Letter From the Editor

Caring for Youth

Caring for youth and their issues are among youth’s awareness. Because of the globaliza- responsibilities deserving arduous efforts tion of ideas and cultures, today’s young peo- and time. Youth are the pillars of the present ple need an example consistent with the na- and future and the progress for all societies, ture of their thinking and open to them with at all times and everywhere. It is necessary to all transparency to touch their conscience create conditions for young people upbring- and feelings. ing and prepare them to take over the respon- Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa said that the Muslim sibility for their religion and country. World League has launched Muslim youth The Muslim World League pays more forum concerned with the open dialogue with attention to youth and provides them with scholars and intellectuals on issues related to education and training opportunities. It has strengthening faith, backing the middle-of- recently held seminars and conferences with the-road approach and answering their ques- the aim of diagnosing youth problems and tions together with simplifying some con- proposing the appropriate solutions togeth- temporary intellectual issues. er with holding forums for dialogue among The Muslim World League also plans to youth and scholars and the elderly in the Hajj launch a global youth forum through which seasons and others. non-Muslim youth will be educated with the The seminar entitled “Service of Qur’an aim of teaching them moderate teachings and and Sunnah”, organized by the Muslim right principles of Islam, according to the World League, is considered an occasion to Secretary General. stress its key role in boosting and promoting Scientists have observed that if more than youth who formed most of the participants. 30% of the population is young, this indi- The Secretary General of the Muslim cates a serious structural disorder and severe World League Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin societal explosions, which causes popular Abdulkarim Al-Issa stressed in the seminar uprisings and revolutions. Due to this phe- that the Islamic world is in a dire need to pro- nomenon and the globalization of ideas and mote the legitimate and intellectual aware- cultures, today’s youth need to be aware of ness of its youth. He also said that the Muslim their reality and future. World League through its branches and orga- It is no secret that there are efforts to di- nizations realizes its responsibility for raising vert the energy of youth in a way that does Muslim youth to adequate awareness of the not serve themselves or their society together right values and principles of their religion. with creating a state of alienation between Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa said that scholars youth and their Islamic society. We wish the and jurists of the Islamic nation are the only best, peace, safety and stability for our na- people responsible for promoting Muslim tions and youth.

PB lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 1 3

Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa meets government,

Rabi-1 1441/November 2019 1441/November Rabi-1 4 religious and intellectual leaders in Utah

MWL holds Serving the Qur’an and 15 Sunnah Forum in Makkah 48

2 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 3 MWL SG meets religious leaders and members of Congress in the US 9

Tourism from an Islamic perspective .. Invitation and other benefits 28

2 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 3 Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa meets government, religious and intellectual leaders in Utah

MWL-Utah

In response to an official invitation, Secretary General of the Mus- lim World League (MWL), Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin Abdulka- rim Al-Issa visited the US State of Utah, where he was officially received by Governor Gary Herbert. They discussed prospects for cooperation and a host of issues of shared interest, stressing the desire to cooperate to achieve the common goals.

4 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 5 Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa giving lecture at the University of Utah

Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa paid a visit to hate speech and violent extremism.” headquarters of the Mormon commu- Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa also held an ex- nity in Utah and met with the commu- tensive dialogue with members of the nity leader and his aides, and discussed editorial department of the Utah’s De- means of strengthening the relation- seret News, during which he recalled the ship between followers of religions urgent humanitarian commonalities of and cultures to promote peace and pressing interest that would build bridg- positive harmony among everyone. es among nations and peoples, remove The Mormon community’s leader and fences and barriers created by isolation, his aides hosted Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa at lack of dialogue and understanding and a tribute dinner attended by members receipt of information from unilateral of the Utah’s government, representa- sources that do not convey the truth. He tives of the US Department of State and discussed in detail a myriad of related the Muslim community. Dinner’s orga- topics that received the interest of the nizer, Elder David A. Bednar, extended Deseret’s editorial board, stressing the his sincere thanks saying: “In my name importance of promoting common ethi- and on behalf of Utah, I thank you very cal values such as justice, tolerance and much for your inspirational words that humanitarian action, supporting peace clearly work on bringing religions and efforts, harmony and positive national cultures closer together, and fighting integration, especially in countries with

4 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 5 A meeting between Governor Utah Gary Herbert and Secretary General of the MWL

religious, cultural and ethnic diversity, as spect for diversity. The board stressed the well as enhancing awareness of the un- importance of the media’s role in creat- derstanding of God’s way in difference ing content that influences public opin- and diversity. ion positively, stressing that media must Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa and Deseret’s edi- abide by the truth, professionalism and torial department reviewed the contents impartiality so as not to lose credibility of the Makkah Declaration, which, for the and distort its message. According to De- first time in the Islamic history, achieved seret’s coverage of the dialogue, editors a consensus among 27 sects represented referred to the excellence and depth of by more than 1200 muftis and senior the dialogue, and happiness for hosting scholars of the Islamic world. The edito- Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa in the first dialogue on rial board praised the Makkah Declara- his first visit to Utah. tion’s content and its importance. They Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa also visited the emphasized that all religions came down Welfare Square in Salt Lake City, and with mercy, not hatred, clash and wars, was briefed on the Mormon commu- and that Islam is a model of moderation nity’s experience of humanitarian work, and mercy for all people, advocating the as it established factories and facilities values of justice, love, tolerance and re- for manufacturing food, clothing and

6 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 7 Uta Gary recieves the SG of the MWL

furniture to distribute to the needy in the United States. The MWL Secretary General ac- cepted the invitation to visit Utah State University where he met with Kevin Worthen, Rector of the University, and delivered a lecture attended by hundreds of students and members of staff. The speech was followed by an honoring ceremony to hand the Uni- versity’s Shield of Honor to Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa and then a luncheon in honor of the MWL’s delegation. Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Worthen said: “It is a great honor to have you here today at our university, especially since you are now a global figure and your efforts are evident in building bridges among

6 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 7 Open dialogue of Dr. Sheikh Al -Issa with the dignitaries

the followers of religions and cultures, on science. He stressed the need to focus and we are very grateful for that. We rec- on the formulation of the mind in a proper ognize that there are many positive com- way from childhood, explaining the re- monalities that bring us together with the sponsibility of the family, education and Muslims you represent.” legislation. He noted that the divine reli- In his lecture, Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa as- gion came down with mercy and peace to serted that the MWL has carried the mes- the worlds. He held an open dialogue with sage of building bridges and removing the students of the Middle East Studies barriers and fences that resulted from the Department, and a discussion on contem- absence of dialogue and the receipt of porary issues in the fields of cultural com- information from unilateral sources. He munication among nations and peoples. stressed in this context that all follow- At the conclusion of the official visit, ers of religions, cultures and civilizations the State’s government held a tribute din- share high moral values, and that focus- ner for the MWL in the presence of rep- ing on these common values ensures the resentatives of the government and the realization of peace and harmony among Mormon Church, and a number of am- humankind. He said that we must focus bassadors and members of the diplomatic on human knowledge as much as we do corps.

8 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 9 MWL SG meets religious leaders and members of Congress in the US

MWL-Washington

Secretary General of the Muslim World League (MWL) and Presi- dent of the Makkah-based International Organization for Mus- lim Scholars, Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa met with the US Congressman John Courtis during his tour in the United States.

Open dialogue of Sheikh Al - Issa with the Council on Arab - American Relations

8 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 9 Dr. Sheikh Al-Issa during his meeting with Michigan State Representative Debbie Dingle

After discussing a raft of benefited from these great countries and not to receive issues of common interest, efforts religious fatwas from exter- John Courtis praised the im- Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa ex- nal parties unrelated to the portant role Sheikh Dr. Al- plained to Dingle that the ap- place where they live. Issa plays on behalf of the proach of the Muslim World The Secretary General MWL aimed at promoting League is to constantly call also met with the US Senate and strengthening ties among upon Muslims and all mi- Barry Black and reviewed a nations and peoples. Courtis norities to adhere to the con- raft of issues of mutual in- also lauded the MWL ardu- stitutions and laws of their terest, most notably ways ous efforts towards address- ing the discourse of extrem- ism. Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa met in Washington with US Con- gressman Debbie Dingle, representing the State of Michigan, who appreciated his strenuous efforts towards encouraging the religious minorities to live in harmony with their new societies. She stressed that Michigan hav- ing the largest Muslim com- munity in the United States

10 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 11 of promoting religious and national harmony in societ- ies with religious and ethnic diversity and boosting co- ordination among religious institutions in the world with the aim of disseminating the spirit of tolerance and love among members of the hu- man community. The National Council on Arab-American Relations hosted the Secretary General and held an open dialogue in the presence of a group SG of the MWL with Senate Pastor Barry Black of politicians, intellectuals, media and religious leaders. During the meeting, Sheikh Council John Duke, Sheikh and appreciation to president Dr. Al-Issa stressed the im- Dr. Al-Issa is the first inter- and members of the Coun- portance of communication national expert to be award- cil for this generous honor, and dialogue among follow- ed this Order for his sincere stressing that the MWL is ers of the different religions efforts appreciated by the committed to its approach and cultures to reinforce un- Council. The Secretary-Gen- aimed at spreading and pro- derstanding and cooperation eral of the Muslim World moting good human ties to among them. Regarding the League extended gratitude achieve the common goals. various and common denom- inators that bring together all humanity, Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa answered questions of re- searchers and academicians together with presenting the MWL’s activities aimed at enhancing world peace and harmony. He revealed the re- ality of some negative theses and wrong interpretations. At the end of the open di- alogue, the National Council on Arab-American Relations awarded Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa the Order of the Council. Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa meets MP John Curtis According to president of the

10 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 11 Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa engages in dialogue with US research centers and Trump’s advisor

MWL - Cairo, Washington, New York promoting the values of human and national brotherhood among followers of different re- Secretary General of the Muslim World ligions, ethnicities and cultures. League Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin Ab- Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa held extensive meet- dulkarim Al-Issa met with the White House ings in New York and Washington with the Senior Advisor Jason Greenblatt at the White presidents and members of the longest-stand- House in Washington. ing and important international research cen- Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa discussed with him a ters including the Carnegie Endowment for raft of topics related to the issues of violent International Peace, the Atlantic Council and extremism and terrorism and initiatives of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

12 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 13 The meetings came in the context of the Islam. ongoing programs of the Muslim World The leaders of a set of these research in- League in the United States under the leader- stitutions also stressed the importance of the ship of Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa who continues to recent report conducted by the US State De- meet high-ranking American political, reli- partment, which appreciated the role current- gious, intellectual and media figures, as well ly played by the Secretariat of the Muslim as the leaders of the most prominent research World League in the light of initiatives and institutions and centers. programs internationally set by the Secretary Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa held open dialogues General of the MWL. with a raft of US research institutions and Research institutions appreciated the con- addressed a number of ideas and initiatives tents of the recent Makkah Charter issued of common interest, stressing the importance by the Muslim World League Conference of cooperation and partnership with the Mus- recently held in Makkah. This Charter was lim World League as well as its international endorsed by more than one thousand two initiatives aimed at promoting peace and har- hundred mufti and scholars and considered mony among nations and peoples and cast- one of the most important documents of the ing light on the true and tolerant image of modern era.

Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa meets with White House advisor Jason Greenblatt

12 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 13 Egypt’s President awards Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa Order of Merit for Science and Art

MWL - Cairo

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has awarded Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa the Order of Merit for Science and Art for his arduous ef- forts. The order of merit is given to dis- tinguished person- alities who have pro- vided exceptional and transformational services in the fields of science, art and literature. It recog- nizes the sincere ef- forts and the role of such figures in these fields. Sheikh Dr. Al- Issa expressed his great appreciation to the Egyptian Presi- dent, considering the Order a source of honor and pride from the Egyptian President and be- loved Egypt.

14 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 15 Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa speaking at the opening ceremony

MWL holds Serving the Qur’an and Sunnah Forum in Makkah

Makkah - MWL

The Muslim World League (MWL), represented by the International Organization for the Holy Qur’an and Im- maculate Sunnah (IOHQS), held a forum entitled “Serv- ing the Qur’an and Sunnah” in Makkah.

14 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 15 Students from different countries participated in the seminar

Attended by a large number of Holy ings of these texts in their daily life. Qur’an reciters and senior spokespersons as The attendees and participants called for well as scientific institutions concerned with using modern technologies and social media Quranic and Hadith studies, the Forum made to serve the Qur’an and Sunnah while estab- a number of recommendations: The religious lishing a platform for the production and re- discourse should observe the correct method view of smart software and applications re- of the Qur’an and the Sunnah in line with the lated to the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah. Such current times. review and filtering should be conducted un- Another recommendation is that the con- der the supervision of the International Orga- cerned authorities should review fatwas to nization for the Holy Qur’an and Immaculate stop those who issue extremist fatwas with- Sunnah, which will be responsible for ap- out enough knowledge. There were calls for proving these programs and applications. the International Organization for the Holy Recommendations included the launch Qur’an and Immaculate Sunnah and asso- of an international award to serve the Qur’an ciations working in the field of teaching the and Sunnah under the umbrella of the Mus- Qur’an and Sunnah to create practical pro- lim World League and the promotion of grams that help understand and interpret texts Waqf projects serving the Qur’an and Sun- of the Qur’an and Sunnah so that students of nah. The Forum stressed that it is important Quranic associations can practice the mean- to invest in information and media to raise

16 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 17 Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa Shaking hand with the participants of the seminar

public awareness about employing Waqf and Allah and get close to Him by serving His expanding the activities of IOHQS to link all Qur’an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muham- Islamic countries with each other and also mad, peace be upon him. The only way to boost their efforts that contribute to linking achieve this is to get enough information and Muslims worldwide to the Holy Qur’an and knowledge in this regard.” the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad, peace be He stressed that the Muslim World upon him. League, represented by the International Or- The participants lauded the Muslim ganization for the Holy Qur’an and Immacu- World League and IOHQS for their arduous late Sunnah, carried out programs related to efforts in the service of the Qur’an and Sun- the memorization of the Holy Qur’an and nah all over the world. The Secretary General the proper application of recitation rules in of the Muslim World League Sheikh Dr. Mu- 78 states. Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa made clear that hammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa announced the Quranic institutions affiliated to IOHQS the launch of the Forum’s sessions with the reached 68 colleges and institutes, which have participation of Quranic and Hadith studies over 7,500 students. About 61,275 students scholars and academics from all countries graduated from these colleges and institutes. of the Islamic world and Muslim minorities The IOHQS implemented 193 training cours- from 36 counties.‏ es and granted about 3,000 scholarships. Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa said, “We worship Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa said, “The Muslim

16 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 17 Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa recieves the delegates of the seminar

World league dispatched 11,457 Qur’an re- all human beings, stressing that the religious citers to perform Taraweh prayers in all Is- discourse should be simple and clear to be lamic countries in addition to distributing understood by all. two million copies of the Holy Qur’an. The Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa said the religious dis- IOHQS established an electronic Qur’anic course should keep the pace of history and recital from which 24,215 people benefited. its conditions to be suitable for all times It also has set out rules regulating jurispru- and places. Today’s youth are in a dire need dence in the field of scientific miracles in the for role models who absorb the spirit of the Qur’an and Sunnah”. era. That is why the Muslim World League The MWL Secretary General said the Is- plans to launch a forum for Muslim youth, lamic world needs to promote legitimate and focusing on having an open dialogue with intellectual awareness, especially among scholars and intellectuals regarding issues of young people and the Muslim World League strengthening the sound faith and supporting is aware of its tremendous responsibility the moderation approach. The Muslim World for focusing more on youth who should be League also plans to launch a global youth brought up on Islamic teachings and prin- forum through which non-Muslim youth will ciples. Islam, he explained, advocates com- be educated with the aim of teaching them passion, tolerance, and coexistence among the moderate principles of Islam.

18 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 19 Students from different countries participated in the seminar

Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa said, “We will cast light World League announced that the MWL will on the methods of the practice of extremism, later organize an international conference in and anti-extremism to mislead people, espe- Al-Madinah to celebrate the Document of Al- cially distorting the meanings of Qur’anic Madinah previously drafted by Prophet Mu- and Sunnah texts. Islamic Shari’ah came to hammad, which is regarded the most impor- the benefit of the whole world.” tant historical document in the human history. He shed light on the Charter of Makkah, The Muslim World League plans to estab- which is considered a historic document lish the Museum of “Prophet Muhammad’s for establishing the values of coexistence life and Islamic Civilization” in Makkah un- among followers of religions, cultures, races, der the patronage and presence of His Royal and sects in Islamic countries as well as for Highness Prince Khalid Al-Faisal bin Abdu- achieving peace and harmony among various laziz, Governor of Makkah Region. The Mus- segments of society. The Charter follows the lim World League put the foundations of this example of the “Madinah Charter,” drafted museum in its headquarters in Al-Madinah by the Prophet (peace be upon him) 14 cen- last Ramadan. Upon a request from the Indo- turies ago to preserve the diversity of the Is- nesian Government, the MWL approved the lamic nation and its coexistence. construction of a large-scale branch of this The Secretary General of the Muslim museum in the Indonesian capital Jakarta on

18 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 19 A group photo during the Seminar

an expansive area. He said the MWL received Holy Qur’an and Prophet Muhammad Sun- 23 requests from different governments to es- nah with all means is considered among the tablish branches of this museum. greatest works. A group of senior scholars Sheikh Khalid Hassan Abdulkafi, Assis- and intellectuals together with high-ranking tant Secretary-General of Educational and figures delivered speeches at the forum. They ScientificAffairs affiliated to the Internation- stressed the importance of strengthening the al Organization for the Holy Qur’an and Im- Muslims’ association with the Qur’an and maculate Sunnah made clear that it is a good Sunnah in terms of learning, education, un- opportunity to exchange viewpoints and ex- derstanding, and interpretation. They also ex- periences among scholars, Imams, and jurists. tended gratitude to the Muslim World League Sheikh Khalid Hassan Abdulkafi stressed for its strenuous efforts in the service of the that the International Organization for the Qur’an and Sunnah.‏ Holy Qur’an and Immaculate Sunnah seeks The research papers conducted by schol- through its programs and institutes to gradu- ars and jurists focused on the great position ate students memorizing and understanding of the Qur’an and Sunnah. They also high- the Holy Qur’an. During a speech delivered lighted the arduous efforts that safeguarded by senior Holy Qur’an Reciter in Lebanon the great Islamic heritage to pass it on to the Sheikh Ahmed Akkawi who said serving the generations of Muslims.

20 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 21 Nouakchott Conference adopts “Makkah Document” as a contemporary reference

Nouakchott-MWL a great role in promoting the values of love and global coexistence. He praised the efforts The 32nd International Conference of the exerted by His Excellency Sheikh Dr. Mu- Prophet’s Biography wrapped up its activi- hammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa in consoli- ties in the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott. dating the values of tolerance and brother- The Conference was organized by the hood around the world. Islamic Cultural Gathering under the title: A number of international Islamic and “Mohammedan Ethics and their Effects on non-Islamic organizations and bodies valued Disseminating Values of Peace and Brother- the contents of the Makkah Document, which hood among Peoples and Nations”. In its fi- is considered to be at the forefront of mod- nal communiqué, the Conference praised the ern-day documents. The Makkah Document contents of the Makkah Document and con- was ratified by more than one thousand two sidered it a contemporary reference to spread hundred muftis and scholars representing the values of peace and organize relations twenty-seven Islamic sects and doctrines at among peoples and nations. the MWL’s conference held last Ramadan in In his opening speech, His Excellency Makkah under the patronage of Custodian of Sheikh Mohammed Al-Hafiz Ennhoui said the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Ab- that the Muslim World League (MWL) plays dulaziz - May Allah protect and bless him.

