Deprecated: Methods with the same name as their class will not be constructors in a future version of PHP; Crypt_RC4 has a deprecated constructor in /home/cpsglobal/public_html/sites/all/modules/olsys_ebs/rclib/Rc43.php on line 44
Daily Quote | Page 36 | CPS International

Daily Quote

World of Exploitation

Submitted by admin1 on Sun, 07/10/2022 - 00:00

It is not possible to eliminate all social evils. The only possible option is to save oneself from others. In other words, to live without being exploited in a world of exploitation.

The True Jihad Review by Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander

Submitted by admin1 on Sat, 07/09/2022 - 15:16

Source: New Age Islam

Understanding the True Concept of Jihad in Islam

By Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander, New Age Islam

8 July 2022

A Peaceful Society Can Be Created Only By Creating and Fostering the Spirit of Tolerance towards Diversities

Main Points:

1.    Jihad has been the most misunderstood term and concept of Islam.

2.    Many groups have hijacked this term to wrongly justify their violent actions.

3.    Jihad contains a number of meanings but does not mean violence and killing, whereas term Qital conveys this meaning.

----

The True Jihad: The concepts of Peace, Tolerance and Non-Violence in Islam

Author: Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

Publisher: Goodword Books, New Delhi, India

Pages: 108 Price: Rs 125

ISBN: 9788178980683

----

Jihad has variegated meanings. It means struggle and efforts. The term Jihad is used in the Quran to convey a number of meanings. But various violent groups have appropriated the term Jihad and named their violent struggles as Jihad. This appropriation has led to the development of violent perception about Jihad. So Jihad has got a negative connotation in the eyes of the common masses.

Further numerous killings of innocent humans are being carried out in the name of Jihad, so a general understanding has developed about Jihad, its contours, meanings and execution.

Jihad, as a religious term of Holy Quran, having been appropriated by violent groups has rendered the religion of Islam almost synonymous with war. Although there is a great contradiction between the principles of Islam and practices of Muslims, still Islam is getting a bad name. The perception of the common masses is not to be blamed because violent groups have named their armed struggle as Jihad and conducted the same in the name of Islam.

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, spent his whole life explaining that Jihad does not mean violence. His whole corpus of writings is a manifestation of the fact that Jihad does not mean offensive or armed struggle, but nonviolent means of conflict resolution. Maulana explains quite well how the battle of trench and treaty of Hudaybiyyah were executed to avoid war. Islam lays down quite specific rules about the violent battles, that fighting Qital is to be carried out between combatants only. No civilian, innocent, women, children and even trees are to be harmed during the course of this violence. It is something that certainly cannot be achieved in our times. So Maulana Khan in the Preface of this book very aptly explains this fact, “In former times, fighting was confined to the battlefield; the only sufferers were those engaged in the battle. But today, the spear and sword have been replaced by mega bombs and devastating long range missiles, so that killing and destruction take place on a horrendous scale. It is th entire human settlement which has now become the global arena of war. Even the air we breathe and the water we drink are left polluted in war’s aftermath.” (P-11)

So given these very facts, the world has reached a stage where an end of war is the only solution. Hence we are left only with the option of avoidance of war, “It wold therefore be no exaggeration to say that in present times a violent struggle is not only a hard option but it is not in practice useful. Whereas non-violence is not only an easier option, but is also highly effective and result oriented. Now, a peaceful course of action is not just one of the possibilities: it is the only feasible and result-oriented option.” (P-24-25).

So peace in Islam is the rule while war is an exception, as it should be in any civilised system. Maulana cites the example of treaty of Hassan Ibn Ali (RA) that ended the bloody tussle between clans of Banu Hashim and Banu Ummayah. Hence peace needs courageous stalwarts who can rise above their petty interests and keep in mind the bigger goals that only peace can usher. Also non-violence triumphs as compared to violence and history bears a witness to it. The curious case of Mongols who destroyed the Muslim world and ultimately got converted to Islam in peaceful and non-violent manner, is an example of the same non-violent process.

