(صل ٰوۃ) ’IS QURANIC “SALAAT THE ACT OF RITUAL PRAYER?
Meticulous Research towards discovering the true academic definition of Quran’s key word “SALAAT” against the prevalent conventional ,( الصل ٰوۃ) meaning of Ritual/Contact Prayer (نماز) ’called ‘NAMAAZ
by Aurangzaib Yousufzai
www.quranstruelight.com
………
This is the updated ENGLISH EDITION of this writer’s Urdu Thesis published (تحقی ِق نماز و صلٰوۃ) ”entitled “Tehqiq-e-Namaaz-o-Salaat repeatedly from Karachi since 2006
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LIST OF CHAPTERS
PAGE NO.
1. PREAMBLE 3
2. THE PRESENT IMPASSE 7
3. HOSTRICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE 11
EXISTING CALAMITY
4. THE REAL CAUSES BEHIND THE EXISTING 17
CALAMITY
5. THE REAL CRIMINALS OF ISLAM – THE
HITHERTO HIDDEN ASPECT 30
6. RESEARCH INTO THE FAKE RITUAL OF ‘NAMAAZ’ 33
7. RESEARCH INTO ‘SALAAT’ 62
SABBIH BI-HAMDI“ & (اقم الصل ٰوۃ) ”AQIMIS SALAAT“ .8
80 (سبّح بحم ِد ربّک) ”RABBIK 9. CONCLUDING SUBMISSION 95
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1. PREAMBLE
The eternal truth which constituted the foundations of a Muslim’s life was soon to be driven out of his divinely ordained socio-political conduct. It was carefully wrapped up in thick covering and thrust back into the prohibited precincts of the Holy Book, and then to keep it hidden forever from the human perception, the Book itself was replaced with the huge volumes of viciously concocted substitutes called “Interpretations, Exegeses or Expositions” (tafaseer), bypassing the Divine Authority. As a subsequent measure, through the said man-made secondary sources, the entire virtuous ideology of truth was expediently replaced with the Sacred Spell of an “Ancient Magic” brought forth from the mysterious gloom of the old mythology. That Sacred Spell was embodied in a most irrational five-times a day Worship Ritual ordaining meaningless physical movements of bowing and prostration before an imaginary watching God. This Ritual is called NAMAAZ by the faithful. This mythical worship ritual bewitches the mostly unconscious Muslim masses all over the globe up to this day. Some call it by the name of CONTACT PRAYER and you can watch this act being performed by bearded fanatics not only in their local mosques but, while travelling abroad, on airports, tube stations, crowded streets and highways, and other most unlikely places across the globe with a frenzy of complacent religious fanaticism.
Since the offering of NAMAAZ has been proclaimed as “the foremost duty” of a Muslim and since it is regarded as the very first question to be faced by a Muslim at the time of accountability in the Hereafter, why shouldn’t a Muslim feel terrified by the impending threat of severe retribution for ignoring this ritual? And to redeem his spiritual self from this primordial sin and its impending punishment, why shouldn’t the five-time offering of this ritual become his sole life-long pursuit in utter disregard of all the basic human values like ethics and morals, sanity, decorum, etiquette, human brotherhood, equality of rights, concern for fellow humans, social reform & welfare, and other virtuous deeds? Add to that, the unquestionable authenticity of this ritual on the claims of “continuity” over a span of almost a millennium and a half; and attested by endless chain of most respected ancestors passing away generation after generation with sacred “arches” protruding 3
from their foreheads, symbolizing unaccountable life-long prostrations! That was such a span of a millennium and a half when every moment of days and nights was spent by Muslim clerics and priests loudly calling, shouting and yelling in propagation of Namaaz, declaring it the sole essence of the true Deen and the only medium of regular approach to Allah and a clean chit of absolution from all sins and crimes!