20 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 21 Tolerance key to promoting inclusive society: EU envoy

RIYADH- MWL

The European envoy to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday called for more tolerance and re- spect to help bring diverse societies closer together. Ambassador Michele Cervoned’Urso, head of the EU delegation to the King- dom, made his appeal as he welcomed attendees to a high-profile lecture to discuss Saudi and European perspec- tives on religious tolerance and diversity. A discussion session organized by the King Faisal Research Center Organized by the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (KF- its. The challenge is to make of us know that the KFCRIS CRIS), the event gathered sure our society is more in- builds from the legacy of the together top intellectuals, clusive, enhance mutual un- late King Faisal and has been diplomats and scholars to de- derstanding and promote a pillar in promoting Islam,” bate the issues of tolerance, tolerance and respect,” the d’Urso added. forgiveness and acceptance envoy said. He noted that in Europe of others. He pointed to the UN’s there were many people of Opening the lecture at blossoming partnership with faith that had respect for co- the King Faisal Foundation the KFCRIS and the impor- existence. building in Riyadh, d’Urso tance of the lecture as key Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin spoke about tolerance and building blocks in the process Abdulkarim Al-Issa, Secretary- how it was core to the trans- of bridging cultural and reli- General of the Muslim World formation of societies, espe- gious gaps between societies. League (MWL), told delegates cially in Europe, which had “I think there are few that when he talked about tol- become more diverse. more teams that are exchang- erance in Islam, he also meant “Today’s European soci- ing on the Saudi and Europe- tolerance in Saudi Arabia as a ety is a mixture of cultures, an perspectives of religious state that applied and was gov- faiths, values, ideas, and hab- tolerance and diversity. All erned by Shariah law.

22 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 23 He said a state that respected others, hu- majority society in the world,” said Privot. man existence and brotherhood could not ex- He pointed out that for the first time in ist “unless there is respect for diversity and history Muslim groups from Uzbekistan and differences as a universal norm that no one Senegal were living together and trying to be- can collide.” come a community in European societies. According to Sheikh Dr. Al-Issa, the Char- “Societies, which have completely liberal- ter of Madinah (regarded as the first Islamic ized the market of religions, believe all faiths state constitution) was considered one of the are accepted,” he added. best achievements of civil legislation in hu- Earlier, an MWL forum in Makkah recom- man history. “This document was held by the mended that Islamic discourse should adhere Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, with to the principles of the Qur’an and Sunnah, the Jews and represented binding legislation the Muslims’ uppermost legislative sources, for Muslims toward religious minorities.” which are also known as the Two Divine Rev- The MWL Secretary General noted that elations. the document included the protection of civil The forum, titled “The Service of the Two and religious rights. “The document cannot Revelations,” called upon concerned authori- be absorbed by extremism, it is clear. These ties in the Muslim world to regulate Islamic rights and freedoms have been preserved by fatwas in a way that prevented extremism and this legislation. And the Prophet Muhammad stopped producing any misguided explana- coexisted with everyone and understood these tions of the divinely revealed texts. differences and diversity.” The participants also encouraged the use In his speech, Sheikh Dr. Muhammad Dr. of modern technology, especially social me- Al-Issa explained how the Qur’an gave Jews dia, to better serve the Qur’an and Sunnah to and Christians a special name to celebrate help link Muslim youths with the two revela- their religious origins where they were called tions. “people of the book,” in reference to the To- In addition, the gathering proposed estab- rah and the Gospel. The history of Christians lishing platforms for producing software and and Jews was also never omitted. smart apps related to the Qur’an and Sunnah Addressing the event, director of the Eu- and the launch of an international service ropean Network Against Racism (ENAR), award under the umbrella of the MWL. Dr. Michael Privot, who converted to Islam Al-Issa added that the MWL had staged 26 years ago, spoke about how the EU was a number of Qur’an memorization programs characterized by increasing diversity, includ- in 78 countries and said there were now 68 ing religious and philosophical beliefs, even colleges and institutes where 7,500 students from the Muslim perspective. were studying the Qur’an. “We encounter such a diversity of ways of “Some 61,275 Qur’an readers have gradu- being Muslim from a theoretical, cultural, phil- ated from these institutes, with 5,055 reciters osophical, ideological point of view. Any sin- having obtained authentic reading certificates. gle Muslim group or community is represented The IOQAS (International Organization of somewhere in Europe and this situation puts Qitab and Sunnah) has also carried out 193 European Muslims in a very unique environ- training courses and provided nearly 3,000 ment which is different from any other Islamic scholarships,” he said.

22 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 23 Sonny Bill Williams: “I chased girls, drank alcohol and it only gave me emptiness”

By Shamoon Hafez

It is six in the morning at a London hotel and Sonny Bill Williams has just completed the Fajr (dawn) prayer and is sitting on his mat.

24 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 25 “When I hold my hands up afterwards, I heavyweight boxing title. am asking: ‘Ya Allah, please guide me. Keep The 34-year-old spends half an hour field- me strong. Help me become a better person. ing questions during an introductory news Help me become a better man,’” he says. conference at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, “’I know I have my frailties, but strengthen greeting journalists in English, Arabic and me. Forgive me for my sins. Ya Allah, bless Samoan, talking about “humility” having be- my close ones and those around me. Keep come the highest-earning player in the history them safe, especially the children. Keep us of either code, and “earning the respect” of where our feet are and grateful for what we his teammates. have.’” Williams is a man mountain, standing at It is 10 years since Williams became a 6ft 4in and weighing 17st 5lbs, and he domi- Muslim while playing for Toulon in France nates a room - but his imposing physique is in after a period in his life where he was “wild complete contrast to his modest, soft-spoken and at the other end of the spectrum” to where character. he is now. “Alhamdulillah (thanking God) means Super League newcomers Toronto Wolf- everything,” he tells BBC Sport. “Drinking pack’s marquee signing seems content with a glass of water - Alhamdulillah. Having an his life, in a happy place having returned to opportunity to speak to you - Alhamdulillah. rugby league after five years in rugby union. Seeing my wife and kids - Alhamdulillah. I The North American side’s general man- always have my creator in the front of my ager reels off Williams’ accomplishments mind. across four disciplines: two World Cups in “Sometimes I keep my head down on rugby union with New Zealand; playing the ground in sujood (prostration) because I rugby sevens at the 2016 Olympics; winning know Jesus, Moses and the Prophet Muham- multiple National Rugby League (NRL) titles mad were in that position. in rugby league; and winning New Zealand’s “Look, I chased girls. I drank alcohol,

24 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 25 spent lavishly and thought I was someone that to former South Africa batsman and captain I wasn’t. I lived that life and, in my experi- Hashim Amla. ence, what did it give me? Hollowness and “In today’s society it is no secret that a lot emptiness in my heart.” of us Muslims have been forced to almost be Williams, who met his teammates for the embarrassed to be Muslim. first time on Wednesday in Manchester, adds: “For me, I am so proud to be a Muslim - “It took a few years for the process, but I the honesty that it has, what it stands for and found Allah, I found Islam and it really al- what it can give. When I see other sportsmen lowed me to turn the wildness in myself into who are out there and proud, wow it is such a positivity. beautiful thing.” “With the way that I have driven as a In March, an attack by a gunman at a sportsman to succeed, those two together mosque in Christchurch saw 51 people killed have allowed me to reach where I am today.” and Williams shared a tearful message on so- Williams says there is no feeling like the cial media in which he expressed his “deep “genuine love” of a fellow elite sportsman sadness” and hoped those who died “went to who is also Muslim. Fiorentina winger Franck paradise”. Ribery is someone he “keeps in contact with A week after the shootings, Williams on social media”, while he is “quite close” visited the city and met members of the

26 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 27 community as an act of solidarity. opportunity. It is a really exciting opportunity “Being one of the most high-profile Mus- for myself as a sportsman. Yes, there is a lot lims in New Zealand and playing for the na- of pressure but what better way for a sports- tional team, the All Blacks, at the time, I knew man to try achieving something in this arena? that it was my duty,” he says. “’Legacy’ is not a word that I like. I am “I am a pretty shy guy but I had to step just a guy out there who has done his best, up, and I knew I had to be vulnerable in that who was real, kept it authentic, but liked to space. I stepped up and represented not just take on challenges.” the Muslim community that was hurting, but Last year, Williams performed the minor also the New Zealand community. Umrah pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, describ- “I thought that if I could step into that ing the trip as an “awesome experience”. space, a difficult one to navigate through at He says: “Makkah is so special, seeing the the time, and just preach the positivity - but Kaaba for the first time and then experiencing also tell them it is real, it hurts but what can the serenity and calmness of Medina. we do to move forward in a better way? “Yes, I am a Kiwi, a New Zealander, Sa- “As New Zealanders, we have done that moan - but a human being. That is what Islam and are leading in that space - and I am proud offers. It is there for all of mankind. I prayed to say I was a part of that.” next to an African brother, an Asian, a Euro- As he approaches the latest test of his dis- pean, a Middle Eastern, from all walks of life. tinguished career, almost 9,000 miles away “You are in your robes so there are no lev- from home, how does Williams feel about the els of society, everyone is equal, that is prob- move and how would he like to be remem- ably the biggest thing.” bered? --This story was taken from Rugby New “I was really humbled and grateful for the Zealand.

26 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 27 Tourism from an Islamic perspective .. Invitation and other benefits

By Nizar Abdul Baqi Ahmed

Islam has called for tourism in the land, in order to achieve many purposes, such as reflection on the creation of Allah, call to Islam, convey the message to all parts of the earth, seek livelihood, acquire knowledge, communi- cate with the rest of the world, trade and exchange ben- efits and other aims.

