THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST

Vol. XX No. 1 January, 2018

Post Box No. 93, Nadwatul Ulama Tagore Marg, Lucknow – 226 007

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The Fragrance of East

Malice a Serious Evil Founder: S. Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi Syed Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi (RAH) The view of life arising from prophetic teachings has equity and moderation as Patron: its two immutable bases. Speaking of the right-guided persons, the Qur’an says: S.M. Rabey Hasani Nadwi “And those who, when they spend, are neither prodigal nor grudging; and there is ever a firm station between the two.” Advisory Board : (AI-Furqan : 67) Again, the dominant characteristic of S. M. Wazeh Rasheed Nadwi the followers of the Qur’an is stated to be their remarkable moderation: Shah Ebadur Rahman “Thus we have appointed you a middle Mohd. Hamza Hasani Nadwi nation, that ye may be a witness against mankind, and that the messenger Shamsul Haque Nadwi may be a witness against you.” (AI- Baqarah: 143) The Prophet himself afforded an Editor: illustrious example of complete and ennobling moderation. The distinguishing Shariq Alavi feature of Islam too, described as “the straigth path” and “a right religion”, is natural temperance and moderation and Asstt. Editor: refraining from the aberrations of excess and extremism. Addressing the Prophet Obaidur Rahman Nadwi of Islam, says. God Almighty : “Say: Lo! As for me, my Lord hath guided me unto a straight path, a right religion, the community of Abraham, the upright, who was no idolater.” (AI-Anam: 162) n

[ 2 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018

CONTENTS

1- Preserving Islam for Future - S. Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi 7

Generations

2- Comparision Between the Wars - S.M. Rabey Hasani Nadwi 11

Fought By Muslims And Non-Muslims

3- Western Wars - Nafeez Ahmad 17

4- The Messenger Of Peace - S. M. Wazeh Rasheed Nadwi 21

5- Islamic View on Education - S. Rahman Al-Azami Al-Nadwi 23

6- Reflections On Iqbal’s Mosque - Barbara D. Metcalf 25

7- Women’s Role in Islam of the Past - Muhammad Akram Nadwi 29

8- Palestine In Islam - Mohsen Mohammad Saleh 32

9- Palestine Issue Warms Up - Obaidur Rahman Nadwi 34

10- Do Not Criminalise Triple Talaq - Abhishek Singhvi 37

11- AIMPLB Opposes Triple Talaq Bill 39

[ 3 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 Wisdom of Qur’an Pearls From the “Tell them: ‘Call upon those whom you fancy Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) to be [your helpers] beside Him! They have It is reported on the authority of Ibn Abbas no power to remove any affliction from you, that Muadh said: The Messenger of Allah nor can they shift it.’ Those whom they call (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) upon are themselves seeking the means sent me (as governor of Yemen) and (at of access to their Lord, each trying to be the time of departure) instructed me thus: nearer to Him. They crave for His mercy and you will soon find yourself in a community dread His chastisement. Surely your Lord’s one among the People of the Book; so first punishment is to be feared.” call them to testify that there is no god but (AI-Qur’an-17:56-57) Allah, that I (Muhammad) am the These verses throw a challenge to the messenger of Allah, and if they accept this, unbelievers and polytheists to call upon then tell them that Allah has enjoined upon their self-made deities whom they consider them five prayers during the day and the to be their helpers beside God to come to night, and if they accept it, then tell them their rescue at times of affliction. They that Allah has made Zakat obligatory for assert that these deities have no power to them that it should be collected from the remove any affliction. rich and distributed among the poor, and if they agree to it, don’t pick up (as a share Not only prostrating oneself before someone other than God but also praying of Zakat) the best of their wealth. Beware to and invoking anyone other than God of the supplication of the oppressed for amounts to associating others in His there is no barrier between him and Divinity, i.e. to polytheism. Prayer and Allah. invocation are modes of worship and (Sahih Muslim) anyone who invokes someone other than God is as guilty of polytheism as an idol- The People of the Book never denied the worshipper. existence of God. Their belief however was not correct as it was alloyed with Nor can anyone other than God avert a wrong conceptions and mistaken notions. calamity or alter anyone’s plight. If someone This shows that mere faith in God is not entertains such beliefs about anyone other enough. Therefore, the Holy Messenger than God, then such beliefs are false and asked Muadh to call the People of the Book betray the fact that he associates others to testify God, first and foremost. Calling with God in His Divinity. How ironic that those to the prophethood of Muhammad is whom the polytheists invoked and whom indicative of the fact that belief in his they sought to intercede with God on their prophethood is an integral part of the faith. behalf were themselves in need of God’s This hadith highlights the practical wisdom mercy, dreaded His punishment, and were with which Dawah should be imparted to constantly on the look-out for the means the fellow beings. n which would bring them close to Him. n

[ 4 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 Editor’s Note @

UNITED WE STAND

Of late, with the ascendency of rightwing political parties Muslim community is a bit worried. There has been regular attempts to tease the community either by engineering communal riots or creating and causing such a situation in which they are economically affected. But in a democratic country where constitution has provided all sort of safeguards and security there should be no cause of discomfort, with the passage of time things will settle down. Presently for Muslims the protection of ‘Shariat’ is a burning problem. Their religious sentiments are badly hurt as attempts are being made to put an end to the practice of Islamic laws in their personal affairs particularly in marriage, divorce and inheritance etc. To face this challenging situation a concerted and firm attitude should be adopted without inviting any confrontation. It is possible only if the community forgets its internal factional disputes and face the situation as a single body. In this connection noted Islamic Scholar late Syed Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi emphasized that adherence to Sharia is a strong tool in our hands to deal with any attack. Maulana Nadwi has explained two important points in one of his interview:

[ 5 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 1. The protection of ‘iman’ (faith) and beliefs of the future generations of Indian Muslims, perpetuation of their intrinsic and spiritual qualities, provision for their religious education, prevention from mental aberration, transmission of Islamic heritage to them and preparing them to be the bearers and protectors of the same. 2. To maintain the Islamic identity of the ‘millat’ in India- a country which is a confluence of different religious, civilization and nations; to try and keep their link with celestial teachings and divine law; here the concept of religion is not limited to prayers but embraces the whole life; it has its own Personal Law and system based on the clear injunctions of the glorious Qur’an and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and which a Muslim is duty bound to follow. A so called modern section of Muslims often give vent to their opinions on religious issues. They are advised to observe restrain and before indulging in issue of Personal Law first they should learn and understand what holy Quran and Traditions say.n S.A.

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[ 6 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 Preserving Islam for Future Generations - S. Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi Were you present when death Regarding the Prophet appeared before Jacob? Behold, he Muhammad (peace and blessings be said to his sons: “What will you worship upon him) the Qur’an specifically says after me?” They said: “We shall worship that notwithstanding his being a your God, the God of your fathers - of Messenger of Allah, he is mortal. Like Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac, the One other messengers he too will pass away True God, to Him we bow [in Islam].” one day. He has to return to Allah, as is ordained by Him. Undoubtedly, he will (al-Baqarah 2:133) enjoy close proximity with Allah. Yet as This verse appears in the early a mortal human being he will face death. part of the Qur’an. It is then worth Given this, it is all the more perplexing studying why Allah accorded such as to why so much attention is focused importance to this event. Whatever is on the Prophet Jacob’s demise. Many linked with Allah is meaningful and helps of us read and fail to appreciate the man gain proximity with Him. It protects underlying meaning behind this one against numerous threats. If one passage. studies this passage causally, it will While Muslims are addressed, appear to one as no more than an event the Qur’an asks them: “Were you that preceded the Prophet Jacob’s present when death appeared before demise. Reading it without attention one Jacob?” This is a feature special to the is liable to miss its legal, historical, Qur’an. As it projects something cultural and inner meanings. Allah states graphically, evoking the full attention of that what is in the Qur’an is to be read its audience, it follows the above until the Last Day. Allah has therefore, technique. At that time, when the Prophet included in it only such material which Jacob (peace and blessings be upon provokes man’s reflection and which is him) was breathing his last, he asked bound to provide many lessons. Let us his sons as to what they would worship first note the universal truth enunciated after him. in the passage. Everyone who is born Let us recall that the above is mortal. One has to return to Allah at incident involves the Prophet Jacob the expiry of one’s life span. This (peace and blessings be upon him), son universal law applies to the Messenger of Isaac and grandson of Abraham. He of Allah as well. was also the nephew of the Prophet Ishmael (peace and blessings be upon [ 7 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 him). In sum, he belonged to the activists, rulers and officials, one gets a illustrious family of Allah’s messengers. fair idea of the relationship between Of them, special mention should be parents and children. These epitomise made of the prophets Abraham and human feelings, emotions, wisdom and Ishmael (peace and blessings be upon intellectual brilliance. These unravel the them). Allah dubbed the former as His interplay of man’s intricate psychology, friend and the latter is the progenitor of Reading these one is struck by the unity the Prophet Muhammad (peace and of human emotions. Most men are found blessings be upon him). The Prophet giving almost identical pieces of advice, Jacob’s son was Joseph, who too, was irrespective of their different eras and Allah’s messenger. Generally speaking, varying mental, socio-cultural and at the time of his death, a Muslim does religious backgrounds. They often not ask the question posed by the impart the advice of patience to their Prophet Jacob (peace and blessings near and dear ones. They advise their be upon him). This holds true even of children to maintain unity and not to devout Muslims - scholars and spiritual quarrel over their inheritance. Some masters alike - for they assume that they instruct them to repay any debt owed by have already instructed their children in them. Others ask them to realise the the fundamentals of Islam, the concept loans lent by them. It is common for them of Allah and the creedal statement of to hand over legal papers. Some of Islam. Their children bear Muslim names them who are God-conscious and and the adults among them, whom Allah religious insist that the loans borrowed enables, go to the mosque and offer by them be repaid. This is the general prayers there. The young ones see their thrust of wills left behind by the elders praying. Likewise, the names of deceased. Allah and His messengers are In the case under study the mentioned in their homes. All this made children of Allah’s messengers were Muslims complacent and hence on their involved. We love and respect them, for deathbed they did not verify the faith of they were trained by the messengers their children. themselves. They were witness to the If one were to collect the wills of markedly religious ambience of their deceased persons, one would gather a home, marked by prayers, large collection. Some of these are remembrance of Allah, and marked by historical insight and literary supplications and invocations to Him. features, and reflect the workings of the They had seen their mothers turning human psyche. On studying the wills of fervently to Allah in every crisis. They had ‘Ulama’, religious leaders, reformers, not come across the name of any deity,

