Islam and Human Salvation

By: Magdi Abdel Hamid Basheer  

Salvation is the spiritual purification of mankind to regenerate into a new way of life that enriches the human soul into a state of grace, self respect and exaltation. The attainment of such condition is gained through the perpetual process of justification of deeds, actions, and the optimization of faith. Like any other process, spiritual purification is the product of a self maintained behavioral paradigm involving the mind, body and soul of the individual. The integrated capacities of the infinite capabilities of mankind should be energized, educated, trained and programmed to justify human actions and optimize faith. This standing of distinction that is elemental to human nature is achieved through knowledge as an essential requirement of strong faith.
 

All systems of sciences and knowledge available to  man are infinite and become cognitive to the human mind. However, the mental psychological aptitudes and inclinations of mankind deviate from true commitment, to channels that are less
restrictive, and more mundane and prosaic. Of all the systems of knowledge and sciences; the theological eschatological theistic doctrinal knowledge appear to be the only discipline which most people are less concerned about, and thereby most really ignorant of. Inspite of that ignorance, most people are antagonistic and argumentative without knowledge of the basic foundations of religous doctronism. This is unaccepted in any other discipline of science.
 

The mind should be educated, trained and clutured to conceptualize the basic elements of true faith. This is attained by the proper understanding of the pure basic fundamentals of blief. The science of religious doctronism is the one concerned with the ultimate spiritual purification of mankind to attain eternal salvation. Since death is inevitable, so what lies beyond is the exciting unknown, which is really the fruit of our conduct, behavior, and endeavors in life. With this understanding, the journey of life is the workshop of deeds, the campilation of our actions and intentions; it is the path on which everything is engraved on our minds and concealed within our subconscious; it is the account book for which we receive the ultimate verdict on the Day of Judgement in the Hereafter. To attain and accomplish success, an effort during life must be made, a struggle to survive, a strive to attain a standing of  spiritual distinction that is elemental to human nature, Jihad of the human ego, an effort during the path of life to accomplish spiritual purification, self betterment, the delicacy of grace and decorum of soul. The control and fruitful harness of body machine and its physical efficiency. are the material products of spiritual purification.

Divine scriptures are  relayed to mankind through selected chosen Messengers. The original thesis of all Divine teachings to mankind  are the same in root and origin. However, some Divine doctrinal teachings have deviated from the root to the shoot, and branched away to make religious doctrinism more commonplace requiring no effort for their implementation. The Jews are confident of salvation as an inborn trait considering themselves the Divinely chosen race; and are therefore making belief of their assurance of Paradise in the Hereafter under any form of conduct in life. Christians have developed a self constructed priest hierarchy that can offer dispensations at will, to grant, impunity and freedom from punishment by offering sacrificial oblation as an expiation of wrong action and deed. Such ideas for salvation and redemption are very easy, attractive fallacious and commonplace. There is no hardship, no effort, no strive, no jihad, no blending of man’s systems of mind body and soul into one energy quanta to surpass the total mass of the material being and to blend into the spiritual arena, the Divine Milieu inherent in mankind, to attain the state spiritual purification and salvation. This state of spiritual elevation in Judaism and Christianity is  the requirement of the very few, the selected scholars of Divinity, the hermits in seminaries, and priests in the sanctuary of monasteries. The ordinary man is much less restrictive and very much less committed. This standing practice discriminates between the basic requirements of belief and the real process of individual endeavor for salvation.
 

The doctrinal teachings of the Islamic faith follow a very different theme for human salvation. There is absolutely no hierarchy in Islam, there is no intermediary of any kind or class between the human individual and the Creator. Those who gained academic knowledge in Islamic theism can only teach and guide; however, under no condition can they offer dispensations or expiations for any individual. The process of salvation is totally a property of each individual that is dependant only on the individual’s relation with the Divine Transcendant Being. The fundamental requirements for salvation are strong faith, good deeds, truthfullness and the practice of devotion and patience. The individual utilizes his potentialities and own free will to blend with the Divine Power, and reaches beyond what is purely material.  

Human  actions have no value other than the intentions which direct them and these intentions to be virtuous must originate from strong faith; and strong faith is the natural outcome of true knowledge. The Holy Quran as the Message of Islam presents the roots and essentials of all knowledge both material and spiritual that are necessary for the build up of strong faith. 

Salvation is essentially a process of self purification, which according to Islamic teachings is subject to certain requirements. First, the purity of the body, the garment, and the food; then .the purity of the senses, abstinence from sins and transgressions, and the development of genuine love and liniency; then the purity of the heart by the renunciation of all evil trends and qualities, such as envy, malice, hatred and ill will. These are the steps on the path to turn from impurity to purity, to amend, regenerate and blend with the Divine Power. The rituals of worship in Islam are all elements to optimize the process of self purification. The performance of Salat (prayers) is a continual process of remembrance and submission to the Transcendant Being; with the purity of garment and body by ablution, and the purity of the self by devotion. The institution of Zakat is a socio-economic system of perfection and supreme communal  respect. It is not a charity. but a human right that is decreed by Divine precept. The mandate of Fasting is an injunction of worship of the highest order of self  discipline, spiritual orderliness and training. The act of Pilgrimage is a representation of obedience, endurance, patience, humbleness and total resignation to the Divine power in absolute genuine devotion. 

Every act of worship in Islam is essentially characterized by being congregational and associated with collective rather than individual practice. The practice of these sacraments of worship institute a condition of continuous awareness of the Divine Milieu, and the individual becomes in a perpetual state of consciousness of the Creator. With the Transcendant Divine as the consort and guardian of mankind, we become certain of the salvation of our souls, and the attainment of spiritual purification.

The understanding of such concepts manifests in the conviction that human actions and deeds can be sanctified, if whatever we do is done in the name of the Creator. The totality of human life and existence down to the most primitive human function and intention are in the name of the Creator. The material world around us is vanity and ashes, and the wise do not draw up from it except what suffices their bodily needs. Nothing of man’s deeds in life is really of value in the Eternal Existence, and nothing will endure except the acts and deeds that conform with the Will and  percepts of the creator > the only concern and demand of the Creator from mankind is the faithful use of the freedom granted by Him to humanity.  
 

The conceptualization of this thesis standardizes the deeds and intentions of mankind into values. The discrimination between the various grades of values from the most vicious to the most virtuous is through the function of the mind. Knowledge is the energizer of the mind to think with the honesty of the spirit in order to discriminate. This leaves the spirit of the human individual as the real safeguard of human action. From hence is the great need for spiritual purification and salvation from evil.

The need for spiritual purification is most justified in this age of materialistic mania in which mankind is blindly indulged. The avaricious covetousness of human desires have disorganized the rational and logical sequence of mental functions, undermined with disruption the natural human property  of discrimination of values. Human intentions, actions, and deeds are becoming more and more inadequate and blemished, perverted, malignant and detrimental to the natural inborn qualities of human acme of goodness and decency. If humanity wants to survive  the predition in this life, and the inferno in the Hereafter; there must be a return to the path. The path of purity, salvation, self respect, human excellence, spiritual elevation, redemption and atonement. This comes about only by freedom from the slavery bondage of avaricious covetousness carnal desires of all ego and bodily demands and capricious fantasies.

Mankind is summoned to recognize the grave need for salvation of humanity by purification of the spirit, awakening of the conscious, knowledge of the truth and reality . this is achieved by  the development of strong faith and true belief founded on knowledge and understanding of the Divine Commandments.
 

source : http://www.islamic-message.net/cims/Resources.aspx?AudienceTypeId=3

Hazratjee Maulana Ilyas: First Ameer of Jamaah Tabligh

Beginnings of the movement of Religious Reform in Meewat

The area to the south of Delhi where the Meos have been settled from the olden days is called Mewat, Presently, it includes the Gurgaon district of the Punjab, the native states of Alwar and Bharatpur and the district of Mathura of the United Provinces. Like all other regions, its boundaries, too, have been changing from time to time and the dimensions of the old Mewat must have been different from what they are now.

The English historians hold that the Meos do not come from the Aryan stock, but are related to the non-Aryan races of ancient India. Their history, thus, dates far back than that of the Rajput families of Aryan blood. According to them, the Khanzadas (lowest order of Mughal nobility) of Mewat, however, belong to the same ethnic group as the Rajputs, and, in the Persian history books, wherever the word ‘Mewati’ occurs, it denotes the very Khanzadas. We, further, learn from Ain-i-Akbari that the Jatau Rajputs came to be known as Mewatis on embracing Islam.

In the annals of Firoz Shahi dynasty, Mewat is mentioned, for the first time, in the memoirs of Shamsuddin Al-timash. The Mewatis had become very troublesome during the early days of the Muslim Kingdom of Delhi. Aided by the long range of thick forests that extended up to Delhi, they used to raid it frequently and had become such a terror that the gates of the capital were shut at sunset. Still, they managed to enter the town in the night in search of plunder. Ghayasuddin Balban, thereupon, dispatched a strong military force against the Mewatis, killing a large number of them. Outposts manned by the Afghan soldiers were set up in Delhi, the surrounding forests were cut down and the land was brought under cultivation. Mewat, thereafter, remained in oblivion for about a hundred year.