It is a well-known fact that the religious hierarchy of clerics and priests, henceforth described in this writing by their traditional name of MULLAH, has always been paid generous grants by the powerful elite for acting as their agents for serving their vested interests with religious weapons. Therefore, it is they who openly declare the non-praying individuals as fuel of hellfire, and cast out of the human species, irrespective of the virtuous deeds they may have been performing - like spending a substantial portion of their hard earned sustenance on feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless, etc. Contrary to that, the praying one (called the “Namaazi”) is given by them glad tidings of prompt, unconditional salvation irrespective of whatever his crooked lifestyle may be! That’s why the overwhelming majority of Muslim Namaazis boldly indulge in evil practices like unscrupulous prevarication, crooked conduct and fraudulent business practices like exorbitant profiteering, hoarding, black-marketing and all other kinds of exploitation, as a routine of life. And since they go to the mosque run by Mullahs, five times a day, they are guaranteed exoneration and easy access to the lofty rewards and spiritual achievements in both the worlds. The act of Namaaz has been excessively exaggerated and portrayed as the apex of worship, awarding the praying one an exalted status in the Hereafter. Thus the worshipper’s ego is inflated with the air of superiority over his fellow folks and a foolish pride that makes him spare no chance to humiliate the non-praying ones around him. We can always note their offensive language, passing of frequent edicts and declaring their fellows Kaafir (an infidel) in routine. This Namaazi is often the one who is a vicious capitalist obstructing easy supply of provisions to the poor (“yamna’oon al- in Quranic words. Quran condemns this class of ( یمنعون الماعون - ”maa’oon .(ویل – as those to be perished (Wayilun ( مصلین -Namaazis (Musalleen
But wait a moment here. The use of the term “Musalleen” (from SALAAT) may cause serious misunderstandings here, because Namaazis have the same 4
relationship with “Musalleen” as has the Namaaz with “Salaat”; as has a born blind with sunlight; as has the Madrissa (Seminary) or Mullah with the real message of the Book - i.e. absolutely no relationship or no remotest concern or similarity! Let us then refrain from creating a mix-up of Namaaz and Salaat and keep these terms that stand far apart from each other as two terms completely opposite to each other in their definitions. Let us first try to gather some courage to present some research in the context of Namaaz while realizing in all humbleness the meager existence of the writer in comparison with the big monopolists of the most powerful institution of Namaaz in the Muslim World, keeping in view the utmost importance this theme of ours commands!
I have used the word “gather some courage” in the above lines in full realization of the sensitivity of the theme under research in this writing. I know fully well that to open your mouth against, and to differ from the dogmas firmly established in the Muslim society for centuries and enjoying widespread recognition irrespective of their man-made origins, requires a great amount of bravery and forbearance; particularly so in the present violent times when the Mullah hierarchy has developed into an armed militant mafia and edicts are delivered in the language of bullets unhesitatingly pumped into the body of the “sacrilegious”. And why not? We are well aware that the very foundations of the powerful Mullah hierarchy in the Muslim World rest on the theme under our active deliberation right now – the hoax called Namaaz. It is the most “sacred Precincts” in the Muslim World where no intrusion can be allowed or tolerated. Hence, it is feared that this booklet may raise a storm that Dr. Mohammad IQBAL has expressed in the following poetical verse:-
مہ خانے کی بنیاد میں آیا ہے تزلزل بیٹھے ہیں اسی فکر میں پیران خرابات
(“The foundations of the Religious Institution are shaken with tremors, and the devil’s accomplices are sitting together in serious apprehensions”)
However, another message from IQBAL is there that cannot be ignored:-
اگرچہ بت ھیں جماعت کی آستینوں میں مجھے ہے حکم اذاں ال الہ اال ہللا (“Although there are idols up the sleeves of the “community”, I am ordered to proclaim that ‘there is no absolute authority other than Allah’.”)
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And the fact of the matter is also manifest in the following verses by IQBAL:
جانتا ہوں میں یہ امت حامل قرآن نہیں ہے وہی سرمایہ داری بندہ موکن کا دین
جانتا ہوں میں کہ مشرق کی اندھیری رات میں بے ید بیضا ہے پیران حرم کی آستین
(“I’m aware that this Community is NOT the torch-bearer of Quran; and the same old brutal Capitalism is still the religion of the Muslim. I’m fully aware that in the dark night of the East; no “illuminating light” is hidden up the sleeves of the religious monopolists.”)