[ 8 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 for they knew Allah alone as the supreme He spoke his last words to his family, Lord. They looked upon only Allah as All- words which were markedly different Powerful, holding His sway over the from those uttered by other dying universe and Master of all loss and gain. people. Generally, wills instruct inheritors They recognized only Him as the source not to fight among themselves, to lead of all hope and fear. These children life honourably and decently, to take were unaware of any doctrine other than special care of female and young that of monotheism. Likewise, they members of the family and to maintain knew only prayers and fasting as ties of kinship. This has been the trend religious obligations. for centuries. However, the Prophet Yet the Prophet Jacob (peace Jacob (peace and blessings be upon and blessings be upon him) is seen in him) raised an issue which was very this passage as not taking any chances. dear to him. He took it as a highly When one is particular about something, significant and decisive matter on which one does not leave anything to chance, hinged the eternal success of his indulging in speculation. In a crisis one children. Any lapse on his part on this frankly expresses what ails one. For count, he thought, would incur a serious example, if one falls ill, one informs one’s loss for them. He was very particular children of one’s pain and clearly asks about the issue which he discussed with them to call in a physician. The same them. holds true for an extremely hungry For him, the most important person. He is unable to exercise much issue was the preservation of the faith self-restraint and unabashedly asks for of his children, their thorough grounding food. This applies equally to members in faith and their adherence to true faith of the elite and ruling classes. It is hence until their last breath. With this aim in worth studying why the Prophet Jacob mind he assembled them. As he (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away at a ripe age, his summoned his children and other family grandchildren would have been beside members, asking them what he did. him as well. His nephews and other These were his last moments. close relatives too, must have gathered. He did not have much time and energy At that critical moment he pointedly left. Some people intuitively know about asked them the question: “What will you their approaching death. The Prophet worship after me?” He wanted to Jacob (peace and blessings be upon ascertain the level of their faith, which him) being the messenger of Allah had would put his mind at rest. This was his some inkling about his last hour. He only concern. The Qur’an and other realized well that he was about to die. works do not refer to any other issue raised by him on his deathbed. His [ 9 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 attention was focused solely on the satisfied him on his deathbed. object of worship by his children. This is how every Muslim should The Qur’an recounts this event behave. He should always, be on guard for a variety of considerations. He posed regarding his faith. He should supplicate a specific question and received a to Allah to enable him to profess and pointed reply. They affirmed their practise Islam until his last breath. It is unwavering belief in the Oneness of the the best end for him to die in a state of One True God. The Qur’an does not Islam. He should also ensure that his record any other details of this meeting. children adhere as well to the true faith His children might have expressed their and that they never turn to anyone surprise over the question set by him, besides Allah. Securing this assurance for he had thoroughly instructed them in from them is very important. Indeed, one monotheism. Moreover, they had been should make a point of so doing. Apart witness to the profession and practice from practising faith Muslims should of monotheism in their home. Being the denounce disbelief. For Allah loves sons and grandsons of the messengers those who loathe false gods and turn to of Allah they were firm believers. They Him alone. Whoever rejects Satan and were his own progeny who could not believes in Allah holds on to a firm bond. deviate an inch from his faith. The For true faith it is essential, in equal Qur’an, nonetheless, recounts only their degree, to reject fully all that disbelief prompt and reassuring reply to the stands for. Allah should be Muslims’ only question: “We shall worship your God, object of worship. Rejection of disbelief the God of your fathers.” They affirmed precedes the affirmation of true faith. their allegiance to the faith of their We should better bear these points in ancestors, for they had been eloquently mind. warned against the dreadful The verse quoted at the outset consequences of polytheism. In of this reminder reflects the ideal mould professing the faith of such illustrious of a Muslim. In recording this event, the forefathers as the prophets Abraham, Qur’an has preserved a role model until Isaac, Ishmael and Jacob (peace and the Last Day. Every Muslim is supposed blessings be upon them), they made it not only to read this passage, but also plain that they would prefer death to draw lessons from it. The Qur’an is not indulging in polytheism. Thus they very particular about relating historical reassured Jacob, that they would events, it is not after all some work of continue to adhere to their ancestral history. Instead, we should look at this faith. They declared their firm belief in passage, as indeed all others, as the One True God. Their vow thus instructing us in how to lead our lives.n

[ 10 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 y Muslims And Muslims y B t ough F s ar W the een tw Be arison Comp Non-Muslims - S.M. Rabey Hasani Nadwi* Hasani Rabey S.M. -

In the Hudaibiyah battlefield, 80 battlefield, Hudaibiyah the In of wars the describe who those o T attackers were captured. They were all set all were They captured. were attackers fact this , ality brut of act an as Muslims the W) unconditionally W) (SA Prophet the by free the that elucidated vividly be must and without any penalty exacted from them. from exacted penalty any without and and tolerance human of comportment In the battle of Hunain, the Prophet the Hunain, of battle the In throughout norm the been had that comity W) set six thousand men and women and men thousand six set W) (SA if Muslims, the by fought wars the all free unconditionally and without any without and unconditionally free the during happenings the with compared recompense. In case of certain captives, certain of case In recompense. and religions other between waged wars W) had the redemption fee redemption the had W) (SA Prophet the pattern astonishing an civilizations, , Moreover captors. the to himself by aid p no Islam, Barring eyes. the before emerges most of the captives were bade farewell by farewell bade were captives the of most no , community no nation, no religion, s and s vestment having ter af W) (SA him institution no and , soever what , society awards conferred on them. on conferred awards could peace, establish to efforts making It was a regular practice of the of practice regular a was It so revolution a date, till about, bring W) to issue interdictions about interdictions issue to W) (SA Prophet out brought as equitable so and peaceful killing women, children and the aged. the and children women, killing revolution human a such was It Islam. by W) sent forays he issued he forays sent W) (SA he Whenever had W) (SA Prophet the which of result a as strict instructions to the members that in that members the to instructions strict order an such of laid foundation the case they had to kill the heretics, they heretics, the kill to had they case by heart at felt be can which of blessings should not be maimed and mutilated; that mutilated; and maimed be not should of lapse the after even humanity the is, their body organs should not be not should organs body their is, centuries. odd and thousand disfigured. ‘Whenever you enter into a into enter you ‘Whenever disfigured. follows: as is short this of long The covenant with the infidels, do not infringe not do infidels, the with covenant of prisoners-of-war 72 the of Out upon the covenant. Do not kill women, kill not Do covenant. the upon the by free set were 70 , Badr of Battle the children and the aged’, he said. he aged’, the and children . penalty due of ayment p on W) (SA Prophet Whichever locality or tribe the voice the tribe or locality Whichever Many guests. like kept were POWs These Azan was heard from, or any other any or from, heard was Azan of confessed have to record on are captives a indication of Islam was noticed there, was there, noticed was Islam of indication comfort their of care took Muslims the that not allowed to be raided. Whoever raided. be to allowed not their of did they than more convenience and happened to have recited the Kalimah, the recited have to happened children. own even if he would have done so out of fear of out so done have would he if even el- Bani with Ghazwa the In W) (SA him by prohibited was sword, the of , Badr of battle the following MustAlique, to be killed. Sometimes, companions would companions Sometimes, killed. be to were women and men hundred than more s Prophet! He had recited the recited had He Prophet! s Allah’ ‘O say: without free set all were They captive. made Kalimah out of fear of being done to death.’ to done being of fear of out Kalimah recompense. any W) would then say to them: ‘Had you ‘Had them: to say then would W) (SA He had his heart split open and looked into it?’ into looked and open split heart his had . Lucknow Ulama, - Nadwatul , Rector * With Hazrat Usamah bin Zaid and Mahlam and Zaid bin Usamah Hazrat With [ 11 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 invented. Scores of human heads were set were heads human of Scores invented. on displeased got W) (SA he Jathamah, bin rolling like coconuts by these guillotines all guillotines these by coconuts like rolling Uthamah forced W) (SA He basis. very this According moment. of matter a in once at W) (SA his during that word the him give to to estimates made by the historians, this historians, the by made estimates to kill ever would he thereafter nor life-time democratic revolution had 26 lakh (2.6 lakh 26 had revolution democratic the have would who person such any million) human beings sacrificed at the alter the at sacrificed beings human million) of ance inst An recited. Kalimah of these guillotines. Likewise, the socialist the Likewise, guillotines. these of was respect this in unscrupulousness revolution in Russia had consigned more consigned had Russia in revolution (RAA) Khalid Hazrat by demonstrated than one crore (10 million) human beings human million) (10 crore one than with angry very got W) (SA he whereupon to massacre, plunder and icily freezing icily and plunder massacre, to him. detention camps. detention that it has Seerat-e-Ibn-e-Katheer ar W orld W Great horrific the During he Hunain, Ghazwa-e- of occasion on A.D., the European countries had countries European the A.D., 1914 of aides and anions comp his ordered W) (SA made, for the sake of liberation of their of liberation of sake the for made, child, any assault to hands raise to not , the massacre and massacre the , Germany from territories for employed slave or servant woman, , the order of order the , plunder and pillage mayhem, of killing the On chores. daily to attending . Owing to that, 17 lakh people of people lakh 17 that, to Owing . day the he event, Hunain the during woman a Russia, 13 lakh and 70 thousand of thousand 70 and lakh 13 Russia, anguish. his expressed W) (SA , aly It of thousand twenty and lakh 4 France, very this of impact the only was It Australia, 7 lakh and 20 thousand 20 and lakh 7 Australia, of lakh 8 the of training and education sublime of Britain, one lakh of Bulgaria, one lakh of lakh one Bulgaria, of lakh one Britain, of era the during although that W) (SA Prophet Austria, 2 lakh and lakh 2 Austria, of lakh one Romania, righteous (the Khulafa-e-Rashideen the of , one lakh and two and lakh one , urkey T of thousand five Sham, Iraq, of cities of hundreds Caliphs) thousand of Belgium, one lakh of lakh one Belgium, of thousand Khurasaan and Iran Arabia, and Egypt Suromahnti Negro and fifty thousand of thousand fifty and Negro Suromahnti of treatment such no conquered, were America got killed. The total number of number total The killed. got America in norm the was as oppression and cruelty those massacred comes to 73 lakh and 38 and lakh 73 to comes massacred those have to found is wars the during days those thousand. This war lasted for four years four for lasted war This thousand. Muslims the by anywhere, out, meted been and the above-mentioned figures that sum that figures above-mentioned the and subjects. the or militants raiders, hostile to up to more than 73 lakh, of the people got people the of lakh, 73 than more to up war exacting even of record no is There killed. On the other hand, if you look at the at look you if hand, other the On killed. . enemy vanquished the from indemnity figures of 8-year spanned wars of Islam, of wars spanned 8-year of figures Now keeping the conditions of these of conditions the keeping Now you would find that only a little above one above little a only that find would you Islamic wars in view on the one hand, have hand, one the on view in wars Islamic thousand people got killed. The number The killed. got people thousand a look at the history of the nations who have who nations the of history the at look a covers the Muslims as well as their enemies. their as well as Muslims the covers the cheek to accuse Islam and the Muslims the and Islam accuse to cheek the till, the Prophet of Islam and the religion the and Islam of Prophet the till, S ou would notice a world of a of world a notice would ou Y terrorism. of of Islam are accused of tyranny by those by tyranny of accused are Islam of difference: who had lakhs and lakhs of people put to put people of lakhs and lakhs had who death, merely for acquiring occupation over occupation acquiring for merely death, democratic the of wake the In others’ territories or for expelling the enemy the expelling for or territories others’ when France, in place took that revolution . Intoxicated with Intoxicated . territory own their of out and each killed, people the having power they had, these world powers world these had, they power no rendered was , individually everyone caused financial loss of billions and trillions and billions of loss financial caused be to had guillotines possible, more