Maulana emphasizes opting for Jihad e Nafs (fighting and resisting the baser instincts and vices of the individual) and Jihad for Dawah (reaching out to non-Muslims with the message of Islam). Both these Jihads are very essential but there is quite little emphasis on them. Fighting in the sense of physical battle is permitted only under few special circumstances and that too when coercive religious persecution is operative. But now the times have changed and persecution on the basis of religion has been abolished. So this type of fight too has lost its relevance.

Most of the ideologues for armed struggles do not understand the contemporary times and spirit of Islam. Another problem is that peace has been rendered synonymous with justice, whereas for Maulana they are exclusive. Peace can exist without justice too, as has been depicted through the treaty of Hudaybiyyah. But the failure to understand this very concept has rendered some groups to initiate violent struggles in the name of securing Justice. It certainly has rendered the world bloodier.  

The world has been created diverse, but few intend to render it exclusive and homogenous. This has led to bloody tussles, because humans are diverse and they are supposed to tolerate and enjoy diversity. The differences are to be celebrated and tolerated, as Maulana aptly remarks, “A peaceful society can be created only by creating and fostering the spirit of tolerance towards diversities. In this world, unity is achievable only by learning to unite in spite of differences, rather than insisting on unity without differences. For their total eradication is an impossibility. The secret of attaining peace in life is tolerance of disturbance of the peace.” (P-99).

This small booklet of Maulana is an important addition to the hotly debated topic about Jihad, its meaning and essence in our contemporary times. It describes the correct interpretation of Jihad and condemns the violence in its name. It is an essential read for anyone interested in understanding the true concept of Jihad in Islam.

The manner in which the Maulana has espoused this concept leaves little room for criticism and alternative interpretation, other than what Maulana Khan has explained in this very text. The need is to circulate this text, so that attacks of Islamophobes can very well be rebutted.

-----

A New Age Islam columnist,  M.H.A. Sikander is Writer-Activist based in Srinagar, Kashmir

An Islamic Treasury of Virtues Review by Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander

Submitted by admin1 on Sat, 07/09/2022 - 15:09

Source: New Age Islam

Quran and Hadith Constitute the Basic Sources That Are Essential To Understand Islam

By Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander, New Age Islam

7 July 2022

There Are Muslims Who Follow Rituals Of Islam Judiciously, But Then Harm Others With Their Words; These Ritualistically Pious Muslims Create Problems For Others And Wrongly Thinks That They Are Inheritor Of Heaven, But After Death Are Confronted With Hell

Main Points:

1.    Life has its vagaries and Prophet (pbuh) and his companions responded to them as humans.

2.    The sayings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his companions describe the real lived realities and how they responded to them.

3.    The discrimination on the basis of gender, race, region, sect and caste has been discouraged.

-----

An Islamic Treasury of Virtues: A Collection of Inspiring Thoughts, Stories, Quotes and Sayings of The Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) And His Companions

Author: Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

Publisher: Goodword Books, Noida, India

Pages: 298 Price: Not mentioned

ISBN: 9789196174986

-----

The best understanding of Islam is to engage with the Holy text, Quran, sayings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), Hadith and that of his companions, Sahaba. They constitute the basic sources that are essential to understand Islam. Anyone who engages with them critically will develop a correct understanding of Islam and its spirit. The sayings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his companions describe the real lived realities and how they responded to them. Life has its vagaries and Prophet (pbuh) and his companions responded to them as humans. The need is to understand and engage with their response to different situations and how lessons for the same can be drawn from them.

The book has been compiled by the prolific writer on Islam, Maulana Wahiduddin Khan and is divided into seventeen themes that helps us understand multiple facets of Islam. The leadership qualities and personal conduct of the Caliphs of Islam is depicted throughout this collection. The merciful nature of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) while dealing even with his enemies, how he attended and resolved his personal and collective problems are quite an interesting read. Numerous issues are created while people interact with each other. It is bound to happen, people clash, their interests clash, they get exploited and also help each other. So each situation demands that human vices be curtailed and curbed while good qualities be promoted and encouraged.

Humans like to be praised as it boosts their ego and they come to believe that they are better than others. The person who gets flattered quite easily with praise will certainly develop a flawed personality. Praise destroys a person and he wrongly believes that he possess the qualities that sycophants create a mirage about. It further evolves to arrogance and that leads to Hell. Then we have a Muslim who is following rituals of Islam judiciously, but then he harms others with his words. This ritualistically pious Muslim creates problems for others and wrongly thinks that he is inheritor of heaven, but after death is confronted with Hell. So even some apparently heaven bound Muslims can find themselves in Hell, because of the vices they displayed in this world.

