Respect our differences

Oct 01, 2015 - By Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi

Mystic Mantra, The Asian Age

Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi

Have we ever stopped to really think as to why the Almighty chose to create only Adam and Eve in the beginning? Why did He spread humanity from their seed while He could have created multiple families instead of Adam and Eve? The holy Quran has illustrated it in one of its verses. It says: “O mankind, indeed We have created you from one male and one female and made you peoples and tribes so that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you”.

Clearly, Allah created mankind from one male and female to imbibe the fullest spirit of unity in diversity in our souls. We have been made into different communities, traditions, tribes and nations to learn to accommodate and respect our differences, not to fight over them. Prophet Muhammad greatly stressed universal brotherhood of mankind. With an aim to foster it, he gave a farewell address in his last Haj pilgrimage: “O people, remember that your Lord is One. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab. A black has no superiority over white, nor a white has any superiority over black, except by piety and good action (taqwa). Indeed, the best among you is the one with the best character.”

One of the universal truths enshrined in the holy Quran is that we human beings did not come into existence by chance or by our own will. It is Allah who created us and willed that we inhabit the earth in a way where we could peacefully co-exist albeit our diametrically different creeds. This is patently clear from His saying in the Quran: “If your Lord had so willed, all who are on the earth would surely have believed, all of them. Would you, then, force people until they become believers?” Our diversity is the will of God. Therefore, He prepared the earth in a fine and perfect balance to make our peaceful coexistence possible. If we were to recall this universal Quranic truth, we would go in the right direction. We would not deny others their free will to profess and practice their faiths.

Religious pluralism is the expression of the will of God. It is His design and desire for humanity. If God wanted he could have created all of us within one religious mould. Therefore, we should respect the will of God and as far as our role is concerned vis-à-vis our religions we should communicate, whatever is truth according to our perspective.

Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi is a classical Islamic scholar, speaker and English-Arabic-Urdu writer and translator. He can be contacted at grdehlavi@gmail.com

Sufi self-help for the soul

Mystic Mantra, The Asian Age

Dec 09, 2015 - Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi

Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi

The Naqshbandi sufi order focuses on the inner purification of an individual applying the influence of the Quranic exhortations on his/her soul and heart. Based on the primary sources of Islam, Quran and Sunnah (the Prophetic traditions), it fosters universal values and essential messages of the divine. Immersed in lofty spiritual inclinations, Khwaja Bahauddin Naqshbandi emerged in Bukhara as one of the most prominent spiritual masters. His teachings continue to guide humankind transcending faith, creed and caste.

Among the redeeming features of this spiritual lineage is getting along with all “others” overflowing with the divine love. It imbibes a firm belief that the world is a cradle of brotherhood. Therefore, Naqshbandi sufism is deeply altruistic in its basic precepts and practices.

All Naqshbandi luminaries have been primarily concerned with the delight of other beings rather than their own. They had a wider embrace of compassion, spiritual care and kindness for the world at large. They were able to discern the sorrows pent up the in the hearts of people through their facial expressions, and would cure them with no gain in return.

According to Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani, the present sufi master of the Naqshbandi sufi order, saints are not responsible for the malpractices of those who falsely claim to be adherents of Sufism.

All actions are to be judged against the moral and spiritual trajectories of the Holy Quran and the Prophet’s Sunnah. Shaykh Kabbani has contributed a fair share in stimulating keen interest in Sufism in the 20th century, most notably in the West. His sufi teachings comprise the spiritual and universal message of Islamic faith, calling for pluralism, unity in diversity, unconditional love, tolerance and acceptance. His ideas are also relevant today for strengthening global peace and rejecting hardcore views, violence and extremism.

Naqshbandi sufis attached paramount importance to certain spiritual traits. Most notably: understanding the deeper meanings of the entire existence through divine insights; using God-gifted intellect and adhering to a spiritual master’s instructions. Thus, they introduced the sufi science of self-realisation, stressing the need for self-help with the attainment of self-understanding, which is the most complex realm of knowledge.

Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani has beautifully explained this: “The foundations of modern science rest upon an understanding of the inter-relatedness of the soul and the world... Even Newton, the icon of modern science, based his studies in alchemy, the traditional science linking the microcosm of the soul to the macrocosm of the elemental cosmos.”