After the long lull, the Mewati adventuress, again, became active and started harassing the people of Delhi which forced the authorities to take punitive action against them from time to time. The names of Bahadur Nahir and his successors are, particularly, mentioned in the chronicles in this connection. They succeeded in establishing the Kingdom of Mewat which was, later, reduced to a Jagir (a feudal estate) by the rulers of Delhi. 

Another prominent Mewatis was Lakhan Pal who brought the whole of Mewat and its outlying territory under his domination. He embraced Islam during die reign of Firoz Shah.

Moral and religious condition

Owing to the negligence of the Muslims religious teachers, the moral arid religious condition of the Mewatis had sunk so low that there was little to distinguish between their beliefs and practices and wholesale apostasy. Even non-Muslim historians have commented at length on their estrangement with Islam, as the following extract from the Alwar Gazetteer of 1878, written by Major Powlett, will show:

“All the Meos are, now, Muslims, but only in name. Their village deities are the same as those of the Hindu landlords, and they celebrate several Hindu festivals. Holi is a season of special rejoicing among the Mewatis and they observe it like their own festivals, such as, Moharrum, ‘Id and Shab-i-Barat. The same is the case with Janam Ashtami, Dussehra and Diwali, The Meos engage the services of the Brahmins to fix the dates of marriages. They have Hindu names, with the exception of the word ‘Ram’, and their last name, often, is ‘Singh’, though not as frequently as ‘Khan’. Like Ahirs and Gujars, the Mewatis, too, observe Amawas as a holiday on which they abstain from work. When they build a well, they begin with the construction of a parapet in the name of Beeriyi or Hanuman, but when it comes to pillage, they do not show much reverence to the Hindu temples and other places of religious significance. If, on such an occasion, their attention is drawn to the sanctity of these establishments, they, unhesitatingly, says, ‘You are “Does” and we are “Meos”.’ Meos are, largely, ignorant of their faith, i. e., Islam. Very few of them know the Kalima,’ and fewer still observe Namaz regularly. About the hours and rules of namaz, their ignorance is complete. This is the state of the Meos of Alwar. In the British territory of Gurgaon, the position is a little better because of the Madrassas. In some parts of Alwar, also, where the mosques have been built, the religious duties are observed to some extent. A few of them know the Kalima and offer up namaz and an attachment for the Madrassas, also, is found among them. As we have seen earlier, the initial ceremonies of marriage are performed by the Brahmins, but the real ceremony (of nikah) is performed by the Qazi. Men wear dhoti and loin-cloth. The pajamas are not worn at all. Their dress, thus, is wholly Hinduised. Even ornaments of gold are worn by men.”

At another place, Major Powlett writes:

“The Meos are half-Hindu by their habits. Mosques are rarely to be seen in their villages. There are only eight mosques in the fifty villages of the tehsil of Tijarah. Leaving aside the temples, the places of worship of the Meos are very much similar to those of their Hindu neighbors. These are known, for instance as Paanch Peera, Bhaisa and Chahand Chahand or Khera Deo is consecrated to the service of Maha Davi where animals are offered as a sacrifice. In Shah-i-Barat, the banner of Syed Salar Masud Ghazi is worishipped in all Meo villages.” 

Similarly, ii the Gazetteer of Gtrgaon (1910), it is stated that ‘‘the Meos, still, are a very loose and careless type of Muslims. They share most of tile customs of the neighboring community specially those which possess an element of fun and merriment . Their basic rule seems to be to observe the religious celebrations of both the communities and disregard the religious duties of either. Lately, some religious teachers have appeared in Mewat and a few Meos have started to keep the fasts of Ramzan and to build mosques in their villages and observe namaz. Their women, too, have taken to wearing Pyjamas instead of the Hindu Chagras. All these are the signs of religious awakening.”

The Gazetteer of Bharatpur, again, says:

“The customs of Meos are a mixture of Hindu and Muslim customs. They observe circumcision, perform nikah and bury their dead. They make a pilgrimage to the tomb of Syed Salar Masud Giiazj at Bahraich, and attach a great importance to the vow taken under his banner, and consider it a religious duty to fulfill it. They, also, visit the other shrines of India, but do not perform the Hajj. Among the Hindu festivals, they celebrate Holi antI Diwali. They do not marry in the family or in their own branch or sub­division of the clan, girls do not have a share in ancestral property, and they give mixed Hindu and Muslim names to their children. They are, wholly, illiterate and have a fair number of bards and minstrels among them whom they pay liberally. Many quatrains on the themes of agriculture and rural life are popular which they love to recite. Their speech is rough arid coarse, and the manner of addressing both men and women is the same. Intoxicants are widely in use. They are extremely weak of faith and highly superstitious, and believe in omens and auguries. Both male and female dresses are Hinduised. In the olden days, infanticide was prevalent, but now it has been given up. Highway robbery and pillage had been’ their traditional profession, but they have been reformed lately. They. however, are still notorious ifor cattle-ifting.’

Moral virtues

All the same, the Meos are distinguished for some excellent moral qualities and their vices and weaknesses are in the nature of the evil ways and practices that become a part of the moral and social pattern of brave and adventurous races as a result of want of education, isolation from the civilized world and indifference towards religion. These were rampant even among the Arabs during the Age of Ignorance. Natural talents and capabilities had taken a wrong turn owing to the perversity of the environment. Chivalry had degenerated into banditry, man­liness had found expression in mutual warfare and bloodshed, sense of pride and self-respect, with no better purpose to serve, had sought fulfillment in the defense of imaginary standards of honor and renown, and high mindedness, for its display, had adopted the path of pomp and flourish on petty occasions in the family or clan. In brief, God-given gifts of mind and character were being put to unworthy use, otherwise there was no dearth of virtue and merit among the Meos, 

Rugged simplicity, hardihood and firmness of purpose were the chief characteristics of the Mewatis in which they were far superior to the urban Muslim population. It was on account of these qualities that in spite of having drifted so far away from Islam, the floodtide of Apostasy could not submerge the territory of Mewat even in the darkest period of its history.

For centuries the Maos had been living within the shell of their ignorance keeping by themselves and isolated from the outside world. A parallel can scarcely he found in the Indian history of a community so large and living in such a close proximity to the central seat of power and yet remaining so obscure and isolated. An advantage of it, however, was that the energies of the Mewatis, on the whole, remained conserved, the soil remained virgin while the deplorable habits and customs and superstitious belief and practices were, so to speak, like the weeds and scrubs growing on an uncultivated land. The Meos, in the 20th Century, were very much like the Arabs in the Age of Perversion

Beginnings

As we have seen, contact with the Mewatis was established during the lifetime of Maulana Mohammad lsmail. It was not a chance occurrence, but an act of destiny that Maulana Mohammad Ismail came to live in Basti Nizamuddin which was the gateway of Mewat, and much before the arrival of Maulana Mohammad Ilyas, seeds of loyalty and devotion of his. family had been sown on its soil. 

When the followers of Maulana Mohammad Ismail and Maulana Mohammad came to know that their true successor, the son of Maulana Mohammad Ismail and the brother of Maulana Mohammad had come to live at Nizamuddin they, again, started coming to it and requested Maulana Mohammad Ilyas for a visit so that the old suppliants of his family had an opportunity to renew the ties of fealty and spiritual allegiance.

Real remedy

Maulana Mohammad Ilyas felt that the only Way to the religious reform and correction of the Mewatis was promotion of religious knowledge and familiarization with the rules and principles of the Shariat.

Maulana Mohammad ismail, and, after him, Maulana Mohammad had adopted the same method. They used to keep the Mewati children with them and educate them in their Madrassa, and, then, send them back to Mewat to carry on the work of reform and guidance, and what little religious awareness was found there was owing to the efforts of these pioneers. 

Maulana Mohammad Ilyas went a step ahead and decided to establish Maktabs and Madrassas in Mewat itself so that the influence of Faith could spread to a wider area and the pace of change was accelerated.

Stipulation

The Maulana knew what was, commonly, meant by inviting a spirtua! mentor or his successor to their place by his disciples and admirers, and he was not willing to go to Mewat only to fulfill the formalities of attending the dinner given in his honor delivering a few sermons and giving good counsel. He wanted to make sure before undertaking the trip, that some real advance would be made, as a result of his visit, towards bringing the Meos closer to Islam and improving their moral condition, arid, during those days, the setting up of Maktabs and Madrassas in Mewat appeared to him to be the most effective step in that direction. H had, thus, made it clear that he would accept the invitation only on the condition that they promised to establish Maktabs in their territory. 

For the Mewatis, however, no undertaking could be harder to give. They considered the establishment of Maktabs next to impossible for the simple reason that no one would be sending his children to them, and, thus, depriving himself of their contribution to the family income as daily wage-earners. The enthusiasm of those who came to invite quickly subsided as they heard of the stipulation. In desperation, however, a Mewati, finally, made the promise, leaving the rest to Go.