[ 12 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 Americas with connection in occurred which their retain to order in dollars and pounds of occupation over Korea, 15 lakh people lakh 15 Korea, over occupation World First the during region the in holds A.D. 1990 of war gulf the In killed. were and century last the of A.D. 1914 of ar W which was fought under the supervision of supervision the under fought was which 1938 anned sp that ar W orld W Second the Super Powers, one lakh human lives were lives human lakh one Powers, Super al tot The . century same the of A.D. 1942 to Afghan war imposed by the by imposed war Afghan the During lost. various of beings human of number , Russia, which Russia, , Power Super world then the of face the off wiped got who countries A.D., 1990 to 1979 Dec. 25th the from lasted crore one to comes wars these during earth more than ten lakh people got killed and killed got people lakh ten than more hundred six and million (ten lakh six and crores of dollars were flushed down the down flushed were dollars of crores aspect, financial from Looking thousand). drain; whereas lakhs of people have as yet as have people of lakhs whereas drain; of expenditure an incurred alone America remained deprived of a roof on their head. their on roof a of deprived remained one than more Whereas dollars. billion 350 Abdul Majid Daryabadi Majid Abdul Maulana displaced got citizens million) (ten crore (RAA) had, in his news- Journal, Sidqu-e- Journal, news- his in had, (RAA) people of Lakhs homeless. rendered and Jadeed’ (19th June, 1931 issue), published issue), 1931 June, (19th Jadeed’ of Lakhs incapacitated. rendered were some excerpts about the perpetrations and perpetrations the about excerpts some today even incapacitated born are children demeanors of British and German armies German and British of demeanors germs. atomic of effects the of because which have brought out strange and strange out brought have which ter af is, face-to-face fought war a , Moreover preposterous instances of blood-shedding of instances preposterous But, . valour with fought war a deemed all, and barbarity from reports appeared in their in appeared reports from barbarity and by America, , ar W orld W Second the during own Journals. Same are reproduced are Same Journals. own peaceful the on bombs atom dropping hereunder for perusal: for hereunder Nagasaki and Hiroshima of population without there being any confrontation, got confrontation, any being there without “In the eyes of military officers of officers military of eyes the “In 2 lakh and 75 thousand human beings human thousand 75 and lakh 2 Britain, their own soldiers are valued merely valued are soldiers own their Britain, simply evaporated into thin air within a within air thin into evaporated simply ’.” (write-up by (write-up ’.” fodder ‘cannon the as fraction of a moment. Bombs weighing 12 weighing Bombs moment. a of fraction Australia) D.S.O., Eliot, General thousand ton were rained on civilian on rained were ton thousand These are the words uttered not by not uttered words the are These go to temperature the causing population any enemy of Britain, but by a friend, not friend, a by but Britain, of enemy any Fahrenheit. degree 500,000 over to up , only a short while short a only , ally an by but rival any by human of state the been have would What ago. be even cannot condition a such in beings self, a self, it ain Brit of son illustrious An and massacre of spree This imagined. , a valiant chief of chief valiant a , ficer of ary milit renowned even continued kept was mayhem s, having s, out and ins the all got has , army . ter thereaf penned them down himself, published. himself, down them penned mayhem and carnage this all And The book is not a biography of biography a not is book The or weal human of purpose the for not was . It is It . autobiography an , rather is, It others. done, all was It objective. sublime any not an anthology of hearsays and rumours and hearsays of anthology an not else someone putting for simply instead, but of personal observations. The author The observations. personal of but and territory some from occupation of out of the book is not someone who has simply has who someone not is book the of occupation. own one’s under it getting compiled the anecdotes and accounts and anecdotes the compiled Second the of horrors these all Following om, Dick and Harry sitting Harry and Dick om, T any from heard place took that wars the among , ar W orld W far away from the action site. He is the one the is He site. action the from away far ar W Korean the in ation, occup regional for

[ 13 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 brutalities (although in my heart of hearts I hearts of heart my in (although brutalities the of thick the in been has himself who believe many of the reports are false), the false), are reports the of many believe a as first end, to beginning from war world use of poisonous gas by them, rape of the of rape them, by gas poisonous of use He one. senior a as later and officer petty French women, official execution of the of execution official women, French fought battalions, enlisted who one the is nurse, Kewal, all these factors are exploited are factors these all Kewal, nurse, conquered battles, the won trenches, in to develop the beastliness that is sine qua sine is that beastliness the develop to and medals with decorated got forts, non for achievement of success. The habit The success. of achievement for non got first, ain capt A titles: with honoured to get furious at the drop of a hat and hat a of drop the at furious get to reached and Major of rank the to promoted without rhyme or reason is to be nurtured. be to is reason or rhyme without General. Brigadier of rank the to finally , without having done that, the desired the that, done having without , For ary milit with adorned Gromer; . .P F Name: results cannot be achieved. This venom is venom This achieved. be cannot results s book’ The S.O. .D.; M.G C.B.C.; of titles to be poured down the throat of the kind- the of throat the down poured be to which Land s Man’ No Nation Brass A is: title hearted and the righteous and all. The all. and righteous the and hearted London-based The idiom. military a itself is military songs and bands are all being used being all are bands and songs military the for it published Jomathoncup, , publisher to that end. Soft and religious melodies are melodies religious and Soft end. that to and months in Not 1930. April in time first banned except in churches and the and churches in except banned first the days, few a in only but weeks, permission there, too, is restricted to restricted is too, there, permission second the was So out. sold all was edition military tunes. In fact, the churches are most are churches the fact, In tunes. military Since too. edition, third the then and edition advanced in generating then taste of taste then generating in advanced have editions more many how date till then bloodshed and we have taken full taken have we and bloodshed have Now only God to known is out been advantage of them, too. (pp. 42-43) (pp. too. them, of advantage watching on go and hand your in mirror this “For the full exploitation of the British the of exploitation full the “For exactly war Europeans’ the of portrait the , the vitriol of hatred should be got be should hatred of vitriol the , soldier writes: He was. it as fully permeated through each and every and each through permeated fully the on , war of objectives The vein. The number of fatalities is mentioned is fatalities of number The vein. ‘’warding was , Gray and Squaith of tongue before him not in the tone of lament and lament of tone the in not him before and ypes’ ‘T of ages p the On vice”. the f of concern, but with nonchalance and nonchalance with but concern, but nothing and “reform” was it Mail’ ‘Daily ruthlessness. I hope that phase is phase that hope I ruthlessness. the to delivered addresses the But, reform. , too, when the when too, , shortly very and forthcoming be can officers their by themselves soldiers hearts of the soldiers would be totally void totally be would soldiers the of hearts below: given sample the by judged of feelings towards death, the severe-most the death, towards feelings of . nobility and humanity your “Forget excruciating wound and gas-inflicted body gas-inflicted and wound excruciating Make stones, of made hearts your Make alking t be , rather would, They organs. life of respect in dumb and deaf yourselves about them laughingly among themselves. among laughingly them about is It listen! you Do ar! W is It death. and They would be happy and content with the with content and happy be would They 40) (p. ar!” W fact that whatever their losses. they have they losses. their whatever that fact “My job at the moment is to get the get to is moment the at job “My had the bodies of other amputated and amputated other of bodies the had mind-set, coaching and character of more of character and coaching mind-set, ripped apart to far greater extent than what than extent greater far to apart ripped than one thousand souls totally converted totally souls thousand one than they have suffered. They have had the had have They suffered. have they o make o T time. possible shortest the within limbs, hands and legs of others severed others of legs and hands limbs, them ready for the one-to-one battle I have I battle one-to-one the for ready them and chopped off. By September 15, the 15, September By off. chopped and to make them develop in them the taste of taste the them in develop them make to state of affairs had reached the stage of stage the reached had affairs of state the blood and get the hearts, with the venom the with hearts, the get and blood the conviction that whatever we were doing was doing were we whatever that conviction of propaganda, impervious. The German The impervious. propaganda, of [ 14 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 in scorching hot sun, delirious and in a in and delirious sun, hot scorching in was Germany whatever and fair and just all state of extreme agony! My main official duty official main My agony! extreme of state there , war In reprehensible. all was doing ter af look to not , war the of care ake t to is a very this have to but out way no is the wounded.” (p. 106) (p. wounded.” the the both what was that And presumption. The unmasked face of the white- the of face unmasked The 43-44) (pp. upon.” acting were sides skinned civilized people has been seen by seen been has people civilized skinned train a way the “Exactly you. Before the mask was removed, could removed, was mask the Before you. cool air-conditioned, kept is compartment you have imagined that the face hidden face the that imagined have you moment, the of need the per as hot, and/or behind it would be so disgusting, so ugly so disgusting, so be would it behind my all got , now by have, I way same and so horrible?! Can the darkness within darkness the Can horrible?! so and my under totally feelings and emotions the heart be guessed by the outward the by guessed be heart the of time the At disposal. my at and control ake up not one or two, but two, or one not up ake T brightness? of time the at hot; burning am I bloodshed, , hundred, or as many as many as or hundred, , ty fif , twenty ten, cool deadly am I strategies, war of planning you wish, incidence of Jihad and put them, put and Jihad of incidence wish, you and excursion of time the at and having enumerated them on one side and side one on them enumerated having I , now By lukewarm. am I ainment, entert put on the other scale just one world war world one just scale other the on put the in perfectionist expert an become have and then let the knowledge, and not and knowledge, the let then and entirely now am I colours. changing of art doctrine, and the intellect, not the tradition, the not intellect, the and doctrine, 92) (p. war-child!” a just adjudge whichever side it is whom the whom is it side whichever adjudge have can soldier poor the “Whence , the civilization and the humanity are humanity the and civilization the , nobility they Whatever intelligence? of much that bending over each other to get themselves get to other each over bending them. by too, in, believed is to, listen sacrificed on! sacrificed been has told been have they Whatever , in case the reader has been has reader the case in , Now truth. Gospel the as them by accepted overtaken by ennui and disgust with the with disgust and ennui by overtaken one. are heart their and tongue There spectacles of barbarism, heartlessness, barbarism, of spectacles firmly do and convinced entirely are They , plunder and pillage massacre, , savagery and kill to simply is job their that believe bloodbath and carnage, just have the have just carnage, and bloodbath slaughtered. be and slaughter to killed, get curtain turned over and look. There is all is There look. and over turned curtain themselves about conviction their is That the paraphernalia of revelry available revelry of paraphernalia the 23) (p. rivals!” their about also and amidst the clatter of swords. There is no is There swords. of clatter the amidst the in looks as much so “Nobody dearth of exhibits of wine and women, too, women, and wine of exhibits of dearth all, after use, What dead. the of direction under the shade of booming and booming of shade the under case In war? in to put be can corpses the thundering cannons! It occurs to mind that mind to occurs It cannons! thundering well smile, to grace the had luck lady the whoever can find time to revel and have and revel to time find can whoever calm, of resumption on , Later good! and mind to indulge in acts of voluptuousness of acts in indulge to mind The somewhere. buried get might they amidst the dreadful environment of volleys of environment dreadful the amidst dragging by hard, trying are wounded of bullets, rattle of lances, thunder of thunder lances, of rattle bullets, of army- the to get to on, and off themselves cannons , cries and wailings of the of wailings and cries , cannons by hit get who those are Numerous line. wounded, the stench of decomposed of stench the wounded, so. doing while again bullet the bodies and writhing corpses? But the lady the But corpses? writhing and bodies those are them of majority Nevertheless, luck’s favourable smile at the European the at smile favourable luck’s day the all wallowing keep would who gets everything impossible rendered impossible everything gets throats; thorny with incapacitated, helpless,

