Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): Mercy to the Worlds

The Prophet (peace be upon him) Mercy to the Worlds

Dr. Mozammel Haque

This is the month of Rabi al-Awwal, when Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the last and the final Prophet of Almighty Allah, was born in Makkah. The Holy Qur’an, the Final Revealed Book, was revealed to him through Angel Gabriel. I was reading a book: The Messenger: The Meanings of the Life of Muhammad, (peace be upon him by Tariq Ramadan and I am presenting some of his thoughts and ideas through this column. “He (The Prophet) received and transmitted the last revealed book, the Qur’an, which repeatedly insists on the eminent and singular position of the Messenger of God, all at once a prophet, a bearer of news, a model, and a guide. He was but a man, yet he acted to transform the world in the light of Revelation and inspirations he received from God, but also fully accepted his own humanity in what makes Muhammad an example and a guide for the Muslim faithful.” (page ix)

Intimate relationship of trust and love

While pointing out the intimate relationship of love and trust, Professor Ramadan wrote: The essence of the Islamic message is wholly expressed in this intimate relationship of trust and love with the Most High, establishing a direct link between the individual and his or her Creator, Who has chosen to demonstrate exemplary behaviour through a messenger, a human being, whom He has set as a model. Three verses were later to synthesize the exact substance of this teaching: “When My servants as you concerning Me; I am indeed close [to them]: I respond to the prayer of every supplicant when he or she calls on Me.” (Al-Qur’an; 2:186)

“Say [O Messenger]: If you love God, follow me:

God will love you and forgive you your sins (Al-Qur’an)

The Prophet (peace be upon him), at the heart of this intimate relationship, opens the way. The Messenger taught his Companions to love God, and the Qur’an taught them in return: “Say [O Messenger]: If you love God, follow me: God will love you and forgive you your sins.” (Al-Qur’an; 3:31)

The Prophet is the epitome of the human being aspiring to the divine beyond the finitude of life: Al-Qur’an says: “You have indeed in the Messenger of God an excellent example for the person who hopes in [aspires to get close to] God and the final Day and who remembers God intensely.” (Al-Qur’an; 33:21)

Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him):

Mercy to the Worlds

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is called “Rahmatul lil aalimeen” The famous commentator of the Qur’an, Allama Mahmud Alloosi used a metaphor to explain the meaning and said, “He is the root and the world is the branch.” This metaphor emphasizes the eminent position of the Messenger of God. Dr. Musharraf Hussain in his article, “The Benefactor of Mankind” mentioned about this metaphor and said, “The root not only provides an anchor and stability to the plant but the nourishment needed by the trunk, the branches, leaves, buds, flowers and the fruits. All these need the root. Without the root they would wither and die.”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) is ‘the mercy to the worlds’ in this sense that through him everything derives sustenance and divine mercy. Rahmat means to do a favour to someone, to give benefits to others, to have pity and show kindness. In this context the implication is that Muhammad (peace be upon him) has enormously benefited not only the Arabs and Muslims but also the entire world, therefore he is the Benefactor of Mankind. Allah is “the Lord of all worlds” and He has made his beloved Messenger (peace be upon him) the “Mercy to all Worlds,” mentioned Dr. Hussain.

His Personality, Character and Behaviour

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was born in a social situation of the pre-Islamic period where prostitution and indecency were rampant and in full operation. Drinking was another vice to which the whole of Arabia was hopelessly wedded. Gambling was another curse which had a firm hold on the Arab society. One writer summed up the situation in Arabia like this: “The Arabs of the pre-Islamic period were groping about in the dark and ignorance, entangled in a mesh of superstitions paralyzing their mind and driving them to lead an animal-like life. The woman was a marketable commodity and regarded as a piece of inanimate property. Inter-tribal relationships were fragile. Avarice for wealth and involvement in futile wars were the main objectives that governed their chiefs’ self-centred policies.” The Qur'an sums up succinctly this utter deterioration that embraced every phase of life in a single sentence: "You were on the brink of a pit of fire…" [The Qur'an, 3:103.]

Though Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was born in such a demoralised society, he was not touched by all these vices. Rather in the course of a few years, the Noble Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) emancipated them from all these shackles of hereditary bondage and elevated them to the pinnacle of morality, learning and culture! The Holy Prophet (pbuh) raised this fallen humanity to the highest level of moral rectitude.

Writing about Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) Dr. Ziauddin Sardar wrote in his book: Muhammad: “He was a man of integrity, with an innate modesty and warm personality. Despite being the centre of attention, the inescapable person of renown, he was devoid of all forms of pomposity or snobbery. Khadija’s servant, Maysara, who accompanied Muhammad (PBUH) on the trading mission to Syria, gave a glowing report not just of his conduct of business but also of how well he had treated him, a human detail that stands behind the more elaborate signs and portents that Maysara is said to have reported. And the same characteristic is found in the words of Anas bin Malik, Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) servant much later in his life: “He served me more than I served him. He was never angry with me. He never treated me badly”. And Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself said: “The dearest one in a society is the one who always serves others.’ If someone sent a servant to summon Muhammad (peace be upon him) he would follow behind rather than assume a dominant position insistent on leading the way; most often, he would walk hand in hand with the servant. This characteristic of humility and respect for others can be seen in Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a husband and father, friend, social reformer and community builder.” (Ziauddin Sardar, Muhammad, Hodder Education, page 126)

Top in List of 100 Most Noble and Influential

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as he grew up, he became known for his truthfulness, generosity and sincerity, so that he was sought after for his ability to arbitrate in disputes. The historians describe him as calm and meditative.

