrity, Khadija one of Arabia’s distinguished and well known baroness, entrusted her business to him as a caretaker. Later, attracted by his personality and charisma, she married him. Khadija was already twice widowed at that time and she was 40 while Muhammad (pbuh) was only 25.

Around his 35^th year Muhammad (pbuh) spent lot of his time in a cave known as mount Hira near Mecca. In solitude, he spent his time on contemplation. He reflected upon the evils, injustices and false beliefs prevailing in Mecca then. In the year 610 CE, in his 40^th year, during one such contemplation, the holy scriptures were revealed to him.

“Proclaim! In the name of thy Lord and cherisher, who created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: Proclaim! And thy Lord is most bountiful, HE who taught (the use of) the pen, taught man that which he knew not.” (Holy Quran 96:1-5)

When Muhammad (pbuh) heard these dialogues, he was shivering with fear. He became confused. He was overcome with fright as to whether he was possessed by some evil spirit. Again he heard the words “Muhammad, you are a messenger of God. I am angel Gabriel. Therefore Proclaim.” Muhammad (pbuh) responded “I do not know how to proclaim!” Again the voice reiterated “Proclaim!” He returned home perturbed. However, his wife assuaged him with the words “Do not worry. I shall be by your side always as a source of strength. No harm will come upon you. You are giving plenty as alms to the poor. You are supporting the orphans, widows and the destitute. God will not abandon you”.

She then took her husband to her relative Waraqah bin Nawfal, a Christian scholar. After hearing out Muhammad (pbuh), Waraqah responded “Muhammad, it was indeed the angel Gabriel that commanded you. He was the angel that commanded Moses as well. Your people will criticize you as a liar. They may persecute you. They may even banish you from your city”.

After this event, Muhammad (pbuh) gained the status of a Prophet. Just like the earlier prophets, the holy scriptures were revealed to him in stages. It started in 610 CE and continued for 23 years till 632 CE. He started disseminating this in secret initially but later did it openly. His teachings primarily focused on telling people to discard false beliefs handed down by their ancestors, worship the only God, do away with social inequalities, and not earn wealth through inappropriate means. He was against drinking, gambling and usury. He also spoke about giving rights to women, abolishing slavery, not exploiting the poor and treat orphans with dignity. He also proclaimed that the poor had a right to the wealth of the rich. 

These teachings were not well received by the influential and the wealthy leaders of the time. They believed that these teachings would put an end to their political, social and economic well being. They were disturbed that they would lose the wealth that they were earning by administering the Kaaba. They feared that Muhammad (pbuh) may even assume leadership of Arabia. Hence they fiercely opposed Muhammad (pbuh) and his followers. They tortured them to the extent it became unbearable.

Seeing the cruelty being inflicted on his followers, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) sent a group of his followers to nearby Abyssinia (in Ethiopia). He also told them that the Christian King who was ruling that country, Najashi, was a good man and would protect them. The Christian king also gave them refuge. 

In the year 620 CE, 13 years after he had started his preaching, he could see light at the end of the tunnel. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) got an invitation from the people of a city called Yathrib (presently Medina) which was about 200 miles away from Mecca. They declared that they would follow his teachings, provide him with security and accept him as their leader. Accepting this offer, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) migrated permanently to Medina along with his followers. This incident is referred to as ‘Hijra’. This event also marks the beginning of the Islamic year and calendar. This also turned out be a turning point in his life. The people of Medina accepted Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) as their political and religious leader. Those days, there were people who did not accept Islam as also Jews. The Prophet created a common political manifesto for all concerned. The Jews were given full freedom to pursue their religion and culture.

The people of Mecca, who could not bear the growth and popularity of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), started wars on Medina many times and failed. Finally a truce treaty was signed between both parties in the year 628 CE. This was called ‘The treaty of Hudaybiyyah’. After this event, Islam spread fast to various parts of the Arab peninsula. The people of Mecca, at times, violated the peace treaty. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) marched towards Mecca with about 10,000 soldiers and instead of retaliating, granted them amnesty. He assured them that there would not be any retribution. Realizing Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) magnanimity, the people of Mecca also embraced Islam.

In the year 632 CE, in his last year of earthly sojourn, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) came to Mecca along with his followers and completed his Hajj duties and released a ‘Declaration of Human Rights’ (which would be discussed in detail later). Later that year, at 63, he passed away. During his time, Islam spread to about 10 lakh square miles and about 5 lakh people embraced Islam.