28 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 29 The concept of recreation and entertain- ment does not contradict the Shari’ah of Is- lam, on the contrary, it is compatible with the principles of Islam or the pillars of religion, whether in terms of food, drink or clothing, as well as in moral values, and ensuring that no habits and behaviors that harm the indi- vidual and society are acquired. In recent years, most Arab and Islamic countries have shown great interest in the tourism industry, which has developed and become one of the tributaries of the nation- al income of these countries, so they began to become attractive tourist destinations, to bring tourists from all over the world. These countries began also to attract their citizens for vacation at home, rather than travel to Western and other countries, and fo- cused their efforts on attracting tourists from other countries. Therefore, the term “domes- tic tourism” has emerged in many Arab and Islamic countries, because of its prominent importance within the system of develop- mental and cultural concerns. and cultural security and immunization of Miscellaneous benefits young people from the harmful habits that The importance of developing the tourism exist in many non-Muslim countries, which industry is not only about attracting tourists are in complete contradiction with the cus- from outside the country, diversifying sourc- toms and traditions of Arab and Islamic es of income and supporting financial and countries. Therefore, domestic tourism can economic resources. Indeed, many coun- provide a suitable alternative that protects tries have been focusing on developing their the societies from many negatives habits that tourism facilities in order to reduce the flow do not conform to their guidance. of cash that their citizens spends annually abroad, for the purpose of foreign tourism, Pride in identity and strive to take advantage of these funds Domestic tourism contributes to increas- to support local economies, and rationalize ing the link between the individuals and domestic spending, which reflects positively their identity, culture and environment, and on the entire economic process, and lead to drives to protect them against the currents the revival of markets and support industry. of cultural invasion and societal takeover, Another important aspect to support do- especially in this era when cultural influ- mestic tourism is the attainment of societal ences increased due to the information and

28 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 29 Importance of domestic tourism Purposes of tourism n Increase national income n Call to God n Diversification of income sources n cultural exchange n Finding new job opportunities n Introducing communities n Saving wasted amounts n Acquisition of science n Raise the standard of living n Recreation and entertainment n Promotion of foreign investment n Reflection on creatures nReflect civilizational achievements n Request livelihood and trade

Basic tourism components Elements of attractions n The presence of sea and air ports n Distinct natural environment n Availability of transportation n Unique archaeological sites n Complete road networks n Perfect infrastructure n Presence of halal eating n Hospitality of citizens n Public parks n Availability of tourist facilities n Drinkable water n Diversity of natural environments n Means of communication n Existence of housing

technical revolution. In spite of huge cur- about the cultures and civilizations of their rents of globalization, many Arab and Is- regions. Their contact with tourists coming lamic countries are keen to preserve their from abroad provides them with an opportu- identity from extinction and melting, and nity to learn about their civilizations and cul- make great efforts and spend huge funds to tural heritage. A human being is very proud achieve this goal. of his traditions and human achievements, Moreover, members of the same com- but he is also a social organism, affected by munity have a great opportunity to learn his surroundings and affect in it, and there-

30 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 31 fore have the opportunity to take from others curity in all parts and has a vast geographic what compatible with his culture, education area and diverse climate as well as beautiful and environment. scenery, the diversity of vegetation, vast des- erts, in addition to the historical monuments Unique ingredients found in many of its parts. Although tourism plays pivotal roles in the economies of most countries, but its impor- Vital Sector tance seems greater to a country such as Sau- Many regions of the Kingdom are character- di Arabia, which Allah blessed with unique ized by the existence of archaeological areas characteristics, more than in another country. rooted in the history, reflecting the depth It is the land of Islamic message, and the Two and excellence of civilization throughout the Holy Mosques, and there are holy places and ages, and make it an open museum. historical locations. Therefore, the country was concerned to Therefore, these natural elements can give provide all the facilities for investment in the Kingdom a unique competitive position tourism, and make it in a suitable situation on the world tourism map. As the Kingdom to receive tourists and visitors from all over is the cradle of the oldest civilizations known the world. in the history of humankind, which left be- As the Kingdom tends to diversify sourc- hind a unique legacy for those who are con- es of income, as mentioned in the Kingdom’s cerned with religious, cultural and archaeo- Vision 2030, attention has been drawn to the logical tourism. exploitation of this vital sector, which can be Saudi Arabia has modern infrastructure, a major source of income, and can provide roads, electricity and water networks that tens of thousands of job opportunities for reach all its cities and villages. There is se- young people.

30 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 31 Many tourist cities have been established, the Kingdom .. The reality, its main edu- and more attention has been drawn to tour- cational dimensions, and the role of some ism, to make more development in the stan- educational institutions in the development dard of living, since most tourism facilities of tourism awareness”, he says, “Some of are privately owned, such as hotels, fur- scientists view tourism from a social per- nished apartments, transportation, shops and spective, some from the economic, cultural, entertainment venues. environmental perspective.” “Yet, some are interested in studying Modern industry tourism from an educational perspective, Dr. Saleh bin Ali Abu Arrad, Professor because of the attention of different social of Islamic Education at Teachers’ Col- groups, and its contemporary activities that lege at King Khalid University, believes have a great importance and diverse influ- that tourism has become one of the social ences in different areas of life. Tourism is phenomena that has attracted the inter- an important modern industry characterized est of many scientists in various fields of by its rapid growth and development. It has knowledge. become a vital activity with many positive In a study entitled “Domestic tourism in influences in various fields of life”.

32 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 33 Correcting concepts show the history of past times. He concluded Abu Arrad discussed the reality of domestic by saying that the Kingdom of Saudi Ara- tourism in the Kingdom. He said, “It is very bia is full of monuments and historical sites. important to correct the concept of domes- And if opened to tourists in the world, the tic tourism in the Kingdom, especially as it Kingdom will be one of the first countries in has a religious dimension closely linked to the field of tourism. visiting specific places, and the performance of certain devotional rituals of great impor- Universality of Islam tance in the life of all Muslims, as well as Director of the Center for Islamic Econom- to perform the pilgrimage and Umrah, and ics at Al-Azhar University, Dr. Mohamed to move between Holy places, and visit the Abdel-Halim Omar, stresses that Islam does Prophet’s Mosque. not have a counter-attitude towards tourism. The religion of Islam urges Muslims to He said in an international symposium travel and navigate the land, and reflect on held in Cairo under the title “Tourism from the beauty of nature. Tourism also deepens an Islamic Economic Perspective” that Islam and consolidates the social ties between the is an open religion to the world, and never people of this country. It also achieves the called for closure. need of man to worship Allah. All these re- He also said, “Tourism has become a quirements bring attention to the religious knowledge exchange among the peoples, it dimension of domestic tourism, work hard to is not just an economic activity, it has other develop awareness of its importance, strive to cultural, literary and social aspects and ben- revitalize and activate it positively, because it efits, so Islam calls for tourism and encour- exists and persists throughout all seasons.” ages it. The evidence is that there were 13 Quranic verses that urge to see the traces of Archaeological sites the former, as Allah has ordered the char- Dr. Abdullah Sadeq Dahlan, a former mem- ity to “Ibn alsabeel”, the stranger out of his ber of the Shoura Council, expressed his sup- country, and this important evidence that the port to activate tourist programs. He pointed doctrines of Islam are compatible with tour- out in a press interview that marketing the ism, because it has many economic benefits, historical tourism areas in the Kingdom will and is an important tributary to the economy undoubtedly attract large numbers of tourists of most countries of the world”. and visitors annually, Muslims and others. He added that Al-Okhdood (Ditch) area, mentioned in the Holy Qur’an, is located in Najran city, which is one of the important ar- chaeological sites that can contribute to the definition of what happened in that region, and the fact that Christians were burned and killed. Furthermore, there were many histor- ical Islamic archaeological areas in Makkah and Medina. The sites of ancient monuments should be given more attention because they

32 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 33 An analysis of Islamic insurance

Tasnuva Jahan

In this globalization era, insurance has become unavoidable for economic growth and considerably for loss sharing. As jeopardy may arise in all steps of human life and people are eager to mitigate it, insurance aids indirectly to eliminate jeopardies. Generally, insurance is a co-operative scheme serves both as an economic inter- mediary and as a provider of risk transfer. Insurance activity promotes financial growth by sharing different risks, in the shape of a premium. Many Islamic jurists consider that the concept of conventional insurance is against the beliefs of Islamic philosophy. Because conventional insurance involves Gharar (uncertainty), Maisir (gambling), and Riba (usury), which are prohibited in Islam (Ayub, 2003).

34 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 35 Islamic insurance or Takaful is a phe- to growth both conventional and Islamic in- nomenon of financial activities based on the surance as a risk reducing instruments. How- Islamic tradition. Takaful is an Islamic un- ever, there is an absence of Islamic insur- conventional to a conventional insurance. It ance knowledge among the financial and is a unique system; it provides financial se- non-financial trades that needs to be devel- curity in case of any loss or damage occur- oped within the Shari’ah frame. ring to the policyholders. A Takaful business will not be valid in if it contradicts Sharia History and development of Islamic Principles. In Islam, any transaction is ra- insurance tional to confirm with the Divine rules and Takaful is used in terms of Islamic insur- restrictions. Any transaction that fails to fol- ance, which is considered as a contract among low such Divine rules will be invalid (Bil- a group of participants agreeing to mutually lah, 2019). Nowadays, Takaful industry is help one another against unexpected future growing rapidly, particularly, in the Muslim disasters occurring to other members of the occupied areas growing from west to Af- group. In other words, it is the act of a group rica and, notably in Europe and America as of people who agree to share each commer- well (Rahman, 2009). Internationally, Taka- cial profit between the providers of funds ful market reached around US$ 19 Billion in and those who conduct the business. Islamic 2017 (Market Research,2018). Saudi Arabia, insurance is one of the shari’ah-approved fi- ASEAN, and GCC are the key demand driv- nancial businesses. ers for Takaful with the world Takaful market Historically, Takaful is not a new con- (Ernst and Young, 2015). Higher risk due to cept. In the early period of Islam, the origin the international financial crisis and econom- of Takaful is found in the different forms. ic growth with many uncertain events leads References were made to the concept of