He was not only Prophet of God, but aside from that, he was one of the best leader in the “Top in List of 100 Most Noble and influential and successful person of history”. In recent times, a book has been published in America titled "The 100," or the Top One hundred, or the Greatest Hundred in History. A certain Michael H. Hart, described as a historian, mathematician and astronomer has written this novel book. He has searched history, seeking for men who had the greatest influence on mankind. In this book he gives us The hundred most influential men, including Ashoka, Aristotle, Buddha, Confucius, Hitler, Plato, and Zoroaster. He does not give us a mere chart of the topmost  "One Hundred" from the point of view of their influence on people, but he evaluates the degree of their influence and rates them in order of their excellence from No. 1, through to No. 100. The most amazing thing about his selection is that he has put our  Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as No. 1, the first of his "100!" Thus confirming, unknowingly, God's Own testimony in His Final Revelation to the World:

Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) has been favoured by God to all mankind as a blessing from Him.

“Indeed, Allah conferred a great favour on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger (Muhammad) from among themselves” (Aale ‘Imraan 3:164)

Whenever Muslims mention the name of Muhammad, they add peace be upon him. The ritual is based on a verse from the Qur’an, which states: “God and His Angels bless the Prophet – so, you who believe, bless him too and give him greetings of peace.” (Al-Qur’an 33:56).

Professor Tariq Ramadan in his book, mentioned earlier, spoke of three important lessons through three incidents; i) Not to compromise principles for wealth and power; ii) Begin every act invoking the name of Allah the Almighty and iii) Remember God’s Infinite Power and never pronounce final judgement on anybody.

Not to compromise principles for wealth and power

In the early years in Makkah when the situation was getting increasingly difficult for Muslims, when insults, rejection, and ill-treatment became the rule, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) began looking for a solution to alleviate the trials and suffering endured by the first Muslims. He was thought of approaching Walid, the chief of the Makhzum clan. Professor Ramadan wrote the story thus: “While he was setting forth his arguments and trying to win Walid’s support, the Prophet was interrupted by a blind man, poor and old, who had already converted to Islam and was asking him to recite some surahs from the Qur’an for him. Muhammad first turned aside calmly, but he soon became irritated by the insistence of this old man, who was preventing him from presenting his case to Walid. The chief, full of contempt, eventually refused even to hear the matter. A surah was to be revealed as a result of this incident, requiring Muslims to draw a lesson from it for eternity:

Commenting on this Professor Ramadan wrote: “No one must ever let power or social, economic, or political interests turn him or her away from other human beings, from the attention they deserve and the respect they are entitled to. Nothing must ever lead a person to compromise this principle of faith in favour of a political strategy aimed at saving or protecting a community from some peril. The freely offered, sincere heart of a poor, powerless individual is worth a thousand times more in the sight of God than the assiduously courted, self-interested heart of a rich one.” (page 48-49).

“History, with its many examples of how the thirst for power and wealth has led individuals to compromise their principles, has since taught us how true this intuition was. In this respect, another of the Prophet’s warnings echoes in our minds, addressing his spiritual community for the centuries to come: “For every [spiritual] community there is an object of discord, tension, and disorder [fitnah], and for my community, this object is money.”, quoted by Professor Ramadan (page 49).

Begin every act invoking the Name

of Allah the Almighty

While writing the biography of the Prophet (peace be upon him), Professor Ramadan mentioned another incident. The Quraysh were at a loss about how to prevent the Prophet’s message from spreading further. They decided to send a delegation to Yathrib to ask Jewish dignitaries. The Rabbis suggested the people of Makkah should ask him three key questions.  Back in Makkah, they went to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and asked him the three questions. The Prophet replied almost instantly: “I shall answer your questions tomorrow!” (page 57)

But the next day, the Angel Gabriel did not appear. There was no Revelation. Nor did the Angel come the day after. Professor Ramadan said, “Two weeks later, he received a Revelation and an explanation: “Never say of anything, “I shall do that tomorrow,” except: “If God so wills,” and remember your Lord [Rabb, “Educator”] when you forget, and say: “I hope that my Lord will guide me ever closer than this to the right course.” (Al-Qur’an; 18:23-24)

“This Revelation once again involved and a teaching: it reminded  the Prophet that his status, his knowledge, and his fate depended on his Rabb, on the One and Sovereign God, and that he must never forget it. This is how one should understand the meaning of the phrase Insha Allah, “if God so wills”: it expresses the awareness of limits, the feeling of humility of one who acts while knowing that beyond what he or she can do or say, God alone has the power to make things happen. This is by no means a fatalistic message: it implies not that one should not act but, on the contrary, that one should never stop acting while always being aware in one’s mind and heart of the real limits of human power. For the second time, the Prophet was called to account by the Transcendent. Whatever adversity one faces, one’s strength and freedom on earth consist in remaining constantly aware of one’s dependence on the Creator.” (page 57)

“Only later was the Prophet to receive the answers to the three questions he had been asked. The delay was paradoxically to strengthen the believers’ conviction and to baffle the Prophet’s interlocutors: his initial inability to answer and then the belated communication of Revelation proved that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was not the author of the Book that was being constituted and that he did actually depend on his Rabb’s will,” wrote Professor Ramadan (Page 58).

Remember God’s Infinite Power and never

pronounce final judgement on anybody

While narrating the story of Umar’s conversion, Professor Ramadan wrote: Umar had gone out of his home determined to kill the Prophet, blinded by his absolute negation of the One God; there he was, a few hours later, changed, transformed, as the result of a conversion induced by a text and the meaning of God. He was to become one of the most faithful Companions of the man he had wished dead.”

Commenting on Umar’s conversion, Professor Ramadan wrote: “This heart’s revolution was a sign, and it carried a twofold teaching: that nothing is impossible for God, and that one should not pronounce final judgements on anything or anybody. This was a reminder of the need of humility in all circumstances: for a human being, remembering God’s infinite power should mean healthy self-doubt as to oneself and suspending one’s judgement as to others. Thus, the more he moved forward with God, every day becoming more of a model for his Companions and for eternity, the more the Prophet was attaining humility and modesty as expressed in being, knowledge, and judgement.” (Page 65).

