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Now I come to my topic. After these preliminary
observations coming to the topic, first of all, I submit that the state of
Ummah, the state of Muslim Ummah, the state of Islamic Ummah is not very
healthy. And I would not discuss a lot because you know very much in this
respect. But still I would say ideologically, there is much ignorance in
the Muslim community about Islam. Ideologically speaking, Islamically
speaking, from the Ummah stand point, there is much ignorance about Islam,
there is considerable Bida (innovation unacceptable in Shariah) in the
Muslim community, innovations which are not acceptable, which has been
judged innovations (in the technical terms of Fiqh) and also much Shirk in
the entire Muslim world or many parts of Muslim world. I cannot say what
is the real state in the UK, but I would say that the Muslim Ummah as a
whole is in much ignorance, much Bida and much Shirk. Materially speaking,
materially there is much illiteracy, much poverty, serious poverty and
backwardness in most of the places. Our economy is in bad shape by in
large except a few, we have bad defence. What should we do to build a
strong Ummah in such circumstances when our ideology is this and when our
material position is this, what should we do to build a strong Ummah? By
the way I would mention after the conclusion of my speech, I will be ready
to answer in all humility any question that you may give me. I do not say
I have all the answers but I will give whatever I know and the rest Allah
is our helper. So coming to the question what should we do to build a
strong Ummah. Again, I need not mention that, of course, we have to build
our education, we have to build our economy and we have to build our
defence. These are the priority areas before I look into the ideological
issues, I am mentioning the material aspect and I have to do this. Our
education, as you all know, in most of the countries, not in all
countries, are not fulfilling the needs of Islamic education. Let me say
my case, from my school to my university post-graduation in Dhaka
University, I was not taught 20 ayats of the Quran, In fact, I would say I
was not taught 10 ayats of the Qur’an. I was not taught the life of the
Prophet (sm) who is a model for us. So does this education system or
education fulfil our needs? It does not. The objective should be to build
ultimately in the independent Muslim countries strong Islamic education
system. I know it will take time and there is “ Sunnat Allah”- Allah’s
ways and many things are there where time is needed but the objective
should be clear that we have to achieve an education system which will
meet all our material needs, all our needs to live as good human being. At
the same time it must meet our Islamic needs, The education must meet, and
presently in most of the countries the education system is not patterned
in this line. But the objective should be clear to the Ummah that the
education is very important, most important for our material progress and
for our Dini (religious) progress, for our religious progress, for
ideological progress, the most important thing is education. And as long
as the education system is not fulfilling our needs, there is our duty to
privately study and know Islam thoroughly and fully, there is no other way
but private study. I would not take much time about economy. I mean, you
can realise you have to do a lot. I will not discuss today this issue only
indicating that all Muslim governments, all Muslim politicians, all Muslim
intellectuals must work. All Muslim economist must work for strong Muslim
economy. I will come back to this issue later. We have to build our
defence also. Allah has said to guard our borders. If you look into the
last ayats of Suratul Imran you will find Allah has asked us to guard our
borders and Allah has taught us to keep horses ready. By that Allah (SWT)
means we should keep our defence ready, we cannot be careless about the
defence of the Muslim Ummah, about the defence of the Muslim states and
defence of the Islamic states. De-nuclearisation, very good, but it must
be for all, not for only the Muslims. Disarmament of all. I mean we cannot
be asked to disarm ourselves, others keeping arms. It will not be fair, it
is not just. Now, I was talking about the building of Ummah and about the
material aspect I was indicating a little. But, today my thrust is not on
the material aspect, we must take into account the fact that the Ummah
itself is under attack, under threat. You know that there are major
scholars talking about the conflict of civilisation, An Amirican major
scholar Hungtington has spoken on the conflict of civilisation and it says
that Islam is the next threat to the western civilisation, as if the
western civilisation must be maintained, as if any threat against that
must be eliminited, as if it is the pinnacle of civilisation, as if it is
the last word. We do not accept western civilisation is the last word, I
will come back to that. Not only Hungtington, Fukuama in his book “The end
of history” says that history has reached its final stage, he means really
that secular democracy and capitalism are the two things which are the
final version of things that human being achieved, so nothing new will
come, nothing better will come. This is the end of history, but we cannot
accept that the secularism is the last word.