So, dear Readers, leaving the sensitivity of the matter to our Lord of the Universe, in this endless darkness of the East we embark upon our search for the divine light once revealed to Man in a glorious era of the past, and step forward to pursue our theme.
Nevertheless, before writing further on our actual topic of “Research into SALAAT versus NAMAAZ”, it is highly imperative at this point to look deeply into our drawbacks and shortcomings, viz. the most deplorable situation the Muslim nation is confronted with today, so that our research acquires its adequate socio-historical perspective and context. This background view is aimed at preventing the rise of questionable points in the course of reading through this highly controversial issue. Effort is made to ensure that this writing may become self-explicit as well as self-sufficient to the extent that all question marks arising in minds may automatically be answered, affording a thorough peace of mind and clarity of vision. The writing may become at least as comprehensive as to satisfy not only the students of Quran, but the common reader too. It’s a humble effort in the right direction. If it meets with readers’ approval, the writer would feel honored.
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2. THE PRESENT IMPASSE
Respected Readers! The highly controversial issue holding key importance in the Muslim faith is manifested in their current affliction under the wrath of God descended upon them and the consequent suffering the entire Muslim world is undergoing due to its gross negligence of and transgression from the parameters set forth by the Almighty God for an ideal socio-political conduct. Needless to mention that the said parameters constitute a timeless Mode of Conduct consisting of divinely prescribed values and ideals which invariably lead towards material prosperity of society along with spiritual evolution of man’s Conscious Self. Consequently, all the hell is unleashed on Muslims in their private and public lives, at their homes, in the streets, towns and villages and they keep enduring it every moment of their lives. They suffer the retribution they were warned of much in advance by the Almighty in his Book of Wisdom. For example:-
( عذاب عظیم) THE GREAT OR GRIEVOUS TORMENT .1
This Quranic term denotes the collapse of basic social and political structure of a nation rendering it no longer redeemable. It’s a situation where powerful savage bandits, plunderers and packs of murderers, devoid of values and morals, prowl across lands fully armed with weapons of destruction, leaving no one, small or big, safe from their tyranny and terror; where anarchy has eaten up the very fabric of the society.
( عذاب الیم) THE TORMENT OF PAIN .2
It is a cruelly painful mental agony; social and political failure of cruelly agonizing proportions. It’s a tragic situation of shattered honors, dignity and self-esteem.
( عذاب مہین) THE TORMENT OF DISGRACE .3
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.which means insult and humiliation , و ہ ن – Muheen” is from the Root “w h n“ It is the situation where general public is continually insulted and humiliated through overall exploitation by the powerful institutions of the state and their officials. The elite class of such nations, which has gone down to the status of vessel rulers, wholly responsible for this humiliating scenario, also endures insults and humiliation by their masters, the world super powers.
( عذاب النار ) THE TORMENT OF FIRE .4
This is a perpetual state of burning in the fire of deprivation, revenge, regrets, remorse and repentance.
( لباس الجوع و الخوف) THE TORMENT OF HUNGER AND FEAR .5
Quran calls hunger and fear a Torment. It is the perpetual fear of dying with hunger & disease, and the fear of loss of possessions, honor, dignity as well as other excesses which the majority of Muslim masses continue to endure.
( معیشۃ ضنکا ) THE TORMENT OF SHRINKING ECONOMY .6
Quran clearly points out the fall of a nation’s economy due to misconduct and corruption on top level. It is an overall shrinkage of national economy, meaning the fear of poverty, dependence on others, scarcity and want, which a large part of the Muslim world is confronted with.
( استبدال قوم غیر) DOMINANCE OF FOREIGN POWERS .7
Loss of self-rule and authority to foreign colonial powers and the state of economic and political slavery that almost the entire Muslim world is grappling with for over two and half centuries.