[ 15 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 After having all these facts and facts these all having After same the at can, He case. his in possible figures glaring into their faces, the Western the faces, their into glaring figures the of Genghis legendary the be time, media, on getting a few individuals killed in killed individuals few a getting on media, is who Indra, king, fictitious the and history any part of the Islamic world at the hands the at world Islamic the of part any of bevy the by surrounded s alway of some unknown persons, raises such a such raises persons, unknown some of beauties.” hue and cry as is not raised ever on lakhs on ever raised not is as cry and hue Amresh Prof. historian, Indian The o them o T Europe. in killed getting people of Mishra, has, in his latest, scholarly work, scholarly latest, his in has, Mishra, the former is much more iniquitous than the than iniquitous more much is former the A.D. 1857 A.D. Delhi to Road Civilization: of ar W . Furthermore, in case any incident of incident any case in Furthermore, . latter written, on the basis of historical evidences historical of basis the on written, terrorism takes place anywhere in the world, the in anywhere place takes terrorism the verdict is immediately passed, even passed, immediately is verdict the data, and statistics official documents, and before having any investigation conducted, investigation any having before follows: as that it must be handy-work of some Muslim. some of handy-work be must it that (one million ten had English “The And who is the Muslim? The Muslim is one is Muslim The Muslim? the is who And A.D. 1857 in death to put Indians crore) W). (SA Prophet his of follower the is who only Their innocent. were them of all And, He is the one who would lay down his life his down lay would who one the is He a launched had they that was crime W) (SA his with compliance of sake the for and iniquity the against campaign And, the personage of the of personage the And, commands. the for Imperialism British the of oppression Prophet is such a one as has himself has as one a such is Prophet the But, liberation. country’s their of sake treated even his enemies with mercy and mercy with enemies his even treated Indian innocent the had English savage . manner extraordinary very in assion comp butchered Muslims) and (Hindus Then he commanded his followers to followers his commanded he Then and of, retention of sake the for , mercilessly And, the Muslims, the And, ath. p same the pursue persistence in, their hold and control over control and hold their in, persistence despite all their flaws and frailties, did act, did frailties, and flaws their all despite This chain of blood-shedding of chain This . country the to great extent, upon this very directive. If directive. very this upon extent, great to A.D. on end.” on A.D. 1867 to 1857 from continued you would have the later wars of Muslims of wars later the have would you studied, this very fact would be observed be would fact very this studied, missionary their with connection In by you. It is what has been acknowledged been has what is It you. by 23 lasted that campaign religious and by non-Muslim historians also, This also, historians non-Muslim by Muslims the and W) (SA Prophet the years, Western media which has been accusing been has which media Western 8 last the during only conflicts armed had the Muslims of atrocities has suppressed has atrocities of Muslims the killed those of number total The years. and blacked out the fact that in their in that fact the out blacked and one only to comes conflicts these during Western countries, lakhs of people are people of lakhs countries, Western no have Islam blame who Those thousand. murdered even today just for political for just today even murdered people of lakhs and lakhs killing in qualms Arab poet has poet Arab the what is rue T purposes. of claims the all despite wars, their during said: as create, They freedom. and democracy (Even if just one person of their tribe their of person one just if (Even extreme of atmosphere an thereof, result a is killed somewhere in a jungle, they jungle, a in somewhere killed is and nations other within unrest and chaos would say: it is such a great crime as crime great a such is it say: would the under Muslims, the whereas countries; And if they killed they if And ardoned. p be cannot the had W), (SA Prophet their of command even an entire peaceful nation, they nation, peaceful entire an even the into converted Peninsula Arab entire , if objected to, it is a is it to, objected if , say would of years 8 only the during peace of cradle n issue.) disputed conflicts. [ 16 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 Western Wars - Nafeez Ahmad In March 2015, the Washington DC- Secretary-General, as “a significant based Physicians for Social contribution to narrowing the gap between Responsibility (PRS) released a reliable estimates of victims of war, landmark study concluding that the death especially civilians in Iraq, Afghanistan and toll from ten years of the “War on Terror” Pakistan and tendentious, manipulated or since the 9/11 attacks is at least 1.3 million, even fraudulent accounts.” and could be as high as 2 million. The report conducts a critical The 97-page report by the Nobel review of previous death toll estimates of Peace Prize-winning doctors’ group is the “War on Terror” casualties. It is heavily first to tally up the total number of civilian critical of the figure most widely cited by casualties from US-led counter-terrorism mainstream media as authoritative, interventions in Iraq, Afghanistan and namely, the Iraq Body Count (IBC) Pakistan. estimate of 110,000 dead. That figure is The PSR report is authored by an derived from collating media reports of interdisciplinary team of leading public civilian killings, but the PSR report health experts, including Dr. Robert Gould, identifies serious gaps and methodological Director of Health Professionals Outreach problems in this approach. and Education at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center, For instance, although 40,000 and Professor Tim Takaro of the Faculty corpses had been buried in Najaf since of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser the launch of the war, IBC recorded only University. 1,354 deaths in Najaf for the same period. That example shows how wide the gap is Yet, it has been almost completely between IBC’s Najaf figure and the actual blacked out by the English-language death toll – in this case, by a factor of over media, despite being the first effort by a 30. world-leading public health organisation to produce a scientifically robust calculation Such gaps are replete throughout of the number of people killed by the US- IBC’s database. In another instance, IBC UK-led “War on Terror.” recorded just three airstrikes in a period Mind the Gaps in 2005, when the number of air attacks had in fact increased from 25 to 120 that The PSR report is described by Dr year. Again, the gap here is by a factor of Hans von Sponeck, former UN Assistant 40.

[ 17 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 According to the PSR study, the and others who questioned the Lancet much-disputed Lancet study that study data collection methods as estimated 655,000 Iraq deaths up to 2006 potentially fraudulent. All such claims, PSR (and over a million until today by found, were spurious. extrapolation) was likely to be far more The few “justified criticisms,” PSR accurate than IBC’s figures. In fact, the concludes, “do not call into question the report confirms a virtual consensus results of the Lancet studies as a whole. among epidemiologists on the reliability of These figures still represent the best the Lancet study. estimates that are currently available”. The Despite some legitimate Lancet findings are also corroborated by criticisms, the statistical methodology it the data from a new study in PLOS applied is the universally recognised Medicine, finding 500,000 Iraqi deaths from standard to determine deaths from conflict the war. Overall, PSR concludes that the zones, used by international agencies and most likely number for the civilian death governments. toll in Iraq since 2003 to date is about 1 Politicised Denial million. PSR also reviewed the To this, the PSR study adds at methodology and design of other studies least 220,000 in Afghanistan and 80,000 showing a lower death toll, such as a in Pakistan, killed as the direct or indirect paper in the New England Journal of consequence of US-led war: a Medicine, which had a range of serious “conservative” total of 1.3 million. The real limitations. figure could easily be “in excess of 2 million”. That paper ignored the areas subject to the heaviest violence, namely Yet even the PSR study suffers Baghdad, Anbar and Nineveh, relying on from limitations. Firstly, the post-9/11 “War flawed IBC data to extrapolate for those on Terror” was not new, but merely regions. It also imposed “politically- extended previous interventionist policies motivated restrictions” on collection and in Iraq and Afghanistan. Secondly, the huge analysis of the data – interviews were paucity of data on Afghanistan meant the conducted by the Iraqi Ministry of Health, PSR study probably underestimated the which was “totally dependent on the Afghan death toll. occupying power” and had refused to Iraq release data on Iraqi registered deaths The war on Iraq did not begin in under US pressure. 2003, but in 1991 with the first Gulf War, In particular, PSR assessed the which was followed by the UN sanctions claims of Michael Spaget, John Sloboda regime. An early PSR study by Beth

[ 18 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 Daponte, then a US government Census conditions for widespread disease, Bureau demographer, found that Iraq including full scale epidemics,” thus deaths caused by the direct and indirect “liquidating a significant portion of the impact of the first Gulf War amounted to population of Iraq”. around 200,000 Iraqis, mostly civilians. This means that in Iraq alone, the Meanwhile, her internal government study US-led war from 1991 to 2003 killed 1.9 was suppressed. million Iraqis; then from 2003 onwards After US-led forces pulled out, the around 1 million: totalling just under 3 war on Iraq continued in economic form million Iraqis dead over two decades. through the US-UK imposed UN sanctions Afghanistan regime, on the pretext of denying Saddam Hussein the materials necessary to make In Afghanistan, PSR’s estimate of weapons of mass destruction. Items overall casualties could also be very banned from Iraq under this rationale conservative. Six months after the 2001 included a vast number of items needed bombing campaign, The Guardian’s for everyday life. Undisputed UN figures Jonathan Steele revealed that anywhere show that 1.7 million Iraqi civilians between 1,300 and 8,000 Afghans were died due to the West’s brutal sanctions killed directly, and as many as a further regime, half of whom were children. 50,000 people died avoidably as an indirect result of the war. The mass death was seemingly intended. Among items banned by the UN In his book, Body Count: Global sanctions were chemicals and equipment Avoidable Mortality Since 1950 (2007), essential for Iraq’s national water treatment Professor Gideon Polya applied the same system. A secret US Defence Intelligence methodology used by The Guardian to UN Agency (DIA) document discovered by Population Division annual mortality data Professor Thomas Nagy of the School of to calculate plausible figures for excess Business at George Washington University deaths. A retired biochemist at La Trobe amounted, he said, to “an early blueprint University in Melbourne, Polya concludes for genocide against the people of Iraq.” that total avoidable Afghan deaths since 2001 under ongoing war and occupation- In his paper for the Association of imposed deprivation amount to around 3 Genocide Scholars at the University of million people, about 900,000 of whom are Manitoba, Professor Nagi explained that infants under five. the DIA document revealed “minute details of a fully workable method to ‘fully degrade Although Professor Polya’s the water treatment system’ of an entire findings are not published in an academic nation” over a period of a decade. The journal, his 2007 Body Count study has sanctions policy would create “the been recommended by California State