The greatest problem of human civilisation is that they have forgotten the
guidance of Allah (SWT). And this is the reason of all the immoralities
you see in the world. And most of the fighting are on the basis of nation,
I agree there are fighting on the basis of religion also but a time has
come that we can contain that if we like. We cannot forsake morality and
surrender to immorality in the name of secularism that is forgetting the
guidance of Allah (SWT). Many of the evils of the world are due to really
the forgetting the guidance of Allah (SWT). I will come to that in course
of my lecture.
The Challenge of the West
The challenge of the West to the Muslim Ummah is political, is cultural,
is economic and mostly, and most fundamentally intellectual. I need not to
discuss much about political challenge to the Ummah. What do the West
want? The West wants the Muslim countries should obey the dictates of the
West. It is not acceptable to us. When a Muslim country was about to blast
a bomb it gets a few telephone calls several times from the head of the
state of most important power of the world that “ You do not do that” So
much interference in the affairs of the Muslim states. They want us to
obey their dictates and if you obey their dictate they will never dictate
us for the good of the Muslims and for the good of the Islam. I do not say
that we will not listen to others on right matters, we should listen to on
right matters to others, but we cannot accept the political dictates of
the West. They want us to surrender to their culture which is mostly
indecent , lot of indecencies, lot of exposure of human body, exploiting
the women for money and lust of men. I do not know in Human history any
worse social system like this. Their marriage has been eliminated more or
less, their parents are neglected, their children are neglected. Neither
children have security, nor in the real sense, the parents have security.
In old days they have lots of problems. Their children are not getting
care of both father and mother, probably they are getting care of only one
in most cases but Allah has made it like that the children should get care
of both father and mother. Allah has not made it like this that the
children would get care of only the mother. They destroyed family for no
purpose at all, for worthless purpose. The marriage is a historically
sound institution. It has not harmed anybody, the family has not harmed
anybody. That, they have come to a situation where they, in fact, are
ruining their families. They are leading us to a chaos and condition.
Coming to economic aspect, the goal is really economic imperialism. They
want us to be second graders, 3rd graders, 4th graders. They want us to be
their market ultimately. Their institutions are all geared to the interest
of the major powers of the West. I know thoroughly, I have dealt with
them. They serve mostly the purpose of the West and not the purpose of the
humanity as a whole. But I must say, the basic challenge is really
intellectual. All the other challenge are there but the basic and most
fundamental challenge that is coming from the West is really intellectual.
They are charging, they are telling us that the concept of Islamic state
is not possible. It is not good to have Islamic states. They are telling
that Islam does not give human rights, they are telling that Islam does
not give women rights and I must say with great sorrow that some Muslims
act in a manner it appears that as if Islam does not give human rights or
women rights. There are some manifestations in some countries, some parts
which also give this impression. Unfortunately, we must not do that. We
must not give the backward, unnecessary backward image of Islam.
Coming to the points of human rights and women rights, I would explain
that these are very much accepted in Islam. I will quote three basic
documents in support of human rights and women rights in Islam. The
constitution of Islamic Republic of Iran was drafted by Ulema, the
constitution of Islamic republic of Pakistan was, though not drafted but
accepted by Ulema of all groups. These two documents plus the writings of
the political scientists of the Islam. I would not name them all, I can
name only a few, like Muhammad Asad, like Abul ala Maududi, like Hasan
Turabi and so on, a political thinker in Bangladesh, late Moulana Abdur
Rahim in their writings. So I would say these documents which are drafted
by the Ulema or accepted by the Ulema indicated clearly that Islam has
given basic human rights. The Islamic constitution of Pakistan, has
chapter on Fundamental Rights. As I am a teacher in a University of
comparative political thought, I give my students Iranian constitution, I
give my students the Pakistan constitution. I give my students Bangladesh
constitution. I give my students American constitution. I explain them the
difference between the western democratic model and Islamic democratic
model. So I would say that the writings of political scientists, not
politicians, not ordinary Alims, but major Alims and major Islamic
politicians and political scholars and the other two basic documents,
which are drafted by Ulema or accepted by Ulema, clearly indicate that
Human rights are respected and women rights are guaranteed in Islam. So,
we should not hear some voices from here and there. We cannot lose the
consensus, We cannot ignore the consensus on the basis of some voices from
here and there. (You can also look into OIC declaration of Human Rights
which was approved by OIC Fiqh Academy).
