The Quran gives many principles to undertake interfaith dialogue. One important principle is given in the following verse:
“Say: “O People of the Book! Come to common terms as between us and you that we worship none but God.” (3:64)
We learn from this verse the subject of discussion when a conversation is being held between two parties. That is, the beginning of a dialogue should not be started with a controversy. Instead, a common ground should be sought on which the discussion should begin. The sequence of the discussion, therefore, should be from agreement to difference of opinion and then back to agreement.
In Islam, the formula for social peace, social harmony and inter-faith dialogue is based on peaceful co-existence as has been given in the following verse of the Quran:
“You have your religion and I have mine.” (109:6)
In other words, the principle of dialogue given by Islam is, 'Follow one and respect all', or the method of ‘mutual respect’. As per the teachings of Islam, while respecting others, we have to welcome differences wholeheartedly without any reservation. It is hatred, which has to be eliminated, and not the difference of opinion. People may have their differences in belief, religion, culture, etc., but while following their religion, they have to have mutual respect for others and discover a common bond between them, which shows them all to be human beings.
When dialogue takes place between two parties on a controversial subject, it is essential that an amicable atmosphere be maintained. If media belonging to both parties set about arousing animosity, and people on both sides are engaged in spreading antagonistic feelings, an unfavourable atmosphere will be created that will make no fruitful dialogue possible.
It is a fact that the result of dialogue is not solely dependent upon the atmosphere of the immediate surroundings, but depends rather upon the external environment.
Source: Spirit of Islam April 2019
The Prophet of Islam started his mission in AD 610. This mission was to communicate his ideology to people by talking to them, listening to their objections, and trying to convince them of his viewpoint by means of arguments. One of the initial Quranic verses revealed to him was that the ideology given by God to the Prophet should be spread by him among the people. The Prophet’s ideology was based on monotheism, whereas his Arab contemporaries believed in polytheism. It was but natural, therefore, that his mission should be subjected to bilateral negotiation.
He would communicate his point to people, listen to their responses and then give them further explanations. In this way, his mission became a practical demonstration of what we now term dialogue. To make this dialogue fruitful, the Quran lays down certain meaningful guidelines:
"Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair exhortation and reason with them in a way that is best." (16:125).
This verse shows that your conversation with others should be carried on in the best and most gracious way, which is any bickering with other parties has to be avoided. After listening to their objections, the point should be made in such a way as appeals to their minds. That is, it should not end in mere debate but should be result-oriented. The conversation should not appear to be between rivals, but should take a scientific course. The Quran makes this quite explicit:
“Good and evil are not alike. Repel evil with that which is best, then he between whom and you was enmity will become as if he were a warm friend.” (41:34)
This verse of the Quran tells us that no one is an enemy. Everyone is potentially a friend. This is so because everyone is born with the same nature. From this Quranic principle, we learn that the beginning of any dialogue should not be marked by any sign of frustration about the possible outcome. The right approach is to display a hopeful attitude and at the very outset to suppress any tone which would suggest low expectations of success.
Source: Spirit of Islam April 2019
We are living in an age of information—the age of the knowledge explosion. Today, everyone wants to know more and more about everything, including religion. The result is that today, on the subject of religion, people are far better informed than ever before.
At the same time, we are living in a world of differences—of multi-religious, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic societies. To remove the differences people fight amongst themselves not realizing that differences cannot be removed. A reformer has rightly said that nature abhors uniformity. This means ‘difference’ is a part of nature and it exists in every aspect of life including religion. What we need to do is simply learn the ‘art of difference management’ rather than the art of difference elimination. For, who has the power to remove differences? How do we manage differences? In ancient times, people used to take a confrontational course whenever differences arose. They knew only one way to settle disputes, and that was war. But democracy put an end to this way of settling matters and introduced the culture of peace. We should also understand that difference is not a curse, but rather a blessing. History shows that difference of opinion leads to dialogue, and dialogue results in intellectual development, which is a boon for everyone concerned. Difference of opinion also leads to high thinking, which is the sole key to all kinds of human progress.