[ 19 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 University sociologist Professor longer-term impact of war-imposed Jacqueline Carrigan as “a data-rich profile deprivation – likely constitute around 4 of the global mortality situation” in a review million (2 million in Iraq from 1991-2003, published by the Routledge journal, plus 2 million from the “War on Terror”), Socialism and Democracy. and could be as high as 6-8 million people As with Iraq, US intervention in when accounting for higher avoidable Afghanistan began long before 9/11 in the death estimates in Afghanistan. form of covert military, logistical and Such figures could well be too high, financial aid to the Taliban from around but will never know for sure. US and UK 1992 onwards. This USarmed forces, as a matter of policy, refuse assistance propelled the Taliban’s violent to keep track of the civilian death toll of conquest of nearly 90 percent of Afghan military operations – they are an irrelevant territory. inconvenience. In a 2001 National Academy of Due to the severe lack of data in Sciences report, Forced Migration and Iraq, almost complete non-existence of Mortality, leading epidemiologist Steven records in Afghanistan, and the Hansch, a director of Relief International, indifference of Western governments to noted that total excess mortality in civilian deaths, it is literally impossible to Afghanistan due to the indirect impacts of determine the true extent of loss of life. war through the 1990s could be anywhere In the absence of even the between 200,000 and 2 million. The Soviet possibility of corroboration, these figures Union, of course, also bore responsibility provide plausible estimates based on for its role in devastating civilian applying standard statistical methodology infrastructure, thus paving the way for to the best, if scarce, evidence available. these deaths. They give an indication of the scale of the Altogether, this suggests that the destruction, if not the precise detail. total Afghan death toll due to the direct and Much of this death has been indirect impacts of US-led intervention justified in the context of fighting tyranny since the early nineties until now could be and terrorism. Yet thanks to the silence of as high 3-5 million. the wider media, most people have no idea Denial of the true scale of protracted terror According to the figures explored wrought in their name by US and UK here, total deaths from Western tyranny in Iraq and Afghanistan. n interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan since (Courtesy: Information Clearing House) the 1990s – from direct killings and the

[ 20 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 The Messenger of Peace - S. M. Wazeh Rasheed Nadwi* Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was mercy and sublimation reflected in his the precursor of all mankind in sublime teaching, treatment and behavior with character, love, affection, kindness, companions is worth emulating. Prophet sympathy, compassion, generosity, Muhammad (PBUH) was not only mercy, encouragement and tolerance. forbearance for Muslims but all Almighty Allah says: “And verily you are mankind. Almighty Allah says: “And We of a high and noble disposition” (AI- have not sent you except as a mercy to Qalam:4) the worlds” (AI-Ambia: 107). This The elegant qualities which attribute of the Prophet (PBUH) Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) apparently surfaces in all his deeds, demonstrated in tolerance, acts and proceedings. However, difficult forbearance, endurance, patience, periods he confronted in his life and large-heartedness, magnanimity, however tough time and severe trials he generosity and stamina were beyond passed by but he never relinquished the the range of perception of intelligentsia motto of kindness, love, affection and and conception and imagination of mercy. Needless to add that when he poets. began preaching Islam, members of his own tribe afflicted him and tortured him, The books on the holy Prophet’s he was ostracized. Obstacles were put biography are replete with hundreds of on his way but his passion of mercy examples of his kindness, sympathy and prevailed all the time. Noble qualities of forgiveness to the cruelest enemy of the Prophet did not confine to him alone. him. These accomplishments were also’ The intellectuals of fair thinking quite manifest in his companions who go through the life history of the because of influences and effects of his Prophet Muhammad, regardless of any teaching and upbringing. The Holy religious or regional prejudice and Quran says: “Muhammad is the bigotry agree that distinctive and salient messenger of Allah; and those who are features of the Prophet are nothing but with him are strong against unbelievers; mercy for the world. His whole life is an but compassionate amongst each embodiment of kindness, love, affection, other. Thou wilt see them they bow and generosity, mercy and forgiveness. The prostrate themselves in prayer, seeking grace form Allah and His good pleasure. * Director of Education, Nadwatul-Ulama, Lucknow. On their face are their marks, being the

[ 21 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 traces of their Prostration. This is their Ibn Abbas narrated that one similitude in the Tourat; and their person laid a goat on the ground for similitude in the Gospel” (AI- Fath; 29) slaughtering. Next he started sharpening At another place Almighty Allah his knife. Seeing it, the Holy Prophet says: ‘And the servants of the said: “Do you want to kill it again? Why compassionate are those who walk did you not make your knife sharp upon the earth meekly, and when the before laying it for slaughtering?’’ ignorants address them, they say: Ibn Mas’ud narrated that we “Peace’ (AI-Furqan: 63) were with the Prophet on a trip. The On another occasions the holy Prophet reclused himself for a while. We Quran says: “Successful indeed are the saw a little bird. It had two fledglings. We believers, those who humble caught hold both of them. Seeing it the themselves in their prayer; Who avoid bird began to flutter its wings. On return vain talk; Who are active in giving Zakat; the Prophet (PBUH) asked who inflicted Who guard their modesty; Except with the bird by snatching its kids. The those joined to them in the marriage Prophet ordered to return its chicks. We bond, or the captives whom their right saw here ants-hill and we burnt them. hands possess, for (in their case) they The Prophet said: “Who burnt them. We are free from blame; But those who replied that we had done. The Prophet desires exceed those limits are said: “The right of chastisement with fire transgressors; Those who faithfully is only for the Creator of fire.” observe their trusts and their covenants; The biggest phenomenon of And who strictly guard their prayers; excellence in human beings are the Those will be the heirs; Who will inherit existence of Prophets and Prophet paradise; They will dwell forever” (AI- Muhammad is the most excellent and Mu’minun: 1-11) distinguished out of all Prophets. It is obvious from the above Almighty Allah attributed him vividly: mentioned verses that mercy, kindness, “Now hath come unto you a messenger love, affection, generosity and from amongst yourselves: it grieves· forgiveness are the basic and salient him that ye should suffer, ardently features of Muslims in carrying out anxious is he over you: to the believers Islamic teachings only. Mercy, Kindness, he is most kind and merciful”· (AI- love and affection of Prophet Tawbah: 128). n Muhammad (PBUH) did not confine to (Translation: O.R. Nadwi) human beings but to animals and insects as well.

[ 22 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 Islamic View on Education Saeedur Rahman Al-Azami Al-Nadwi* Education has always been an magnificent constitution of life of which important mean to help human beings the fragrance travels far and wide. It in achieving highest position in social keeps humanity refresh and sound with milieu. Right from the beginning it has its sweet and delicious spring. It never been a beacon in various spheres of perishes and dries up. Its beneficence human life. Scholars of Islam have never causes paucity and scarcity. Islam shown their keen interest in this field so lays great stress on acquiring all kinds that a common man may be benefitted of knowledge. It does not distinguish, be with this great asset of Islam. Besides it religious or secular. Islam made it they may get awarded of moral, ethical obligatory for its adherents. Islamic and social values and norms of this culture and civilization encompasses great faith. Moreover, they may mould whole gamut of human life. It makes life their lives with religious hues and may purposeful with its extraordinary favours, lead peaceful life accomplishing their courtesies and immense bounties and duties and responsibilities in a better boons. way. It should be kept in mind that This is an admitted fact that Islam praises that knowledge which has everyone gives ample importance to some limits, demarcation and education. This we have inherited from principles. Besides it has its own the first prophet Adam. It is education ideology. Its fountain sprouts’ with pure that makes a benign society and and fair faith and religious dogmas. moulds hearts with excellence and Being imbibed with this clear and vivid merits and purge human hearts with spring its followers exhibit radiant and baseness and meanness. It inculcates shining gems of knowledge and they in mankind moral values and sublime constitute their principles and laws in its qualities and enhances human safety light. Their main motto is to enjoin good and its status and grandeur. and forbid evil so that one may lead a purposeful life and attain the pleasure The edifice of Islamic way of life of God. rests on the firm and sound principles of knowledge. The fountain head of Needless to add, that Muslims morality and ethics is education in distinguished themselves and made Islam. Education brings about such great strides in every walk of life * Principal, Darul Uloom, Nadwatul-Ulama, because of certain system of education- Lucknow adopted by them. They set up [ 23 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 universities and centres for culture and advantageous knowledge and try to civilization to work systematically in their explore mysteries and wonders of the respective areas. universe. Almighty God says: “Behold! Islam encourages knowledge of In the creation of the heavens and the science, technology and other subjects. earth; and the alternation of night and Islam also motivates and urges people day, there are indeed signs for men of to ponder over the creation of the world. understanding” (S.3.A. 1 90) He further Both knowledge are incumbent to says: “Soon will We show them Our achieve success in life. Islamic way of signs in the furthest regions of the earth, life can prove its utility and usefulness if and in their own souls, until it becomes it maintains equal balance between manifest to them that this is the truth. Is religious and modern education it not enough that thy Lord doth witness respectively. all things?” (S.41 ,A.53). n In short, Islam appreciates those (Translated by Obaidur who strive to attain profitable and Rahman Nadwi)

Muslim Women Intellectuals Slam Triple Talaq Bill

LUCKNOW: The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights of Marriage) Bill will shut the door on reconciliation between a woman and her husband, feel women intellectuals in the Muslim community. They say the Bill will, in no way, provide protection to women. “This divorce bill does nothing to empower women. It only disempowers her by letting any Tom, Dick and Harry put her husband in jail, irrespective of whether he actually uttered ‘talaq’ in one-go,” says Irena Akbar, a former journalist who has started #standupformuslimmen campaign on the social media to oppose the bill. Parveen Talha, a retired civil servant and author of a novel on triple divorce, titled ‘A Word Thrice Uttered’, agrees. “The Bill will not ensure protection for women. The Supreme Court has already declared triple talaq unacceptable, which means the marriage can’t be dissolved,” she argues. “When divorce has not taken place, how can the man be punished?” she asks. She further points out that once the man serves his jail term, he will look for ways to get rid of his wife by adopting other tactics. “So, if this Bill becomes law, there won’t be any scope left for reconciliation,” she adds. Slamming the Bill, Akbar says that for far too long, the state and the media have used the contrasting narratives of the ‘pitiful’ Muslim woman and the ‘vile’ Muslim man to malign the community. “I am a Muslim woman and I cannot allow myself to be used as a tool by the State to harass the Muslim man. Hence, lam against the triple ‘talaq’ bill, which seeks to only populate our jails with Muslim men,” she asserts.n