Let us look back at the causes of Muslim decline. As you all know we have
been at the fore-front of expansion of knowledge. It is the Muslims who
have been the principal actor in the field of knowledge in the 7th, 8th,
9th and 10th century. In the 11th, 12th, 13th century Muslim gave up the
pursuit of knowledge. What happened? Why?. I have not the full answer but
it appears to me that we neglected knowledge. It is clear from history
that we neglected knowledge which led to our decline and among other
things is Taqlid, the blind following. The Muslims started blindly
following the old scholars and forgot their duties of pursuit of knowledge
and Ijtihad by the senior scholars of Islam. If you want to know the level
of Taqlid, I can refer to a book which I went through, there is book
called Fatwah-e-Alamgiri which was prepared by 300 Alims at the time of
the Mughal Emperor, Aurangjeb. They have discussed about 5000 issues and
you will be surprised that after each issue nowhere they quoted any ayat
of the Quran, no where they quoted the Hadith of the Prophet (sm). They
quote some old books. They refer Tatarkhania, refer Shami, refer
Baharurraik and refer Muhit, never to the book of Allah and never to the
Hadith of Prophet (sm). After going through 12 volumes of Fatwai Alamgiri,
I was dismayed, I was surprised, I got a shock. I want to mention that
this taqlid was responsible for our decline. In such situation, the
challenge of the West, political, cultural, economic and intellectual, how
do we meet them, and also that we know the basic reasons of our decline,
what should we do? As I have said earlier we have to build economy and
education etc. no doubt but above all we have to face the intellectual
challenge of the West. If we want to build up an Islamic state, Islamic
Ummah, Islamic societies, if we want to build up Islam based economy and
economy based on Islamic values and politics based on Islamic values,
there is no other way but face the western challenge. Explain the reasons
behind Islamic injunction. As once upon a time Ilmul Kalam was developed
that explained the roots of our faith, our Akaid (beliefs). Similarly, we
have to build up new subjects, new responses to the challenge of the West,
the intellectual challenge of the West. I think the most important thing
is to build up individuals. If we have to build up strong Islamic Ummah we
have to build up individuals. Why I say so, ultimately who runs the state,
individuals, who runs the societies, individuals, who runs the economy,
individuals, who runs banks, individuals, who runs the government,
individuals. So my submission is that if we want to build strong Islamic
Ummah, and face the challenge of the West we must build Islamically
oriented individuals and great number of scholars and intellectuals in
each field. For this I would suggest, if I can say that the prescription
before us I would say is to build Islamic intellectuals. To build Islamic
individuals, apart from Iman, apart from Akhlak(character), apart from
practice, what is needed is I would say read, read, read. The prescription
is read, read, read. I would say read, read, read. Any person cannot be a
Islamic scholar unless he has read about 1000 Islamic books in addition to
another 500/600 books of general interest. A first class Islamic worker
cannot be prepared unless he has studied 500 Islamic books in addition to
another 200-300-400-500 books on general matters. I suggest that the
building up Ummah ultimately would depend on the one hand on to building
strong economy, strong defence, good education, good infrastructure and so
on for all of us. Facing the challenge of the West, threat of the West we
have to build individuals. Because, ultimately, the individuals run the
society.