34 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 35 ‘kafala’ more or less similar to the security compensation paid to the victim’s successors and safety of the people. The term ‘Takaful’ in case of murder. The second Muslim Caliph comes from the Arabic roots word ‘kafala’ Umar bin Al-Khattab established a similar that means ‘joint guarantee’ or ‘indemnity’ system known as ‘Qasamah’. According to (Ahmed, 2010; Wahab, 2007). ‘Takaful’ this system, people had to pay compensation means solidarity or assistance between each to the victim’s beneficiaries in case of murder other. Before the dawn of Islam, ancient Arab (Rahman, 2009). However, there were many tribes had practiced ‘kafala’ as the basis of examples where the Arab tribes, the Prophet loyalty to their tribes. Its main purpose was and his companions implemented ‘Aqilah to protect their members against any jeop- (Archer and Others, 2011; Hamid and Oth- ardies within a strong tribal system. They man, 2009). sheltered each other with the basis of coop- In the ancient period, Takaful was prac- eration, which is known as ‘Aqilah’. As, for ticed in the marine trade (Klingmuller, 1969). example, if any tribal members committed The Arabs practiced some methods to indem- any sort of crime like murder, at that time, nify the voyage members of the group to cov- which lead to more deaths and misfortunes er any losses in their business activities. They in tribal groups. These accusations were al- were identified as winter and summer voyag- leviated by paying compensation, known as es (Ibn Khaldun, ‘Al-Muqaddimah’). They blood money. All of the tribal members had paid a proportion of their profits or capital to to contribute to meet the compensation mon- reimburse any losses faced by any of the voy- ey for the victim’s family. Such contributions age members (Khorshid, 2004). were collected to avoid further disputes and At modern period, in 1965, the Congress tribal bloodsheds (Alhabshi, 2009). Even af- of Islamic Research in Cairo discussed the ter the advent of Islam, similar practices of legitimacy of conventional insurance in the ‘Aqilah’ continued due to its benefits. The Islamic country’s perspective. Since then, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) re- Islamic jurists and economists have started inforced ‘Diyah’ or blood money, by which searching for alternatives. In 1979, Sudan

36 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 37 situations and remove the perils and dangers of the participants in the form of mutual of co-operation. Islam encourages taking precautionary steps to reduce the impact of any danger without oppressing other parties. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once no- ticed a bedouin leaving his camel without ty- ing it; he asked the Bedouin, ‘Why do you not tie down your camel?’ The Bedouin replied, ‘I put my trust in Allah.’ The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said, ‘Tie your camel first, then put your trust in Allah’ (At-Tirmi- first announced its Islamic insurance- pol dhi). This shows that people should protect icy., Later in 1985, the Kingdom of Saudi themselves against hostile incidents, and Arabia permitted Islamic insurance in con- prepare for probable future events as well formity with the Islamic guidelines. Malaysia as leave the consequences to the Creator. enacted its first Takaful Act in 1984. Signifi- Similarly, shared responsibility towards the cantly, in Malaysia the benefit of Islamic in- damaged person to overcome hazards, estab- surance also attracted non-Muslims. In 1999, lished from Muslim’s spiritual and tradition- Islamic insurance was introduced in develop- al systems. The Prophet Mohammad (peace ing country Bangladesh. Consequently, Is- be upon him) said, ‘Whosoever removes a lamic insurance has spread out to the other worldly hardship from a believer, Allah will parts of the Islamic world as well. Currently, remove from him one of the hardships of the there are many Islamic insurance operators Hereafter. Whosoever alleviates the need of around the world in Muslim and non-Muslim a needy person, Allah will alleviate his needs countries (Obaidullah, 2005; Sharifuddin and in this world and the next’ (Narrated by Imam others 2016; Kalil 2011; Fadun, 2014). Muslim). The concept of mutual assistance and in- The concept of insurance in Shari’ah per- surance is deeply rooted in another hadith of spective: the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) Islam considers the duty to help to reduce that states, ‘The place of dealings and feel- others’ hardship as religious obligations. As ings of people with faith, between each other, a result, the Quranic texts and Prophetic ha- is just like the body; when one of its parts is diths reflected on the basis of Takaful. Ac- afflicted with pain, then the rest of the body cording to surat Al-Maidah (Verse: 2), “Help will also be affected’ (Narrated by Imam ye one another in righteousness and piety but Bukhari and Imam Muslim). Additionally, help ye not one another in sin and rancor: the perception of righteousness and goodness fear Allah: for Allah is strict in punishment.” lays out in several Islamic texts. In another This verse teaches Muslims to contribute to narration, the Prophet (peace be upon him) good deeds and mutual help. Thus, the aim stated that, ‘Allah the Almighty will always of Takaful is to support each other in adverse help His servant for as long as he helps his

36 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 37 brother in need’ (Narrated by Imam Ahmad Takaful can be considered as a social device and Imam Abu Daud). Therefore, it is appar- to alleviate the uncertain mishaps to a person. ent that the Takaful concept is highly encour- The nature of Takaful business is non-prof- aged in Shari’ah law. The Islamic philosophy it oriented. At this point, the Takaful operator is to take care of each other, work coopera- merely receives a reasonable compensation tively, and think about the deprived. as being an agent for the participants or poli- cyholder besides through a share in returns on Socioeconomic impact of Islamic insurance investment of the collective funds. Conven- The Islamic insurance structure has socio- tional insurance business is owned by share- economic impacts on the majority of mem- holders. Conventional insurance industry is bers of society. As the Islamic monetary sys- established for profit-oriented. Its objective is tem considers not only capital owners, but to make the most of the revenue to sharehold- also takes into account other participants that ers. Islamic insurance is founded on the mo- are connected with transactions. The Islamic tive of social welfare and protection. Neither insurance strategy is to spread the loss over insurer nor insured has the priority in Taka- many other persons who mutually agreed ful protection system. Everyone contributes to cooperate with each other at the unpleas- jointly under a common protection scheme, ant events or time of loss. In fact, the risk which is available for participants. In view of is shared with them by payment of a certain this, we can say that Islamic insurance priori- premium on calculation of loss. If the loss tizes the enhancement of social well-being. is borne by individuals, it may cause severe Besides the institutional method concentrates damage to the particular person. In Islam, on the soundness and stability of the scheme.

38 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 39 In Islamic insurance system, anyone would be able to safeguard from an excessive inter- est based system. To increase the growth of this sector all stakeholders should play a role to develop a financial system truly reflective of the Islamic principles.

Differences between Islamic and conven- tional insurance: Islamic and conventional insurance have a common objective to reduce financial risk tributors purchasing it. The takaful operator when a catastrophe occurs to the contributors. is handling and investing in the contributed But, still there are some major differences in funds on behalf of the participant along with the underlying concepts between both insur- the operator (Fisher and Taylor, 2000). Oppo- ance contracts. sitely, in conventional insurance business of- Islamic insurance or Takaful policy is fers and sells protection to undertake the risk. based on the principles of Shari’ah. Basi- The policyholder or participant accepts and cally, Shari’ah directs Muslims to avoid ha- buys the premium at a fixed sum of money on ram (prohibited) transaction and encourage the happening of uncertain incident within a halal (permitted) transaction in their regular fixed period of time (Spence and Zeckhaus- activities within the business. Alternatively, er,1978). Conventional insurance framework conventional insurance is not formed under is regulated on the risk assumption, even any religious boundaries. though it may pay more or less than the ac- Takaful is centered on the concept of mu- tual rate of the insured property (Ali, 1989). tual cooperation or help. In Takaful system, In Islamic insurance system, participants risk is not transferred from the insured to the mutually pay a sum of money, in order to sup- insurer. Importantly, risk is shared by the par- port each other against catastrophe or uncer- ticipants who are involved a joint guarantee tain mishaps. Conventional insurance targets system under a common pool. The insur- to provide facilities through risk transfer- ance company serves as a manager of a pool ring and material gain on behalf of another. or Takaful operator (Yusof, 1996; Maysami Whereas Takaful established on the percep- and Kwon 1999; Billah, 2003). On the other tion of risk sharing, trusteeship and broth- hand, in conventional insurance, the risk is erhood (Yusof, 1996; Maysami and Kwon, transferred from the policyholder or insured 1999; Billah, 2003). party to the insurance company (Pfeffer, Conventional insurance contains prohibit- 1956). ed elements, which contradict the basic prin- The Islamic insurance contract, normally ciples of Sharia laws (Siddiqi, 1985). Gener- involves the concepts of tabarru, mudaraba, ally, gharar or uncertainty is not allowed under and wakala. In Islamic insurance system, Islamic law. Highly uncertain business trans- risk is not switched by way of contribution actions that can cause any unfairness against payments made to operator. The operator is any of the parties are discouraged in Islam. neither selling the risk handling nor the con- It must be agreed that uncertainty cannot be

38 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 39 entirely avoided in any business; if it is ex- treme uncertainty that should be prohibited (Khan, 2011). It is essential to bring down gharar or uncertainty to acceptable levels un- der Shari’ah law. It is also vital to make con- tributions as conditional donations to reduce the damage suffered by any one of the par- ticipants. In contrast, conventional insurance system contains gharar or uncertainty on the theory of risk taking (El-Gamal, 2000). Un- certainty is mainly related to the occurrence of loss and amount of compensation. or non-interest-based instruments. Profit Maisir or gambling is avoided under Is- is gained through Shari’ah basis financing lamic insurance system (Siddiqui, 2000). (Hachemi and others, 2014). On the other Participants make the contribution in the hand, in conventional insurance, there is spirit of brotherhood and purity. It relieves to no such obligation. Conventional insur- remove the element of gambling. (El-Gamal, ance company made investments in inter- 2000; Billah, 2003). But conventional insur- est-based activities (Alhabshi, 2009). In ance involves maisir or gambling. Maisir or this system, fund investments are mostly in gambling chances are closely related with fixed interest base instruments like bonds, claim level, as the policyholder pays a certain securities, etc. which are not permitted in premium against the certain claim. If the in- Shari’ah law. sured event does not occur, the company en- joys all of the amount paid as premiums and Concluding observation: the insured gets nothing. If the loss or insured Islamic insurance is a justifiable alterna- event does occur, the insurer compensates the tive to conventional insurance for the Mus- client and losses a larger amount than collect- lims throughout the world. Even it is a fast- ing as premium (Khan, 2011). There is al- est growing industry in the Islamic fiscal ways a winner, and a loser in such a contract. market. Takaful made a substantial point in Islamic insurance policyholder would be both, eastern and western world. Islamic in- able to terminate an insurance policy in a surance plays a crucial rule in controlling the manner that is not provided in terms of the funds. Takaful industry’s pooling fund system contract. Importantly, paid premiums are re- is distinctive. It encourages economic growth fundable after deducting the operations costs and development in the whole economy as or administrative fees (Fadun, 2014). On the no one is a winner or loser under this system. other hand, in conventional insurance policy Still, this conventional concept of insurance the premiums may be forfeited on termina- is totally ambiguous and not allowed in Mus- tion of a policy (Billah, 1997). lim society under Shari’ah. Nevertheless, the In Islamic insurance, contract speci- complexity of business contracts and increas- fies how and where the premium would ing growth of Islamic insurance and finance be invested. In Takaful scheme, collected require the improvement of additional stan- funds are normally invested in riba-free dards within the Islamic framework.