The Only Way to Save The Ummah

Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (Radhiyallaho anho) narrated that Rasulullah (SALLALLAHU ALAIHI WASALLAM) has said, “Almighty Allah says, I treat my slave (man) according to his expectations from Me, and I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me in his heart, I remember him in My heart; if he remembers Me in a gathering, I remember him in a better and nobler gathering (i.e. of angels). If he comes closer to Me by one span, I go towards him a cubit’s length, if he comes towards Me by a cubit’s length, I go towards him an arm’s length, and if he walks towards Me, I run unto him.”

Note: There are several points elaborated in this Hadith. The first point is that Allah deals with a man according to his expectations from Him. One should therefore always be hopeful of the mercy and benevolence of Almighty Allah and never be despondent of His blessings. Certainly, we are extremely sinful and justly deserve punishment on account of our evil deeds, yet in no case should we feel despondent of the mercy of Allah, as He may perhaps totally forgive us.

“Lo! Allah forgiveth not if a partner be ascribed unto Him and forgiveth all save that to whom He will.”

But Almighty Allah may or may not forgive; that is why the Ulama say that true belief lies in between hope (of forgiveness of Allah) and fear (of His wrath). The Holy Prophet (SALLALLAHU ALAIHI WASALLAM) once visited a young Sahabi, who was breathing his last, and asked him how he was feeling. He replied, “O! Messenger of Allah, I am hopeful of the mercy of Allah, and yet I am afraid of my sins.” Thereupon the Holy Prophet (SALLALLAHU ALAIHI WASALLAM) said “When the heart of a believer is filled with these two feelings of hope and fear, Almighty Allah fulfils his hope and saves him from what he is afraid of.”

It is mentioned in one Hadith that a believer thinks of his sin, as if he is sitting under a huge rock that is threatening to fall on him, while for a transgressor his sin is no more than a fly which is easily scared off, i.e., he takes his sins very lightly. In short, one should be appropriately afraid of ones sins, and at the same time remain hopeful of Allah’s mercy.

Hadhrat Mu’aaz (Radhiyallaho anho) died of the plague and, in the moments of death’s agony, he fainted many times. Whenever he regained consciousness for a moment, he would say, “Oh Allah! Thou knowest that I love Thee. By Thy Honour and Glory, Thou knowest this very well.” Just before breathing his last, he said, “0 Death, you are a welcome guest but have come at a time when there is nothing in the house to eat.” Then he said, “0 Allah! Thou knowest very well that I always feared Thee, and today I die hopeful of Thy forgiveness. 0 Allah! I enjoyed life, not in digging canals and planting gardens, but in remaining thirsty in the hot weather, in undergoing hardships for the sake of Islaam, and in taking part in the gatherings engaged in zikr under the supervision of the Ulama.”

Some Ulama have written that the fulfillment of expectations promised by Almighty Allah in the aforesaid Hadith is in its most general sense. It carries assurance not only in respect of forgiveness but also in respect of prayers, health, wealth and safety. For instance when a person prays to Allah and sincerely believes that Allah shall accept his prayer, then his prayer is actually accepted, but if he has doubt (that his prayer would not be accepted], it is not accepted. Thus, in another Hadith it is stated that the prayer of a person is granted so long as he does not say that his prayer is not granted. The same is true in the case of all blessings relating to health, prosperity, etc.

According to one Hadith, if a destitute person discloses his hunger to everybody, he is not relieved of his poverty, but if he shows submission to Gracious Allah, his condition may soon change for the better. However, hoping for the better from Almighty Allah is one thing, and being over-confident of His help and forgiveness is another thing. Almighty Allah has warned us against such an attitude in several verses of the Holy Qur’an e.g.

“Let not the deceiver (the Satan) beguile you in regard to Allah” i.e. one should not be misled by the devil to commit sins just because Allah is the most Merciful and the Forgiver”.

There is another verse,

“Hath he knowledge of the Unseen, or hath he made a pact with the Beneficent. No, never.”

The second point in this Hadith is “Whenever a slave of mine remembers Me, I am with him.” In another Hadith, it is stated, “So long as one’s lips move in My remembrance I remain with him” i.e. Almighty Allah bestows His special care and mercy on him during all this time.

The third point is that Almighty Allah mentions him with a favour to the angels, which signifies the value of zikr. Firstly, this is because Allah created man such that inherently he is liable to be good as well as to go astray, as given below in Hadith No. 8. Submission on his part therefore deserves special appreciation. Secondly, at the time of Aadam’s creation, the Angels (who have no instinct for doing evil) could not understand the creation of man and had contended that he would cause blood-shed and trouble in the world, while they are always there to praise and glorify Almighty Allah.

Thirdly, man’s worship of Allah and submission to His will is more commendable than that of the Angels, because he does so on account of his faith in the unseen which, however, is actually seen by the angels. It is to this fact that Allah refers in the Holy Book: “How would man not have worshipped if he had actually seen the Paradise and the Hell.” It is for this reason that Almighty Allah praises the noble deeds of those who worship and glorify Him without seeing Him.

The fourth point contained in the above-mentioned Hadith is that if a man increases his devotion to Almighty Allah, the increase in His mercy and kindness upon him is proportionately far greater. “Getting near” and “running” signify immediate increase in His blessings and mercy. Thus, it is up to a person that, if he wants to enjoy more kindness and favours from Almighty Allah, he should increase his devotion to Him.

The fifth point in the above mentioned Hadith is that the Angels have been stated to be superior to man, while it is commonly known that man is the best creation of Allah. One reason for this has already been explained in the translation (of the Hadith), that the angels are superior because they are innocent and are unable to commit sins. Secondly, they are superior because they are better than the majority of men, including even the majority of believers; and yet some selected Believers like the Prophets (Alaihimus salaam) are superior to the angels.

There are other reasons as well, which are however left out in order to prevent the discourse from getting too long.

Source: Fazail Al A’mal Vol 1

Why British Women are Turning to Islaam

THE SPREAD OF A WORLD CREED
The Times - Tuesday, 9th November 1993 - Home-news Page

"Lucy Berrington finds the Muslim Faith is winning Western admirers despite hostile media coverage."

Unprecedented numbers of British people, nearly all of them women, are converting to Islaam at a time of deep divisions within the Anglican and Catholic churches. 

The rate of conversions has prompted predictions that Islaam will rapidly become an important religious force in this country. "Within the next 20 years the number of British converts will equal or overtake the immigrant Muslim community that brought the faith here", says Rose Kendrick, a religious education teacher at a Hull comprehensive and the author of a textbook guide to the Qur'aan. She says: "Islaam is as much a world faith as is Roman Catholicism. No one nationality claims it as its own". Islaam is also spreading fast on the continent and in America. 

The surge in conversions to Islaam has taken place despite the negative image of the faith in the Western press. Indeed, the pace of conversions has accelerated since publicity over the Salman Rushdie affair, the Gulf War and the plight of the Muslims in Bosnia. It is even more ironic that most British converts should be women, given the widespread view in the west that Islaam treats women poorly. In the United States, women converts outnumber men by four to one, and in Britain make up the bulk of the estimated 10, 000 to 20, 000 converts, forming part of a Muslim community of 1 to 1.5 million. Many of Britains "New Muslims" are from middle-class backgrounds. They include Matthew Wilkinson, a former head boy of Eton who went on to Cambridge, and a son and daughter of Lord Justice Scott, the judge heading the arms-to-Iraq enquiry. 

A small scale survey by the Islaamic Foundation in Leicester suggests that most converts are aged 30 to 50. Younger muslims point to many conversions among students and highlight the intellectual thrust of Islaam. "Muhammad" said, "The light of Islaam will rise in the West" and I think that is what is happening in our day" says Aliya Haeri, an American-born psychologist who converted 15 years ago. She is a consultant to the Zahra Trust, a charity publishing spiritual literature and is one of Britain's prominent Islaamic speakers. She adds: "Western converts are coming to Islaam with fresh eyes, without all the habits of the East, avoiding much of what is culturally wrong. The purest tradition is finding itself strongest in the West." 

Some say the conversions are prompted by the rise of comparative religious education. The British media, offering what Muslims describe as a relentless bad press on all things Islaamic, is also said to have helped. Westerners despairing of their own society - rising in crime, family breakdown, drugs and alcoholism - have come to admire the discipline and security of Islam. Many converts are former Christians disillusioned by the uncertainty of the church and unhappy with the concept of the Trinity and deification of Jesus. 

Quest of the Convert - Why Change?

Other converts describe a search for a religious identity. Many had previously been practising Christians but found intellectual satisfaction in Islaam. "I was a theology student and it was the academic argument that led to my conversion." Rose Kendrick, a religious education teacher and author, said she objected to the concept of the original sin: "Under Islaam, the sins of the fathers aren't visited on the sons. The idea that God is not always forgiving is blasphemous to Muslims. 