Key to Paradise

Last year, in 2013, during the month of Rabi al-Awwal, I read a book , Biography of the Prophet (peace be upon him) written by Shaikh Abdullah Ibn Al-Shaikh Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahab, translated by Sameh Strauch and published by Darussalam, in 2006.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to Mu’az, “Oh, Mu’az! You are going to People of the Scripture and they will ask you regarding the keys to Paradise; tell them that the keys to Paradise are the words: “La Ilaha Illallah” (None has the right to be worshipped except Allah). These words pass through everything until they reach Allah, and there is no barrier between Him and it. Whoever comes on the day of Resurrection with these words, sincerely, they will outweigh his sins.” (Vol. II, page 859)

Equality before law

During the Conquest of Makkah, a woman from Banu Makhzoom stole something and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was informed of it and he ordered that her hand be cut off, as reported in the authentic Hadith. Her people hastened to Usamah Ibn Zaid Ibn Harithah to ask him to intercede for her with the Prophet (peace be upon him). When Usamah interceded for her with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), the colour of the face of Allah’s Messenger changed and he said, ‘Do you intercede with me in a matter involving one of the legal punishments prescribed by Allah?”

In the afternoon, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) got up and delivered a sermon to the people. He praised Allah as He deserves to be praised and then said; “Amma Badu (To proceed): The nations prior to you were destroyed because if a noble person amongst them stole, they used to excuse him, and if a poor person amongst them stole, they .would inflict the legal punishment on him. By Him in Whose Hand is Muhammad’s soul, if Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad stole, I would cut off her hand.” (Vol. II, page 689).

Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a Prophet

This year, 2014, during Rabi al-Awaal, I was reading two books, one entitled Muhammad: Prophet for our Time by Karen Armstrong, published by Harper Books, London, 2006 and another Muhammad: Man and Prophet by Adil Salahi, published by The Islamic Foundation, Leicester, 2010. Long before the birth of Muhammad (peace be upon him), it was known to the people of the Revealed Books about his arrival. Learned theologians of both Christianity and Judaism were aware of the fact. The Jews in Madinah used to tell the polytheist Arabs there that a Prophet would soon be appearing in Arabia.

“That Christians and Jewish theologians should know in advance of the coming of the Prophet is not surprising, because both the Gospel and the Torah include references to Muhammad as the last of God’s messengers and Prophets,” mentioned Adil Salahi in his book Muhammad: Man and Prophet, page 60. Mr. Salahi also mentioned about a Jewish scholar, named Ibn Al-Hayyaban, who came to Madinah from Syria before the advent of Islam. He was a very devout person. Mr. Salahi explained that he came to Madinah only because it was time for a new Prophet to appear and that Madinah would be the place to which he would emigrate. “I hoped,” he said, “that he would appear before I died so that I could follow him. His appearance is very imminent, so let no one follow him ahead of you.”” (pages 621-62)

Prophet’s (peace be upon him) non-violent policy

When international community praised and acknowledged Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) for his personality, good moral character and non-violent policy, there is an animosity among some people who used all kinds of abuses against him as the people of Jahiliya used to do in the seventh century. Karen Armstrong wrote: “We have a long history of Islamophobia in Western Culture that dates back to the time of the Crusades. In the twelfth century, Christian monks in Europe insisted that Islam was a violent religion of the sword, and that Muhammad was a charlatan who imposed his religion on a reluctant world by force of arms; they called him a lecher and a sexual pervert. This distorted version of the Prophet’s life became one of the received ideas of the West, and Western people have always found it difficult to see Muhammad in a more objective light.” (pages 17-18).

Karen Armstrong also mentioned, “Western critics also persist in viewing the Prophet of Islam as a man of war, and fail to see that from the very first he was opposed to the jahili arrogance and egotism that not only fuelled the aggression of his time but is much in evidence in some leaders, Western and Muslims alike, today. The Prophet, whose aim was peace and practical compassion, is becoming a symbol of division and strife – a development that is not only tragic but also dangerous to the stability on which the future of our species depends.” (pages 22-213)

 

Mr. Bakir Izetbegovic on Islam and Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnian President Mr. Bakir Izetbegovic on

Islam and Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Dr. Mozammel Haque

Mr. Bakir Izetbegovic, the Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, toured the beautiful new building of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OXCIS), Oxford, on 28 October, 2013. The building was only in the planning stages when he visited the Centre twelve years ago, that was in April, 2001, he came with his father, Alija Izetbegovic who gave a lecture at the Centre entitled “Bosnia on the Historical Border.”

Bosnian President at the Oxford

Centre for Islamic Studies

Mr. Bakir Izetbegovic gave a lecture at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, Oxford, entitled “The Quest for Dignity, Freedom and Democracy in the Islamic World: A Bosnian Muslim’s Perspective” at the Examination Schools, Oxford, on 28 October 2013. This write-up is based entirely on the lecture delivered by the President of Bosnia and Herzegovina.  I am grateful to the Bosnian Ambassador in the UK, Mr; Mustafa Mujezinovic, and his staff for their cooperation and I am also grateful to the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies for inviting me to attend the lecture.

Alija Izetbegovic

Bosnian President started his lecture with an introduction to the former President of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Alija Izetbegovic, saying, “In his rich and eventful life my father was many things: a writer, a dissident, a statesman. If I had to describe the essence of his vocation and commitment, I would say he was a fighter for freedom, equality and dignity of Muslims, and for the proper understanding of Islam. He had visions and dreams of the awakening of Muslims from centuries of lethargy, and of the return of the Islamic world to the centre stage of history.”