40 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 41 Library on horse spreads joy of reading to rural Indonesia

AFTAB HUSAIN KOLA

With the aim of promoting reading habit among stu- dents in rural habitats, a horse library in Indone- sia’s Central Java is making waves. One man and his horse are on a mission to spread wide the joy of read- ing. This mobile library is bringing books and joy to the children, writes.

40 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 41 Children of today prefer the comfort- and new literates in the villages, who look able confines of plush air-conditioned book forward to each visit of the horse library with stores in cities to get a copy of comics, or or- great excitement and enthusiasm. der books on Apps like Kindle Unlimited, Ridwan Sururi, aged 45, with his horse that allows users to read books online. But named Luna, hails from the village of Se- for those living in rural pockets and remote rang, in the Purbalingga region of Java island, settlements, access to libraries is virtually cocooned on the edge of one of Indonesia’s ruled out. Thus were born the mobile librar- most active volcanoes, Mount Slamet. ies where a vehicle loaded with books used It is a fact that for all those interested to travel to such places where adults and in reading books but cannot afford to buy children could entertain and educate them- books or even access them, such a mobile li- selves by books. Even bullock carts have brary is Godsend. Stocked with select titles been used for mobile libraries. In Indone- on various topics, the horse library covers sia’s central Java region, a unique concept the many tiny villages dotting the region. of horse library is making waves. Kuda Children turn out in good numbers when Pustaka (Horse Library), the project initi- they sight the horse. Joys writ large on their ated by 43-year-old Ridwan Sururi, and his faces when Ridwan approaches them with friend Nirwan Arsuka, caters to the children new comics and books. According to Unesco

42 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 43 there are more than 977,000 illiterate adults gested they need to help the society in some in central Java, Ridwan’s region. An elderly way or the other. Both being horse enthu- person impressed by the horse library said siasts and committed workers, the idea of that the mobile library is an eye-opener horse library was the best option they could for us and especially children and house- think of. Horse was borrowed since they wives who thought reading was dying and knew the horse owners. But then what about the new generation is not interested in read- books? Arsuka was quick to donate 136 ing. children’s books to begin with and later gave Ridwan travels from one village to an- more and more books and comics. With the other with books stacked in boxes balanced news of horse library going viral on social on horse Luna’s back. He visits schools three media platforms and getting wide coverage times a week - every Tuesday, Wednesday, in international media many came forward and Thursday. Mostly he goes alone but oc- to donate books. As a result, there is no casionally brings along his daughter, Indri- dearth of books and the collection has grown ani Fatmawati. It is just a free service and no to around 5,000. Ridwan has opened a li- charge is taken for borrowing books. brary in his house from where he organizes It was Nirwan Arsuka, a fellow horse the village trips. But as Ridwan widens his enthusiast and friend of Ridwan who sug- reach, more books are but required.

42 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 43 A typical scene at Serang in the Purbal- learning centers, and farms. ingga region on the island of Java is one full Being a horse caretaker, Ridwan has of excitement. As the white mare Luna is been taking care of the horses for a long spotted with Ridwan in tow, children from time in his home village of Serang. So, up- classes spill out to surround the horse library keeping the horses is not a big issue. to borrow the books or comics. The horse it- It was hand-to-mouth existence for Rid- self is a point of attraction for the kids. Says wan and his family as salary was hardly Ridwan, “Their happiness gives me inner enough to meet his and family’s expens- peace. It is our wish that they have access to es. From taking care of the horses, Ridwan these books. Their smiles prove it.” was permitted by the horse owner to rent the The project Kuda Pustaka (Horse Li- horses to tourists who visited the strawberry brary) is now talk of the town. Ridwan, who farms on Saturdays and Sundays. It was a started this mobile library in 2014, lives with little extra income for him. his family in the remote village at the foot of Ridwan is committed to continue the Mount Slamet. horse library notwithstanding his financial From Tuesday to Thursday, Ridwan situation. Talking to media, he pours out his makes use of one of the seven horses en- feelings, “I am very passionate about run- trusted to him to travel and serve as a mo- ning the library. My financial position does bile library. In about four hours Ridwan not permit to donate to the project but I will visits not just schools but also places where give my time and energy for a cause which is the habitat has sufficient population, Quran dear to me and my friend. Children’s smiles

44 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 45 after getting the books are enough for me to ed to their doors, so they should be more en- move forward.” thusiastic. But these kids in remote villages He added, “Books stimulate kids’ imagi- will have to depend on mobile libraries for nation, curiosity and creativity, thereby edu- additional books.” cating them and enriching their lives. Books “Students of my school have been ben- help them in augmenting their academic efited in many ways by Ridwan’s horse li- skills and so I feel horse library is the best brary. The collection of books is quite good. contribution from our side for educating our In fact, kids have started taking more inter- children.” est in reading,” says one of the school head Ridwan initially encountered many prob- of a village in the Region. lems in finding books of children’s interest Ridwan is now delighted to observe the but now everything is in place though more change in his surroundings. He has a book- books are required. He also has books on shelf in one of the Region’s famous tourist subjects of interest to adults and housewives, spot. “Tourists picking up the books from my like on farming, history, etc. Being a junior shelf make me happy,” said Ridwan, refer- high school graduate with a Paket C certifi- ring to tourists who read his books. cate equivalent to a high school diploma Inspired by Ridwan’s concept, the Kuda in Indonesia, Ridwan’s commitment is un- Pustaka project has now been replicated in flinching. He avers, “When we studied, it a place called Rangkasbitung, Banten, West was hard to find books. Now everything is Java. Clearly, reading books movement is easier for them, the books are even transport- on. In letter and spirit.

44 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 45 Religious coexistence in Islamic countries .. act confirmed by reality

Jeddah – Alwaleed Jaafer Elias

The Christian Science Monitor has highlighted the real- ity of Arab and Muslim communities with a unique reli- gious coexistence that resists all forms of intolerance and hatred.

46 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 47 “The streets of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, are packed every Sunday with scenes of Indian wom- en dressed in saris as they prepare to en- ter the Catholic Church, while a number of Ugandans and Nigerians are admitted to the same church,” the newspaper said in a report prepared by its journalist, Tay- lor Luck, adding that a number of Arabs and Maronites, including Coptic families from Egypt and Sudan, gather in front of the neighboring Coptic Church; some of the British to the Anglican Church. These people of different religions and cultures. scenes are not at an international festival, UAE leaders describe their country as a but reflect an image on Sunday in Abu leader in interfaith dialogue, declaring this Dhabi. “ year a “year of tolerance”, most notably the visit of Pope Francis, Pope of the Roman The report adds that due to the arrival Catholic Church to Abu Dhabi in February. of immigrants from all over the world, the With the emergence of their country as a UAE has become an attractive place for leading force in the region, UAE leaders

46 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 47 are committed to maintaining a friendly lished St. Joseph’s School, the first private and tolerant image of Muslims and follow- school in Abu Dhabi, and a year later, the ers of other religions. St. Mary’s High School in Dubai. To date, The relationship of the UAE with the these two schools have a great deal of com- followers of other religions dates back to munication with citizens. “The government the pre-unification of the state in its mod- and the people respect the Christians and ern form. Christian workers, Hindus and appreciate their efforts in the development Sikhs had a foothold in the country before of the country after they have proven them- the advent of oil, and with the beginning selves to be confident,” says Pastor Gandalf of the renaissance increased the number of Wilde. these workers, engineers and administra- Now there are more than 40 churches tors. In 1960, Christian doctors established and dozens of chapels shared by Christian Al Waha Hospital in Al Ain. Doctors at the denominations, as well as the great Sikh hospital provided significant medical -ser temple, a Buddhist temple, and two Hindu vices and revolutionized newborn health- temples. Many Jewish prayer groups meet care, reducing their mortality rate from in rented spaces. These groups coexist nat- 50% to 5% within a few years. urally with Muslims who attend mosques In 1967, the Catholic Church estab- for their prayers.

48 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 49 “We come from all over the world and keep them in this way. speak different languages, but we are all Human rights monitors say that reli- united in our love for this country that re- gious freedoms for non-Muslims in the spects our religions,” said Lawrence, a UAE are well-respected. The law prohibits Christian student. discrimination on the basis of religion, and In one of Dubai’s buildings near the sea, the government does not require religious coexistence is evident, with Hindus praying groups to register. on the second floor. On the third floor, the In 2017, with the aim of fostering inter- Sikhs perform their rituals after covering faith communication, the UAE created the their heads. A small kitchen connects the world’s first ‘Ministry of Tolerance’ led by two temples where the Sikhs serve small Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, a member of meals for everyone, Hindus, Sikhs and visi- the ruling family, after Shakhboot Al Na- tors as well. hyan, donated a piece of land for the first The strict separation of worship and church when he was ruler of Abu Dhabi politics has created harmonious relations more than half a century. “We have a his- not only between the state and religious tory of religious coexistence and respect for leaders, but also between the various reli- the other, and we treat it as one of the prin- gious groups whose leaders are happy to ciples of Islam. We are working to protect

48 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 49 future generations from intolerance,” said Sheikh Nahyan.

