karachiwala
Prime Minister (20k+ posts)
by Maulana Justice Muhammed Taqi Usmani Whose work is it to deduce solutions from the Quran and Sunnah for solving the problems that keep arising from day to day, and what are the qualifications required of those who perform this task? The answer to this question was provided by the Prophet (sallallaho alayhe wasallam) himself when All approached him asking:
Allah says in Holy Quran:
Such slogans are to be found in every modernist writing and it is necessary to expose the mischief underlying them.
The first slogan is: "there is no Papalism in Islam, therefore, no special group can be given the right to make laws."
It seems that the projectors of this slogan are either unfamiliar with the evils of Papalism or they deliberately want to mislead the simple-minded people.
Anyone with the least realistic spark in him can realize that knowledge, juristic talent or piety is not the name of any race, complexion or caste which cannot be obtained by one's own labor, but an eligibility for which anyone may qualify. If Papalism is to be equated with labour for qualifying, there is hardly any department of life which may not be described as Papism. The qualifications required of the state president, ministers, candidates for election, judges, lawyers, university professors, would be no more than Papalism. If these may not be looked upon as Papism, why should the qualifications required for interpreting the Quran and Sunnah, for acquisition of knowledge and piety be so equated?
Anyone who has studded Brahmanism end the institution of Papalism will appreciate how different the ulema of Islam are from both.
Brahmanism and Papalism are names of two groups or institutions based on race, complexion and caste. No outsider can become a member of either, no matter how great his abilities may be. Addicts end pirates have been elected as popes but they have not been from outside Italy. On the other hand, an a'alim is one who does not have to belong to any particular country or race. In the fourteen centuries of Muslim history, Ulema have been of a variety of complexions and arisen in every race. Even slaves have become Ulema and have been recognized as leaders. Their distinguishing feature has been knowledge and piety, never family or other status.
2.The religion of which the pope claims to be an exponent, is silent over many of life's problems, so that his verdict holds sway and cannot tee challenged by anyone of his faith. He is not an interpreter of any law, but is himself the law. To the contrary, the Quran and Sunnah are all- comprehensive, their commands and principles thoroughly preserved. Should an a'alim say or do anything contrary to them, the other Ulema are always there to censure him.
3- In Papalism, the right to make laws and interpret religion is vested, ultimately, in the pope. He is the shepherd of the flock and successor to the founder of the church, but the word a'alim is not the name of an individual, of the head of an order, but describes one who has acquired knowledge of religion according to well defined principles. That is why an a'alim possesses no authority to impose his opinion on the Ummah.
Such being the differences, it is absurd to equate the Ulema with the popes.
Modernists also declare that no monopoly of the Quran and Sunnah may be vested in anyone, and the right to interpret them cannot be reserved for the Ulema. Such repetition can be only that of propagandists. This is like a lay man who has never seen the door of a medical college but criticizes qualified doctors and surgeons for holding a monopoly for curing diseases, and demands that he should also be permitted to practice medicine. Or some unintelligent person, on the basis of being a citizen, demands a contract for building canals, bridges and dams and finds fault that contracts are given to qualified engineers.
No one in his right mind would speak such words. But he who possesses a balanced mind and is able to feel the flutter of his heart, can be told that although he is a citizen and has the right to high positions, it takes considerable time and labour to qualify for them. The education for them must be obtained from those already educated. After the required labour and time have been invested may one aspire to those positions.
If similar qualifications are demanded for the delicate task of interpreting the Quran, how may it be described as a monopoly? Are the Quran and Sunnah subjects for which no education and ability are required? Are the Quran and Sunnah such orphan subjects that any person whatever may lay claim to for interpreting and explaining them even though one may not have devoted a few short months to them?
Our modernists rage morning and evening asking why the Ulema are qualified to interpret the Quran and Sunnah? They do not take the trouble to inquire into the pains that the Ulema have taken, the sufferings they have gone through, having been for two hundred years the target of British outrages, even going without their normal daily bread, bearing all manner of want with patience, and hearing taunts and invectives. It was after all this that they came to acquire the knowledge which they now possess. Keeping awake long hours of the night end sacrificing comfort and necessities they have sought to keep knowledge alive. That being so, why should one complain if the Prophet gives them the right to interpret his religion and the whole body of the Ummah has implicit faith in them?
The modernist's longing for the interpretation of the Quran and Sunnah is, indeed, laudable, but first he must go through the labour and pain required, learn its etiquette, and should anyone then deny him the right to explain and comment, the objection will be justifiable.
