CULTURE OF ISLAM

114 The Effects of 1400 Years Part 1

Imtiaz Muhsin 25-Jan-13

The main objective of these talks (and therefore the scripts of these talks), is to stimulate thinking. Sensible, rational and logical thinking. So, my message, think, think & think! Be sensible, be rational and be logical.

114 The effects of 1400 Years

Please Note
1. I have had the great privilege, (since Aug 2010), of presenting talks on the weekly Radio Program Culture of Islam [Every Friday 8 to 8.30 pm, Radio Sri Lanka - FM 97.4] 2. Since these are Radio Talks, I refer to, or address the audience as listeners 3. I am well aware that the audience to these talks would consist of people belonging to a variety of faiths. So as to make people of all faiths feel included, I very often use words and names that are common to all religions. 4. For these reasons, I use the name GOD, as well as Abraham, Moses, Jesus etc as well as the names Allah, Ibrahim (Alaihis Salaam), Moosa (Alaihis Salaam), Easa (Alaihis Salaam) etc 5. Muslims by habit usually say Sallallahu Alaihiwasallam, when the name of Prophet Muhammad is mentioned, and Alaihis Salaam' when the name of a Prophet is mentioned. However, in these series of talks I have reduced the use of these prayers & sayings to the bare minimum. 6. Muslims, also by habit, use a number of Arabic prayers or sayings, such as Alhamdulillah, Insha Allah and so on. Again, I have reduced the use of these prayers or sayings to the bare minimum. 7. Sometimes I have to write Arabic words in the English script. I have devised my own way of writing Arabic in English, as follows;

th TH

s Ss SW

DHL DHZ

H h

Gh GH

Information on these talks along with all download links can be found on my on my Blog (http://imtiazm.wordpress.com/) The dates or the schedules of these talks can be viewed on the Facebook Page (http://www.facebook.com/ImtiazMuhsin786) The Scripts of these talks can be downloaded from www.ScribD.com (www.ScribD.com Author Imtiaz Muhsin) The audio files of these talks can be downloaded from YouTube (YouTube Channel Imtiaz Muhsin) The YouTube Link to this talk is at

All Praise and Thanks is due to Allah and Allah alone Alhamdulillah!

114 The effects of 1400 Years

114 The effects of 1400 Years

Dear Friends, Assalamu Alaikum, Over the last few weeks, the subjectof these talks has been the first 5 Aayaths of Surah Baqarah. What I am doing is taking the phrases in these 5 Aayaths and discussing them one by one. I have chosen 12 such phrases, that is if I were to also count the 3 letters Alif Lam Meem, which makes up the very first Aayath, as a phrase. But then I do not intend to discuss that Aayath or that phrase. In my earlier talks, I discussed the phrase Zaalikal Kithaab which means in that book Actually this phrase was discussed in two talks because for one talk I focussed on the word Zaalika, and for another talk I focussed on the word Kithaab. I then also discussed the phrases Laa Raiyba Feehi which means there is no doubt in it and Yuminoona bil ghaib which means believe in the unseen. Now Aayath No 3 mentions Yuminoona bil ghaib as one of the 3 diagnostic qualities of a MutthaQi or those who are God-anxious, and then goes on to confirm the MutthaQi or the Godanxious persons as those who are rightly guided as well as those who are successful. (2:5) It is these who are guided by their Rabb; and it is just these who are successful.

Now, as all of you would have realized, such a declaration in the Quran should arouse lot of interest from the Muslims. So what are these 3 qualities? Actually there are 6 qualities mention, however 3 of them are mentioned in Aayath No 3 and the other 3 qualities in Aayath No 4. So, the 3 qualities mentioned in Aayath No 3 are; Yuminoona bil ghaib Wa Yuqeemoonas Swalaatha, and Mimmaa RazaQnaa Hum YunfiQoon I am now trying to discuss the phrase Wa YuQeemoonas Salaatha but then there is so much material on this topic in the Quran, and this topic is so very vital to every Muslim, that I found it necessary that before I delve in to the topic Wa YuQeemoonas Salaatha that I should first describe the word Swalaah. Now this is where I began to realize the complexity of the task. There are so many points that have to be understood before we can grasp what Swalaath could really mean. I have chosen 5 interesting. I like to describe them as intellectually stimulating topics.