Jews in Morocco In a similar report, the newspaper says that after decades of economic migration and geopolitical tensions that have reduced Jewish communities in North Africa from hundreds of thousands to a few thousand people, hope began in Morocco and Tunisia, where Jews retain many of the characteris- tics of their societies, as well as the unique model in the area. Muslims and Jews living side by side, in perfect harmony, each one of them performs his religious rites with the utmost freedom. Even at a time of glob- al polarization, Moroccans and Tunisians have proven that historical ties bind Jews and Muslims, and that their common past paves the way for a better future. The Jews came to Morocco, Tunisia and modern Al- geria about two thousand years ago. In Morocco, a country where Muslims make up 99% of its population, Hebrew culture characterizes many cities. There are a number of streets with expressive He- brew names, historical temples, districts, and many Jewish products. Moroccans are quick to tell you that this is not only a Jew- ish heritage, but a Moroccan heritage. “Here we have Jewish life from birth to grave,” says Moroccan anthropologist and curator of the Casablanca Museum of Mo- roccan Judaism, Zohour Rahil. “Morocco did not sever its relations with the diaspora even during the Israeli-Arab wars, because they were part of us, and when they left, for us Moroccans, it was as if part of us had left,” he said. King Mohammed VI encourages the return of Jews who have left the country

50 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 51 this is the truth, not just slogans or dreams, it is a daily life for us, and this is a model we need to keep for the world “ says Serge Perdugo, secretary general of the Council of Jewish Communities. From his office on the 13th floor, which overlooks downtown Casablanca and the King Hassan II Mosque, Berdougou, 80, works tirelessly to highlight and preserve Moroccan Jewish heritage.

History of the Jews in Tunisia In Tunisia, the history of Jewish existence goes back many years, with what is be- lieved to be the oldest synagogue in Af- rica. While the island of Djerba occupies a special place for tourists, Jews are a big part of Tunisia’s pulse and its lifeline. “An- dalusia was a model of harmony between followers of religions and coexistence that we can still learn from today. When Euro- peans occupied southern Spain, Jews and Muslims fled together to North Africa and formed their own neighborhoods with an Andalusian character in towns and villages and welcomes tourists from anywhere, as in Morocco and Tunisia “.says Dean of the well as funding for the preservation of 162 University of Tunis, an expert on religious ancient Jewish cemeteries and numerous minorities, historian Habib Kadagli. synagogues throughout the country. Under Kadagli points out that Arab national- Moroccan law, anyone with Moroccan Jew- ism and wide anger that accompanied the ish origin can claim citizenship. The consti- wars with Israel provoked a spate of van- tution states that Morocco is a “sovereign dalism against Jewish property and shops Islamic state whose unity is fed by its Afri- in Tunisia, before coexistence between the can, Andalusian, Jewish and Mediterranean two sides again. components.” “There are bigger issues than the Jewish Casablanca has four Hebrew schools, 15 community and the Israel issue,” says Mr. synagogues, and rabbinical judges. “Visit- Finnish, a famous shopkeeper. “We left the ing Arabs and Israelis see the atmosphere troublemakers behind, and now we all live on the streets, Jewish and Muslim families in a new Tunisia together.” Finish as every- living together in the same apartment build- one watched the swearing-in ceremony of ing, and it is hard for them to believe it, but the newly elected president, Qais Saeed.

50 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 51 Mother Schools .. Soft Power fights terrorism from homes

Nizar Abdulbagi

The Christian Science Monitor described the efforts of Ms. Ed Schlaffer to enable mothers to immunize their children against extremist ideas as an exceptional act, noting that what she is doing is part of what has become known as the “intellectual security” that all countries are keen to achieve. The newspaper added that the fight against terrorism is not only by means of security or military confrontations, but by immunizing young people from falling into the trap of terrorist gangs that recruit them, through chanting lies and attempts to exploit religious emotions.

52 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 53 The newspaper said that Schlafer was Remarkable Success happy when 60 mothers in southern Ger- Before the ceremony, Ms. Schlafer real- many received diplomas from the mother ized that her tireless efforts to bring mothers school, which she created to educate moth- to the forefront of the fight against terrorism ers, added that Minister of Social Affairs in were paying off. For women whose lives the southern German province of Bavaria were on the sidelines and did not receive was keen to attend the ceremony. She point- formal education, the graduation ceremony ed out that Schlaffer began teaching her own was an extraordinary moment in their lives. curriculum in mother schools nine years ago, “Our success has been a clear sign that so- and the beginning in Tajikistan for women ciety always views mothers as an important who were concerned about the recruitment element, that needs trust and support. They of extremists to their children. The program are our security makers, because they are has since become a global movement aimed closer to children who may be at risk,” says at fighting extremism, not by soldiers, but by Schlafer, an Austrian citizen. mothers. Some 3,000 women in 16 countries, Now, Germany has the first group of from Tanzania to Bangladesh to European graduates, women with roots in Syria and countries including Austria and Belgium, Algeria. They learned not only to detect and benefited from the mother school. UNES- respond to early signs of extremism appro- CO has awarded the “Best Model of Prac- priately, but also how to better communi- tice” award and has been honored by the cate with their children. When she met these European Union’s Network on Extremism women she noticed that they were ashamed Awareness about three years ago. “Ms. of sitting down, looking at the floor, but on Schlafler has made an important achieve- graduation day their heads were high and ment to get the mothers out of their isola- proud, as the state’s top politicians attended. tion and to have their children look at them

52 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 53 very much,” Emilia Müller, Bavaria’s In 2001, she founded the non-profit -or Minister of Labor, Social Affairs, Family ganization “Women Without Borders”. It and Integration, said at the graduation cer- aims to empower women to become agents emony. of change in their communities. The start was by allocating a hotline for women vic- Early Attention tims of extremism in Yemen, and organizing The newspaper goes back to the beginning recreational activities for women who were of Schlafer’s interest in women’s issues, says victims of the genocide in Rwanda. She later that began in the sixties of the last century, founded “Sisters Against Violent Extrem- where she was a student in sociology. After ism”, the world’s first women’s counterter- graduating as a lecturer and researcher at the rorism platform. university, she traveled to several countries and documented women’s experiences. She Fear and Isolation says her perception of violence and brutal- “In 2010, I was visiting Tajikistan for a ity against refugee women and their children research assignment,” Schlafler was quoted prompted her to be active. as saying. As I talked to some women, I

54 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 55 started thinking in my head the idea of moth- wounded five people in the southern Ba- er schools when some mothers indicated that varian city of Würzburg, in July 2017, it their children were leaving school, joining signaled that terrorism exists not only in extremists and cutting off contact with them. Muslim countries, but also communities They were afraid and isolated, but they were in Western countries that need awareness, enthusiastic to regain influence over their and that refugee and migrant children also children, but they were powerless and unsure need intensive attention. Schlafler says she how to do it. The idea jumped into my head was disturbed by the actions of the French when one mother told me: “I know what we government in that period, which merely need. We need to go back to school. At that punished the offenders and deported them moment the idea of mother schools was born to their countries, deepening the gap be- in my head.” Mothers are on the front line tween national security officials and civil against terrorism. We must provide them not society. only with confidence, but also with the right “The long experience has taught me that tools and techniques to better interact with security or political measures are not capa- their children. “ ble of fighting extremism, and that the fam- ily can play a more positive role. So leav- Exceptional Moment ing them alone to confront extremist ideas When an Afghan refugee child, just remains untrue and is like playing with time 17 years old, launched an ax attack and bombs.”

54 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 55 Strengthen Confidence gion are now seen as an important source After that, Schlafer began to establish of information, assistance for change, and mother schools in a number of European support.” countries. In London, for example, she worked with an immigrant from Bangladesh. Entertainment Activities In Austria, which ranks second in the Eu- Recently, about 15 mothers in the town ropean Union, after Belgium, in terms of the of Mettelsberg, near Würzburg, met at the presence of ISIS extremists, Schleffer used mother school and attend classes one day a Chechen immigrant, Minat Kurbanova, to week for 10 weeks, and this was instrumen- enter the world of Chechen immigrants in tal in enhancing mothers’ self-confidence, Vienna teaching them how to observe children’s “Unfortunately, many women are un- psychological development, and monitoring aware of their enormous potential, and with their use of the Internet identify changes that mother schools, they get a chance to think suggest their outreach to extremist groups. about what they can do in a reliable and pro- “Activities in the mother school are not tected environment,” Corianova said. limited to serious lectures. There are recre- In Germany, the Bavarian government ational activities. It’s not just about fighting took an important step by asking Ms. extremism. We start from being all mothers. Schleffer to set up a branch of the Mother Our language is the language of mothers”. School, as a measure to prevent violence said Bushra Mishri, a translator and member and hate in the state. “Mothers in this re- of the school team.

56 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 57 Never Give Up There was an emotional moment at school, when Yezidi’s mother admitted that although ISIS killed her husband in her native Iraq, set fire to her village, and took women as sex slaves, she realized that most Muslims did not support the organization and were not extremists. Shaden, who asked to use her first name only for safety reasons, says her origins orig- inate in Syria and that she fled to Germany with three children under the age of 14.After graduating from the mother school, she con- firmed her determination to better protect her children. In total, the Mother School in Germany contributed to the graduation of 200 wom- en, including some whose children trav- eled to Syria’s fighting areas, but came to the mother school because they refused to surrender.

56 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 57 APPLICATION OF SHOURA TO SUSTAIN DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA

BY DR. BUSARI, K.K.