Maimuna, 39, was raised as a High Anglican and confirmed at 15 at the peak of her religious devotion. "I was entranced by the ritual of the High Church and thought about taking the veil." Her crisis came when a prayer was not answered. She slammed the door on visiting vicars but travelled to convents for discussions with nuns. "My belief came back stronger, but not for the Church, the institution or the dogma." She researched every Christian denomination, plus Judaism, Buddhism and Krishna Consciousness, before turning to Islaam. 

Many converts from Christianity reject the ecclesiastical heirarchy emphasising Muslims' direct relationship with God. They sense a lack of leadership in the Church of England and are suspicious of its apparent flexibility. "Muslims don't keep shifting their goal-posts ," says Huda Khattab, 28, author of The Muslim Woman's Handbook, published this year by Ta-Ha. She converted ten years ago while studying Arabic at university. "Christianity changes, like the way some have said pre-marital sex is okay if its with the person you're going to marry. It seems so wishy-washy. Islaam was constant about sex, about praying five times a day. The prayer makes you conscious of God all the time. You're continually touching base. 

Taken from Is There a God?

source : http://www.muslimaccess.com/articles/Women/british_women.asp

Qualities of Aisha and her role in Islam

In any discussion on the age of Aisha (ra: may Allah be pleased with her) at the time of her marriage with the Holy Prophet Muhammad (may peace and the blessings of Allah be upon him), it is of the greatest relevance to note the pivotal role she played as a teacher, exponent and interpreter of the religion of Islam. Aisha was an exceptionally intelligent and astute woman, a young prodigy, and this was the main reason why she was got married to the Holy Prophet, as is clearly proved by events after the Holy Prophet’s life. She entered his household, shortly after his emigration to Madina, just at the time when the teachings of Islam in all fields of life for the Muslim community were starting to be revealed to the Holy Prophet and demonstrated by him by his example and practice. An intellectually gifted person was required who would have daily contact with the Holy Prophet at the closest and most personal level, so as to absorb the teachings that he was giving on all aspects of life by his words and actions. Such a person would need to possess the following qualities:

an excellent, precise memory to retain a vast amount of detail accurately,
the understanding to grasp the significance and the principles of the teachings,
powers of reasoning, criticism and deduction to resolve problems on the basis of those teachings,
the skills to convey knowledge to a wide range of audience,
and, finally, have the prospect of living for a considerable period of time after the death of the Holy Prophet in order to spread his message to distant generations.

That Aisha possessed all these qualities and carried out this mission is an absolutely positive and undeniable, historical fact. After the Holy Prophet’s death, she acted as a teacher and interpreter of Islam, providing guidance to even the greatest of the male Companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad. They made a special point of going to her to gain knowledge and seek her opinion. A vast number of sayings and actions of the Holy Prophet are reported from her in books of Hadith. She not only quoted his sayings and reported her observations of events, but interpreted them to provide solutions to questions. Whenever necessary, she corrected the views of the greatest of the Companions of the Holy Prophet. She made rulings and judgments on which Islamic law is based.

The following are two examples of what the Holy Prophet’s male Companions said about her:

“Abu Musa said: Whenever there was any hadith that was difficult [to understand] for us, the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, and we asked Aisha we always found that she had knowledge about that hadith.”

“Musa ibn Talha said: I never saw anyone more eloquent than Aisha.” [1]

In the famous compilation of the lives of saints in Islam, Tadhkirat-ul-Auliya, the author Farid-ud-Din Attar, who lived eight centuries ago, introduces the life of the early female saint Rabia of Basra as follows:

“If anyone says, ‘Why have you included Rabia in the rank of men?’, my answer is that the Prophet himself said, ‘God does not regard your outward forms’. … Moreover, if it is proper to derive two-thirds of our religion from Aisha, surely it is permissible to take religious instruction from a handmaid of Aisha.” [2]

It is thus recognised, from the earliest times in Islam, that some two-thirds of Islamic Sharia is based on reports and interpretations that have come from Aisha.

In view of these exceptional qualities of Aisha and the towering role played by her in the transmission of the teachings of Islam, it is simply preposterous and outrageous to suggest that she was the victim of some form of child and marital abuse. We ask in particular the Christian and Jewish critics of Islam, who are reviling the Holy Prophet Muhammad on the basis of his marriage with Aisha, whether they can point out any example of a woman in their religions who played a role like that of Aisha in learning the religion from its founder and becoming the teacher and instructor of all his followers, including men, after his death.

Age of Aisha at time of marriage with Holy Prophet Muhammad
It is believed on the authority of some Hadith reports that the marriage ceremony (known as nikah, amounting to betrothal) of Aisha with the Holy Prophet Muhammad took place when she was six years of age, and that she joined the Holy Prophet as his wife three years later at the age of nine. We quote below from two such reports in Bukhari.

“It is reported from Aisha that she said: The Prophet entered into marriage with me when I was a girl of six … and at the time [of joining his household] I was a girl of nine years of age.”

“Khadija died three years before the Prophet departed to Medina. He stayed [alone] for two years or so. He married Aisha when she was a girl of six years of age, and he consummated that marriage when she was nine years old.” [3]

As to the authenticity of these reports, it may be noted that the compilers of the books of Hadith did not apply the same stringent tests when accepting reports relating to historical matters as they did before accepting reports relating to the practical teachings and laws of Islam. The reason is that the former type of report was regarded as merely of academic interest while the latter type of report had a direct bearing on the practical duties of a Muslim and on what was allowed to them and what was prohibited. Thus the occurrence of reports such as the above about the marriage of Aisha in books of Hadith, even in Bukhari, is not necessarily a proof of their credibility.

Determination of the true age of Aisha
It appears that Maulana Muhammad Ali was the first Islamic scholar directly to challenge the notion that Aisha was aged six and nine, respectively, at the time of her nikah and consummation of marriage. This he did in, at least, the following writings: his English booklet Prophet of Islam, his larger English book Muhammad, the Prophet, and in the footnotes in his voluminous Urdu translation and commentary of Sahih Bukhari entitled Fadl-ul-Bari, these three writings being published in the 1920s and 1930s. In the booklet Prophet of Islam, which was later incorporated in 1948 as the first chapter of his book Living Thoughts of the Prophet Muhammad, he writes in a lengthy footnote as follows:

“A great misconception prevails as to the age at which Aisha was taken in marriage by the Prophet. Ibn Sa‘d has stated in the Tabaqat that when Abu Bakr [father of Aisha] was approached on behalf of the Holy Prophet, he replied that the girl had already been betrothed to Jubair, and that he would have to settle the matter first with him. This shows that Aisha must have been approaching majority at the time. Again, the Isaba, speaking of the Prophet’s daughter Fatima, says that she was born five years before the Call and was about five years older than Aisha. This shows that Aisha must have been about ten years at the time of her betrothal to the Prophet, and not six years as she is generally supposed to be. This is further borne out by the fact that Aisha herself is reported to have stated that when the chapter [of the Holy Quran] entitled The Moon, the fifty-fourth chapter, was revealed, she was a girl playing about and remembered certain verses then revealed. Now the fifty-fourth chapter was undoubtedly revealed before the sixth year of the Call. All these considerations point to but one conclusion, viz., that Aisha could not have been less than ten years of age at the time of her nikah, which was virtually only a betrothal. And there is one report in the Tabaqat that Aisha was nine years of age at the time of nikah. Again it is a fact admitted on all hands that the nikah of Aisha took place in the tenth year of the Call in the month of Shawwal, while there is also preponderance of evidence as to the consummation of her marriage taking place in the second year of Hijra in the same month, which shows that full five years had elapsed between the nikah and the consummation. Hence there is not the least doubt that Aisha was at least nine or ten years of age at the time of betrothal, and fourteen or fifteen years at the time of marriage.” [4] (Bolding is mine.)

To facilitate understanding dates of these events, please note that it was in the tenth year of the Call, i.e. the tenth year after the Holy Prophet Muhammad received his calling from God to his mission of prophethood, that his wife Khadija passed away, and the approach was made to Abu Bakr for the hand of his daughter Aisha. The hijra or emigration of the Holy Prophet to Madina took place three years later, and Aisha came to the household of the Holy Prophet in the second year after hijra. So if Aisha was born in the year of the Call, she would be ten years old at the time of the nikah and fifteen years old at the time of the consummation of the marriage.

Later research
Research subsequent to the time of Maulana Muhammad Ali has shown that she was older than this. An excellent short work presenting such evidence is the Urdu pamphlet Rukhsati kai waqt Sayyida Aisha Siddiqa ki umar (‘The age of Lady Aisha at the time of the start of her married life’) by Abu Tahir Irfani.[4a] Points 1 to 3 below have been brought to light in this pamphlet.