But as things are at present: a poet says:
Now consider who it is that is trusted by the hundred million of this country to interpret the Quran and Sunnah. Do they refer to the Islamic Research Institute and similar other modernist institutes or to those 'reactionary' Ulema who, according to the modernists, have come to possess their democratic rights by seizure? The Muslim electorate, without any coercion or pressure, refer, in matters connected with the Quran and Sunnah, to the ulema sitting on sack-cloth mattresses, and it is by the ulema that their conscience is satisfied. This is an indisputable fact. Is democracy trampled upon by giving the ulema the right of interpretation of the Quran and sunnah or giving the modernists full liberty to do with the Quran and sunnah as they please, tamper with them and distort them at will?
This means that he who keeps away from the apparent sins is, by this definition, a muttaqi, man of piety. For this reason it is no problem at all for the masses to determine piety.
We appeal to the modernists that they renounce their slogan mongering and propaganda _ in matters connected with sacred knowledge and thought. For the moment, they do no good to the country or the community, solve no problem and impress no serious minded intelligent man or woman. It is possible to drown the voice of truth for a brief time, but the clamour affects only the hearing, not l; the heart. A time comes when the shouting turns to hoarseness and the tongue dries up. Then the glorious voice of truth rises with all its power, settling down in the `- hearts for ever.
[SIZE=+1]Acknowledgment:[/SIZE]
This article was extracted from a book called "Islam and Modernism" by Maulana Justice Muhammed Taqi Usmani a judge Shariat Bench Supreme Court of Pakistan. Initial this article was appeared in a monthly "Al-Balagh" and another book "How May Islam be Implemented in the Present Age" This book is published by Idara-e-Islamiant Lahore Pakistan 190 Anarkali Lahore Pakistan. Tel 735-3255 724-3991 732-4785
As-Sidq (The Truth) Montreal Canada, a Non-Profit Organization, Serving Islam
- "O Prophet of Allah, what would be your instructions for me should a situation arise for which we find no guidance (from the Quran or your Sunnah), nothing of command or forbidding?" The Prophet (sallallaho alayhe wasallam) replied, " consult the fuqaha (jurist) and the pious and do not act upon a lone opinion."
Allah says in Holy Quran:
- "If you are (pious and) Allah-fearing (taqwa), He will bestow on you the gift of discriminating between right and wrong." [Infaal: 29] .
Such slogans are to be found in every modernist writing and it is necessary to expose the mischief underlying them.
The first slogan is: "there is no Papalism in Islam, therefore, no special group can be given the right to make laws."
It seems that the projectors of this slogan are either unfamiliar with the evils of Papalism or they deliberately want to mislead the simple-minded people.
Anyone with the least realistic spark in him can realize that knowledge, juristic talent or piety is not the name of any race, complexion or caste which cannot be obtained by one's own labor, but an eligibility for which anyone may qualify. If Papalism is to be equated with labour for qualifying, there is hardly any department of life which may not be described as Papism. The qualifications required of the state president, ministers, candidates for election, judges, lawyers, university professors, would be no more than Papalism. If these may not be looked upon as Papism, why should the qualifications required for interpreting the Quran and Sunnah, for acquisition of knowledge and piety be so equated?
Anyone who has studded Brahmanism end the institution of Papalism will appreciate how different the ulema of Islam are from both.
Brahmanism and Papalism are names of two groups or institutions based on race, complexion and caste. No outsider can become a member of either, no matter how great his abilities may be. Addicts end pirates have been elected as popes but they have not been from outside Italy. On the other hand, an a'alim is one who does not have to belong to any particular country or race. In the fourteen centuries of Muslim history, Ulema have been of a variety of complexions and arisen in every race. Even slaves have become Ulema and have been recognized as leaders. Their distinguishing feature has been knowledge and piety, never family or other status.
2.The religion of which the pope claims to be an exponent, is silent over many of life's problems, so that his verdict holds sway and cannot tee challenged by anyone of his faith. He is not an interpreter of any law, but is himself the law. To the contrary, the Quran and Sunnah are all- comprehensive, their commands and principles thoroughly preserved. Should an a'alim say or do anything contrary to them, the other Ulema are always there to censure him.
3- In Papalism, the right to make laws and interpret religion is vested, ultimately, in the pope. He is the shepherd of the flock and successor to the founder of the church, but the word a'alim is not the name of an individual, of the head of an order, but describes one who has acquired knowledge of religion according to well defined principles. That is why an a'alim possesses no authority to impose his opinion on the Ummah.