In the realm of religion, today, differences are managed only through meaningful and positive ‘inter-faith dialogue’ between people of world religions. The aim of dialogue is to seek peaceful solutions to controversial matters, in spite of differences. There may be differences in religion and culture, but there is absolutely no difference or discrimination made between people in terms of respect and honour.
The principle of dialogue is that the parties should present their viewpoints supported by arguments, while remaining ever ready for give and take—a pre-requisite of a successful dialogue—rather than insist on all demands being unconditionally met.
Dialogue, or peaceful negotiation, is the path prescribed by Islam. Islam is based on the principle of dawah, which is another name for peaceful negotiation. Violence is totally forbidden in Islam. There is only one exception to this ban and that is when it is engaged in self-defence. This can take place only at the time of external invasion, and such action is the prerogative of an established government. Non-governmental organizations have no right to wage a war in the name of justice, or even in self-defence.
Source: Spirit of Islam April 2019
Religious differences have always existed between people. That is why inter-religious dialogue has been found in one form or the other since ancient times. Fourteen hundred years ago, the Prophet of Islam held a three-religion conference in Madinah to exchange views on religious issues. If the Quran is consulted on the subject of interfaith dialogue, we find two main principles on which to hold dialogues. One is derived from this verse of the Quran:
“Say: O People of the Book, let us come to a word common to us and you that we will worship none but God.” (3:64)
The first and foremost principle for any dialogue held to discuss two or more religions is to strive to find a mutual basis for peaceful co-existence. Finding common ground in secular matters is comparatively easy, for nothing is held sacred in secularism. On the contrary, everything is sacred in religion. That is why it becomes the most difficult task to find a basis for agreement in religious matters. However, despite all difficulties, we must continue our peaceful efforts, irrespective of the results. The second principle given to us by the Quran is purely a matter of pragmatism. We learn that matters should be settled on practical grounds, avoiding their theoretical aspects. This principle is derived from this verse of the Quran:
“For you, your religion and for me, mine.” (109:6)
This is the principle of religious co-existence. This means that whenever common grounds for agreement between two or more parties cannot be arrived at on an ideological basis, then the way of practical co-existence must be adopted.
Source: Spirit of Islam January 2013
A creative solution is a general principle of nature. It is as much relevant to the secular domain as it is to the religious sphere. It is something fully desirable as far as Islam is concerned. What is called ijtihad in Islam is precisely this principle. Whether it be in the religious or the secular sphere, people repeatedly face the need to rethink certain issues with an open mind, so they can rise above prejudices, and seek new and effective solutions for them.
A person with a creative mind is someone who is free of prejudices, someone who can think objectively about issues and with a completely open mind.
A person with a creative mind is someone who is free of prejudices, someone who can think objectively about issues and with a completely open mind. Such a person can arrive at creative solutions to problems.
A prejudiced mind is a veil that prevents one from developing creativity. Freeing oneself from prejudices leads to the opening of the mind. The person who thinks with an open mind and keeps the real nature alive in every circumstance will find that his mind discovers practicable solutions to even the most difficult problems and situations.
Source: Spirit of Islam April 2016
Ijtihad is a principle of Shariah (Islamic law). There is general acceptance among the religious scholars, the ulema, that the source of this principle of ijtihad in the Shariah is a Hadith narrated by Muaz ibn Jabal, a senior companion of the Prophet and recorded by a number of traditionists, like Abu Dawood, At-Tirmizi, An-Nasai, Ibn Majah and Imam Ahmad. The Hadith is as follows:
Muaz ibn Jabal said that when the Prophet sent him to Yemen as governor, he asked him how he would decide matters. Muaz replied that he would decide in accordance with the Book of God. Then the Prophet asked him what he would do in case he did not find the required guidance in the Quran. Muaz replied that he would seek guidance in the Hadith. The Prophet asked him what he would do if he failed to find guidance regarding the matter in the Hadith as well. Muaz replied that in that situation he would exercise his judgment to the best of his ability. The Prophet then placed his hand on his chest and said, “May God be praised, for granting this ability to Muaz".