1. The famous classical historian of Islam, Ibn Jarir Tabari, wrote in his ‘History’:

“In the time before Islam, Abu Bakr married two women. The first was Fatila daughter of Abdul Uzza, from whom Abdullah and Asma were born. Then he married Umm Ruman, from whom Abdur Rahman and Aisha were born. These four were born before Islam.” [5]

Being born before Islam means being born before the Call.

2. The compiler of the famous Hadith collection Mishkat al-Masabih, Imam Wali-ud-Din Muhammad ibn Abdullah Al-Khatib, who died 700 years ago, has also written brief biographical notes on the narrators of Hadith reports. He writes under Asma, the older daughter of Abu Bakr:

“She was the sister of Aisha Siddiqa, wife of the Holy Prophet, and was ten years older than her. … In 73 A.H. … Asma died at the age of one hundred years.” [6]

(Go here to see an image of the full entry in Urdu.)

This would make Asma 28 years of age in 1 A.H., the year of the Hijra, thus making Aisha 18 years old in 1 A.H. So Aisha would be 19 years old at the time of the consummation of her marriage, and 14 or 15 years old at the time of her nikah. It would place her year of birth at four or five years before the Call.

3. The same statement is made by the famous classical commentator of the Holy Quran, Ibn Kathir, in his book Al-bidayya wal-nihaya:

“Asma died in 73 A.H. at the age of one hundred years. She was ten years older than her sister Aisha.” [7]

Apart from these three evidences, which are presented in the Urdu pamphlet referred to above, we also note that the birth of Aisha being a little before the Call is consistent with the opening words of a statement by her which is recorded four times in Bukhari. Those words are as follows:

“Ever since I can remember (or understand things) my parents were following the religion of Islam.” [8]

This is tantamount to saying that she was born sometime before her parents accepted Islam but she can only remember them practising Islam. No doubt she and her parents knew well whether she was born before or after they accepted Islam, as their acceptance of Islam was such a landmark event in their life which took place just after the Holy Prophet received his mission from God. If she had been born after they accepted Islam it would make no sense for her to say that she always remembered them as following Islam. Only if she was born before they accepted Islam, would it make sense for her to say that she can only remember them being Muslims, as she was too young to remember things before their conversion. This is consistent with her being born before the Call, and being perhaps four or five years old at the time of the Call, which was also almost the time when her parents accepted Islam.

Two further evidences cited by Maulana Muhammad Ali
In the footnotes of his Urdu translation and commentary of Sahih Bukhari, entitled Fadl-ul-Bari, Maulana Muhammad Ali had pointed out reports of two events which show that Aisha could not have been born later than the year of the Call. These are as follows.

1. The above mentioned statement by Aisha in Bukhari, about her earliest memory of her parents being that they were followers of Islam, begins with the following words in its version in Bukhari’s Kitab-ul-Kafalat. We quote this from the English translation of Bukhari by M. Muhsin Khan:

“Since I reached the age when I could remember things, I have seen my parents worshipping according to the right faith of Islam. Not a single day passed but Allah’s Apostle visited us both in the morning and in the evening. When the Muslims were persecuted, Abu Bakr set out for Ethiopia as an emigrant.” [9]

Commenting on this report, Maulana Muhammad Ali writes:

“This report sheds some light on the question of the age of Aisha. … The mention of the persecution of Muslims along with the emigration to Ethiopia clearly shows that this refers to the fifth or the sixth year of the Call. … At that time Aisha was of an age to discern things, and so her birth could not have been later than the first year of the Call.” [10]

Again, this would make her more than fourteen at the time of the consummation of her marriage.

2. There is a report in Sahih Bukhari as follows:

“On the day (of the battle) of Uhud when (some) people retreated and left the Prophet, I saw Aisha daughter of Abu Bakr and Umm Sulaim, with their robes tucked up so that the bangles around their ankles were visible hurrying with their water skins (in another narration it is said, ‘carrying the water skins on their backs’). Then they would pour the water in the mouths of the people, and return to fill the water skins again and came back again to pour water in the mouths of the people.” [11]

Maulana Muhammad Ali writes in a footnote under this report:

“It should also be noted that Aisha joined the Holy Prophet’s household only one year before the battle of Uhud. According to the common view she would be only ten years of age at this time, which is certainly not a suitable age for the work she did on this occasion. This also shows that she was not so young at this time.” [12]

If, as shown in the previous section above, Aisha was nineteen at the time of the consummation of her marriage, then she would be twenty years old at the time of the battle of Uhud. It may be added that on the earlier occasion of the battle of Badr when some Muslim youths tried, out of eagerness, to go along with the Muslim army to the field of battle, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sent them back on account of their young age (allowing only one such youngster, Umair ibn Abi Waqqas, to accompany his older brother the famous Companion Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas). It seems, therefore, highly unlikely that if Aisha was ten years old the Holy Prophet would have allowed her to accompany the army to the field of battle.

We conclude from all the evidence cited above that Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was nineteen years old when she joined the Holy Prophet as his wife in the year 2 A.H., the nikah or betrothal having taken place five years previously.

source : http://www.muslimaccess.com/articles/misc/aisha.asp

Learn Quranic Essence And Read It From The Eyes Of Heart

 by : John Smith

For some people it is just Arabic language, for others it the divine light. Yes, Quran is the way of spending our lives but to understand the core and essence of Quran one must open up the eyes of heart. What are the eyes of heart? It is a very interesting discussion, before explaining it we must need to understand a concept.

All of us see from our head eyes, but it’s not only the eyes that make us see, eyes can only make us see if we see in light. If there is no light no matter how good your eye sight is you just can’t see. Similarly for heart there is a divine light (Noor), if there is no divine light the heart can’t see as well.

Following the guidance of Quran makes our heart with full of Noor, we can only understand the Quran if our belief is right. The dangerous thing is that if we don’t follow the essence of Quran and sill read it, sometimes it can back fire.

Yes that’s harsh to say but it is a bitter reality that sometimes reciting Quran is a way of Lanat (the anger of Allah Ta’ala). the following ayats (verses) show that how sometimes reciting Quran becomes the reason of Allah’s anger.

Allah Ta’ala states “Beware, the curse of Allah is on the wrong-doers" and he exposes himself to this warning because of his wrong doings.” if someone is a wrong doer , doesn’t make him correct and still recites the above mentioned verse, he actually himself asking for trouble. One another place Allah Ta’ala says “The curse of Allah is upon the liars”, if someone is a liar and recites this ayat without repentance then he is asking for the curse.

The above mentioned verses were not to discourage people, but we seriously need to give ourselves a thought process. We need to learn Quran and then understand the essence of it. there is no doubt that Allah Ta’ala is very merciful, He gives so much to Quran followers but the real follower is the one who actually follows the core and guidance of Quran.

If we follow the guidance of Quran, it will surely save us from hell fire; there is a lovely Hadith that portrays how Quran is going to save us in judgment:

Narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) said, “On the Day of Judgement, three things will be under the shade of the Arsh (Allah's Throne). One, the Holy Qur'an which will argue with men-the Qur'an has both an exterior and an interior. The second will be amaanat (trust). The third will be kinship, which shall proclaim, '0. Allah! Have mercy on the person who upheld me. And deprive him of your merry whosoever severed me.' "

Quran shows us how can we become successful but for that matter we really need to submit ourselves to Islamic beliefs and commandments.

source : http://www.articlecity.com/articles/religion/article_1287.shtml

Quran Is The Guidance for Those Who Fear Allah and Believe

by : John Smith

(In the Name of Allah (SWT), Most Gracious, Most Merciful, all praise and thanks are due to Allah, Lord of the Realms and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger (SAW) and upon all his family and companions)

Quran (http://www.quranreading.com) is the last book of guidance which was revealed on Our Beloved Prophet Rasulullah (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam). The Quran deals with the ultimate goal of mankind. Allah Ta’ala has clearly explained the goal and aim of our lives as Allah Ta’ala says in Quran: “I have only created Jinns and men, that they may serve Me”.

If someone wants to understand the core and essence of the Holy Quran he or she must have some characteristics and beliefs. Here are they:

• first: who believe in the Unseen

• second: who steadfast in prayer

• third: who spend money in the way of Allah

• fourth: who believe the Holy Quran and other books of Allah

• fifth : who have the assurance of the Hereafter

The second chapter of Quran talks about these characteristics as Allah says: “This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah. Who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them; And who believe in the Revelation sent to thee, and sent before thy time, and (in their hearts) have the assurance of the Hereafter”.

the companions (Sahaba (Radhiy allaho anho) of Rasulullah (SAW) used to say first we learned Imaan (belief) from Rasulullah (SAW) and then we learned Quran. one can’t really understand the core of Quran without Imaan however it is such amazing Book that it opens up gates of guidance for every single human being no matter he/she is a Muslim or not.

Quran says that the people who have the above characteristics would not only get guidance but also they are the ones who will prosper. The fifth verse of Surah Al-Baqarah / The Cow states: “They are on (true) guidance, from their Lord, and it is these who will prosper.”

on the other hand there are some unfortunate people who would not get guidance at all. Allah says to Rasulullah (SAW) that whether you warn them or not they will not become Muslims as Quran says : “As to those who reject Faith, it is the same to them whether thou warn them or do not warn them; they will not believe.”