He quoted from one of his early works, Alija Izetbegovic wrote: “The entire Muslim world is in a state of ferment and change. No matter what this world will look like after these changes make their first upward cycle, one thing is certain: it will no longer be the world of the first half of this century. The age of passivity and stagnation has passed forever. For, a world of 700 million people, with tremendous natural resources, occupying a first class geographical position, the world which is heir to colossal cultural and political traditions and the bearer of the living Islamic mission, cannot long remain in a position of subjection. There is no power that can prevent the new Muslim generation from putting an end to this abnormal state.”

Forty four years have passed since these words were written, said Bosnian President Bakir Izetbegovic and continued, “The number of Muslims in the world has since doubled. The economic power of the Ummah has grown tenfold. The number of schools, students and teachers in some parts of the Islamic world has increased hundredfold. The flourishing of the Islamic world has begun to disrupt its ossified structures of power. We are witnessing social fractures, revolutions and conflicts. Profound social and political changes that have been fermenting for decades are finally moving in the direction of creating free societies and democratic structures of government. A well-educated, free-thinking generation of Muslims is yearning for free societies instead of closed ones, the rule of law instead of the rule of one person, democracy instead of authoritarianism, justice and fairness instead of oppression and corruption. No force can stop this generation from winning freedom, taking charge of their destiny and taking part in shaping the world of the future. No matter all the staggering, mistakes, crises, and stalemates, this process is irreversible and unstoppable.”

Inclusive Islam

Bosnian President said, “The spirit of Islam is inclusive. It acknowledges all that is good and progressive. It is not destructive. It builds and upgrades. Anything that makes the world better and liberates human creativity cannot be against Islam. Anything that is truly Islamic cannot be against freedom, progress and the liberation of human potential.”

Muslim contribution to universal

culture and civilization

He also mentioned, “In not so distant past, Muslims made colossal contributions to the development of universal culture and civilization because that generation of Muslims accepted, with joy and curiosity, and then cultivated, the knowledge discovered in the conquered territories. One Byzantine emperor noted with amazement that an Arab general, whom he called "barbarian,” sought, as a term of armistice, the right to purchase Greek manuscripts. Cultural, scientific, and technological ideas and advances could not be prevented from disseminating even then, in the time when the territories and nations were strictly separated.”

Formula of inclusiveness and integration

“There is an intense battle of ideas and ideologies, which permeate, collide and create synergies,” mentioned Mr. Bakir Izetbegovic and said, “Muslims must engage in this battle. We must remain open to dialogue. We must not be poisoned by the bitterness accumulated through centuries of physical and spiritual domination by the West. We must not fall into the trap of radicalism. We must not give in to the desire for revenge. We must not fear the other and the different. We must not subscribe to the dangerous ideologies of isolation, introversion and exclusiveness. We have to look for a formula of inclusiveness, for a functional combination of the original Islamic values and the best of values we consider Western and modern. European Muslims play a special role in the quest for this formula of integration and inclusiveness because we are in direct contact with and immersed in Western culture, and because we have a special interest in reconciling the traditional within and the modern around us.”

Europe is not the birthplace of

Any monotheistic religion

Europe is not the birthplace of any monotheistic religion. President Izetbegovic mentioned, “When we talk about Islam and Muslims in Europe, it is necessary to immediately refute the view that Europe is exclusively Christian and that European culture is exclusively Judeo-Christian. It is especially important to refute the dangerous fallacy about the alleged cultural and civilizational conflict between the supposedly progressive Christian Europe, on one hand, and supposedly retrograde Islamic-Oriental threat, on the other hand.”

“Europe is not the birth place of any of the great monotheistic religions. Jesus Christ was neither born, nor did he preach in Europe. All three great monotheistic religions came from the same source, from the same, relatively narrow geographic region. Most importantly, all three religions brought nearly identical messages and teach identical basic values. Islam is no stranger to Europe. Nor is Islam alien to the spirit of Europe,” said Bosnian President

Islam intensely present in Europe

Quite the contrary, he said, “there probably would not be what we know today as the spirit of Europe without Islam’s contribution to the formation of European identity and culture. Islam has been intensely present in Europe for over 1,300 years, having arrived in some of its parts more than two centuries before Christianity. The Umayyad Caliphate was established on European soil in the early eighth century. The Islamic state had reached heights in philosophy, science, technology and state organization by the time Christianity expanded to eastern, central and northern Europe. Islam influenced the formation of spiritual and cultural identity in north-eastern Europe through the Golden Horde and the Crimean, Kazan and Astrakhan Khanates; and in south-eastern Europe through the vital and powerful Ottoman Empire.”

Humanistic revival in the West

Islamic thought introduced historical science and scientific method and laid the foundation of the Italian Renaissance. Bosnian President said, “Islamic thought initiated the humanistic revival in the West, introduced historical science and the scientific method, helped Scholastics reconcile philosophy with faith, stimulated Western mysticism, laid the foundations of the Italian renaissance, and directed modern European thought until Kant. Muslims were the bearers of progress in that era. They were the bridge between the philosophy and knowledge of the ancient Greece and the science of the Western world. Much has been written and said, including at this Centre, about the contributions of Islamic scholars to medicine, mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, geography, architecture and finance. All of this clearly confirms that Muslims are the co-creators, and thus co-owners, of European culture and civilization.”

Bosnia: A meeting place of ideas,

religions and interests

The Bosnian Muslims, Bosniaks, are an indigenous European people who have been Muslims for half a millennium. Although small in number, they carry a great burden of history. Mr. Izetbegovic mentioned, “In their struggle for survival and freedom, the Bosniaks have, in their own microcosm, passed through many temptations and resolved some of the critical challenges that Muslims worldwide face today and will face in the future.”

“Throughout its existence, Bosnia was the point of contact of the East and the West, a meeting place of ideas, religions and interests. Above all, it was a place of largely harmonious coexistence of followers of the Abrahamic traditions. Unique to medieval Bosnia was the existence of the indigenous Bosnian Church, which was heretical and close to Catharism and Patarenism. Members of the Bosnian Church, who were called “The Good Bosnians,” did not recognize sacraments, liturgy, church hierarchy, icons, or statues,” he said.