Such being the differences, it is absurd to equate the Ulema with the popes.
Modernists also declare that no monopoly of the Quran and Sunnah may be vested in anyone, and the right to interpret them cannot be reserved for the Ulema. Such repetition can be only that of propagandists. This is like a lay man who has never seen the door of a medical college but criticizes qualified doctors and surgeons for holding a monopoly for curing diseases, and demands that he should also be permitted to practice medicine. Or some unintelligent person, on the basis of being a citizen, demands a contract for building canals, bridges and dams and finds fault that contracts are given to qualified engineers.
No one in his right mind would speak such words. But he who possesses a balanced mind and is able to feel the flutter of his heart, can be told that although he is a citizen and has the right to high positions, it takes considerable time and labour to qualify for them. The education for them must be obtained from those already educated. After the required labour and time have been invested may one aspire to those positions.
If similar qualifications are demanded for the delicate task of interpreting the Quran, how may it be described as a monopoly? Are the Quran and Sunnah subjects for which no education and ability are required? Are the Quran and Sunnah such orphan subjects that any person whatever may lay claim to for interpreting and explaining them even though one may not have devoted a few short months to them?
Our modernists rage morning and evening asking why the Ulema are qualified to interpret the Quran and Sunnah? They do not take the trouble to inquire into the pains that the Ulema have taken, the sufferings they have gone through, having been for two hundred years the target of British outrages, even going without their normal daily bread, bearing all manner of want with patience, and hearing taunts and invectives. It was after all this that they came to acquire the knowledge which they now possess. Keeping awake long hours of the night end sacrificing comfort and necessities they have sought to keep knowledge alive. That being so, why should one complain if the Prophet gives them the right to interpret his religion and the whole body of the Ummah has implicit faith in them?
The modernist's longing for the interpretation of the Quran and Sunnah is, indeed, laudable, but first he must go through the labour and pain required, learn its etiquette, and should anyone then deny him the right to explain and comment, the objection will be justifiable.
But as things are at present: a poet says:
- "Why should he who fears for his life,pass through the alley of the beloved?"
Now consider who it is that is trusted by the hundred million of this country to interpret the Quran and Sunnah. Do they refer to the Islamic Research Institute and similar other modernist institutes or to those 'reactionary' Ulema who, according to the modernists, have come to possess their democratic rights by seizure? The Muslim electorate, without any coercion or pressure, refer, in matters connected with the Quran and Sunnah, to the ulema sitting on sack-cloth mattresses, and it is by the ulema that their conscience is satisfied. This is an indisputable fact. Is democracy trampled upon by giving the ulema the right of interpretation of the Quran and sunnah or giving the modernists full liberty to do with the Quran and sunnah as they please, tamper with them and distort them at will?
- The greatest objection the modernists have is in respect of the word 'piety'. According to them piety, like 'knowledge', is not necessary for interpreting the Quran and sunnah. We do not know why they fear this word. They say: "The condition about ahl-e-taqwa, 'people of piety', is one that every a'alim can use to refute another a'alim's verdict against one's own, because the criterion of taqwa differs from a'alim to a'alim " [Fikr-o-Nazar, Nov. 67; p. 326]
This means that he who keeps away from the apparent sins is, by this definition, a muttaqi, man of piety. For this reason it is no problem at all for the masses to determine piety.
We appeal to the modernists that they renounce their slogan mongering and propaganda _ in matters connected with sacred knowledge and thought. For the moment, they do no good to the country or the community, solve no problem and impress no serious minded intelligent man or woman. It is possible to drown the voice of truth for a brief time, but the clamour affects only the hearing, not l; the heart. A time comes when the shouting turns to hoarseness and the tongue dries up. Then the glorious voice of truth rises with all its power, settling down in the `- hearts for ever.
[SIZE=+1]Acknowledgment:[/SIZE]
This article was extracted from a book called "Islam and Modernism" by Maulana Justice Muhammed Taqi Usmani a judge Shariat Bench Supreme Court of Pakistan. Initial this article was appeared in a monthly "Al-Balagh" and another book "How May Islam be Implemented in the Present Age" This book is published by Idara-e-Islamiant Lahore Pakistan 190 Anarkali Lahore Pakistan. Tel 735-3255 724-3991 732-4785
As-Sidq (The Truth) Montreal Canada, a Non-Profit Organization, Serving Islam