114 The effects of 1400 Years

Out of these 5 topics, I am now describing or trying to describe, the fact that due to the many trials and tribulations that the Muslim world was subject to, over the last 1400 years, there is every possibility that our understanding of many of the concepts that we call Islamic, could have, or even should have, undergone changes. That is logical, isnt it? So through these discussions I am trying to discuss (very briefly, actually ever so briefly) as to what those trials and triblations were, and how it could have or should have affected our understanding or our mind sets about many of the concepts that make up this religion, Islam. Again, I would be discussing them under three headings, namely; 1. A brief history of the many revolutions within the Muslim World 2. The attacks from outside the Muslim World I would really be concentrating on the Colonization of the Muslim Empires or the Muslim World, a movement that built up or received its initial impetus from the Crusades. Those two headings could be termed Political or even Political turmoil The 3rd heading however would be the religious reaction. So heading No 3 would be as to how the Muslims reacted to these many and diverse attacks, not just on the Muslims only, but also on the understanding of Islam itself. So I could title the heading as 3. The Religious response of the Muslims My main objective is to demonstrate that our knowledge of Islam or knowledge of the Quran and its injunctions has to have ben warped, over the ages. Then with this observation, try to now work out what Swalaath originally meant and then what Wa YuQeemoonas Salaatha should have originally meant. I am sure all you listeners would appreciate that I am venturing on quite a task. So May God guide me Insha Allah! So the first topic; A brief history of the revolutions within the Muslim World This is an enormous topic, but I shall endeavor to keep it as brief as posible. However, once again, to understand the changes, we must first understand the background concepts to these changes. The first would be about tribal loyalties and tribal thinking. All of us belong to some family or social grouping. We all realize and appreciate the emotions that are associated with loyalty to our family as well as loyalties to the many social groupings that we identify ourselves with. We could even take our old school ties as an example. Anyway 1400 years, in the harshest of desert terrains in Arabia, tribal loyalties were very very important. Nobody went against his tribe. If someone ever did so, then the tribe would reject him and throw him out. Such a person would be considered a renegade and no other tribe would ever take him in. His options would be to try and survive in the desert an impossibilty or try and move to another country where most probably he would have to work as a slave to someone. Well with the preaching of the Quran by Prohet Muhammad, 1400 years ago, we observe, not one but many massive changes that had severe social implications. Let me describe 4 of them that are connected. These changes are so revolutionary that we could easily say that such changes could never have been, even imagined earlier.

114 The effects of 1400 Years

What were these 4 changes? When Prophet Muhammad began preaching his message in Mecca, a few individuals began to accept his treachings. Many did not. They resented his preachings and then began to persecute him, to such an extent that he decided to migrate to Medinah along with those who accepted his preachings. So change number 1 or shock number one someone or some people from one tribe were leaving their tribe this was unheard of. It was just not conceivable. But it happened. Then change number 2 or shock number 2 another tribe, or the people of Medinah were ready to accommodate them, to host them. This too was unthinkable. In normal times, no one left a tribe. Renegades were thrown out of their tribes It was an accepted or a traditional norm that no tribe offered any assistance or shelter to those who were expelled from their tribes. But then here was a tribe that was accomadating a group of persons who had left their tribe. It was, as I said, unthinkable. And then change number 3 or shock number 3 people or you could say, at the beginning it was individuals, so individuals from many tribes across Arabia began to leave their tribes and migrate to Medina. Listeners could just imagine what the corresponding gossip columns of those days would have been churning out! And then shock number 4, these people, those who were accused of abandoning their tribes, were now forming or grouping into their own tribe, and the tribal loyalties of this tribe was greater thatn their loyalty to their own tribes. I am running out of words to describe how mind boggling all these 4 changes would have been not just to the Arabs, but to anyone who lived at that time. News would have spread like lightening, all over Arabia. 1. Prophet Muhammad (Sal) had moved away from his tribe, 2. He had influenced many from his tribe as well as other tribes to move away from their tribe 3. The people of Medinah were providing accomodation to these migrants 4. and then, Prophet Muhammad, he had grouped all these diverse individuals, all of them altogether, as one super tribe, a super tribe with new and deep loyalties to a now new formed tribe, headed by the person preaching this religion, the religion that proclaimed one God, in its pristine purity. This tribe ws commonly known as the Ummah or the nation of Muslims. All Muslims belong to this tribe, the Ummah. We recognize it as a super tribe. We feel the ties of brotherhood. We feel the loyalty to this supertribe, this Ummah, running in our hearts, in our minds and in our blood. Amongst all Muslims, loyalty to the Ummah is a core or a central passion. That was one background concept that all of us must understand. Now let me explain another important concept. We know it, but we never thought deeply about its far reaching consequences. Especially the consequences over history. We have to chosen to ignore it.

114 The effects of 1400 Years

I just described, loyalty to the Ummah and mentioned my observation that; Amongst all Muslims, loyalty to the Ummah is a core or a central passion We accept anyone who claims to be a Muslim without reservations or without question. If he is Muslim he has to be good. Especially if he is Arab. If he is a Muslim from the time of the Holy Prophet or from the first few generations that followed, then it is our duty not to even think about his other interests. We have thus blinded ourselves from seeking out the true or the more credible perspectives of Islamic History. We know very well that at that time of the Prophet there would have been 3 groups of people. 1. The Muslims those who accept and submit. 2. The Kaafirs, those who rejected the invitation. 3. The Munafiqs or the pretenders. Those who claimed to be Muslims but then their interests were dishonest. They used the religion Islam to further their worldly pursuits. Though the Muslim world is reluctant to identify them, Allah does describe them in the Quran. Let me read a few such Aayaths from the Quran. (2:14) When they meet those who believe, they say, We have entered Faith; but when they are alone with their satans, they say, Indeed, we are with you; we were only mocking.