This Hadith is regarded as the fundamental source of the principle of Ijtihad. When we examine this Hadith, we learn exactly when a Muslim is allowed to do ijtihad in Islam—he or she is permitted to do so only when no guidance is available for that particular situation in the Quran and Hadith.
Source: Spirit of Islam February 2014
The religion handed down by the Prophet remains one and the same. However, since the situations in human society are subject to change, it becomes essential that the original religion (al-din) could be reapplied to changing sets of circumstances through ijtihad. Ijtihad means reapplying divine injunctions to new situations. For instance, the Shariah permitted the touching of leather socks with wet hands for purification instead of the normal washing of feet during ablution. Now when socks made of artificial fibres came to be used, the question arose as to whether doing masah (rubbing with water) was lawful or not. Then it became necessary to re-apply the old injunction to the new situation; after the exercise of ijtihad, permission was given to do masah on these socks.
In every age, the necessity arises of re-applying divine injunctions. And this has happened in modern times on a large scale. In ancient times war was a means of settling conflicts, but with the invention of the latest deadly weapons, war today serves no positive purpose. Now power lies in peace alone. Such is the state of affairs that the commands of war in Islam require a reapplication. In days gone by, kingship, whereby the ruler unilaterally possessed absolute power, was the order of the day. Now it is the age of democracy, which is another name for the politics of power-sharing.
Changed situations in every age demand that efforts be made towards adaptation of the injunctions of Islam to meet new exigencies. This is the way that the Islamic Shariah continues to be updated. This task of updating is performed through ijtihad, a process which, in any community, requires creative thinking. And the essential condition for creative thinking lies in people having full freedom of expression, including that of criticism. This is why Islam has accorded such freedom to everyone, it is in an atmosphere in which everything and everyone is open to criticism that creativity is developed. Creative minds alone can perform the task of ijtihad at the highest level. Where there is no such open intellectual atmosphere, the process of mental development will come to a halt, and that of updating as well.
Source: Islam Rediscovered
A verse of the Quran states: “Corruption has set in on land and sea because of the evil which men’s hands have done; and so He will make them taste the fruit of some of their doings, so that they may turn back from evil.” (30: 41)
This is a declaration by the Creator that, according to His plan, this period of the world has come to its end. According to this plan, the first phase has expired. Now the time is not far away when the present world will be replaced by its second phase. The first phase meant purely as a test for humankind, was temporary. The second phase will be for the result of that test, and it will be eternal.
In the present world, man has been given freedom of action. This is not because he deserves freedom on account of his general prowess: it was allotted to him temporarily for the purpose of testing him. It was meant to see who makes the proper use of freedom and who misuses it. According to the system of nature, the record of every person is being prepared. This record will be presented before the Creator in the next stage of life. Those whose records show that they made proper use of their freedom “will find a place in Paradise where they will live eternally.” (Quran) They will be accorded by their Creator a place where they will lead an eternal life of comfort and happiness. On the contrary, those whose record shows that they misused their freedom will be consigned by their Creator to punishment where in the words of Jesus Christ: “There will be wailing and weeping for all eternity.” (Matthew 13: 42).
Now the time has finally come for all humankind to arise from their slumber. By engaging themselves in introspection they must reform themselves. They must make the attainment of a successful life in the next phase of life their sole concern. Everyone must know that the chance they have been given in the present world is the first and last chance. No other chance awaits them. Global warming tells us that the point of no return has already been reached. Let us avail of this opportunity before the time is up. After this, no one will be given any further opportunity to come back to the present world. Nor will there be any opportunity in the next world to atone for one’s misconduct or be rewarded for the belated performance of worthy deeds.
Source: Spirit of Islam December 2018
After studying the laws of nature, the founder of modern science, Sir Isaac Newton (d. 1727) predicted in 1704 that the present world would end in 2060. (The Times of India, June 18, 2007) Based upon pure observations, scientists all over the world are now stating that as a result of global warming, the end of the world has become certain. Further evolution of civilization is not possible here at all.
Alvin Toffler’s book, Future Shock, was first published in 1970. Alvin Toffler predicted that the world is moving from an industrial to a super-industrial age. The next era of civilization will be the era of complete automation. The push-button culture will progress to the point that everything will start happening automatically. But the problem of global warming arrived with the message of the end of history, instead of the culmination of history.