Though a cursory glance may show a usual hustle bustle of life in modern looking urban areas, but behind it lives an overwhelming majority scratching a miserable sustenance from the blighted land. Full of negative emotions there are souls who rage in hate-filled fury, and those who scream in inconsolable anguish. Every knowledgeable common man, intellectual and visionary is well aware of the
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reality, as every effort in research and analysis also reveals that all the above divinely predicted torments are perpetuating their stranglehold over the entire Muslim population on the globe in one way or the other, thereby shattering their self-respect, freedom and progress. India and Kashmir, Pakistan and Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Iran, and now Yemen, everywhere Muslims are being victimized by the aggression of world powers. They are terror-struck and agonized. And that simply means that all the torments we were warned about in the perspective of our deviation and transgression from Divine Guidance are doomed to be inflicted upon us, as well as our coming generations, within our lifetimes on this earth in the first instance. And it goes without saying that the same fate awaits us in the Hereafter too. The divine proclamation is amply clear in this respect that (Verse 17/72):
و من کان فی ھذہ اعم ِٰی فھو فی اآلخرۃ اعم ٰی و اضل سبیال Transliteration: “wa mun kaana fi haazi-hi a’maa, fa-huwa fil Aakhirati a’maa, wa azallu sabeelaa.”
Translation: “The one who remains blind – deprived of enlightenment - in the present life, as a result thereof, he remains blind in the Hereafter too, even worse”.
Blind here, of course, does not mean literally blind, but it is a metaphor for being “devoid of the enlightenment and fruits of complying with the Divine Guidance”. However, our religious monopolist, the Mullah, continues to paint a different picture of the Quranic tenets. He maintains that hunger, deprivation, slavery as well as other misfortunes in this life, entitle man for Paradise in the Hereafter! But then, one cannot qualify as a Mullah unless one is a known enemy of God and negates the Quranic values and principles. The overall spread of the said Torments has resulted in a natural and logical catastrophe for Muslims which is clearly evident to a thinking mind and can be summed up in the following words:-
“Total absence of ethics, lack of thought and intellect, lack of science and technology, lack of literary and artistic pursuits, total lack of unity and pluralism, departure of self respect and honor, extreme apathy, yearning for justice and fair play generation after generation, frozen
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and archaic dogmas and rituals, militant sectarianism, dearth of noble souls; in short, a total downfall of human values and ideals. That’s why, dear Readers, the Islamic World today is under the absolute and cruel political and economic domination of Judo-Christian imperialism. According to the great Muslim intellectual, Dr. Mohammad Iqbal:-
لے گئے تثلیث کے فرزند میراث خلیل خشت بنیاد کلیسا بن گئی خاک حجاز
ہو گیا مانند آب ارزاں مسلماں کا لہو مضطرب ہے تو کہ تیرا دل نہیں دانائے راز
Translation: “The Sons of Trinity have taken over the legacy of Abraham; the earth of Hijaaz has turned into bricks of foundations for the Christian Church. Muslim blood has become as cheap as water; and you feel disconcerted because your mind lacks the deeper awareness.”
The detailed story of this stranglehold is very lengthy. In short, it can be concluded that the policies of tyranny, plunder, debauchery, loot and exploitation followed by Muslim dictators, and abandonment of Quran by them in general, and blind pursuit of a fabricated and fictitious discipline called Religion, have reduced our elite classes to the level of slaves of the world powers who, in turn, have enslaved their own compatriots. In a way, the era engulfing the Muslims presently is not only the era of slavery, but of the servility of slave rulers. An eye opener excerpt from a prominent intellectual of the Muslim world is presented hereunder:-
“The fact of the matter is that Muslims have not only relinquished some particular Islamic values, they have rather transformed their entire life into an un-Islamic one. Their thought is un-Islamic, their pace of performance is un-Islamic, and their religious outlook has become un- Islamic. Even If they wish to act upon the Islamic tenets, they would invariably do that in an un-Islamic way. This is the extreme of religious Transliteration: “Fa maa ) "فما ٰھوآلء القوم ال یکادون یفقہون حدیثاّ " .downfall ha’ulaai al Qauma la yukadoona yafqahoona Hadeethan”) – Translation: “What has gone wrong with this nation that they do not try to understand what’s being advised to them”.” (Maulana Abul Kalaam Azaad – Tarjuman al-Quran, Vol.2, p. 135)