This world has been created as test for humans, those who follow the guidelines that have been enshrined in the Holy Texts and life of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) will become inheritors of paradise in the afterlife and those who rebel against the same are destined for Hell. So being sincere in words and deeds becomes essential. This quality renders one to focus on individual sins and flaws rather than counting those of others. To attain and maintain piety, numerous battles with one’s own self and outside have to be fought. Pious individuals constitute a pious family. Materialism and hedonism if rendered the sole concern of life will certainly lead to anarchy.

The eating habits and what is a healthy eating habit can be found in the book. How to speak without disgracing or rebuking even an opponent is found in the lives of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his companions. Giving honour and respecting others, speaking truth, controlling the tongue from speaking evil and propagating lies, opting for great values, spending money in charity and indulging in philanthropy are the timeless lessons that constitute the core of the book.

Islam emphasizes not only earning for sustenance but for charity too. Zakah is an important pillar of Islam, so a Muslim who is not able to give Zakah is not fulfilling an important obligation of Islam. Being aloof, not earning anything or staying in retreat is not in consonance with Islam, as it believes in work. A giving hand is much better than a receiving hand. Also spending in the way of God is bound to increase wealth in multiple ways not famishing it. Islam has its own values and ethics that are evident from each page of this book.

Islam intends to forge unity among Muslims, so for that unity it expects Muslims not to look down upon on some other Muslims. The discrimination on the basis of gender, race, region, sect and caste has been discouraged. It was this vehement criticism of Islam against these discriminations that the first generation of Muslims transcended them all and wrote a great chapter of the history of Islam. Justice is also a basic pillar of the Muslim social milieu. A Muslim is expected not to be unjust when it comes to dealings with other fellow humans. An unjust person and society creates hate, anger and violence. It ultimately sabotages any efforts towards unity.

Every Muslim is an ambassador and representative of God on earth. He/she is supposed to spread the message of Islam and invite others towards truth and God (read Islam). This call can have various forms and most graciously it can be conveyed through implementing the values of Islam. The dynamism of Islam is reflected only when it is practiced by Muslims. Only then preaching will take a back seat, otherwise mere preaching will not do any good. Unless Islamic values are not being reflected in the action of Muslims, the message of Islam will not find fertile ground. During our times, the actions of Muslims have become a great impediment in the propagation and spread of Islam among non-Muslims.

Overall this book is a very good addition to understand Islam from the sayings and virtues of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his companions. The sayings collected in this book reflect the extensive and voracious reading of Maulana, who selected them from various books and then compiled them under different chapters. The reference of each saying is quoted and Maulana has not offered any interpretation and analysis of these sayings as they are self explanatory. So the pristine purity of these sayings has been preserved. It is a nice addition to the texts focused on understanding Islam. 

-------

A New Age Islam columnist,  M.H.A. Sikander is Writer-Activist based in Srinagar, Kashmir

Focused Thinking

Submitted by admin1 on Sat, 07/09/2022 - 00:00

If you take everything seriously without differentiation, then your focus will be scattered. Your time and energy will be wasted, and you will not be able to do anything valuable.

What is Wisdom

Submitted by admin1 on Fri, 07/08/2022 - 00:00

Wisdom is to differentiate between trivial matters and real issues. Without this sagacity, you cannot do anything worthwhile for yourself or your society.

Follow Nature

Submitted by admin1 on Thu, 07/07/2022 - 00:00

Our world is controlled by the law of nature, not by our whims and fancies. Don't simply follow your desire. Discover the law of nature and set your plan accordingly.

Formula for Happiness

Submitted by admin1 on Tue, 07/05/2022 - 11:46

If you want happiness, adopt the two-point formula: contentment with regard to physical items, and high thinking with regard to intellectual items. This is the only workable formula to achieve happiness in this world.

Keep Your Word

Submitted by admin1 on Mon, 07/04/2022 - 11:42

Not fulfilling promises is an extremely bad habit. It is so bad that even a small kind of breaking of the promise is as serious in nature as its big kind.

CSV