This predicament of human history is undoubtedly the biggest question of today. A satisfactory explanation can be found only in the theory of universe with God. From the point of view of ‘universe without God’, a satisfactory explanation for this question is entirely impossible.
The certain annihilation of the world human inhabits today is undoubtedly the biggest question of today. A satisfactory explanation can be found only in the theory of the universe with God. Such examples clearly prove that there is a great void in the theory of universe without God. If this theory is followed, a very meaningful universe seems to end in an extremely meaningless end.
The theory of universe with God is completely devoid of this flaw. Believing in this theory means a meaningful culmination of the meaningful universe. This fact is strong proof for the theory of universe with God; it completely satisfies the demands of both reason as well as logic.
Source: Spirit of Islam December 2020
We must understand the seriousness of the issue of global warming in order to be more sensitive toward practicing sustainable living. A recent news report from the Independent says: “Enormous Antarctic glacier on brink of collapse could raise sea levels by half a metre alone, scientists warn.” (The Independent, 9th July 2019)
Global warming is regarded as the greatest problem besetting humankind in the present times. Scientific investigations have revealed that the earth’s life support system dependent upon the balance of nature is fast falling apart. It is greatly feared that soon a time will come when nothing will be left on earth to ensure the survival of life.
The present age has been one of an explosion of divine blessings in the form of scientific discoveries leading to advanced technology, covering every aspect of our life. But the abundance of these blessings has only increased humankind’s arrogance. While making full use of these blessings, humankind is distancing itself to a great extent from the Giver of these blessings. Perversion in the name of freedom has become the general culture today.
In the 7th century, the Prophet of Islam made it clear that human beings were not being settled on earth for eternity; a time would come when the present inhabited world would come to an end and be replaced by another world where we will have to give an account of every deed, which will either make us deserving of the perfect world of Paradise or make us deserving of punishment. Evil will be separated from the good in that world of the Hereafter.
The phenomenon of Global warming is showing that perhaps the time for this to happen is nearing. Man has to change himself; he has to abandon the way of disobedience to God and opt for the path of obedience to Him. Nature is silently calling upon man to mend his ways before he finds that he has no further opportunity to do so. Nevertheless, the news of the end times being near is not to be considered as a loss of hope, for the Prophet of Islam said: “If the Hour (the end of this world) is about to be established and one of you was holding a palm shoot, let him take advantage of even one second before the Hour is established to plant it.”
Source: Spirit of Islam September 2019
The Times of India of October 26, 2018, has the following report under the heading “Air scrubbed off CO2 could be a reality soon—A radical idea takes shape in race to stop global warming. With time running out to avoid dangerous global warming, America’s leading scientific body urged the federal government to begin a research programme focused on developing technologies that can remove vast quantities of carbon‒dioxide from the atmosphere to help slow climate change".
Scientists from all over the world are repeatedly emphasizing that global warming is the greatest danger of present times. Both print and electronic media inform people daily of this perilous situation. Reports based on the findings of international scientists, such as “Doomsday Not Far” (Hindustan Times, December 8, 2007) and ‘Five Years to Doomsday’ telecast on December 20, 2007, on an Indian TV programme warned that climate change is now turning into climate disaster. As a result, the day is fast approaching when human beings, regardless of where they are living, will no longer be able to inhabit this planet earth.
As we all know, there are huge ice caps at both the north and south poles. These are vast reservoirs of fresh water, but they are now melting at an alarming rate. Also, there are huge, mountain-top glaciers,—gigantic storehouses of drinking water—which, as a consequence of global warming, are likewise rapidly melting and their stored water is draining off into the oceans through the rivers.
This is going to result in two unbearable situations. On the one hand, very soon the level of water in the seas will rise, inundating coastal cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, etc. On the other hand, the non-coastal areas will suffer from an intolerable water shortage. It is predicted by some scholars that the shortage of water will become so acute that even a Third World War might take place over this issue.