Bosnia: a multi-cultural multi-religious society

Explaining the multi-cultural and multi-religious character of the Bosnian society, Bosnian President said, “What Bosnia really was – a multi-cultural and multi-religious society – was built through centuries of peace, tolerance, and respect for the other and the different. Sarajevo is a city with hundreds of minarets, but also a city of many great churches and synagogues. Amid Catholic cathedrals and a striking Orthodox church, there is a large Protestant and an Adventist church. Located within one square kilometre in the historic part of Sarajevo, these houses of worship almost physically touch and lean on one another. “

“The Bosnian language and the Bosnian script appear in the Charter of Kulin Ban of 1189, in which this ruler of Bosnia gave certain guarantees to the Republic of Dubrovnik (Republic of Ragusa). The first vocabulary of the Bosnian language was printed as early as 1631,” he mentioned. .

Bosniaks accepted Islam before the arrival of Ottomans

Speaking about the Islamic faith of the people of Bosnia, the Bosniaks, President Izetbegovic mentioned, “The Bosniaks had already begun accepting Islam before the arrival of the Ottomans to Bosnia. The mass adoption of the new faith gradually occurred during the first century of the Ottoman rule. The Bosniaks and Bosnian Church had resisted – spiritually, politically and militarily – the East and the West, the Vatican and the Byzantium, popes and kings. The Ottoman invasion, however, was not understood as catastrophic because the Turks had in several turns been allies of the Bosnian kings, and because Islam was, in many respects, a natural extension of the faith of “The Good Bosnians.”

Mentioning about the nature of the Ottoman rule, he said, “While the Ottoman Empire was conquering territories, it was not enslaving peoples. It was not obliterating their cultures or forcing them to convert to Islam. Non-Muslims were given the choice of opting out of military service in exchange for a cash payment. They were also given the opportunity to accept Islam, which they often took, and with it military duty and a chance to progress to the top ranks of the Ottoman Empire. After the withdrawal of the Ottoman Empire within the borders of present-day Turkey, churches, monasteries, synagogues as well as countries, peoples and cultures were fully preserved. Some historians, therefore, believe the correct translation of the phrase “Osmanli Devlet,” which was the official name of the state, should be the Ottoman Commonwealth, rather than the Ottoman Empire.”

Bosnia under Communist regime

Talking about the life and property of the Bosniaks under the Communist regime, President Izetbegovic said, “The Communist regime that ruled for the following nearly half a century brought some good to the Bosniaks: the nationalisms were muffled, their lives were protected, they had a chance to educate themselves and be part of the government and military establishment. They were not entitled to owning significant assets. Factories, forests, farm fields and larger residential houses they owned were expropriated. They had no right to have their own ethnic name. In censuses they were classified as “undecided,” their language had to be the Serbo-Croatian. They were not allowed to have their Academy of Sciences or other national and cultural institutions.”

“Mosques, madrassas and other institutions of Islamic education were shut down or severely constrained. The Grand Mufti was de facto appointed by the Central Committee of the Communist Party. Political parties (except the Communist Party) were not allowed to exist. Free media was abolished. Those who resisted the ideological terror of the Communist regime were imprisoned. The resistance of the young Bosniak intellectuals who were organized under the illegal organization “Young Muslims” was crushed with draconian measures and penalties. Its leaders were executed or sentenced to decades in prison. The terror against the Bosniaks that stretched throughout the twentieth century, changing only in form and intensity, caused the bulk of them to seek refuge in exile abroad,”he said.

President of Bosnia also mentioned that about two million Bosniaks live in Bosnia today, while twice as many went to Turkey, the United States and European countries through several waves of emigration.

Complicated government structure

Speaking about the complicated governmental structure of Bosnia and Herzegovina, President Izetbegovic said, “The structures of government established by the Dayton Peace Agreement are very complicated. The decision-making procedures provide too many opportunities to block progress. This is why Bosnia is seriously lagging behind on its path towards membership in the European Union. Forces and actors that devastated Bosnia with military means are still strongly present in its political life, and there is always the danger they will try to complete their war aims by political means, by blocking the state and making its institutions dysfunctional. This must be prevented, and stabilizing reforms must be continued, with the help of the international community.”

Bosnia; a crossroads of civilisations

Rebuilding of the multiethnic matrix is needed. Bosnian President said, “The rebuilding of the multiethnic matrix of Bosnia that was torn by force and crimes must be completed. Bosnia is one of those places where relations and emotions from the whole world entangle and untangle. It is a meeting point, a crossroads of civilizations, a bridge between the East and the West. The restoration and preservation of this microcosm is important not only for Bosnia and the Bosniaks. It is of crucial importance for the whole world. It thus should be supported by the whole world.”

President Bakir Izetbegovic said, “ As Surah Al-Balad conveys to us “We created man into hardship ... to climb the steep trail.” The struggle for freedom, dignity and democracy is akin to climbing a treacherous steep trail. “The Bosnian experience teaches that it is easier to climb this trail if you hold tightly to the rope of faith, morality and knowledge; if you are forgiving; if you are not afraid of freedom; if you are not afraid of the other and the different; if you are inclusive; if you protect and nurture diversity; if you embrace change that brings progress; if you can unite diverse forces around a common cause and if you have leadership that is moderate, wise, patient and genuinely rooted in the nation.”

We must harmonize our actions

with His (God’s) Will

Concluding his lecture, Bosnian President said, “We belong to a living faith whose return to the global stage will mark the twenty-first century, a faith that will have to contribute to stopping negative global trends. The growing power of humankind brings progress and prosperity. Yet, the selfish side of that power cuts into the very substance on which our future depends – our physical habitat and our spiritual essence. Our world is changing at a speed and in a direction that is worrysome. There is ever more violence, alienation, injustice, inequality, intolerance, pollution and depletion of natural resources. And there is ever less goodness, justice, compassion, humanity, solidarity, healthy relations and family life.”