The question is that why Allah says whether you warn them or not they will not believe in Me? the reason is told in Quran as well, the reason is given in the very next verse “Allah hath set a seal on their hearts and on their hearing, and on their eyes is a veil; great is the penalty they (incur)” they are the ones who are “Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path)” primarily because whenever they are told about the Truth, they not only reject but also make fun out of it.

 

source : http://www.articlecity.com/articles/religion/article_1290.shtml

The Life In Jannah (The Paradise)

 by : John Smith

Allah Ta’ala has made this world for our test., He has set this word as an examination hall and every one of us has to pass the test in order to Jannah (The Paradise). Allah Ta’ala states in Quran: “He Who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is best in deed: and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving”.

This is for sure that life and death is for our test. The time all of us would spend here in this world would actually define our life after death, it will define either we would go to Jannah or jahanum (The Hell Fire).

Many people (even Muslims) don’t practice Islam just because they don’t believe in the life after death. Believing in the life after death requires Imaan, Quran is the way that strengthens the Imaan because it talks about the life after death. Allah (SWT) says: “But the Hereafter is better and more enduring”.

What we need to do is to talk more and more about the Jannah which is made for Muslims. Talking more about Jannah would motivate people. Other than talking about Jannah we could explore the Jannah in Quran itself.

In Surah Yaseen and Surah Rahman, Allah (SWT) beautifully talks about the luxurious life of Muslims, here are the verses of Surah Yaseen and Surah Rahman respectively:

Surah Yaseen Verses: “Verily the Companions of the Garden shall that Day have joy in all that they do, They and their associates will be in groves of (cool) shade, reclining on Thrones (of dignity), Every) fruit (enjoyment) will be there for them; they shall have whatever they call for, "Peace!" - a word (of salutation) from a Lord Most Merciful!”

Surah Rahman Verses: “But for such as fear the time when they will stand before (the Judgment Seat of) their Lord, there will be two Gardens, Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?, Containing all kinds (of trees and delights), Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?, In them (each) will be two Springs flowing (free) Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?-, In them will be Fruits of every kind, two and two”

In Jannah the biggest of the rewards would be when Allah (SWT) would expose Himself. Scholars say the people of paradise would keep watching Allah (SWT) for 8 lac years; this would be a great reward. People of Jannah would be able to see their ultimate creator, the controller, Ar-Rahman (The All-Compassionate), Ar-Rahim (The All-Merciful); indeed it will be a great treat.

We all must do good deeds in order to find the one and only our Lord. In Jannah there would be no sleep and people of Jannah would enjoy big time. Allah (SWT) would eradicate all the bad practices in Jannah such as jealousy, leg pulling, distrust, lust, etc.

May Allah have mercy on us and grants us the Janna (Ameen)

Berdahwah Dengan Cara Damai

Jama’ah Tabligh

Berdakwah dengan cara damai

Oleh: Su’ud Hasanudin

 http://fospi.wordpress.com/2009/06/15/jamaah-tabligh/

Muqodimah.

India adalah sebuah wilayah yang cukup luas pada masa sebelum berpacahnya menjadi beberapa Negara; India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Kashmir yang mesih menjadi sengketa.  Di negeri ini banyak bermunculan gerakan dan sekte keagamaan dengan macam dan ragamnya, mulai dari gerakan pencerahan keagamaan hingga singkritisasi perpaduan dari beberapa agama. Syiah islmailiyah, Deoband, Nadwatul ulama, Aligart movement, Berelvi, Tabligh, Ahmadiyah, Sikh, dan masih banyak lagi.

India masih dikenal sebagai Negara yang berpenduduk mayoritas hindu, namun didalam Negara India terdapat sejumlah masyarakat muslim yang jauh lebih besar dari masyarakat Islam di Indonesia yang disebut sebagai Negara berpenduduk muslim terbesar di dunia.

Demikian juga India tidaklah sepanjang masa dikuasai oleh masyarakat hindu, bahkan sebelum masukanya inggris ke dataran India masyarakat muslim pernah memimpin negara tersebut dalam bentang waktu yang cukup lama. Setidaknya dalam beberapa kitab hadits nama India terabadikan didalamnya, seperti dalam shohih al Bukhory[1] nama al hind disebut sebagai sebuah tempat yang pernah didatangkan dari wilayah tersebut sebatang kayu untuk dijadikan bahan atap masjid an Nabawi pada masa kholifah Usman bin Afan. Bahkan dalam sunan an Nasai[2] terdapat satu bab khusus mengenai Ghozwa tul Hind (pengiriman pasukan di India).

Bangsa India telah memiliki kekayaan budaya dan alam dan sudah dikenal oleh masyarakat dunia sejak lama, bahkan lembah mohinyo daro, dalam sejarah dilihat sebagai salah satu peradapan tertua di dunia. Dan dari kekayaan alam itulah bangs eropa tertarik untuk datang ke wilayah ini.

Masyarakat Islam berkembang di wilayah ini pada abad ke-8, setelah masuknya Muhammad bin Qosim, ke wilayah ini sebagai utusan dari pemerintahan Islam di Damaskus pada saat itu [3]. Pemerintahan Islam berdiri untuk pertama kalinya di dataran India pada kisaran tahun 712 M, berkedudukan di wilayah sind.[4]

Datangnya Ingris ke dataran India paling tidak telah merubah wajah dataran India, salah satu diantaranya adalah terpecahnya wilayah dataran tersebut menjadi beberapa Negara; India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, yang dahulu adalah satu wilayah kesatuan dengan sebutan India.

Munculnya multi movement di India

Setelah runtuhnya kekuasaan kerajaan monghul, umat Islam di India membentuk beberapa frond perjuangan, baik yang berbasis gerakan keagaaman, politik, maupun pendidikan.

Gerakan yang dipinpin oleh Shah Waliyullah ad Dahalwi adalah salah satunya sebuah gerakan pembaharuan yang membawa masyarakat Islam India kembali menyadari akan pentingnya karakteristik keIslaman. Laskar perjuangan (Jihat Movement) yang dipimpin oleh Syeh Ahmad (1785) adalah salah satu gerakan perjuangan melawan penjajahan Ingris dan menginginkan kembalinya pemerintahan kekhalifahan sebagaimana yang pernah terjadi pada generasi sahabat [5].

Sir Syed dengan ali garh Movement adalah sebuah gerakan pembaharuan dalam bidang pendidikan di dataran India yang di dirikan pada tahun 1857, dengan landasan ingin memperbaiki dengan mengangkat martabat bangsa muslim India.

Melihat gerakan Sir Syed Ahmad Khan yang cenderung menyimpang [6] para ulama India kemudian mendirikan Dar ul Ulum Deoband pada tahun 1867. 

Setelah beberapa kali terjadi konfik dan perseteruan antara gerakan Sir Syed dan Dar ul Ulum, ada beberapa pihak yang mencoba untuk menengahi masalah tersebut, kemudian didirikanlah Nadwat ul Ulama Lacknow. Gerakan ini berkeinginan untuk menyatukan dua fikiran yang dinilai bertolak belakang; yakni extreme modern development yang cenderung ke barat-baratan dan traditional approaches, prinsip utama Nadwat ul Ulama yang didirikan oleh Syed Muhammad Ali Cawnpuri adalah modern tanpa menghilangkan tradisi. 

Sementara dibidang politik, Muslim Leage diririkan tahun 1906 untuk memperjuangkan dan mengembalikan citra baik masyarakat muslim India. Pada umumnya orang-orang yang duduk di Muslim luage adalah buah dari gerakan Sir Syed dengan Aligarh College nya.

Dan dalam masa-masa menjelang pemisahan Pakistan dari India Jama’ah Tabligh didirikan.

Sejarah berdiri jama’ah tabligh.

Jama’ah Tabligh secara susunan bahasa diambil dari bahasa Arab: جماعة التبليغ , yang berarti “kelompok penyampai dan penyebar”. Jama’ah Tabligh didirikan pada akhir 1920-an oleh Maulana Muhammad Ilyas Kandhalawi di Mewat, sebuah provinsi di India.

Ada sejarah yang terpotong dalam melihat jama’ah tabligh, seringkali jama’ah tabligh diidentikan dengan Pakistan. Bukan hanya sebab memandang dari ciri khas meraka berpakaian, rewind yang tidak jauh dari pusat kota Lahor merupakan diantara tempat yang memiliki kedudukan khusus bagi para peminat jama’ah tabligh. Seringkali perhelatan besar diselenggarakan di tampat itu, bahkan ijtima (international conference) tahunan selalu dilaksanakan di kota tersebut.

Lahore sebenarnya bukanlah kota kelahiran asal jama’ah tersebut, melainkan jama’ah tersebut sebenarnya dilahirkan di Kandhalawi di Mewat, sebuah provinsi di India.