The rivers are always full of water because the ice in the mountains keeps gradually melting the whole year round and this water continuously comes to the rivers through tributaries. But when all this ice has melted, naturally the rivers will run dry. And all their fresh water will be mixed with the salty water of the ocean. The ocean will be full of water but, being too salty, it will be fit neither for irrigation nor for drinking. The situation prevailing will be somewhat like that portrayed by Samuel Coleridge in his poem ‘The Ancient Mariner’: “Water, water, everywhere; nor any drop to drink”.
God’s prophets have constantly told us that the present world will not be eternal, that it is perpetually on its countdown, and that a time will come when its term will expire and it will come to its end. All the scientific evidence tells us that this countdown is approaching its final number. The scientists of the 20th century discovered the law of entropy and concluded that the world’s energy is continuously on the decrease and that this process cannot be reversed. Therefore, it is certain that after a fixed period of time, the present world will come to an end. Now the scientists of the 21st century have told us, according to their researches, that the time for the end of the present world has come very close. It could even be a mere 10 to 20 years. All these revelations which are being covered in the media under the heading of ‘global warming’ are in fact ‘divine warning’.
Source: Spirit of Islam December 2018
The Quran states: “There shall be no compulsion in religion” (2:256) This principle of non-coercion mentioned in the Quran has not been confined to religious freedom alone. Rather, it has been extensively elaborated upon and widely applied to all social, cultural, and political spheres of society. This has led to the development of a new culture in which individuals enjoy freedom of expression, dissent, and criticism without any fear or restriction. Two examples may suffice to explain to what extent this essential human right was observed in earlier Muslim societies.
Once Caliph Umar came to a well of the Banu Harithah where he met an outspoken person named Muhammad ibn Maslama. “How do you find me?” he asked Muhammad “By God, I find you just as I would like you to be and just as it would please any well-wisher to see you.
You are good at accumulating money, I see, but you keep your hands clean of it yourself, distributing it equitably to others.” “But” went on Muhammad ibn Maslama, “If you adopt a crooked course, we will straighten you, just as we straighten swords by placing them in a vice.” At these aggressively critical words, Umar, the second Muslim Caliph, exclaimed:
“Praise be to God, who has put me among a people who will straighten me when I become crooked.” (Kanz al-Ummal, Hadith No. 35763)
In another example when Muslims at Madinah, with their increasing affluence, began to settle huge dowers (mahr) on their daughters, Umar, in his capacity as Caliph, ordered that no one should demand or pay a dower that exceeded four hundred dirhams, and that anything in excess of this amount would be confiscated and deposited in the public treasury. (Baitul-Mal)
After the proclamation of this ordinance, when he came down from the pulpit, a tall, old woman stood up and confidently said: "The Quran has set no restrictions on this matter: Umar has no right to set an upper limit to the dowers.” To back up her contention, she loudly recited this verse of the Quran:
“If you decide to replace one wife with another, do not take any part of her dower back: even if you have given her a treasure.” (4: 20)
Umar’s immediate reaction on hearing this was to say: “A woman has quarreled with Umar and has bested him.”
According to another account, Umar said: “May God forgive me, everyone knows better than Umar, even this old lady.” (Musnad al-Farooq by Ibn Kathir, Vol. 2, p. 573)
With the advent of Islam in the seventh century, it was declared for the benefit of mankind that all greatness was the exclusive prerogative of God and that in the eyes of God, all human beings were equal. The Prophet Muhammad declared not once, but on many occasions that all were alike, all were brothers.
The Prophet not only stated the truth but also made it a reality by bringing about a total revolution based on the idea of human equality.
On achieving political domination in Arabia, he was able to put this theory into practice in his capacity as ruler of a state. In this way, Islam put an end to discrimination between human beings on the basis of race, colour, status, etc. People were assigned a high or low status according only to their moral worth.
Source: Spirit of Islam December 2017
According to God’s creation plan, man has been granted total freedom. Freedom means that, from a moral standpoint, he can take either the right path or the wrong path as he chooses.
