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ENGLISH MONTHLY ISSUE 99 MARCH 2021 SPIRIT OF ISLAM Towards Global Peace & Spiritual Living Published & owned by: Fathima Sarah, 002, HM Wimberly, 6 Berlie Street Cross The best partnership between a man and Langford Town, Bengaluru - 560025 | RNI No: KARENG/2012/46265 his wife is Intellectual partnership. A MAGAZINE FOR THE JOURNEY OF LIFE Spirit of Islam monthly… 4 Presents Islam, the religion of nature, in the contemporary idiom to help Muslims rediscover Islam from the original sources 4 Explains Creation plan of God for humankind 4 Enlightens people on the subject of global peace 4 Addresses contemporary issues 4 Assists the readers to deal with life’s challenges 4 Offers Spirituality to a wider circle of spiritual Khadija’s life is a source of great inspiration to seekers believers, especially women. She is an excellent example of how one can give to the cause of 4 Fosters greater communal harmony through Islam one’s time, energy, wealth and life. religious understanding United in prayers For more information visit: SOI Editorial Committee www.goodwordbooks.com SPIRIT OF ISLAM Towards Global Peace & Spiritual Living ISSUE 99 MARCH 2021 CHIEF EDITOR MAULANA WAHIDUDDIN KHAN www.facebook.com/maulanawkhan EDITORIAL DIRECTOR PROF. FARIDA KHANAM EDITORIAL COMMITTEE DR. NAGHMA SIDDIQI DR. MARIA KHAN PROF. ZAHEERUDDIN MOHAMMAD USMAN PUBLISHER FATHIMA SARAH OFFICE SPIRIT OF ISLAM 002, HM WIMBERLY, 6, BERLIE STREET CROSS LANGFORD TOWN, BENGALURU 560025, INDIA ACCESS ONLINE AT www.spiritofislam.co.in FOR LATEST UPDATES https://www.facebook.com/spiritofislamnew/ https://instagram.com/soimagazinenew https://twitter.com/spiritofislamnw CPS INTERNATIONAL www.cpsglobal.org www.cpsquran.com 3 CONTENTS < FROM MAULANA’S DESK 5 < FROM THE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR 8 < THE SPIRITUAL ROLE OF WOMEN 11 < AN INTERVIEW WITH PROF. FARIDA KHANAM 16 < FROM THE SPIRITUAL TREE 30 < THE ART OF THINKING 32 < A LIFE DEDICATED TO PEACE & SPIRITUALITY 37 < THE STORY OF KHADIJA 39 < MOTHERS OF THE BELIEVERS 42 < THE WORD OF GOD 46 < ASK MAULANA 48 4 FROM MAULANA’S DESK Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, born in 1925, in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, is an Islamic spiritual scholar who is well-versed in both classical Islamic learning and modern disciplines. The mission of his life has been the establishment of worldwide peace. He has received the Padma Vibhushan, the Demiurgus Peace International Award and Sayyidina Imam Al Hassan Peace award for promoting peace in Muslim societies. He has been called ’Islam’s spiritual ambassador to the world’ and is recognized as one of its most influential Muslims1. His books have been translated into sixteen languages and are part of university curricula in six countries. He is the founder of the Centre for Peace and Spirituality based in New Delhi. DECONDITIONING THE MIND O man is an island entire of itself. Every man is born in a particular society, and it is this society that creates the mindset Nof an individual. We imbibe the effects of our surroundings and the prevailing culture. Every person is a product of the environment or society they live in. These societal effects that are cultivated in one’s mind are referred to as the conditioning of the mind. Everyone possesses a mind that is conditioned in some way or the other, and this is the biggest issue we face. It is this conditioning that is responsible for turning us away from our original pure nature. In this respect, everyone is a sure case of a conditioned mind. It is very important that this unnatural effect is eliminated; which means the conditioned mind must be deconditioned. Hence, it becomes imperative that each one of us decondition ourselves and bring ourselves back on to our pure original nature. This process of deconditioning of the mind can also be called as the re-engineering of the mind. 1. The World’s 500 Most Influential Muslims 2020, Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, Jordan. 5 In society, various activities are undertaken with the aim of purification of the mind. Despite diverse activities, this goal is far from being realized. This is because all these activities are attempted without first deconditioning the mind. It is as if everyone is on a journey which has yet to commence. It is only after deconditioning the mind that one can have a truly well-prepared mind. Without such a well-prepared mind, one will be unable to accept anything with an open mind, and will, instead, understand things based on preconceived notions. We are all born in a pure natural state. Due Deconditioning of to the conditioning we receive from society and family, our nature is influenced. This the mind can only be conditioning is like a series of coverings over done by one process our true nature, similar to the peels of an alone, and that is onion. Deconditioning is a process