“The direction in which the world is going must be changed. Ideologies that do not respect God, or are against God, are obviously not capable of doing that. It can be done only by those who respect the One who created the world and the order of things within it. The wondrous planet on which we live and die is completely unique in the universe. There is nothing like it in the sight of the most powerful telescopes. We are used to it, so this wonder no longer astonishes us,” said Bosnian President and added, “Everything on this planet is a testimony to the Almighty Creator’s touch and His intent to make a home for us. He endowed us with a miraculous gift: free will in a world that is completely determined. We must show appreciation and responsibility. We must harmonize our actions with His Will. We must bear this gift properly, with devotion. Particularly those of us He calls the Devoted.”

Bosnian President on Islam and its contributions to civilizations

Bosnian President Mr. Bakir Izetbegovic on

Islam and its Contributions to Civilizations

Dr. Mozammel Haque

Mr. Bakir Izetbegovic, the Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, toured the beautiful new building of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OXCIS), Oxford, on 28 October, 2013. The building was only in the planning stages when he visited the Centre twelve years ago, that was in April, 2001, he came with his father, Alija Izetbegovic who gave a lecture at the Centre entitled “Bosnia on the Historical Border.”

Bosnian President at the Oxford

Centre for Islamic Studies

Mr. Bakir Izetbegovic gave a lecture at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, Oxford, entitled “The Quest for Dignity, Freedom and Democracy in the Islamic World: A Bosnian Muslim’s Perspective” at the Examination Schools, Oxford, on 28 October 2013. This write-up is based entirely on the lecture delivered by the President of Bosnia and Herzegovina.  I am grateful to the Bosnian Ambassador in the UK, Mr; Mustafa Mujezinovic, and his staff for their cooperation and I am also grateful to the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies for inviting me to attend the lecture.

Alija Izetbegovic

Bosnian President started his lecture with an introduction to the former President of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Alija Izetbegovic, saying, “In his rich and eventful life my father was many things: a writer, a dissident, a statesman. If I had to describe the essence of his vocation and commitment, I would say he was a fighter for freedom, equality and dignity of Muslims, and for the proper understanding of Islam. He had visions and dreams of the awakening of Muslims from centuries of lethargy, and of the return of the Islamic world to the centre stage of history.”

He quoted from one of his early works, Alija Izetbegovic wrote: “The entire Muslim world is in a state of ferment and change. No matter what this world will look like after these changes make their first upward cycle, one thing is certain: it will no longer be the world of the first half of this century. The age of passivity and stagnation has passed forever. For, a world of 700 million people, with tremendous natural resources, occupying a first class geographical position, the world which is heir to colossal cultural and political traditions and the bearer of the living Islamic mission, cannot long remain in a position of subjection. There is no power that can prevent the new Muslim generation from putting an end to this abnormal state.”

Forty four years have passed since these words were written, said Bosnian President Bakir Izetbegovic and continued, “The number of Muslims in the world has since doubled. The economic power of the Ummah has grown tenfold. The number of schools, students and teachers in some parts of the Islamic world has increased hundredfold. The flourishing of the Islamic world has begun to disrupt its ossified structures of power. We are witnessing social fractures, revolutions and conflicts. Profound social and political changes that have been fermenting for decades are finally moving in the direction of creating free societies and democratic structures of government. A well-educated, free-thinking generation of Muslims is yearning for free societies instead of closed ones, the rule of law instead of the rule of one person, democracy instead of authoritarianism, justice and fairness instead of oppression and corruption. No force can stop this generation from winning freedom, taking charge of their destiny and taking part in shaping the world of the future. No matter all the staggering, mistakes, crises, and stalemates, this process is irreversible and unstoppable.”

Inclusive Islam

Bosnian President said, “The spirit of Islam is inclusive. It acknowledges all that is good and progressive. It is not destructive. It builds and upgrades. Anything that makes the world better and liberates human creativity cannot be against Islam. Anything that is truly Islamic cannot be against freedom, progress and the liberation of human potential.”

Muslim contribution to universal

culture and civilization

He also mentioned, “In not so distant past, Muslims made colossal contributions to the development of universal culture and civilization because that generation of Muslims accepted, with joy and curiosity, and then cultivated, the knowledge discovered in the conquered territories. One Byzantine emperor noted with amazement that an Arab general, whom he called "barbarian,” sought, as a term of armistice, the right to purchase Greek manuscripts. Cultural, scientific, and technological ideas and advances could not be prevented from disseminating even then, in the time when the territories and nations were strictly separated.”

Formula of inclusiveness and integration

“There is an intense battle of ideas and ideologies, which permeate, collide and create synergies,” mentioned Mr. Bakir Izetbegovic and said, “Muslims must engage in this battle. We must remain open to dialogue. We must not be poisoned by the bitterness accumulated through centuries of physical and spiritual domination by the West. We must not fall into the trap of radicalism. We must not give in to the desire for revenge. We must not fear the other and the different. We must not subscribe to the dangerous ideologies of isolation, introversion and exclusiveness. We have to look for a formula of inclusiveness, for a functional combination of the original Islamic values and the best of values we consider Western and modern. European Muslims play a special role in the quest for this formula of integration and inclusiveness because we are in direct contact with and immersed in Western culture, and because we have a special interest in reconciling the traditional within and the modern around us.”

Europe is not the birthplace of

Any monotheistic religion

Europe is not the birthplace of any monotheistic religion. President Izetbegovic mentioned, “When we talk about Islam and Muslims in Europe, it is necessary to immediately refute the view that Europe is exclusively Christian and that European culture is exclusively Judeo-Christian. It is especially important to refute the dangerous fallacy about the alleged cultural and civilizational conflict between the supposedly progressive Christian Europe, on one hand, and supposedly retrograde Islamic-Oriental threat, on the other hand.”