This fact has been expressed in the Quran in these words: “This is the truth from your Lord. Let him who will, believe in it, and him who will deny it.” (18:29)
That is to say, let one who wants to accept the truth, accept it. And let one who wants to reject the truth, reject it. In such a situation it is quite natural that there should be total freedom of speech in Islam. Placing any curb on freedom of speech will go against the creation plan of the Creator Himself. Anyone who misuses his freedom should be countered with logic and argument, not with violence. In other words, the pen will be countered with the pen and not with the sword.
Source: The True Face of Islam
Man has been granted total intellectual freedom in Islam. Rather the truth is that it was Islam itself which brought into existence that revolution in human history granted freedom of expression to all human beings. Prior to Islam in all periods of human history system of absolutism prevailed in the world. That is why man was denied intellectual freedom. Intellectual freedom is no simple matter. The truth is that the secret of all human progress lies hidden in intellectual freedom.
The first benefit of this intellectual freedom is that man receives that highest good which is called fear of God in the Quran (5: 94). It consists of man’s recognition and realisation of God in full freedom and, of one’s own free will, without any external pressure from God. So long as there is no atmosphere of total freedom, none can experience the indescribable pleasure of spiritual experience which is called fear of God in the Unseen. Hence it is impossible (without freedom) to grant anyone credit for the highest of human actions.
Freedom of expression is the thing that saves one from hypocrisy. Man is a thinking creature. His mind necessarily thinks and forms opinions. In such a situation if curbs are placed on freedom of expression, people’s thinking cannot be ceased, the only thing that will take place is that their thinking will not come to their lips and pens. Any institution, nation, or state which places curbs on freedom of expression will be ultimately brimming with hypocrites. In such an atmosphere sincere people can never be produced.
In this way, intellectual freedom is directly related to creativity. A society having intellectual freedom breeds creative people whereas a society that curbs intellectual freedom will necessarily stagnate and as a result, the production of creative minds and their growth and development will forever be stopped.
The proper stand in the matter of disagreement and criticism is that people shed off their unnecessary sensitivity in this matter, instead of attempting to put a stop to the act of criticism and disagreement itself. This is the demand of Islam as well as the demand of nature.
The attribute of a true believer described in the hadith is: ‘whenever a truth is presented to them, they accept it.’ (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith No. 11678) Here by truth is meant a matter of truth. In other words, a believer is one who has full capacity of accepting the truth. Whenever truth is brought before him, whenever any error of his is pointed out to him, no complex comes in the way of his accepting the truth.
The truth is that the acceptance of the truth is the greatest act of worship. It is an act for which man has to make the greatest of sacrifice. This great sacrifice makes this act the greatest form of worship. This is the sacrifice of one’s prestige; of losing one’s greatness. To lose one’s sense of greatness for the sake of truth is an occasion when man earns his entry into heaven by paying its price.
When one receives the blessing of having performed this great form of worship? This opportunity comes to man only when there is full freedom of speech. When one can criticise another without any obstacles. When such atmosphere prevails in society as people can speak freely and frankly and the listeners listen to them without raising any objection.
Just as the mosque is a place to offer prayer in congregation, similarly the freedom of speech provides that conducive atmosphere in which great virtues flourish. It is in such an atmosphere that those situations are created when a person is given the credit for the pronouncement of truth and another is rewarded for the acceptance of the truth.
Source: The True Face of Islam
The principle of secular democracy is exactly in accordance with the teachings of Islam. There is a verse in the Quran describing those who know this principle as those “who conduct their affairs by mutual consultation.” (42:38)
A tradition of the Prophet explains it further: “As you will be, so will be your rulers.” (Sunan Al Baihaqi Vol. 6, p. 22; Mishkat Al Masabih, No. 3717) This verse and this tradition tell us that the principle of Islam is to accept the opinion of the majority in worldly matters common to all. This principle can be called practical settlement. This practical settlement can be arrived at with declaration or without declaration.
The Prophet of Islam started his mission in Makkah without interfering with the tribal Parliament known as Dar-an-Nadwa’. Neither did he challenge the presence of the 360 idols placed in the Kabah, etc. It was in the nature of an undeclared settlement. After the migration, he entered into a proper written agreement with the Quraysh on the occasion of Hudaybiyyah. In this agreement, it was mentioned in writing that neither party would commit any aggression, directly or indirectly, against the other. It was, in effect a declared settlement.