Remember this is describing the Munafiqs at the time of the Prophet. They were in his company, posing of as good pious Muslims, but God knows them. There are quite a few Aayaths that describe them. To me the Aayaths that describe the actual situation in Medinah, is well described in Aayath No 152 of Surah Aal E Imraan (3:152 - part) Among you there were some who were seeking the world, and among you there were others who were seeking the Hereafter.

If this was the case during the lifetime of the Prophet, then would this not be even more so, after him? We must understand that true Muslims would always be true. It is the Hypocrite (the pretender) who would realize the benefits of pretending to be Muslim. We must understand that a pretender would put on airs as a Muslim, in fact we may think him a better Muslim than the true Muslims. The pretender would make claims that would be designed to fool the Muslims. So now let us examine the period after the death of the Holy Prophet (Sal)

114 The effects of 1400 Years

At the time of his death, the Muslim Ummah had grown manyfold and was mightier and superior than any other tribe or even groupings of tribes in Arabia. People flocked to join the Ummah. Many were moved by the teachings and became sincere believers. Many others too realized the opportunity to become wealthy and powerful, and probably schemed their way to their interests. How else could you explain the train of bizzare events that followed? Events that changed the whole landscape of Islam. Events that changed, or precipitated, or brought in to focus a view of Islam, as a political ideology. Events that required new ways of looking at the Quran, new ways at interpretting the Aayaths of the Quran. With the death of Prophet Muhammad in the year 632 AD, Muslims rallied round the leadership of Abu Bakr (Ral) who was the close confident of Prophet Muhammad as well as his father in law. He was given the title Amir Ul Mumineen meaning Leader of the Believers or Leader of the Faithful. In his period of Caliphate the Muslim society was consolidated, any form of rebel was immediately dealt with. The stand out features of his period was how he dealt with those who now tried to call themselves new Prophets and putting together the Quran in to one hand written book. This was a painstaking task and involved a number of Muslims who had memorized the Quran or even knew parts of the Quran. After his demise in 634, just a 2 year rule, Umar (Ral) was appointed the as Caliph and took on the title of Amir Ul Mumineen. He too had ben a close confidant of the Prophet and was also his Father in Law. It was during the reign of Umar that the rate of geographical growth of Islam began to accelerate. He was an able administrator and introduced many just concepts of rule and administration. He ruled for 12 years and died in 644 AD. Uthman (Ral) then became Caliph and it was in his reign that sinister problems began to arise. He too ruled for 12 years and was assassinated in 656 AD. His assassination as well as the events that led to his asassination shook the whole Muslim World and its cause and effects is still the subject of debate and research. Anyway, what is commonly known is that certain sections of Muslims objected to his appointing members of his clan to key administrative positions. A section of these protesters surrounded his house, broke in to his house and then killed him. This obviously opened many schisms in the Muslim world.

114 The effects of 1400 Years

Ali (Ral), was now appointed Caliph. It is a well known fact that he was one of the first to embrace Islam when the Prophet began his mission, and was also the cousin as well as the son in law of the Prophet. All of these positions gave him high status amongst the now vastly grown Muslim World. Another turn of events that further shook the Muslim World was when Ayesha (Ral) the widow of the Prophet and the daughter of the 1st Caliph Abu Bakr (Ral) along with Zubair and Talha, two eminent companions of the Prophet, led a rebellion against Ali (Ral) the reason, because the Caliph was not taking meaningful steps to avenge the murder or the assassination of Uthman (Ral) In 661, Ali (Ral) himself was attacked one morning while worshipping in the mosque of Kufa, and died a few days later Events take many bizzare twists and turns and the result, the Muslims were thoroughly confused and were now in many camps, all of which could be categorized briefly in to 3. 1. Uthamanss kinsman, Muawiyyah, son of Abu Sufiyan, deposes Ali and is then proclaimed Caliph. He shifts his Capital from Medina to Damascus in Syria, founding or establishing what is commonly known as the Umayad Empire. So we have those who fell in line with the Ummayyads. 2. Then we have another group who opposes this Caliphate, calling Muawiyya an imposter. 3. We then have a third grouping that was developing and at the same time gaining popularity. This group was called the Kharijites or those who kept away. This was a group that claimed that Islam was being hijacked by those seeking power and that Muslims should return to pure Islam. Each group quoted Aayaths form the Quran to substantiate their arguments. Similarly each group were backed by companions of the Prophet who themselves were quoting sayings of trhe Prophet, which they said spelt out what was clear indications as to which grouping was correct. Another major tragedy unfolded when in 680 Muawiyya died and his son Yazid the first was proclaimed Caliph and continued to administer the Ummayyad Empire, that was gradually being established. The Muslims of Kufah who now called themselves the Shia I Ali or the partisans of Ali, refuse to accept Yazid as the Caliph and make moves to establish Hussain (Ral) the grandson of the Prophet and the son of Ali Ral as their Caliph. Hussain (Ral) takes his family and travels to Kufah and on the way he and his whole family is killed by Yazids troops. This was a shocking event. It drove the wedge between all three factions and is now considerd the defining event that precipitated the Shia Sunni political divide amongst Muslims. Why I am describing, again ever so briefly, the main points of these landscape changing events is to point out to all you listeners, that the Islam we profess or the Islam we learn has reached us after having gone through all these tremendous upheavals.

