Glimpse of the distorted Face of Islam

Munir Ahmed Khalili

Islam has very simple and easy teachings without any philosophical complexities, tallying the human nature. As a complete and perfect code of life fulfilling all the needs of material, moral and spiritual life it calls the men of belief: “O you who believe! Enter perfectly in Islam and follow not the footprints of Shaitan (Devil). Verily! He is to you a plain and open enemy.” (Al-Baqarah: 208) Ibadaat (all the rituals and rites of worship), knowledge (both worldly and religious), enjoining the good and forbidding the evils and vices, Da’wah (calling the people to understand and accept Islam), Zikr-u-Dua (remembrance of Allah and invocations), Tazkiyah-e-Nafs (purification of heart), Ruhaniyat (spiritual uplifting) and Jehad (an earnest struggle and a holy war in the way to elevate the noble Cause of Allah) all are the parts of it and have their logical and natural stage to be executed and complied with. Nothing of them is cancelled and nothing is to be done out of order. But unfortunately, with gradual downfall of the Muslim Ummah neither all these obligations remained in picture in their natural order. Like a group of the blinds who took whatever the part of the body of an elephant they touched to be the elephant, ignorant people and organized groups introduced the part of their own taste and interest to be the whole of Deen. Many things were invented and added as to be the parts of Islam. The glimpses, given below, show how badly the face of Islam has got distorted. Some very significant things done unwisely make them unfit in the wholeness of the Islamic system.

Illiterate and ignorant people who neither have the worldly education nor a necessary basic knowledge of Deen are immensely credulous and skeptic to take anything on faith except that which has been inculcated in an ignorant environment. Their economic and social problems and miserable living condition easily prey on their minds to go in the traps of fraudulent spiritual guides, enchanters having strings of beads round their necks and heavy wrist-bracelets who claim to have the power of exorcism, knowledge of incantations and art of witchcraft to cast evil spells on everyone whom they are asked to do so. They often go to the fortune-tellers and sorcerers. Their belief is limited to only talisman, knotted strings and amulets. To them more than this there is nothing to be a religion. To them standing committed to the commandments of Allah and His Prophet (pbuh) is an optional thing depending on their mood and when they are at leisure.

Very interestingly, in the upper classes of the society, modern and ultra modern and many highly foreign educated people, both the gents and the ladies, including the figures of ‘show biz’and the ruling elites, are more superstitious than the lowest poor class. To them Deen is only to hold functions of Meelad and Muharram at their residences. Many of our former presidents and prime ministers, judges, bureaucrats, generals and even famous intellectuals, columnists, singers, actors and actresses turn to the tombs of the saints, ‘majzoobs’(the men absorbed in their own selves) and mystics to get their blessings while making big decisions not only in their personal matters but of the issues of our national interests also. At the highest level the players in our politics, may they be of the past or the present, alike have their mentors and they secretly visit them to beg their blessings and take the hints of their guidance. They show less God-fearing than being under heightened apprehensions of getting their mentors angry. This is their view about religion.A

Giving a special look to oneself, appearing with a special colour and mode of turban and trousers pretending to be a perfect copy of ‘Sunnah’, learning how to utter the words of ‘kalemah’, teaching the people how to pray properly, attending repeated and unbroken courses of ‘Tablighi Nisab’ in the mosques, enjoining what is ‘ma’ruf’ and never daring to vex the ‘munkir’ with your criticism. This is one type of religiosity here.

Teaching a centuries old syllabus, with a little season of the Quranic teachings and a little blend of the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet in the religious schools. Making these schools the factories to produce stereotypes of a particular sectarianism and fanaticism to fight with the opposite sectarian schools of thought in the name of Islam. Letting not fresh air of the new thoughts and ideas pass through the corridors of the madrassas. Never having a look on the changes occurring in the world and challenges of the new eras. Refusing to budge and keeping stuck to a particular old fashion. It is also an addition of religiosity.

Gaining the knowledge and enhancing the religious enlightenment is, of course, an obligation. But it is a thing entirely different from working as a bookworm keep hiding behind the bookshelves absorbed in texts of the books, cudgel the brain craving for research work in search of the points of contrariety, making a difference to distinct oneself from and condemning all the works done by the prominent Muslim scholars in the past history. Another kind of religiosity we find.

In lieu of making the organization a factory of preparing men of intellect, morality and spiritual adornment letting the workers not cool down the temper is the service of Deen to them now. Exhausting the energies of the followers all up by heating up their blood through fire-spitting speeches, agitations, demonstrations, sit-ins, marches and rallies and readying them for open clash with the opponents has remained a task ahead. Building a combating nature is the greatest venture instead of tireless struggle for educating the people through rich religious literature to understand the salient features of Islam and making earnest efforts of Da’wa (a call to Islam) with wisdom and fair and soft preaching. Arousing the consciousness of the people too high to tolerate the moral evils, vices and corruption was a major goal to be achieved but they think never giving up confronting peevishly, with surliness and a challenging tone only a way to reach the objectives. One more form of religiosity.

Some very enthusiastic, and sincere of course, groups of Muslims are ideologically striving for the revival of Khilafat with the opinion that it has remained only key to the awakening of Muslim Ummah and its headway to the lost glory and dignity. But how the institution of Khilafat will be brought to its life? How a Khalifa (caliph) will be chosen? Will the system, still not but a dream, a democratically elected or the Khalifa will be nominated? Who will propose and how will the proposal get approval of the masses? Will every Muslim country have its own Khalifa or entire Muslim Ummah will be under a single institution of Khilafat? If so then what will be the criterion to get the Khalifa accepted by the Muslims all over the world? What will be the touchstone to scrutinize the merit? Will the Khalifa be considered mandated in case of not being the choice of entire Muslim community? The desire to see the institution of Khilafat restored is neither a sudden phenomenon nor it is special to only some particular groups but these and many other questions about how the dream comes true arise without proper answers from the campaigners of the revival of Khilafat causing a big confusion. This is to be taken as a new addition to different shapes of religiosity.

And the last and not least is the most dangerous type of religiosity is of Tehreek-e-Taleban, a current phenomenon with human bodies as ammunition. They proudly kill hundreds of innocent people, including the children and women, in the markets, military and police training centers, playgrounds, educational institutions and also at the most sacred places like masajid (mosques) while the people are busy in praying and at other public places, with deadly firearms and suicide bombing. They blast the school buildings, slaughter human beings like animals and hang dead bodies of their victims on the trees and poles. To them this is a great jihad. This is an uncommon show of religious duty.

And it is odd that all the orders of religiosity counted above are adversaries and rarely find any point to show any harmony towards each other and feel acclimated. All of them exhibit to be evidence of the Quranic verse: “ Of those who split up their religion, and became sects. Each sect rejoicing in that which is with it.” (Ar- Rum: 32) What actually does have any weight in the Sight of Allah, the most Exalted, knows Allah Himself. “Say: Each one does according to Shakilatihi (the way invented by them) and your Lord knows best of him whose path is right.” (Al- Asra: 84)