[ 24 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 Reflections On Iqbal’s Mosque - Barbara D. Metcalf In 1931 Muhammad Iqbal went to as its content. Most studies of Iqbal take London to participate in the Second for granted the fact that Iqbal is a poet Round Table Conference organized by and do not analyse his skill as craftsman the British Government to discuss further and artist. Treatments of his poetry constitutional reforms in the Indian typically extract from the verse aspects Empire. Iqbal’s role was a minor one on of Iqbal’s political or philosophic or that occasion, but on his way home he religious thought without attention to the stopped in Spain. There he sought out context that gives them form and the monuments that testified to the meaning. glorious past of Andalusia. He was The poem’s ordering of line, moved by his tour and found, above all metre, and rhyme on the one hand, and else, the Mosque of Cordoba to be a its patterning of metaphor and diction monument that riveted his thoughts and on the other, together are central to its emotions. He secured permission from effectiveness. Moreover, I would the authorities of the building, now a suggest, the meaning of the poem is church, to perform the canonical inextricably linked to the fact that it is a prayers, and he carried away from that structured and crafted expression. Iqbal moment a complex of emotions and in this poem not only celebrates a perceptions from which he was to forge mosque, but literally builds in the verse one of the best-known and beloved a ‘mosque’ of his own. I should like, first, poems of his entire Urdu corpus. to look at the form of the poem; then, at The poem, ‘The Mosque of the metaphor and diction that share its Cordoba’, exemplifies many of those language; and, finally, at the meaning the qualities that have won Iqbal his structure embodies. popularity. The appeal of the poem is * * * often attributed to its subject. That alone, Iqbal, for all his modernist thought, however, does not explain the poem’s did not deviate from classical forms magic, for the mosque alone could be when it came to poetry. His poems were read about in Baedeker or a history of written within well-defined patterns of Spain. The subject is important only metre and rhyme which he was able to because of the way it is treated and the manipulate masterfully. ‘The Mosque of way it is embedded in the poem. It is, Cordoba’ is a long poem. It consists of therefore, important to examine the eight stanzas, each sixteen lines of poem itself, its stanzaic form and which the final two form an emphatic patterns of rhyme, and rhythm as well final couplet. The metric and rhyming [ 25 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 pattern are basically that of the ghazal, phrases: a short lyric poem, here multiplied eight tujh ko parakhta hai yeh; mujh ko times. In this poem; however, each parakhta hai yeh stanza has its own rhyme, and as typical in what is called tarkib band, each maut hai teri barat; maut hai meri barat stanza concludes with a couplet whose who bhi jalil o jamil; tu bhi jalil o jamil. importance is made clear by the fact that The examples are many. it does not include the common rhyme: Repetition of a phrase in the preceding Each line has a caesura, a break in the couplet often appears in the first lines middle, and occasionally the common of a new stanza, making the transition rhyme appears there as well. In the first effective. The result of these patterns is stanza, for example, the rhyme appears that the poem sings. Fast-paced and not only in the first two lines and in flowing, it is hypnotic. Rhymes, alternate lines thereafter, but in the repetitions, and parallels are mnemonic middle of three lines as well. The rhyme devices also and the listener is particularly important. It resounds in remembers, soon predicts what comes each verse and its choice has a subtle next. This is true of all successful Urdu influence on the reader or listener. Thus poetry, for this is a poetry primarily in the first stanza the end rhyme is at-a designed for recitation. Tempted to syllable which often indicates an Arabic abstract from the poetry lofty thought on plural; and I would suggest that its socialism or Sufism, we must not lose choice here strikes a tone of formality, sight of the fact that Iqbal’s skill in of abstractness, of solemnity: hadisat, manipulating traditional poetic forms hayat o mamat, sifat, mumkinat, ka’inat, provided a foundation for his work. and so forth. Poetry is not all craft, but craft certainly Within this structure, Iqbal is an important part of poetry. chooses to create more patterns by * * * using repetition and variations on A further dimension of Iqbal’s recurrent phrases. He takes, again craftsmanship and skill is evident in the looking at the first stanza, a single metaphoric images and diction of the phrase, silsila-i roz o shab, ‘the chain poem. I should like, briefly, to describe (or succession) of day and night’ and the poem, stanza by stanza, pointing to introduces five of the first eight lines with prominent themes and selected it. Moreover, in this stanza and examples of the poet’s use of language. throughout the poem he is particularly The poem begins with a meditation on fond of parallel constructions. As many Time, on the succession of day and as four or five lines in a single stanza night. This succession itself is the will have parallel forms each of two delineator of all events; is the ‘two [ 26 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 coloured silk’ from which God creates scholar, the noble, the vagabond. It is- ‘His robe of attributes’. In this one vivid returning to the question of the identity image, Iqbal introduces the profound of man and God-the common link and complex issue of the relation between man and some special between God and His creation. For the segment of His creation. Again Iqbal moment, he stresses human transience speaks of music but now, no longer a and he introduces the metaphor of cry of despair, it is the melody played music as a cry of pain from the endless on the strings of life plucked out by the succession of Time. Here, Time is plectrum of love. Throughout the stanza personified as a shroff who weighs now plays an image of light, of radiance, creation in the balance, finds it wanting of illumination, all owed to the presence and rewards it with death. Time, as of ishq. noted above, is repeatedly described In the third stanza, Iqbal develops in the Persian phrase, silsila-i roz o the central meaning of the poem, the sbab. Against it, utilizing the rich options idea that the mosque, here introduced of vocabulary available in Urdu, Iqbal as the very embodiment of love, the plays the humble everyday time of man product of the heart’s blood, itself lives. for which he uses the common Hindi The creative artifact, whether the stone words of din and rat. That time, like all of the mosque or the word of the poet, else associated with creation, is fleeting. is thus transformed from death and The final emphatic couplet of the stanza mortality to life. and immortality. Man’s insists on this nothingness: manzil-i emotions transcend in value all else in akhir fana, a phrase which recalls the creation, far surpassing the obedience final stage pursued by the Sufi. Here of the angels which is given! without that phrase resonates not with a sense cost. Of all men it is the poet-and this of fulfilment but of emptiness. poet in particular- whose emotions are The second stanza, echoing of such value. Iqbal calls himself kafir-i phrases from the first, continues the hindi whose passion is the passion of theme of the flow of Time, identifying it faith, made the stronger by the pride of with water, with flood. But now ishq or the recent convert. In the final couplet he dynamic love-to use Professor describes himself as an embodiment of Schimmel’s definition-is proclaimed as the name of God. God the Creator, the itself a tide able to stem all else. Ishq is Artist, and the Artist’s artifact all are characteristic of the special man, the linked by the qualities which are Believer or Man of God. Ishq is equated introduced at the opening of the fourth in a series of cascading phrases with stanza, those of jalal and jamal which Gabriel’s breath, the Prophet’s heart, are the qualities par excellence of God the envoy of God, God’s word, the but are here shared by the mosque and

[ 27 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 by its architect. Iqbal revels in the In the final stanza Iqbal weaves beauties of the mosque and links it with together a synthesis of these “ ages of other expressions of ishq, exulting in the the flow of time and water, of music, of Muslim past and again celebrating the colour and light, and of the crafted work. faith in the final couplet which His opening note in this stanza is muted incorporates the first phrase of the and nostalgic, set against neither day shahada. Finally, in the fifth stanza, Iqbal nor night but twilight. Music is now pushes even further the question of the concrete, not abstract-the simple and relation between the Creator and the affecting song of a peasant girl. Water artist when he says ‘As is God’s Hand, is now no cosmic flood but the flowing so [is his] hand’. He delineates the Guadalquivir by whose banks he character of the Believer who is the stands. But the music is transformed as truimph of God’s creation, the slave the poet continues, for he announces that whose qualities are in fact those of the behind his eyes burns a new dawn. Master. Latent within him is a song whose fire Europe will not be able to bear. Light is In the sixth and seventh stanzas, no longer twilight but the glow of his Iqbal develops further his historical words. A people-not Time-must weigh perspective, recalling the great its acts, he writes, and bring to life the moments of the Muslim past which now fervour that passionate life requires. exist only in the memory of Muslim That fervour, the blood of the heart, alone hearts. Muslim rule was humble, unlike makes a creative act like a poem European rule which was merely regal. perfect and whole. Muslim rulers instructed the rest of the world. Echoes of that past live on in the lqbal’s poem at once describes warmth and openness of the people the and actualizes the power a poem can poet sees before him. Andalusia’s have. At one level, Iqbal writes to instruct breezes waft the fragrance of Yemen; the reader, to remind him of past glory, its songs retain the colouring of the and future potential greatness. At Hejaz. But the poet wakes from this another level, far more profound, he reverie to face the reality that Muslim writes to embody his own spirit, to make it eternal. To achieve this latter objective worldly greatness is gone. He thinks of he creates, as we have seen, an the Protestant Reformation and the artifact-symmetric, highly structured, as French Revolution and hints that now classic as the mosque which is its the caravan of ishq has found its new analogue. Iqbal’s stanzaic and imagistic halting place in the soul of Islam. What, pattern thus is important not only for he asks, will come surging from the creating a poem that sings, that ocean to change the whole colour of e resounds and allures the listener, but is cosmos? intrinsic to creating the meaning of the poem as well. n [ 28 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 Women’s Role in Islam of the Past - Muhammad Akram Nadwi In our times, not only in India, but in attendee with her own hand. Similarly, fact over the world, women are generally Umm Darda’ delivered lectures in Masjid forbidden or at least discouraged from al-Aqsa, a practice that lasted for attending prayers in the mosques. centuries. The number of participants ran Historically, during and after the Prophet, into hundreds and above. for centuries they had been attending The practice was the same in prayers in mosques, observing I‘takaf, several mosques of the Muslim world. In attending lectures, and, in fact, delivering the Jami‘ Umayyah of Damascus, a lady lectures. In Syria, Iraq, Egypt, and other called ‘Ai’shabintibn ‘Abdul Hadi (d. 814 AH) parts of the Islamic world, where men conducted classes, and in fact, was paid studied and lectured, women also studied for it by the government of the time. She and lectured. delivered lessons in Hadith to prominent Three mosques are the holiest in Hadith-experts of the time: Hafiz Islam: Makkan, Madinan and Al-Aqsa. ibnNasiruddin and Hafiz ibnHajr ‘Asqalani. Women delivered lectures in all three of Indeed, HafzibnHajr studied 70 small and them. The audience used to be composed big Hadith books under ‘A’isha. both of men as well as women, although Through centuries, starting with men were in dominant numbers. Of the women-Companions of the Prophet, down men in the audience, there could be through their followers, in every age, scholars, Hadith specialists, jurists and women have taught Hadith from memory. legal experts. Many women have delivered There are many reports that have only lectures within the Hateem of the Masjid women narrators in the chain. Whether it al Haram in Makkah. is Hanafi, Maliki, Shafe‘ee school, how In the grand mosque of Madinah many issues are not there that can boast also, many Hadith-lectures were delivered of narration by women alone. Imam Abu before women audiences. Among the ‘Abdullah Hakim Nisapuri stated that one- lecturers there was once a lady called fourth of Islamic jurisdiction materials Fatimah al-Batatihiyyah (d. 711 AH) whose depends on narrations by women. There sessions were attended by such scholars is no other religion on this planet in which as Dhahabi, Subki, and others. She women have played such foundational delivered her talks from near the grave of role. the Prophet, sitting at the head-side. When An important point that needs to be tired, she would recline by the wall of the disseminated is that there have been grave. She wrote and distributed the many Hadith forgers and fabricators. They certificates of attendance to every of the have been identified and names [ 29 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 preserved. But there is not a single Hadith Imam Bukhari died in 256 AH, thus forger among them. Whenever they have between me of 1438 AH and Imam Bukhari entered the field, it was in the love of there are mere fourteen generations, knowledge and love of Islam. meaning that there are fourteen narrators Fatimah bint al Munajja al- during a period of nearly 1200 years. Tannukiyyah (d. 714 AH), taught Bukhari Right from the start the Hadith and and other books in the Dimashq Mosques Law specialists have and Madrasas. Later, she left for Egypt on narrated ahadith through women the request of its political and civil leaders narrators. Imam Bukhari’s master, Muslim to deliver Hadith lectures in the b. Ibrahim Faraahidi, narrated some neighborhoods of princesses, governors, 70 ahadith through women narrators of mosques and madrasas. In fact she died Basrah. Hafiz Sam‘aani mentions some while she was teaching Bukhari. She was 68 women specialists of Hadith. Ibn ‘Asakir then 89 years old. And the copy of Bukhari wrote biographies of 80 women narrators that she would use while delivering in his “Mu‘jam al-Shuyukh.” He himself lessons, has been preserved in a Turkish narrated through several of them in his library to this day. literary works. Similarly among the Women’s affection for Bukhari is teachers of Imam Mizzi, IbnTaymiyyah, of such order that the most trustworthy of Barzaali, Dhahabi, ‘Iraqi, IbnHajr, Sakhaawi, Suyuti, women occur quite its manuscript in preservation is that of a commonly. IbnNajjar, who has added notes woman. It is called the Uniniyyah to the Tarikh of Khateeb al-Bagdadi, has manuscript. It was printed by the order of narrated through 400 men and 400 Sultan Abdul Hameed II which was printed women. in Cairo and hence is known as the Sultaniyyah manuscript. It originally There are several Hadith belonged to KarimahMarwaziyyah (d. 464). collections that have survived because of She had taught Abu BakrKhateeb al- women. For example, Tabarani’s Mu‘jam Baghdadi, Hafiz Sam‘aani and others. This al-Kabir which is in 25 volumes has survived through the narration of Fatimah manuscript is now commonly available, as al-Jawzadaniyyah (d. 524 AH). edited by ZuhayrNasir. In Law too women have occupied Similarly, women’s chain of high positions. Imam Abu Haneefah and Bukhari is considered the highest in its Imam Malik have accepted the rulings of value. The number of narrators in the women while dealing with several legal chains of Bukhari, as taught in religious issues. schools such as Deoband, Nadwah and others, is twenty or above; while the After the women-Companions, number is fourteen in my personal copy there were many who were prominent in through ‘A’ishaMaqdasiyyah’ version. the legal field such as: ‘Amrbint ‘Abdul Rahman, HafsabintSeereen, Mu‘azah al- [ 30 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 ‘Adawiyyah, Umm al-Darda’, Fatimah bint al-Munzir b. Zubayr and others. One of the EMINENT URDU POET ANWAR important Law works of the Hanafi Law JALALPURI PASSES AWAY is Tuhfatu al-Fuqaha‘ by ‘Alaauddin Eminent Urdu poet Anwar Samarqandi. His daughter Naheekah was Jalalpuri, 71, breathed his last at the an expert in it, in fact, she knew it by heart. King George’s Medical University’s One of the students of Samarqandi is Trauma Centre on Tuesday morning ‘AllamahKaasani. When Kaasani had done January 2, 2018. his course under the tutelage of The poet had fallen down at his Samarqandi, he sought his daughter residence in Lal Kuan area here after Fatima’s hand in marriage. The mentor which he was first rushed to a private told Kaasanithat his daughter was an hospital and then to KGMU on expert in Law, ‘whereas you are yet to December 28. “He was admitted to reach a high enough position.’ Then he respiratory ICU on December 28 suggested to his student that he should midnight as case of acute write a commentary on his book (Tuhfatu hypertensive hemorrhagic stroke and al-Fuqaha‘); if he liked it he would give his was on ventilator support,” said his daughter to him in marriage. Kaasani son Shahkar Jalalpuri. produced a commentary called ‘Badaa‘e Yash Bharti awardee, Jalalpuri al-Sanaa‘e’ which received his approval is credited with translating Bhagwad and the marriage followed. Gita shlokas into Urdu couplets. Known for his extraordinary At a later time, the Governor of compering talent, he was the most Halab asked Kaasani to teach in the visible face on the mushaira stage. college he had set up. Kaasani moved to His good command over Hindi Halab. His students like Ibn al-‘Adeem and and Urdu made him stand out among others have noted, “During Kaasani’s all other poets. Governor Ram Naik classes, if we disputed over some point, and chief minister Yogi Adityanath have and if he was not able to answer to our expressed grief over Jalalpuri’s death. satisfaction, he would say, ‘Wait for me I’ll Naik said Jalalpuri required no be back in a while.’ When he returned, he introduction. The governor said the would have the answer.” Later, we Urdu poet had set an example of unity discovered that Kaasani used to consult by translating the Bhagwad Gita in his wife Fatimah to give them the answer. Urdu. Kasani’s ”Badaa‘e al-Sanaa‘e” is Former chief minister and of such caliber that according to Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh MawlanaRasheed Ahmad Gangohi, it is Yadav also expressed his condolence one of the finest books on the Hanafi and said Jalalpuri’s death is a major system of Law.n loss to Urdu literature.n