Muhammad Ilyas sendiri dilahirkan pada tahun 1303 H dengan nama asli Akhtar Ilyas. Ia meninggal pada tanggal 11 Rajab 1363 H.

Ketika Muhammad Ilyas melihat mayoritas orang Meiwat[7] (suku-suku yang tinggal di dekat Delhi, India) jauh dari ajaran Islam, berbaur dengan orang-orang Majusi para penyembah berhala Hindu, bahkan memakai nama-nama orang Hindu, serta tidak ada lagi keislaman yang tersisa kecuali hanya nama dan keturunan, kemudian kebodohan yang kian merata, tergeraklah hati Muhammad Ilyas. Pergilah ia ke Syaikhnya dan Syaikh tarekatnya, seperti Rasyid Ahmad Al-Kanhuhi dan Asyraf Ali At-Tahanawi untuk membicarakan permasalahan ini. Dan ia pun akhirnya mendirikan gerakan tabligh di India, atas perintah dan arahan dari para syaikhnya tersebut. Merupakan suatu hal yang ma’ruf di kalangan tablighiyyin (para pengikut jamah tabligh) bahwasanya Muhammad Ilyas mendapatkan tugas dakwah tabligh ini setelah kepergiannya ke makam Rasulullah

Tujuan utama dari gerakan Tabligh ini adalah membangkitkan jiwa spiritual dalam diri dan kehidupan setiap muslim. Jama’ah Tabligh merupakan pergerakan non-politik. Jama’ah Tabligh juga merupakan gerakan Islam yang tidak memandang asal-usul mahdzab atau aliran pengikutnya, Ada dua hal yang tidak boleh diperbincang selama Tabligh, yaitu soal politik dan khilafiah.

Berkenaan dengan nama, mungkin banyak kalangan dalam jama’ah tabligh sendiri terkadang enggan menyebut nama gerakan tersebut dengan nama apapun. Tidak diketahui secara pasti siapakah yang memberi nama jama’ah tersebut dengan sebutan jama’ah Tabligh, namun yang pasti dari jaulah (perjalanan dakwah yang mereka tempuh) mengisyaratkan bahwasanya diambilnya nama tabligh karena keterikatan meraka dengan selalu mengadakan bepergian untuk menyampaikan Islam.

Ajaran darsar Jama’ah Tabligh

Jama’ah Tabligh mempunyai suatu asas dan landasan yang sangat dipegang teguh. Asas dan landasan ini mereka sebut dengan al-ushulus sittah (enam landasan pokok) atau ash-shifatus sittah (sifat yang enam), dengan rincian sebagaimana berikut;

Sifat Pertama: Merealisasikan Kalimat Thayyibah Laa Ilaha Illallah Muhammad Rasulullah.

Mereka menafsirkan makna Laa Ilaha Illallah dengan: “mengeluarkan keyakinan yang rusak tentang sesuatu dari hati kita dan memasukkan keyakinan yang benar tentang dzat Allah, bahwasanya Dia-lah Sang Pencipta, Maha Pemberi Rizki, Maha Mendatangkan Mudharat dan Manfaat, Maha Memuliakan dan Menghinakan, Maha Menghidupkan dan Mematikan.

Sifat ke dua: Shalat khusyu’ dan khudu’. Artinya: Shalat dengan konsentrasi batin dan rendah diri dengan mengikuti cara yang dicontohkan Rasulullah.

Dan memiliki maksud membawa sifat-sifat ketaatan kepada Allah dalam shalat kedalam kehidupan sehari-hari.

Sifat ketiga: Keilmuan yang ditopang dengan dzikir. Ilmu yang berarti semua petunjuk yang datang dari Allah melalui Baginda Rasulullah. Dan dzikir yang berarti mengingat Allah sebagaimana keagung-Nya.

Yang dimaksud Ilmu ma’adz dzikr (ilmu yang di topang dengan dzikir) adalah melaksanakan perintah Allah dalam setiap saat dan keadaan dengan menghadirkan ke-Agungan Allah mengikuti cara Rasulullah.

Sifat Keempat: Menghormati Setiap Muslim (Ikramul Muslimin), artinya Memuliakan sesama muslim. Maksudnya: Menunaikan kewajiban pada sesama muslim tanpa menuntut hak dari padanya.[8]

Sifat Kelima: Memperbaiki Niat (Membersihkan niat dalam beramal, semata-mata karena Allah). Tidak diragukan lagi bahwasanya memperbaiki niat termasuk pokok agama dan keikhlasan adalah porosnya.

Sifat Keenam: Dakwah dan Khuruj di jalan Allah subhanahu wata’ala. Cara merealisasikannya adalah dengan menempuh khuruj (keluar untuk berdakwah) bersama Jama’ah Tabligh, empat bulan untuk seumur hidup, 40 hari pada tiap tahun, tiga hari setiap bulan, atau dua kali berkeliling pada tiap minggu di tempat ia tinggal. Dalam perjalanan khuruj mereka selalu meluangkan untuk menjenguk orang sakit, mengunjungi para sesepuh dan bersilaturahmi, membaca satu juz Al Qur’an setiap hari, memelihara dzikir-dzikir pagi dan sore, membantu para jama’ah lainya yang sedang lewat dalam rangka khuruj. Dan sebelum melakukan khuruj.

Mereka selalu diberi hadiah-hadiah berupa konsep berdakwah yang disampaikan oleh salah seorang anggota jama’ah yang berpengalaman dalam hal khuruj atau yang disebut dengan tasykil.[9]

Dilihat secara sepintas, tidak ada indikasi dalam ajaran jama’ah tabligh yang menyimpang dari konsep dasar Islam. Dari ke enam sifat yang dipilih oleh jama’ah tabligh semuanya memiliki dasar dalam agama Islam baik dalam al Quran maupun as Sunnah. Bahkan ke eman sifat tersebut cenderung merupakan sifat yang disepakati oleh semua umat Islam tanpa menuai perbedaan.

Siapapun orangnya, selama dia masih mengaku sebagai muslim pasti mengakui pentingnya dua kalimat syahadat dan merealisasikan dalam bentuk tindak-tanduk nyata, demikian juga dengan shalat. Shalat bukan hanya sekedar kewajiban yang harus ditunaikan, namun shalat adalah salah satu ritual pensucian diri sehingga diharapkan orang-orang yang shalat memiliki jiwa yang fitri dengan mengakui adanya kebenaran dan berusaha melaksanakanya dan mengakui adanya kejelekan dengan berusaha menjahuinya.

Hanya dalam konsep yang ke enam jama’ah tablig menuai kritik penggunaan istilah khuruj. Khuruj dalam istilah yang digunakan oleh para pendahulu adalah keluar untuk menjemput musuh. Namun dalam hal ini Jamah Tabligh menggunakan istilah khuruj dalam rangka keluar berdakwah tanpa membawa senjata atau kesiapan bertempur.

Sangat jelas antara keluar menjemput musuh dan keluar menemui sesama muslim[10] untuk berdakwah adalah dua hal yang berbeda, dari tingkat kesulitan dan resiko.

Tapi bagi saya, istilah khuruj dalam jama’ah tabligh adalah sebuah hasil ijtihat Maulana ilyas yang didahului oleh perenungan yang cukup panjang, dimana umat Islam setelah runtuhnya kekhalifahan ustmaniyah terpencar dalam wilayah-wilayah yang cukup banyak penamaanya. Dan hampir istilah khuruj tidak beredar dalam praktek disebabkan tidak adanya kekhalifahan, terlebih lagi pemerintahann Islam Mungol telah lenyap dari dataran India. sebab dalam (khuruj) harus melalui keputusan khalifah (ta’yin).

Melihat kondisi yang sedemikian, maka patut untuk dilakukan ijtihat mengubah konsep khuruj dalam rangkan menghadapi musuh, kepada khuruj dalam rangka mengembalikan dan membangkitkan rasa keislaman dari pribadi-pribadi yang telah memudar.

Sebagian kalangan menggagap bahwa konsep khuruj adalah bid’ah (atau sesuatu yang diada-adakan) yang sebelumnya tidak ada. Namun dalam ceramah yang pernah penulis dengar konsep khuruj yang mereka kenal khuruj fi sabilillah adalah sebuah usaha penyelamatan meredupnya semangat keislaman dari para pribadi muslim.[11] 

Pendidikan dalam jama’ah tabligh

Jama’ah tabligh bukan hanya mengandalkan kegiatan khuruj saja sebagai wahana pendidikan umat, namun jama’ah tabligh juga memiliki madrasah (lembaga pendidikan) untuk menyiapkan kader-kader yang siap berbakti menyebarkan agama Islam. 

Madaris (lembaga-lembaga pendidikan) yang dimiliki oleh jama’ah tabligh di Pakistan pada umumnya masih mengikuti system pendidikan yang dimiliki oleh madaris Deoband, dengan mengandalkan masjid sebagai tempat beribadah sekaligus tempat pendidikan. Biasanya dalam satu kelompok memiliki pembimbing khusus, dan dalam periode tertentu mengalami pergantian.