Secular democracy is neither an absolute theory nor an eternal system. It is only a practical settlement that is made according to the situation. Its basic purpose is to provide opportunities by maintaining peace in social life. By avoiding confrontation, such a process should be set in as it may facilitate the journey to the desired goal. Secular democracy is in keeping with Islamic teachings in spirit. Holding secular democracy against Islam is extremism, and there is no place for extremism in Islam.
Source: The True Face of Islam
What is democracy? Democracy is defined as a majority rule. But this definition is not enough to understand democracy. You will have to add these words: Majority rule in secular affairs.
The fact is that democracy is not an absolute theory, rather it is only a practical solution. Democracy is a practical system for a society that comprises people of different religious traditions. In a democratic set -up government institutions can be formed peacefully wherein all religious groups are given full opportunities to observe their religious obligations.
To understand democracy we have to add the element of secularism with it. In present times the democratic system has been based on the principle of secular democracy. Secularism does not provide any philosophy of life in the absolute sense.
Secularism, in actual fact, pertains to worldly affairs. For instance, the establishment of peace, city planning, infrastructure, etc. Secular democracy means that the administration of common worldly matters should be referred to as the democratic process, but, so far as the matter of the observation of religious duties is concerned, people should be given equal rights and full freedom.
This division does not mean reducing the sphere of religion, it rather means giving a starting point to religious people. In a secular democratic system, a religious group finds the opportunity to adopt the principle of “beginning from the possible” and start its peaceful struggle. That is, to achieve whatever is achievable today and for the rest, it may prepare the minds of the people and thus may keep increasing gradually and peacefully its sphere of influence.
Source: The True Face of Islam
People generally believe that religion and secularism are quite opposed to each other—religion is anti-secularism and secularism is anti-religion. However, a deeper study shows that this kind of thinking is completely unfounded. Instead, secularism is a great blessing for religion. One can understand this fact simply by applying the well-known saying: “It is in comparison that we understand”.
History tells us that during previous centuries, religion was always under attack; it is a recent phenomenon that religious people enjoy freedom. In previous centuries, religious people were like a deprived class, but now religion is flourishing everywhere in the world. What is the reason for this change?
It is due to modern secularism. Secularism is the dominant thinking of the modern age. And it is due to this secularism that religion is finding greater acceptance in modern society.
The fact is that the previous age was an age of persecution—persecution of political opponents; persecution of women; persecution of slaves; and, of course, religion was included in this list of persecution. Then, after the advent of modern science, secular thinking emerged; gradually it became the dominant thinking of the present world. If the previous age was an age of persecution, the present age is an age of secularism.
Secularism has brought a great intellectual revolution. Secularism is a kind of compromise that is based on practical realities. Secularism is not a religion; it is simply a practical adjustment between different groups of society.
According to the Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, secularism is a policy of non-interference in religious matters. A secular scheme in political administration implies that all common issues, like infrastructure, irrigation, city planning, etc., will be managed by the state; and all other ‘non-political fields’, are open to one and all. Religious people may enjoy complete freedom in fields such as moral reform, spirituality, and education—especially informal education.
This secular scheme is highly appreciable and practiced happily by many religious people. The administration of a multicultural and multireligious society is a great responsibility. It is good that all these responsibilities are given to secular departments; so one is free to avail the opportunities present in modern times in other fields.
Source: Spirit of Islam July 2013
The answer is in the negative. Islam itself is a system of democracy, not only in political matters but also in other social matters. There is a clear direction in the Quran in this regard. The Quran has this to say—Affairs of the believers are decided by mutual consultation. (42:38)
It means that in every social issue, Muslims must follow the method of mutual consultation. If they reach a consensus, then it is good; otherwise, the matter will be decided by the majority. Democracy is another name for the rule of the majority, and the same principle is accepted in Islam.