“Europe is not the birth place of any of the great monotheistic religions. Jesus Christ was neither born, nor did he preach in Europe. All three great monotheistic religions came from the same source, from the same, relatively narrow geographic region. Most importantly, all three religions brought nearly identical messages and teach identical basic values. Islam is no stranger to Europe. Nor is Islam alien to the spirit of Europe,” said Bosnian President

Islam intensely present in Europe

Quite the contrary, he said, “there probably would not be what we know today as the spirit of Europe without Islam’s contribution to the formation of European identity and culture. Islam has been intensely present in Europe for over 1,300 years, having arrived in some of its parts more than two centuries before Christianity. The Umayyad Caliphate was established on European soil in the early eighth century. The Islamic state had reached heights in philosophy, science, technology and state organization by the time Christianity expanded to eastern, central and northern Europe. Islam influenced the formation of spiritual and cultural identity in north-eastern Europe through the Golden Horde and the Crimean, Kazan and Astrakhan Khanates; and in south-eastern Europe through the vital and powerful Ottoman Empire.”

Humanistic revival in the West

Islamic thought introduced historical science and scientific method and laid the foundation of the Italian Renaissance. Bosnian President said, “Islamic thought initiated the humanistic revival in the West, introduced historical science and the scientific method, helped Scholastics reconcile philosophy with faith, stimulated Western mysticism, laid the foundations of the Italian renaissance, and directed modern European thought until Kant. Muslims were the bearers of progress in that era. They were the bridge between the philosophy and knowledge of the ancient Greece and the science of the Western world. Much has been written and said, including at this Centre, about the contributions of Islamic scholars to medicine, mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, geography, architecture and finance. All of this clearly confirms that Muslims are the co-creators, and thus co-owners, of European culture and civilization.”

We must harmonize our actions

with His (God’s) Will

Concluding his lecture, Bosnian President said, “We belong to a living faith whose return to the global stage will mark the twenty-first century, a faith that will have to contribute to stopping negative global trends. The growing power of humankind brings progress and prosperity. Yet, the selfish side of that power cuts into the very substance on which our future depends – our physical habitat and our spiritual essence. Our world is changing at a speed and in a direction that is worrysome. There is ever more violence, alienation, injustice, inequality, intolerance, pollution and depletion of natural resources. And there is ever less goodness, justice, compassion, humanity, solidarity, healthy relations and family life.”

“The direction in which the world is going must be changed. Ideologies that do not respect God, or are against God, are obviously not capable of doing that. It can be done only by those who respect the One who created the world and the order of things within it. The wondrous planet on which we live and die is completely unique in the universe. There is nothing like it in the sight of the most powerful telescopes. We are used to it, so this wonder no longer astonishes us,” said Bosnian President and added, “Everything on this planet is a testimony to the Almighty Creator’s touch and His intent to make a home for us. He endowed us with a miraculous gift: free will in a world that is completely determined. We must show appreciation and responsibility. We must harmonize our actions with His Will. We must bear this gift properly, with devotion. Particularly those of us He calls the Devoted.”

The Month of Muharram - An Auspicious Time

The Month of Muharram:an Auspicious Time

Dr. Mozammel Haque

The Islamic Calendar is based on the Lunar Calendar consisting of 354-355 days annually and is 10-11 days shorter than the Solar Calendar. The Lunar month is based on the time it takes the moon to complete a single orbit around the earth and it is just over 29 and half days. There are many advantages to the Lunar Calendar. For example, the various dates in the Islamic Calendar such as Ramadan and Hajj rotate every year and are not fixed like the Solar year. People, therefore, will perform acts of worship in various climatic conditions and in different length of hours in submission to the Will of Allah where human imagination plays no part.

Origin of the Hijri Calendar

The Islamic Calendar was first introduced by the close companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him), the second Caliph Umar ibn Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) in 16 AH/637 AD. During his leadership of the Muslim community in approximately, 637 AD, he consulted with his advisors in order to come to a decision regarding the various dating systems used at that time. It was agreed that the appropriate reference point for the Islamic Calendar was the Hijrah, since it wasc an important turning point for the Muslim community.

The event of Hijrah, the migration of the Beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) from Makkah to Madinah in 622 AD was chosen to begin the Islamic Calendar because it was the first major sacrifice made by the whole Muslim Ummah for the preservation of Islam in its formative period. After the emigration to Madinah (formerly known as Yathrib), the Muslims were able to organise and establish the first real Muslim community, the real Islamic state with social, political, and economic independence.

Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar

Muharram is the first month of the Islamic Calendar.There are twelve months in the Islamic Calendar. As the Qur'an says:

Lo! The number of the months with Allāh is twelve months by Allāh’s Ordinance in the day that He created the heavens and the earth. Four of them are sacred: that is the right religion. So wrong not yourselves in them...(Al-Qur'an - 9:36)

"It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory, and the moon to be a light of beauty, and measured out stages for it, that you might know the number of years and the count of time. Allah did not create this except in truth and righteousness. And He explains His signs in detail, for those who understand" (10:5).

 

In  his final sermon before his death, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, among other things, "With Allah the months are twelve; four of them are holy; three of these are successive and one occurs singly between the months of Jumaada and Sha'ban."

The four sacred months (al-Asshhur al-Hurum) are Rajab, Dhul Qa‘dah, Dhul Hijjah and Muharram. Out of the four sacred months, Muharram has been blessed with certain specific virtues.

The companions were also consulted on which month should mark the beginning of the year, Caliph Umar al-Khattab and Uthman ibn Affaan (May Allah be pleased with them), chose Al-Muharram due to it being a sacred month and because it follows the month of Dhul Hijjah, which is when the Muslims perform Hajj – or the pilgrimage, w2hich was the last pillar of Islam that Allah enjoined upon the Muslims. Al-Muharram also follows the month in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) pledged allegiance to the Ansar (his Madinain supporters) to emigrate to Madinah and this pledge of Allegiance was one of the introductory acts of emigration. Due to all these reasons, Al-Muharram was deemed the most suitable month to begin the Islamic Calendar.