Besides universal, scientific and spiritual matters, Naqshbandi sufis also address the contemporary issues and deep problems that today’s people grapple with. With an indefatigable energy, today’s man is waging a desperate struggle with corruption and incompetence in every walk of life. One such struggle is faced with the rampant corruption in the noble task of education.

As a result of commercialisation our education systems have become stagnant, unproductive and largely heedless. In this regard, the Naqshbandi sufi view is a guiding light.

It opines that when education is used as a tool in the hands of the ignorant and oblivious, pupils suffer the most. They don’t learn anything new. Rather, they waste precious time. Citing an instance Shaykh Kabbani relays this message: “Not everyone can study physics and understand. If this is so, then why are we forcing all the children to study physics? Being forced paralyses the talents of children. Each child has a unique capability.”

Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi is an alim (classical Islamic scholar) and a Delhi-based writer. He can be contacted at: grdehlavi@gmail.com

The Prophet of the human soul 

(Mystic Mantra) The Asian Age

Dec 22, 2015 - Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi

Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi

This year, the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, popularly known as Eid Milad-un-Nabi, falls on December 24. According to the Hijri calendar, it is celebrated every year on the 12th day of Rabi’ al-Awwal, the third Islamic month.

In the blissful Milad gatherings, spiritual devotees of the Prophet enumerate numerous moving accounts from his life in which he is personified as “mercy for all the worlds” (rahmatul lil a’alamin), “epitome of truthfulness and trustworthiness” (al-amin wal sadiq) and, most notably, an ardent advocate of tolerance and respect for adherents of all faith traditions.

The soft-spoken milad khwans (the traditional reciters of Milad) beautifully explain how gently Prophet Muhammad treated all people. They recount glorious examples of the Prophet’s humane behaviour with people of other faiths, especially the Jews of Medina, Christians of Najran and Habsha (Avicenna), the pagans of the Mecca and even those who professed no conventional belief.

Every year on Eid Milad-un-Nabi, I am reminded of a beautiful and motivating story: Once, as Prophet Muhammad sat with his companions, a Jewish funeral passed by. The Prophet stood up to show veneration to the deceased. At this some Muslims who had recently embraced Islam asked him, “O Messenger of Allah, why did you stand up for the funeral of a Jew who used to live in denial of your message?” The Prophet replied, “Wasn’t he a human soul?”

As a matter of fact, the Prophet rejuvenated the teachings of all previous messengers of God and therefore honoured them all and gave them equal importance with regard to their collective message. He emphasised that he was sent to the world to reiterate the same sacred message that was conveyed by the earlier prophets. According to a hadith, the prophetic saying, all the prophets of Allah were sent to mankind to disseminate the one and only eternal truth: “God is only one”. Hence, they shared a strong bond of fraternity and brotherhood in prophet-hood.

In this hadith, Prophet Muhammad beautifully described the prophets’ brotherly relationship with one another: “The messengers are brothers. Their mothers are different but their faith is one. So, both in this world and in the hereafter, I am the closest of all the people to Jesus, the son of Mary.”

The most meaningful thing we could do on this occasion of Eid Milad-un-Nabi is to reclaim the all-embracing, all-inclusive, pluralistic and purely spiritual legacy of the prophets from the xenophobic and hate-driven narratives of religions. Let’s live in a broader ambit of mutual understanding and esteem, acceptance, tolerance and common goodwill for the practitioners of other faiths.

Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi is an alim (classical Islamic scholar) and a Delhi-based writer. He can be contacted at: grdehlavi@gmail.com

Life and death (Mystic Mantra) The Asian Age

Jan 03, 2016 - Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi

 

Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi

What is the philosophy of life and death? The Creator of life answers this question. He says in the Quran: “O people, know that the life of this world is but play and amusement, adornment and mutual boasting and a competition in multiplying of wealth and children.”

Man has been accorded the loftiest status of ashraf al-makhluqat — the most honoured of all creatures. God has beautifully stated it in this Quranic verse: “Verily, we have honoured the children of Adam. We carry them on the land and the sea, and have made provision of good things for them, and have preferred them above many of those whom We created with a marked preferment.”

It is explained in a Prophetic tradition: “God has fashioned man in His own mould”. This exhorts that since man has been created in the most exalted fashion, that is the Godly mould, he should follow a lofty ideal in his life.