The Prophet of Islam used to adopt this principle in every matter. He used to gather people whenever he was faced with a problem. He asked them to give their opinions, and the matter was settled only after discussion with his companions. The prophet used to say, ashiruu ‘alaya 'ayuha alnnas (O people, give me your opinion). It is on record that sometimes the Prophet accepted the opinion of the majority, even though it was against his personal opinion. One such example is found at the time of the battle of Uhud in 2 A.H. During this battle the Prophet felt that they should stay back in Madinah and defend themselves, whereas his companions were of the opinion that they should go on to the outskirts. The prophet agreed with the opinion of the majority. This was also the method of his four caliphs.
The Prophet of Islam said: “As you are, so will be your rulers.” (Shu'ab al-Iman by Al-Bayhaqi, Hadith no. 7006)
It means that the government will be formed by the people’s opinion. That is, the democratic process will determine who will be the ruler of the nation. The government cannot be formed by an individual; it is subject to the opinion of the majority. The well-known dictum of democracy: “Government of the people, by the people, for the people” is also accepted by Islam. Therefore, Islam is a system of democracy; not only politically, but also socially.
Source: Spirit of Islam February 2013
Covid-19 has taught an important lesson to the whole world and that is, how helpless we are as human beings. Covid-19 did not discriminate between age, gender, income group, or faiths. It impacted everyone and caused a massive realization among humankind that what is the real purpose of our life. When people saw their loved ones pass away and they could do nothing, they realized how short our lifespan is and if in this short lifespan, we waste our time fighting, then we truly are eternal losers.
With the help of digital media, CPS reached out to millions carrying out the message of well-wishing and positivity, helping people understand the creation plan of God, introducing humankind to their Creator, and explaining what is His expectation of us. CPS members worldwide started using technology as physical movement was completely restricted. We converted our English magazine Spirit of Islam, and Urdu magazine Al-Risala into digital magazines. More effort was made to make all of my literature and talks available online. e-interaction was tremendously increased. All this was well received by people who had become more serious due to the Covid-19 shock.
Source: Spirit of Islam September 2021
The March 28, 2021, issue of The Guardian carried a very insightful piece by John Harris on how faithless people like me make sense of this past year of Covid. The article directly touches on the question of how the covid pandemic is affecting people. He writes:
“I felt a pang of envy that has occasionally surfaced in the past—this time to do with a year of lockdown, the sudden fear of serious illness and death, and the sense of all of it being wholly random and senseless. Was this, I wondered, how religious believers were feeling? Or were they able to give their recent experiences at least a semblance of coherence and meaning?
Like millions of other faithless people, I have not even the flimsiest of narratives to project onto what has happened, nor any real vocabulary with which to talk about the profundities of life and death.”
Thus, it becomes quite clear that an ideology that negates the authenticity of the religious narrative is quite incapable of finding meaning in seemingly negative experiences. When the limit of human intelligence is reached without providing credible answers, where do human beings turn to? The same article provides the following statistics:
“In the first phase of the pandemic, there were clear signs that a lot of us needed much more. Across 95 countries, Googling the word “prayer” increased by 50%, surpassing the level associated with Christmas and Ramadan. In April 2020, a service led by the Archbishop of Canterbury from his kitchen table drew 5 million viewers, described by the Church of England as the largest congregation in its history. And since then, as churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples have been at the heart of some communities’ Covid experiences, the symbols and rituals of religion have made very visible comebacks. They were seen again in (…) doorstep vigil, complete with candles and massed silence, for the people lost to Covid.”
This human tendency is described in the Quran in these words:
“When man suffers some affliction, he prays to his Lord and turns to Him in penitence, but once he has been granted a favour from God, he forgets the One he had been praying to.” (39: 8)
“When an affliction befalls men, they cry out to their Lord, turning to Him in repentance.” (30: 33)
The truth of the matter is that religious narrative is an integral part of human life. Disbelief makes this world meaningless. The bad experiences in life are part of the divine test. Those who respond positively to this test would be rewarded in the Hereafter. The only possible explanation of this universe is to believe in a ‘universe with God’. The other option, according to John Harris, poses questions: “(…) life without God has turned out to be life without fellowship and shared meaning.”
Source: Spirit of Islam April 2021