Muharram the first month of the Islamic Calendar, were considered sacred. Muharram is so called because it was unlawful to fight during this month; the word is derived from the word “haram” meaning forbidden.

The month of Muharram is also of great religious significance to Muslims the world over. It is held to be the most sacred of all the months, excluding Ramadan. The word “Muharram” is often considered synonymous with “Ashura”, the tenth day of the month of Muharram.

Fasting in the month of Muharram

Fasting is advocated in the month of Muharram. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upoon him) said: “The best fasts after the fasts of Ramadan are those of the month of Muharram.” Although the fasts of the month of Muharram are not obligatory, yet one who fasts in these days out of his own will is entitled to a great reward by Allah the Almighty.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"The best of fasts besides the month of Ramadhan is the fasting of Allah's month of Muharram." (Muslim)

In another Hadeeth, Ibn Abbas reports: "that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu-Alayhi-Wasallam) said: "The one that keeps a fast in the month of Muharram will receive the reward of thirty fasts for each fast (in this sacred month)." (Tabraani)

Although the fasts of the month of Muharram are not obligatory, the one who fasts in these days out of his own will and choice is entitled to a great reward by Almighty Allah. The Hadith citied above signifies that the fasts of the month of Muharram are the most rewardable among the Nafl fasts i.e. the fasts one observes out of his own choice without being obligatory on him.

10^th day of Muharram (Aashora)

Although the month of Muharram is a sacred month as a whole, the 10^th of Muharram is the most sacred among all its days. The day is named “ashurah”. It is one of the most important and blessed days of Allah in the Islamic Calendar. Some ulama (Scholars) are of the opinion  that before the fasts of Ramadan, the fast of the day of Ashurah was compulsory upon the ummah. This is stated in a Hadith reported by A'ishah that the beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the observance of the fast of Ashurah. However, when the fast of Ramadan became compul;sory, then whosoever wished, kept this fast and whosoever desired did not observe the fast. (Bukhari)

Ibn Abbas reported, “I did not see Rasulullah sallallahu 'alayhi wassallam anxiously await the fast of any day, which he gave preference to over other days, but this day, the day of Ashura.” (Bukhari)

It is also said by scholars that since the beginning of this world, Ashura day has been a very important day. On this day great signs of Allah’s power and glory have appeared in the world. On this day many Prophets were born and they were instituted to the office of prophecy. On this day, Prophets, Saints and Sincere servants of Allah were blessed with miracles and spiritual powers.

On Ashura Day the following have taken place:

1. Repentance of Prophet Adam (Allah’s blessing be upon him) was accepted by Allah

2. The ship of Prophet Nuh (Noah) (Allah’s blessing be upon him) came to rest on a mountain called Al-Judi.

3. Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) (Allah’s blessings be upon him) was born on this day.

4. He got the title Khalil-ullah (friend of Allah) on this day.

5. The fire in which Prophet Ibrahim (Allah’s blessings be upon him) was thrown by the king Namrud become cool and means of safety for Prophet Ibrahim, by the order of Allah.

6. Allah delivered Prophet Ayub (Job) (Allah’s blessings be upon him) from distress and he was restored to prosperity.

7. By the Grace of Allah, Prophet Yunas (Jonah) (Allah’s blessings be upon him), after being swallowed by a huge fish (whale) for forty days, was casted out on the shore.

8. Prophet Mussa (Moses) (Allah’s blessings be upon him) got victory over Pharaoh.

9. Prophet Suleman (Solomon) (Allah’s blessings be upon him) was made a king to rule over mankind, Jins, Animals and the air.

10. Prophet Idris (Enoch) (Allah’s blessings be upon him) and Prophet Issa (Jesus) (Allah’s blessings be upon him) were lifted up alive.

11. Imam Hussain (Allah be pleased with him), the grandson of our beloved Prophet, got martyred at Karbala in Iraq.

12. The day of resurrection and judgement will take place on this day (Ashura)

(Ghunia-Al-Talibeen & Tafseer-e-Sawi)

The practice of fasting on Ashura was known even in the days of Jajiliyyah, before the Prophet'ds mission. It was reported that A'ishah (May Allah be pleased with her) said: “The people of Jahiliyyah used to fast on that day.” It is also reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to fast on Ashura in Makkah, before he migrated to Madinah.

Abu Hurayrah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'The best of fasting after Ramadan is fasting Allah's month of Muharram.'” (Reported by Muslim, 1982)

Fasting on the day of Ashura (10^th Muharram)  

According to the Holy companion, Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him), when the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) migrated to Madinah, he found that the Jews of Madinah used to fast on the 10th day of Muharram. They said that it was the day on which the Holy Prophet Musa Alayhis Salaam and his followers crossed the Red Sea miraculously, and the Pharaoh was drowned in its water. On hearing this from the Jews, the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam said, “We are more closely related to Musa than you.” So the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam directed the Muslims to fast on the day of Ashura. (Abu Dawood)

According to another Hadith, it is more advisable that the fast of Ashura should be either preceeded or suceded by an additional fast. It means that one should fast two days: the 9th and 10th of Muharram or the 10th and 11th . The reason of this additional fast as mentioned by the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam is that the Jews used to fast on the day of Ashura alone, and the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam wanted to distinguish the Islamic-way of fasting from that of the Jews. Therefore, he advised Muslims to add another fast to the day of Ashura.

 Let us observe this great day according to the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and refrain from all innovations which deprive us of the blessings from Allāh the Almighty. May Allāh guide us all upon the Straight Path and save us from every act which brings His Displeasure. Āmīn.