that can introspection. This be symbolically explained as a removal of is a continuous, these layers, one by one, until the true, pure merciless nature is uncovered. In this respect an onion examination of our is a material example of the deconditioning own selves in order process. to improve. All efforts to purify the mind are unproductive until and unless a deconditioning of the mind is first undertaken. And the biggest thing that requires deconditioning is the total elimination of negative thinking. Tazkiya is the Islamic name for this process of deconditioning and purification of the mind, which has to be undertaken continuously, till the end of one’s life. The Process of Deconditioning Deconditioning of the mind can only be done by one process alone, and that is introspection. This is a continuous, merciless examination of our own selves in order to improve. This improvement can come in two ways. One is to accept the harsh criticism of others by acknowledging their external ‘hammering’ with an open mind. Without being offended, one should take on board harsh criticism from others, and, after an objective analysis, carry out a complete re-assessment of oneself. The other method of deconditioning can be called ‘self-hammering’. This is to look at ourselves with a critical eye, to evaluate ourselves day and night; to perceive every mistake with severity and then introspect by mercilessly ‘hammering’ ourselves without giving ourselves any concession in any matter. Instead of accusing others, we should carry out an objective analysis of ourselves and find our faults. 6 These are the only two possible ways of deconditioning. Either one accepts the ‘hammering’ of others or one becomes one’s own worst critic by ‘self-hammering’. The one who likes to hear good things about himself from others and makes excuses to himself for his mistakes will always remain a conditioned person and will never be able to decondition or purify his mind. o Maulana Wahiduddin Khan [email protected] Follow Maulana at http://www.speakingtree.in (The Times of India) Islam enjoins the weaker person to be patient and exhorts the stronger person to tread the path of justice and fair play. 7 FROM THE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Prof. Farida Khanam is an author, editor, translator, public speaker and former professor of Islamic Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. Among her books are ‘A Simple Guide to Sufism’ and ‘A Study of World’s Major Religions’. She has translated into English many books authored by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Currently the chairperson of CPS International, she is a regular contributor of articles to various publications. Prof. Khanam has edited Maulana’s English translation of the Quran and has also translated his Urdu commentary of the Quran into English. ISLAMIC CONCEPT OF GENDER EQUALITY EN Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus is a book written by American author and relationship counselor John Gray. MThe book states that there are fundamental psychological differences between the two sexes. Not taking into account these differences creates problems and friction in relationships, families, and society at large. In an article published in Time magazine, November 18, 2019, p. 21, biological differences among men and women are attributed to be a factor in women being more susceptible to lung cancer, at least in theory: "Research shows that the type of lung cancer most common among nonsmokers disproportionately affects women, and young women are more likely to have a gene mutation often found in the tumors of nonsmokers. Quirks of female sex hormones or women’s immune systems could be responsible (…). (…) something about female biology could make women more susceptible than men to genetic mutations caused by carcinogens in cigarettes. If so, a higher percentage of women who pick up the habit could develop cancer, relative to men." Thus, the biological and psychological differences between men and women are a scientific reality. Any attempt to formally guide human beings regarding their role and status in society must necessarily take into account these differences. The Quran calls Islam a religion of nature. This is because Islam is, in fact, based on the laws of nature. The commands of the Quran are a direct expression of those laws which have operated in the world of nature since its creation. 8 The teachings of Islam regarding women are based on the same laws of nature. Accepting them is not akin to the acceptance of general human laws, where both acceptance and refusal are possible. The rejection of Islamic teachings as regards women is a rejection of the laws of nature, and by doing so, man can never successfully construct his life in the present world. Study of the Quran and Hadith informs us that one of the laws of nature is that all the things in the world have been created in the form of pairs.