What should we read? I think we should read as many Tafsir of Quran as
possible, we should read as many commentry of Hadith as possible, we
should have a firm grounding on Usul al Fiqh. Who do not know Usul al Fiqh,
they do not understand how to classify Hadith. They do not know how to
infer, derive laws from the Quran and Sunnah. They have not heard about
Ibartunnas, they have not heard about Isaratunnas, they have not heard
about Dalatunnas. They have not heard about Iktedaannas. These are the
methods of derivation of the rules from the Qur’an and Sunnah. They have
not heard it. A firm foundation of Usul al Fiqh is needed for anybody who
wants to be a scholar of Islam and fight for Islam and work for Islam
seriously. If you want to be a general worker, no problem but if you want
to be serious worker. I can recommend a book to all of you in this regard
a good book which is basically based on Arabic work of Usul al Fiqh, is a
book by Dr Hashim Kamali, Islamic Jurisprudence published by Islamic Texts
Society, Cambrige. The book is based on all earlier works in Arabic by the
Ulema of Usul. I am coming to the close of my speech, so that you can ask
some questions. I will make two three points. One is, apart from studies,
we should take prophetic character, we should adopt the prophetic
character. People say it is not possible to follow the Prophet fully. I do
not agree. If it was not possible to follow the Prophet (sm), then Allah
would not have said the life of the Prophet is a model for you” or Prophet
(sm) would not have said his conduct is a Sunnah for all of us, he is a
model for all of us, is a guidance for all of us. I believe personally
that the need of the Muslim is to emulate Prophet (sm) fully. We should
behave with our wives as Prophet (sm) behaved with Ayesha (ra). It is
possible. It is possible to behave with our assistants as Prophet (sm)
behaved with Zaid(RA). It is not true that Prophet (sm) cannot be followed
fully. So, I mean this is not properly understood and lastly, I would
submit if we want to build strong Ummah, we must not ignore our women, we
must not forget our women. They have the same potential for Islam, they
have the same potential for Dawah, as man, because an ayat in the Qur’an
which was revealed in the 9th of Hijra in the last part of the Prophet’s
career says so. It is in Surattut Tawba. The Ayat is like this “ Wa al
muminuna………….” (9:71). This indicates that man and women are friend to
each other, protector to each other, helper to each other. What do they
do? The mumin man and women what do they do? The common duties are to
enjoin good and forbid evil, establish Salah, establish Zakat, follow
Allah and His Prophet. These six duties are the common duties of the
Muslim man and Muslim women. This ayat clearly proves that the potentials
of Muslim man and women are alike. We must not forget that the soul of
Muslim men and women are alike, same. I mean in the basic level man and
women are alike. There are differences of course. The structure of men and
women are not same. The responsibilities and duties sometimes are little
different. The basic levels are all the same, one. The souls are of same
type. Allah (SWT) has not said anywhere that the souls of man and women
are different. So, at the soul level, which is the most basic level,
ultimately what is a human being, nothing but the soul, and about it Allah
(SWT) says we are of the same type. Number two, despite all physical
differences, Allah says, the physical level of men and women are really
most excellent. Allah says in the Quran in Suratu Tin “Lakad Khalanal
Insana ..............." that is, men women have the most excellent
structure. Any solitary Hadith cannot be quoted against this teaching of
the Qur’an. No majaji (allegorical) interpretation is possible here and
thirdly we belong to the same family-the family of Adam and Hawa as has
been stated in Sutatun Nisa. As we are all Muslims we must give the
opportunity to Muslim women to use and utilise their full potential. So in
conclusion I would say that we face major challenges in political field,
in economic field, in social field, in cultural field and mostly in
intellectual field. We have to prepare individuals, these individuals will
create Muslim society and Muslim state and Muslim economy and politics and
society and schools and education and Madrasha and Masjid. So I conclude
my speech here. Thank you. Assalmaualaikum. (Summary of a
speech given in Sheffield in the U.K.) |