[ 31 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 Palestine In Islam - Mohsen Mohammad Saleh The Holy Land For Muslims, as Muslims believe Over three billion people around in the Prophets of the Judaic and Christian the world, i.e. more than half of the world’s religions, all the above are among the - population, believe that Palestine, or at reasons why Muslims hold Palestine as least some part of it, is holy; no other land holy. Ya’ qoub (Jacob), Yusuf (Joseph), on earth is held holy by such a huge Dawud (David), Sulayman (Solomon), number of people. For all the three Yusha’ and ‘Isa (Jesus) are all Prophets who Abrahamic religions (Islam, Christianity and led the struggle of good against evil, and Judaism), and to some other sects as well, Islam is the complete and final form of what Palestine is a holy land that houses some they preached. For Muslims, Palestine is of the major holy shrines. the land of Prophets; among the Prophets mentioned in the Qur’an and Sunnah 14 For Jews, Palestine is the land in lived, preached, and died there, or passed which Prophet Jacob (Ya’ quob) (Peace be through it. (Besides those mentioned upon him), the grandfather of the tribes of above are: Ibrahim, Lut, Isma’ il, Ishaq, Shu’ Israel, lived with his children; it is the land ayb, Zakariyya, Yahya, and Muhammad to which they escaped with Moses (Musa) (Peace be upon them all), from the Pharaoh, and in which they lived under the righteous rule of Prophets David AI-Aqsa Mosque (Dawud) and his son Solomon (Sulayman), The first Qibla (the direction to (Peace be upon them). In this land they which Muslims pray), stands in the heart of established their kingdoms, Israel and this land, in AI-Quds (Jerusalem). It is the Judah, which were later on destroyed by third holy shrine of Islam preceded by Al- the Assyrians and the Babylonians. Haram in Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque For the Christians, Palestine is in Medina (now located in Saudi Arabia). A the land where Jesus of Nazareth (Isa) was prayer in AI-Aqsa Mosque is equal to 500 born, around it he preached and conveyed prayers, as the Prophet said. It is the his message to the world, and in it, second mosque built on earth after AI-Ka Christians believe, he died on the cross for ‘ba in Mecca. the salvation of humankind and was It is from this land that Prophet resurrected. Christian shrines narrate this Muhammad (peace be ‘upon him) escalated story from the beginning until the end in to the heavens (Mi’raj), after he reached their names: Church of Al-Mahd in there from Mecca on his night journey (Isra Bethlehem, his birthplace “The Church of ‘); since then Muslims have called it: “the Nativity”, and ‘Church of Qiyamah “The gate to the heavens”. On this journey, Church of the Holy Sepulcher . Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) (Resurrection)”, referring to Christ’s led the prophets in a night prayer in AI-Aqsa believed resurrection. [ 32 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 Mosque. This was an honor given to this land and to Muslims, indicating that from Ten Things We Waste then on the leadership and promotion of 1- Knowledge : Wasted when not faith in the whole world became their taking action with it. responsibility. It was during this journey that the five daily prayers were ordained. 2- Actions : Wasted when we do anything without sincerity. Palestine is also described as holy and blessed in the Qur’an and Sunnah. It 3- Wealth : Wasted, when used on is the land of Islam in the time of turbulence, things that will not bring us and those who live in it and around it are reward. We waste our money, considered Mujahideen (strivers in the Way our status, our authority, on of God). In some hadiths, the victorious and things that have no benefit in righteous group of Muslims live in Palestine this life or in the Hereafter. and around it; Prophet Muhammad (peace 4- Hearts : Wasted when empty be upon him) said: “There shall be a group of my followers who stick to the right and from the love of Allah and devoid never go astray irrespective of that they of peace and contentment. may face “, the companions asked: “Where 5- Bodies : Wasted when we do are they?” He replied: “In Bait-ulMaqdis not use them in worship and (Jerusalem) and its vicinity.” service of Allah and in serving Historically, many famous Muslim humankind. scholars originated, preached or lived in 6- Love : Wasted when our Palestine for some time; amongst them are emotional love is misdirected, names that were influential in forming the not towards Allah, but towards Muslim mentality. E.g. in historical sequence, Raja’ ibn Hayat AI-Kindi, something/someone else. RoohibnZinbac, Malik ibnDeenar, Imam Al- 7- Time : Wasted when not used Awzai, Sufyan AI- Thawri, IbnShihab Al- properly, by not doing what is Zuhri, Imam Al-Shafii, Ibrahim ibnAdham, Al- righteous. Laithibn Sad, Abu Bakr Al-Jerjanee, 8- Intellect : Wasted on things that IbnQudama al-Maqdisee. Other famous are detrimental to society and figures in this group were AbdulhameedibnYahya (known also as the individual, not in Abdulhamid the Writer because he contemplation or reflection. established the art of formal writing and 9- Service : Wasted when in documentation in Arabic), the chemist service of someone who will not Khalid ibnYazeed Al-Umawee, and the bring us closer to Allah. famous military leader and conqueror of 10- Dhikr : Wasted when it does not Andalusia (Iberian Peninsula) Musa ibnNusair.n affect our hearts. n

[ 33 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 Palestine Issue Warms Up - Obaidur Rahman Nadwi Recent decision of US President ambassadors of the 193-member Donald Trump regarding recognition of General Assembly voted 128 to 9, with Jerusalem as Israel’s capital is quite 35 abstentions, to approve a nonbinding unreasonable. Trump’s decision is resolution demanding that the United being strongly criticized almost States rescind the December 6 throughout the world. decision on Jerusalem, the contested holy city, which also included a plan to The emergency UN General relocate the American Embassy there. Assembly meeting was called for Thursday December 21,2017 to protest “History records names, it against the US veto at Monday’s remembers names — the names of security council meeting on a resolution those who stand by what is right and the the Jerusalem issue- which was names of those who speak falsehood,” supported by all other 14 members. said RiadMalki, the Palestinian foreign minister. Key US allies Britain, France, Italy, Japan and Ukraine were among The General Assembly the 14 countries in the 15 member resolution, drafted by Yemen and council that voted in favour on Monday, Turkey, cited numerous past resolutions and were expected to do the same at on Jerusalem and urged nations to the assembly on Thursday. “refrain from the establishment of diplomatic missions” The consensus The overwhelming majority of the under international law is the East world’s nations delivered a stinging Jerusalem, occupied by Israel since rebuke to the United States on 1967, should be the future capital of a Thursday, denouncing its decision to Palestinian state. recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and ignoring President Donald Trump’s Diplomat brushed aside what bombastic threats of revenge. appeared to be a hastily organised pressure campaign by the White India was among those who House, including last-minute threats by voted against the move which president Trump to cut off aid to America’s UN envoy Nikki Haley had countries voting for the resolution. “ We said on Wednesday Trump would “take will not be threatened,” Malki, one of personally”. several diplomats who spoke before In what amounted to a collective the vote, told the General Assembly at act of defiance toward Washington, an emergency meeting. He said the US