This article elucidates mutual consultation (Shoura) as contained in the Qur’an and how it can be applied in order to sustain democracy in Nigeria. It discusses reasons for mutual consultation (Shoura) and the qualities of the one who would be engaged in consultation. It concludes that sincerity, piety and readiness to involve people in the process will make people have confidence in our political leaders and guarantee a sustainable democracy.

58 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 59 Principle of Consultation – Islamic Per- of poetry of the Arabs but not a poetical spective book. The Arabs are challenged in several It is by a special mercy of Allah that you places on the pages of the Qur’an to pro- (Muhammad) deal softly with them (your duce a book like the Qur’an but they are followers). And had you been severe and unable to do so due to the inimitability of harsh-hearted, they would have dispersed the Qur’an. Its inimitability manifests it- from you. So, pardon them and ask for- self in the ability of the Book to have and giveness (of Allah) for them and consult address all the issues that need to do with with them upon the conduct of affairs. And economic, social and political lives of the when you are resolved, then put your trust humankind and its ability to stand the chal- in Allah. Surely, Allah loves those who lenges of the time. Among the issues ad- put their trust (in Him). (Surat Al-Imran, dressed by the Qur’an is democracy and Verse: 159) how it can be practiced effectively. To this effect, a whole chapter of the Qur’an is ti- The Qur’an is the first source of the tled Surat Al-Shoura (The Chapter of Mu- Islamic law. It was revealed to Prophet tual Consultation). Muhammad (Peace be upon him) in Ara- The Arabic word used in this Qur’anic bic Language. It was also on the pattern passage for consultation is ‘Al-Shoura’.

58 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 59 Baalbaki (1996) gives the literary mean- into Makkah to perform the rites of lesser ings of ‘Al-Shoura’ among other things as hajj (Uumrah). ‘consultation’; ‘deliberation’; ‘opinion’, Ahmed (1988) enumerates reasons etc. ‘Al-Shoura’ can, therefore, be defined why Al-Shoura is necessary thus: as a principle with which democracy is put i. It is very unfair to single-heartedly in place in a way of discussing certain is- decide on matters concerning two or more sues with people before making a decision people. After mutual consultation, nobody about that issue. has the right to make a unilateral decision. Though, the Prophet Muhammad ii. If a man acts autocratically or arbi- (peace be upon him) was not elected to trarily, he does so either to usurp the rights the prophethood, he demonstrated his of others or considers himself superior to commitments to the rules of mutual con- others. From moral point of view, this at- sultations on the issues that affect lives, titude is reprehensible. especially where the Qur’an is silent. For iii. It is a great responsibility to take instance, Gawash (1973) narrated how the decisions on matters affecting the rights Prophet consulted with his companions and interests of others, such people must during the treaty of Hudaybiyyah, when he also be a party to that decision making pro- and his companions were denied the entry cess. One who is conscious of Allah and

60 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 61 His inevitable judgment will not take such designed to guarantee the minority in the decision alone; he has to consult people. enjoyment of certain individual or collec- People to be Consulted tive rights, such as freedom of speech and There should be certain qualities to be religion, etc. (Shittu, 1979). possessed by the people who are to be Since 1966 when the military staged the consulted with. Shittu (2003), quoting first coup in Nigeria, there have been six Olagunju (2003) highlights some of these successful coups and many other abortive qualities. ones. Whenever there was a change in the Piety: This is very significant since Is- governance of the country by the means of lam strongly recognized the degree of military coup, the army would claim that piety. It will determine the kind of trust they had intervened so as to take a correc- which can be given to the person. tive measure. Based on this, people usu- Good Character: The behavioral aspect ally welcomed them. But unfortunately, of life is considered very paramount and when they settled there, what they termed it is pertinent to qualities of each mem- to be ‘corrective’ measure would turn to be ber. Good habit with all and sundry of the ‘destructive’ measure. same community and out-side the society Nigerians are already fed up with the is highly recommended by Islam. military intervention in the governance of Knowledge: A person of lower intelli- the country, so any attempt by any military gence is not recommended but those that junta this time around will be definitely possess wide knowledge are qualified to resisted. Nevertheless, the behaviors and be consulted. utterances of our politicians in the recent Trust: Honesty and sincerity are ele- time show that they only pay lip-service to ments which are regarded very imperative. the stability of democracy in the country. Maturity: Certainly, an immature per- They rig the election, attack physically or son even with all the previous qualities is send assassins to one another. absolutely disqualified until the person be- Transition from a civilian administra- comes mature. tion to another one has already taken place Experience: Islam does not play with successfully and peacefully to some extent experience. It is the best teacher, and one through general election. Yet, our politi- cannot buy it or learn it literally, but can be cians have not learned to be good losers. achieved only through many experiments. Some of them went so far as to call for Democracy and Military Rules in mass disobedience as well as cancellation Nigeria of the election results. The reason for this Democracy is simply defined as the is just the mere fact that their intention to government of the people, by the people, be in government is to satisfy their pocket for the people. However, there are many rather than satisfy their people. types of democracy, but the one that is fa- Application of the Verse for Sustenance miliar to us in this country is the ‘constitu- of Democracy in Nigeria tional’ or ‘liberal’ democracy, whereby the To make democracy sustainable in Nige- powers of the majority are exercised with- ria, there is the need for our leaders, espe- in a frame work of constitutional restraints cially the politicians to apply the contents

60 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 61 of the verse which are as follows: nance when the rulers are harsh-hearted 1. Mutual Consultation and fail to make them taste the dividends This is very important as far as sustain- of democracy. ability of democracy is concerned. Con- 4. Trust in Allah and asking for His sultation is the essence of democracy. The guidance Qur’an (Surat Al-Baqarah, Verses: 30-32) Since leadership, according to Islamic tells us that when Allah intended to create tenets, is not that of a sovereign, but that of our father Adam, He consulted with the a vicegerent. This means that powers are angels. This emphasizes that consultation not vested in any one individual, family or is very important in any society. group of people, but in the whole commu- 2. Asking for Allah’s Forgiveness for nity. In fact, there are many verses of the the People Qur’an that specifically mention Allah as This indicates that a leader should not the Sovereign and for instance, Surat Al- be selfish. His asking for Allah’s forgive- Imran, Verse: 26 reads thus: ness for them means that he thinks always Say: O’ Allah, Owner of Sovereign- of them and how life will become abun- ty! You give sovereignty to whom You dant for them. will, and You withdraw sovereignty from 3. Kindness Whom You will… As can be seen in the verse under study, a tyrannous leader only scare people away It is only a pious leader who will put his from his side. So, in order to make democ- trust in Allah, knowing that with the trust racy sustainable in this country, our lead- in Allah, a leader will succeed. ers should be lenient and soft. The Prophet 5. Forgiveness used to say to his people that he had only A leaders should be ready to forgive all been sent as a mercy to the world. The the time. A Yoruba adage states: “Bi a ko ba masses only think of a change in gover- gbagbe oro ana, a ki i ri enikan a a ba sere”.

62 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 63 Meaning: ‘If one does not forget past offend- in the Journal of Arts and Social Studies ing issue, one would hardly find anyone to (JASS), F.C.E. Abeokuta. live with’. This indicates that for our democ- Al-Sabuni, A. (1975). Al-tibyan Fi cu- racy to be stable and sustainable we have to lum Al-Qur’an. Syria: Matbac at Al-thaqa- forgive one another. fah. Conclusion Ghawash, A.A. (1973). The Religion In this article, we have been able to dis- of Islam, Vol. 1. Doha: Modern Printing cuss ‘mutual consultation’ as contained in Press. Surat Al-Imran, Verse: 159 and how it can Shittu, H. (2003). “Shoura Consultation be practiced effectively. Finally, one will see in Islam: The Best Principle to the Suste- that consultation is the essence of democ- nance of Democracy in Nigeria”. Paper racy. If our leaders are God-fearing, sincere presented at the 1st Annual Conference of and ready to carry us along in their delibera- National Association for the Promotion of tions and policymaking, everyone will have Studies in Religions, Education and lan- confidence in them and thus our democracy guages (NAPSRED). will become stable and sustainable. Shittu, R.A. (1979). Islamic Ideology: References Path to Democratic Socialism in Nige- Adegbehin, A. (2000). The Military and ria. Shaki: Arowojeka Publishing Co. the Nigerian Foreign Policy: 1996 – 1997 The Holy Qur’an.

62 lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l lRabi-1 1441/November 2019 l 63 The Right We Unknowingly Confiscate

By Reem Al-Saeedy since birth. Without a doubt, such education will If the Arabic language is “the language be disconnected from child’s feelings of the heart” for its speakers, a genera- and emotions regardless of its advance- tion who is aware of the importance of ment. In other words, child will not be their mother tongue language will defi- able to reach language proficiency of nitely emerge. the mother language and process his/her The importance of the mother language thoughts which are working like an en- here is relevant to strengthening the gine for feelings, because language is religious ideology; feeling of pride re- like a bowl of thought, so to speak. garding identity, heritage, and culture; It is not a secret to most of us that the as well as self-confidence. Australian presence of the emotional factors in the rights activist Noel Pearson states that educational process is essential as it en- the mother language is the language sures information not only be commu- that connects persons to their selves, nicated easily and practically but also emotions, and identity – he justifies it has a significant influence and effect saying that a mother language is the that does not go away even if not pres- language they hear while inside their ent within the short-term memory. mother’s womb. It is the language that Therefore, it is primarily the responsi- helped form their emotions and feelings bility of the parents. The parents should at that stage. make sure that their children respect This brings us to reflect on the status their mother language since their early of the Arabic language. For instance, family planning stages, given that the if a child is born into existence to this right of language is a basic right for mother language, the Arabic language, children just like the rights of care, and was exposed to foreign languages breastfeeding, education and all other through basic education, how will this rights. This is important so that they do education influence or affect the child’s not unknowingly confiscate their chil- heart, mind, and soul? Given that there dren’s rights. will be an exception for children who Let us raise civilised, balanced, intel- grow up to more than one language lectual, and informed children.

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