114 The effects of 1400 Years

Uthman (Ral) was assassinated in 656, Ali (Ral) was assassinted 5 years later in 661 and the horrendous attack at Karbala took place in 680. So listeners could just imagine the speed at which horrific events was testing the Muslim World. We now had a situation where even the surviving companions of the Prophet were in different camps. Each camp accusing the other of being wrong. It is in this situation that leading figures or those who gave credibility to each camp arose. Today these three camps are known as the Sunnis, the Shias and the Kharijites or those who did not join or found fault with both the Sunis and the Shias. It is in this scenario that many sayings of the Prophet was given special prominence. It was through the sayings of the Prophet that the different camps were trying to justify their positions. With power wealth and positions available, it is not surprising to find that many of these sayings were concocted and the Muslim world was now in the unenviable position of trying to decide what sayings were authentic and what was not. Alhamdulillah, the Quran was intact and no one was challenging the authenticity of the Quran. The copies of the Quran that had been written during the periods of Abu Bakr and Uthman had been distributed and there were no differences in any of these copies. It was in the field of interpretting what the Quran said that was creating the commotion. It is obvious to all of us that mischievous elements would have had a filed day posing as Muslims and concocting sayings of the Prophet just to fit their stands on the many issues. We all know that the Shias would not accept any saying or any Hadith that is attributed to some of those Sahaba that the Sunnis rever and vice versa. It was the political divide. Todays Muslims must think about all these events. We do not pass judgment. We do not say X is right and Y is wrong. We are referring to events that took place around 1300 years ago. So we now had many interprettations of what the Quran was instructing. And all these views had been formed under very trying or very stressful socio political conditions. This is something we must always bear in mind. The original purpose of this talk is to discuss the word Swalaah. In this endevor I am trying to point out that the interprettation of many of the words, phrases, terms and concepts as described in the Quran has reached us after 1400 years, after having gone through the interprettations of many eminent Muslims, all during very trying periods that witnessed traumatic trials and turbulations within the Muslim World. Again the purpose is that we would then be in a better position to find out what the word Salaah really means. Insha Allah, next week I shall continue this topic, however I shall dwell on the rise and fall of the Muslim Empire, actually I should say the rise and fall of the many Muslim Empires.

114 The effects of 1400 Years

All this in an effort to find out as to whether we could get a better understanding to the real meaning of the word Salaah. I sincerely hope that all of you benefit from these talks as much as I benefit from preparing and then presenting these talks to you. May Allah Taaalah guide us all and accept us all. Jazza Kalla Khairan. Assalamu Alaikum
Imtiaz Muhsin Colombo Sri Lanka crescent786@hotmail.com

You Tube Channel - HaneefanMusliman

Note on Talks on History of Muslims

As Muslims it is necessary that we are aware of the History of Muslims over the last 1400 years. It is necessary for us to realize the winds of change over these last 1400 years especially since Muslim Populations have been through quite some turbulent times. I have covered this vast area in 5 talks. (This is insufficient) The first two talks were on the history and the next three talks were from another viewpoint. I discuss the response of the Muslims due to the many changes that were affecting their lives their religion and thus their culture. These Talks are numbered and titled as follows: Talk No 114 116 117 118 119 Topic The History Series The Effects of 1400 Years - Part 1 Effects of 1400 years - Part 2 The Muslim Response Series The Religious Response of Muslims due to Events surrounding the Caliphates of the Khulafaa Ur Raashidheen The Religious Response of Muslims due to Events surrounding the beginning of the Ummayyads The Religious Response of Muslims due to Events in the Period of the Muslim Empires Date Broadcast Jan 25th 2013 Feb 8th 2013 Feb 22nd 2013 March 29th 2013 April 5th 2013

10

114 The effects of 1400 Years