[ 34 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 had insisted on “ignoring the dangerous home in Palestine. (History of Palestine, repercussions of its decision.” p,5) The General Assembly The Balfour Declaration resolution does not mention the US by name, but it calls for a “reversal of the Foreign Office negative trends on the ground that are November 2nd, 1917 imperiling the two-state solution.” It also Dear Lord Rothschild, demanded that all states comply with the resolutions concerning Jerusalem and I have much pleasure in called upon them to “refrain from the conveying to you, on behalf of His establishment of diplomatic missions” Majesty’s Government, the following there. declaration of sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations which has been It would be apt to mention here submitted to, and approved by, the about the land of Palestine. Palestine Cabinet. is the name of the area located in the southwestern part of Asia; it is bordered “His Majesty’s Government by Lebanon from the north, Syria view with favour the establishment in northeast, Jordan east, the Red Sea Palestine of a national home for the south, Sinai in Egypt southwest and Jewish people, and will use their best from the west by the Mediterranean Sea. endeavours to facilitate the This area witnessed the first recorded achievement of this object, it being form of civilization in human history in clearly understood that nothing shall the city of Jericho that was established be done which may prejudice the civil ten thousand years ago. Ever since, it and religious rights of existing non- was inhabited by the Canaanites and Jewish communities in Palestine, or the sea immigrants named Philistines the rights and political status enjoyed who integrated with them later on. It was by Jews in any other country.” thereafter invaded by the Romans, the I should be grateful if you would Jews, the Moguls, and the Christian bring this declaration to the crusaders. knowledge of the Zionist Federation. Since the seventh century, most Yours sincerely, of its population embraced Islam and joined successive Muslim rule until Arthur James Balfour 1917, the year of the collapse of the Thus “Israel” was formed in 1948 Ottoman State, when Palestine came over the lands it occupied in the 1948 under the British mandate that war. After securing a U.N. resolution on undertook to facilitate the realization of the right of Jews in a state in Palestine the Zionist dream of creating a Jewish (Resolution 181), and soon after Britain [ 35 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 officially revoked its mandate over One really wonders how he could still Palestine, David Ben Gurion declared call it “peace”! the establishment of the “State of Israel”. “Israel” is a state governed by The declaration led to a war with the law: the legislative body is the Knesset local Arabs and with the Arab (the “Israeli” Parliament), the honorary governments, to which the “Israelis” Head of the State is the President, and refer as the war of independence, while the Head of the Government is the Prime the Palestinians call it the Catastrophe, Minister who holds all the executive that was one of the worst stories of power. Its population in 2001 was ethnic cleansing in modern history. It 6,460,000, among whom 81.3% are resulted in killing thousands of Jews and the rest 18.7%, are non- Palestinian civilians, destroying more Jewish, mainly Arabs who remained in than 400 villages, and the exodus of their lands after the establishment of 800,000 Palestinians, more than 60% “Israel”. (History of Palestine, p,184- of the Palestinian people, who are to 185)♦ this day paying the price of the “Israeli independence”. This war of 1948 The Seven Who will be under coupled with that of 1956 against Egypt Allah’s Shelter of Mercy that was attacked by France, Britain and Abu-Hurayrah related that the Prophet, “Israel”, and the six days war of 1967 peace be upon him, said: that swallowed the rest of the land that “Seven types of people will be under the Palestinians call “home” together with shelter of Mercy on the Day when there Sinai and Golan Heights. This was will be no shade other than that of followed by the October 1973 war that Allah’s Mercy: 1) a just ruler, 2) a young was launched by Egypt and Syria in an person who kept busy in Allah’s worship, attempt to break the Arabs’ 3) a person whose heart was attached psychological inferiority created by the to the mosque, 4) two persons who defeat of 1967, the offensives on loved each other for Allah’s sake, they Lebanon in 1978, the 1982 war and met for His sake and partook for His 1996, the First Intifada of 1987-1993, sake and left each other for His sake, and finally reaching up to the current 5) a man who was invited by a beautiful Intifada of Al-Aqsa that erupted in and charming woman but declined her September 2000. “Israel” is thus a state offer saying, I fear Allah, 6) a person who founded and maintained by war, and it gave charity so secretly that his left hand seeks to maintain its existence by war did not know what was given by his right as its Prime Minister, Ehud Barak, once hand and 7) a person who remembered said in July 2000, when negotiating Allah private, so that his eyes brimmed over with tears.” “final” settlement: “Peace with the - (Bukhari and Muslim) Palestinians will be an armed Peace”. [ 36 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 Do not Criminalise Triple Talaq - Abhishek Singhvi The Supreme Court’s judgment in one by Justices Nariman and Lalit, the Shayara Bano case, which held the declaring triple talaq as violative of practice of talaq-e-biddat (or triple talaq) Article 14, and the other by Justice unconstitutional, was hailed by many as Joseph, holding that “what is held bad a step towards the emancipation of in the Koran cannot be good in Shariat” Muslim women and a win in the war – differed widely. The minority held triple against institutional remnants of gender talaq as judicially non-reviewable being inequality. In criminalising triple talaq, is an integral part of Muslim personal law. the present government misusing a The offence is nevertheless made judgment delivered to promote gender cognisable (liable to arrest without equality, for ulterior motives? Or is it warrant) and also non-bailable (only guilty of gross overreach in legislating courts and not police can grant bail). supposedly on the basis of the court’s What is crucial to note is that judgement? neither the majorities nor the dissent Parliament, as a whole, in its remotely contemplate, much less direct, plenary wisdom will decide many of the criminalisation of triple talaq. To use these issues and later, perhaps, the the judicial pronouncement as a carte apex court, in a constitutional challenge. blanche to enact an arbitrary punitive But in a vibrant democracy wedded to legislation would be a clear distortion rule of law, constitutionalism and of the essence of the Supreme Court genuine free speech requires the judgements. analysis of such burning issues, though That part of the Bill which re- I restrict myself to the criminalisation declares triple talaq to be illegal and aspect and do not treat issues of void is largely surplus since the apex maintenance and custody as liable to court has already done so under articles be similarly stigmatised. 141 and 142; all agencies across India The first aspect to remember when have to act in aid and support of that dealing with this ill-advised punitive binding judgement. measure by which the pronouncement The Bill makes the classic mistake of triple talaq results in a mandatory jail of treating every error, mistake or term, which may extend up to three illegality as a crime, which it most years, is that the Supreme Court itself assuredly is not, though the reverse is gave a highly fractious 3:2 verdict. Even axiomatically true. We have very the two sets of majority judgements – [ 37 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 recently seen the disastrous homes but with vindictive former consequences of the same conceptual spouses as enemies fighting for confusion in the context of the 2G case. decades. It is also clear that the framers of The government has not tabled the Bill have not only unthinkingly any concrete figures before Parliament, decided that “never the twain (spouses) while making the claim in the Bill’s shall meet” but indeed that they shall objects that numerous instances of remain sworn enemies for life! A triple talaq are found even after the husband committing triple talaq must pronouncements of the Supreme Court. spend considerable time in jail (take a Anecdotal or stray accounts by the law statistical average of 18 months) as also minister do not establish that the scale suffer the ignominy of arrest and social and degree of the mischief, even after ostracism on the criminal complaint of the SC judgments, justify such a his wife. Reconciliation amongst draconian clause nor demonstrate that warring spouses, though a cornerstone the benefits of the Bill outweigh the costs and bedrock of family law – even of ruined homes. divorce by mutual consent cannot be Also, the Bill, as presently drafted, triggered immediately and Parliament creates what lawyers call a strict liability still resists the insertion of “ irretrievable offence viz one where ostensibly, or at breakdown of marriage” – is ruled out least in present language, no mental by this Bill. intent (or mens rea) is required. Mere Since the Bill contains a statutory utterance of the magic words three and mandatory declaration not only of times fulfils all the ingredients of the illegality and voidness but also of crime. criminality, it is presently doubtful if this Good governance requires offence can be settled, compounded or sobriety, restraint, balance and withdrawn. The state will thus persist with farsightedness. As regards the prosecution even where tempers criminalisation of triple talaq, the have cooled and prosecutions are government of the day has to hearken sought to be withdrawn by the back to those virtues instead of relying complainant. on brute majorities.n A not inapposite analogy is if Abhishek Singhvi is a member of under the extant law of divorce, every Parliament, the national spokesperson of the allegation of cruelty were also, Congress, former chairman, Parliamentary concurrently, to carry criminal Committee on Law & Justice, and former consequences. One would have a additional solicitor general of India society littered not merely with broken (Hindustan Times, 02-01-2018) [ 38 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018 AIMPLB Opposes Triple Talaq Bill - The All India Muslim Personal Law and 15, especially which call for equality of law Board (AIMPLB) on Sunday, December, 24, and non-discrimination on the basis of religion. 2017 unanimously opposed the Central Article 25 of the Constitution giving freedom of government’s proposed bill that criminalises religion is also being interfered,” he said. instant triple talaq by calling it anti-women, A total 20 senior members of the against the principles of the Shariah and an executive committee, including Nadwi and interference in the Muslim personal law. general secretary Maulana Syed Wali The AIMPLB, after an emergency Rahmani, were part of the emergency meeting meeting of its executive working committee at held at Lucknow on Sunday. Hyderabad MP Lucknow’s Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama, also and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi also took urged the government to withdraw the proposed part in the meeting along with two women bill. members - Dr Asma Zehra from Hyderabad and The Board, through its president, Mamdooha Majid from Delhi. Maulana Rabey Hasan Nadwi, will request “The AIMPLB is strongly against in Prime Minister Narendra Modi to review the bill stant triple talaq and has been doing mass in consultation with the AIMPLB and women’s awareness for last three months but the bill organisations. defines triple talaq over and above the one called “Consequences of the proposed bill are illegal by the Supreme Court. This isn’t against welfare of women, children and Muslim acceptable and appears to be a in motive to families at large. The proposed provisions are take away right of divorce from Muslim men also against existing legal provisions such as completely,” said Rahmai. The Board opposed the Guardianship and Ward Acts, the Domestic another provision of the bill which says even if Violence Act and the CrPC that are already in a third person complains against a triple talaq place,” said AIMPLB spokesperson Maulana instance with police, it is enough to star a case Khalilur Rahman Sajjad Nomani. against the husband. “Marriage and divorce are personal things between the husband and wife. The Board questioned the three-year jail How can a third persion complain about it with term proposed in the bill on divorcing husband the police that could criminalise the husband, calling it a contradiction to the court’s judgment even if the wife does not want that?” said of providing for wife’s maintenance. “How will another secretary. the husband provide for the maintenance of the wife and nurturing of the child from inside the The AlMPLB said that parliamentary jail,” Nomani asked. procedure of drafting a bill was not followed in case of the bill as neither stake holders, Secretary of the Board, Zafaryab Jilani, affected parties, women’s organisations or said the bill was against the essence of the AlMPLB consulted so that real picture of its Supreme Court judgment that declared instant consequences be brought out. triple talaq illegal in August. “Instant triple talaq had already been “Instead of achieving the aim to curtail termed illegal by the Supreme Court, how can the illegal practice, the bill is only hampering it the government convert it into a criminal act Its provisions encroach up on the constitutional rights provided to all citizens under Article14 then?” said the Board.n

[ 39 ] THE FRAGRANCE OF EAST, January, 2018

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