We have the ability to use reason and rationale in adopting a wise lifestyle. God’s decision to prefer humans is based on the fact that He has bestowed them a mind capable of both obeying and disobeying. Without forcing them into submission, He has simply left it to their discretion.

The higher status of ashraf al-makhluqat, in the sight of Allah, is accorded to only those humans who make themselves worthy of salvation (nijaat) by becoming reflective and rational and constantly loving Him and all His creatures. They have to attain it through perseverance, humility, a strong willpower and immense patience to overcome the baser impulses coming out of the glamorous earthly life. And this is precisely the prime concern of Allah’s creation of life and death: “(Allah) has created death and life so that He may test you which of you is best in deed. And He is the all mighty, the most forgiving”.

Thus, God’s chief objective of creating our life as well as death is a test of our conduct considering our age, health, sickness, strength, fame, poverty, wealth or loss of wealth.

Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi is an alim (classical Islamic scholar) and a Delhi-based writer. He can be contacted at: grdehlavi@gmail.com

Visiting Patients, Planting Trees, Care For Prisoners, Orphans, and All Creations Must Be Given Paramount Importance: Syed Mohammad Ashraf

Muslims Must Exhibit Unconditional Love, Peace And Harmony in the month of Rabi al-Nur.  Visiting patients, planting trees, care for prisoners, orphans, and all poor sections of society must be given the paramount importance in the month of Rabi al-Nur throughout the year, says Syed Mohammad Ashraf, founder and president All India Ulama and Mashaikh Board.

By Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi, Word for Peace

“The spirit of philanthropy is well-embedded in all the teachings of Islam in general. However, when the Islamic month of Rabiul Awwal emerges with its shades of peace, love and mercy, Muslims must emulate the peaceful ideals of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). ”

These views were expressed by Syed Mohammad Ashraf Kichauchawi , founder and president of All India Ulama and Mashaikh Board, an apex body of Sufi Sunni Muslims in India. He was addressing a spiritually inclined audience at a shrine in Agra, popularly known as Mu’afi Dargah Nabi Kareem, Sarae Bodla.

He said that “Muslims feel obliged to organise large-scale, profound spiritual gatherings and social and communitarian events on the occasion of Miladun Nabi in order to make special mention of the Prophet’s generosity of spirit, his social service and deep care for all creations of the world”. “Thus, common Muslim masses are given an abundant opportunity to apprise themselves with the holy Prophet’s life and his peaceful and humanitarian messages that exhort them to abide by the holy Qur’an and Sunnah, the sayings and traditions of the Prophet (peace be upon him)”, he said.

Syed Mohammad Ashraf Kichauchawi  further said that “the occasion of Miladun Nabi should be particularly meant for visiting patients, planting trees, care for prisoners and orphans. All weak and poor sections of society must be given special regards and attention in the month of Prophet’s birth, keeping this spirit alive throughout the year”.

Speaking to reporters and media persons, he said that the traditional spiritual gatherings of Milad beautifully explain how gently Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) treated all peoples, regardless of their friends and foes. On this occasion, he said, we should recount glorious examples of the Prophet’s humane behaviour with peoples of other faiths and even those who professed no conventional belief. Syed Mohammad Ashraf Kichauchawi  proclaimed that the birth day of the Propeht Muhammad (pbuh) should be greatly valued as the “World Peace Day”.

The program was chaired by Maulana Mudassar Khan, whereas Maulana Ghulam Jabir Raza fulfilled the duties of an anchor of the event. It was held under the auspices of Sheikh Muhammad Shafeeq. There was a considerable number of Ulama, Mashaikh and imamas over there. Some of the notable among them were Mufti Waseem Ashrafi, Maulana Masroor Raza Qadri, Maulana Mohammad Ali, Jauhar Shafiqi, Syed Mohammad Ali Shafiqi, Qari Mushahid Raza, Maulana Matlub Hussain, Qari Hanif Qadri, Haji Mohammad Imran Ashrafi, Qari Nawab Iqbal, Maulana Dilkash Jaluni, Maulana Ahmad Raza, Maulana Sajjad Alam, Maulana Arshad-ur-Rehman, Sheikh Mohammad Amir Qadri. The program came to an end with the beautiful and glorious recitation of peace and greetings (Salat o Salam) upon the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).