Ada hal yang menarik dalam setiap madaris yang mereka miliki khususnya dalam beberapa masjid besar mereka seperti; Rewind dan Zakaria Masjid di Rawal Pindi, adalah penguasaan beberapa bahasa asing selain urdu sebagai bahasa popular mereka, seperti inggris dan cina.

Dalam beberapa pertemuan besar kemampuan mereka berbahasa biasa terlihat dengan kegiatan mereka dalam menterjemah secara langsung dari bahasa urdu ke dalam bahasa-bahasa yang dibutuhkan oleh kalangan yang datang.

Dalam bidang ini jama’ah tabligh dinilai oleh beberapa kalangan tidak memiliki pendalaman yang memadahi, salah satu gejala yang biasa kami deteksi adalah minimnya buka yang dicetak baik mengenai jama’ah tabligh sendiri atau buku-buku dalam bidang keislaman yang mereka kuasai.

Kitab yang sering dijadikan acuan oleh mereka adalah fadhoil us Shohabah, fadhoil ul Amal, yang cenderung menuai kritik dari beberapa pakar ahli dalam bidangnya. Seperti Fadhoil ul A’mal adalah tergolong kitab yang ditulis dalam bidang hadits, walaupun tidak secara utuh. Namun dalam kitab tersebut terdapat banyak hadits palsu dan cenderung mengada-ada yang tidak mendapatkan penjelasan dan perhatian yang memadahi. Hingga dari banyak kalangan mereka menelan dan mempercayai mentah-mentah apa yang ada dalam kitab tersebut.

Salah satu kesalahan para jama’ah tabligh tatkala ditanya tentang hadits- hadits palsu yang ada dalam kitab tersebut, meraka menjawab bahwa diperbolehkan menggunakan hadits dhoif dalam fadhoil ul A’mal.

Sedangkan para pakar hadits bersepakat bahwa hadits maudhu (palsu) tidak bisa digunakan dasar dalam bidang apapun. Sedangkan diperbolehkanya menggunakan hadits dhoif dalam fadhoil A’mal adalah dalam koridor dan persyaratan tertentu. Seakan dalam hal ini jama’ah tabligh tidak membedakan antara hadits dhoif dan hadits maudhu’.

Jama’ah Tabligh dan Politik

Jama’ah Tabligh adalah jama’ah paling netral dalam masalah polotik, bahkan mereka cenderung untuk tidak turun tangan dalam masalah politik praktis.

Jama’ah tabligh adalah jama’ah yang senantiasa menganjurkan kepada pengikutnya untuk tidak bicara politik dalam perjalanan yang mereka lakukan, sebab masalah politik adalah masalah yang selalu mendatangkan pro dan kontra.

Dan dalam bernegara jama’ah tabligh tergolong tidak melawan penguasa, sekalipun dalam posisi menuai kritik dari banyak kalangan. Oleh sebab itu jama’ah tabligh bisa hidup dimana saja, seperti di Pakistan yang setiap saat berubah. Malaysia yang cenderung monarki, bahkan di Negara-negara minoritas seperti dataran eropa dan amerika.

Jama’ah tabligh juga tergolong yang tidak menusingkan wilayah territorial Negara, walaupun jama’ah tabligh ada di India dan di Pakistan, jama’ah tabligh tidak pernah bermimpi untuk membuat satu dua komunitas tersebut bersatu dalam satu kawasan untuk membentuk masyarakat memiliki pengaruh tawar-menawar terhadap penguasa untuk kepentingan politik tertentu.

Namun pada Negara-negara tertentu jama’ah tabligh tidak bisa melancarkan kegiatan secara maksimal sepeti di Negara Saudi. Jama’ah tabligh di Saudi cenderung dianggap jama’ah yang menyimpang dari beberapa cara pandang, diantaranya dalam masalah aqidah sufistik yang mereka miliki, atau kebanyakan cirita-cerita khurofat yang mereka kembangkan.

wallahu a’lam bis showab.

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[1] Lihat Kitab us Shalat, Abwab ul Masajid, bab bibayan il Masjid. Dalam riwayat tersebut dijelaskan bahwa masjid an Nabawi pada masa khalifah Abu Bakar tidak mengalamai perubahan, kemudian mengalami perbaikan pada masa khalifah Umar bin al Khotob, dan mengalami perbaikan dalam dan luar pada masa khalifah Ustman bin Afan. Dalam perombakan masjid an Nabawi Kholifah Ustman mendatangan batang kayu dari India untuk dijadikan bagian dari atap masjid.

[2] Lihat Kitab ul Jihat, Bab ul Ghozw ul Hind. Dua diantara hadits dalam bab tersebut dinyatakan oleh al Bani sebagai hadits lemah, dan satu yang terakhir memiliki sanat yang cukup dapat dipercaya.

[3] Pakistan studies, Prof. Sh. Muhammad Rafique, hal : 35

[4] Ibid, hal : 37.

[5]  Yang dimaksud dengan sahabat adalah orang-orang yang bertemu dengan Rasulullah dan ber-Islam pada zamanya dan meninggal dalam keadaan Islam, demikianlah definisi yang diberikan oleh ulama hadits. Dan yang kami maksud sahabat disini adalah generasi ke dua setelah Rasul, diantara mereka adalah Abu Bakr, Umar, Ustman, dan Ali.

[6]  Sir Syed Ahmad Khan adalah seorang yang lebih cenderung Scientivic, dan dialah yang pernah mendirikan scientivic society sebagai cikal bakal aligarth university. diantara propaganda yang selalu ia lontarkan adalah penguasaan bahasa inggris, selain keinginan mengadopsi dan menterjemahkan pengetahuan dalam bahasa inggris ke bahasa urdu. Beberapa kalangan memandang bahwa Sir Syed Ahmad Khan telah mewariskan hal-hal yang menyimpang dari agama kepada umat Islam di India, diantaranya adalah gerakan mengingkar us Sunnah, selain dari pada itu Sir Syed juga berhasil menerbitkan seorang murid yang mengklaim dirinya sebagai nabi, bernama Mirza Ghulam Ahmad dengan sekte Ahmadiyah.

[7]  Dari tepat tersebutlah inspirasi pendirian jama’ah tabligh. Dan dengan semangat meiwat lah jama’ah tabligh terus bergerak, oleh karena itu tidak jarang jama’ah tabligh memandang siapapun yang ia jumpai dari seorang muslim dianggapnya sebagaimana muslim meiwat yang telah tereduksi identitas keislamanya. Dan dari sudut pandang yang demikian menyebabkan jama’ah tabligh mendapatkan respon yang kurang baik beberapa kalangan dari umat Islam.

[8]  Banyak ayat al Qur’an yang menganjurkan untuk berbuat baik sesama muslim hingga pada saat ada yang saling berseteru sekalipun bagi pihak ke tiga berkewajiban untuk mendamaikannya. Demikian juga hadits, sangat banyak menganjurkan untuk berbuat baik sesama muslim, bahkan kepada orang non muslim sekalipum yang tidak dalam posisi memeranggi umat Islam. Demikian jama’ah tabligh mengamalkan ajaran al Qu’ran dan sunnah dengan tanpa memicu perdebatan, sebab semua orang akan sepakat bahwa ikram ul muslimin adalah kebaikan yang diakui oleh sesama pihak. Sikap jama’ah tabligh yang paling menonjol dalam masalah ini adalah ikrom mereka kepada tamu yang sedangan berkunjung ke tempat mereka. Anda akan dilayani bak seorang raja pada saat bertamu kepada mereka.

[9] Tasykil adalah satu proses pembentukan pembekalan jama’ah yang berniat untuk mengadakan perjalanan dakwah tertentu, biasanya pembekalan tersebut dilakukan oleh seorang yang telah lebih dahulu berpengalaman dalam melakukan perjalanan dakwah.

[10] Ini bukan berarti bahwa fokus gerakan jama’ah tabligh khusus ditujukan kepada sesama muslim, namun jama’ah tabligh juga membidik “dengan khurujnya” kepada pemeluk agama lain. Namun secara umum gerakan tabligh lebih sering ditujukan kepada sesama muslim untuk membangkitkan jadi diri keislaman mereka yang sempat terpendam atau juga ternoda. Oleh sebab itu tidak jarang diantara anggota jama’ah tabligh adalah mantan orang bergelimang dosa.

[11]  Pada zaman sekarang dimana nilai-nilai keislaman mulai meluntur perlu rasanya upaya mengembalikan nilai-nilai keislaman pada pribadi-pribadi. Dari upaya itulah jamaah tabligh telah dapat mengembalikan pribadi-pribadi muslim, oleh sebab itu tak sedikit orang-orang yang dahulunya para pendosa berhasil disadarkan; para selebriti, pejabat, para preman dan lain sebagainya banyak yang kemudian aktif di Jamaah tersebut karena merasa mendapatkan jatidirinya kembali yang sempat memudar