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3. HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE EXISTING CALAMITY
خلق خدا کی گھات میں رند و فقیہ و میر و پیر ترے جہاں میں ہے وہی گردش صبح و شام ابھی
تیرے امیر مال مست، تیرے فقیر حال مست بندہ ہے کوچہ گرد ابھی، خواجہ بلند بام ابھی
(“While the masses created by God are ambushed by the pleasure-seeker, the jurist, the elite and the Sufi, the circle of mornings and evenings continues revolving the same way in your world! Your rich intoxicated by his wealth and your beggars content in their destitution and misery; the common man roaming around deserted streets and the chieftains flying high.”- IQBAL)
The inhuman institution of slavery firmly closed by the advent of Islam, was re- established 1400 years ago when the Pious Caliphate of Islam took a sudden u- turn and was transformed into the autocratic Monarchy of the house of Umayyads (the old pre-Islamic nobility from the tribe of Qurayish). As a result thereof, the golden era unfolded by the founding fathers of the Islamic faith or Society was re- cast into the dye of suppression and coercion. The Government by the people came to its tragic end and the dictatorship of the Elite was re-installed. The animal instinct of supremacy in man gained dominance and the powerful again started ruling the humanity by the sword. The ruled ones became slaves of the rulers once again. Scholars and jurists saw their survival in turning into tools in the hands of kings and thereby secured high posts and lavish emoluments. The influential ones shared seats of power by entering into allegiance with the royal court. The rich merchants and landlords secured monopolies and trade allowances by offering precious gifts to the Royalty. The most vocal righteous ones were chased, hunted and killed along with their families or opted for the lives of obscurity by joining the millions of neglected poor ones, among them artisans, laborers and farm workers whose livelihood depended upon the patronage of the rich and the powerful. Millions were enslaved during the ongoing wars of expansion, and were 11
bought back and sold by auction in the markets of regional capitals and other big cities. The male slaves were usually assigned the duties of guards, domestic servants and other jobs that required rigorous labor; while the females were inducted into Harems as concubines or entrusted with household duties. A prolonged dark age of slavery and autocratic rule was re-introduced and maintained by those who claimed to be Muslims and whose Scripture heralded the message of eradication of the curse of slavery and establishment of dignity of man and equality of rights. The dynasties of Ummayads, Abbasides, Fatimides, Saljuks, Mumaleek and Ottoman Turks, including the Sultanates of Iran and Hind, were all autocratic monarchies, un-Islamic in their very nature. All of these dynasties enforced and sponsored the ritual of Namaaz solemnly but, at the same time, ruled by sword and personal decree crushing civil liberties and human rights. At long last, the world entered the modern era and the new Western imperialism emerged from the dark ages of Europe. Thereafter, global organizations appeared on the scene which, through collective declarations, announced the end of slavery from the globe and unleashed effective propaganda against dictatorship. The slavery in practice in Muslim countries was at long last brought to an end by the Sultan Ibn Saud of Arabia under pressure from international bodies in the beginning of 20th century. However, in Muslim countries, dictatorship and its inherent tyranny, coercion and exploitation continued to rule. In the recent times, the Arab Sultan’s successors have invented another form of Slavery, on the basis of easy oil money, by offering jobs to professionals and workmen from poor countries under a process of Work Visas and by keeping them in a prison-like status under their control, managed to continue satisfying their lust for exploitation of the needy. It was a clear manifestation that slavery has always been inherent in the nature and the traditions of the Arab culture since ancient times. The perversion of polygamy so rampant in their societies is another clear evidence of their vicious mindset. They virtually buy women in the name of marriage and keep them prisoners within the four walls of their homes. They did become destitute for a couple of centuries in the recent history when they tasted poverty and hunger, and Muslim pilgrims from different lands, swarming towards Makkah throughout the year were the only source for them to secure their livelihood. Some charities and grants were allocated by Turk Rulers for quite a long time. Around the mid eighteenth century (circa 1740 AD), they earned their livelihood by acting as 12
instruments in the hands of white colonialists, and in that process they easily compromised with their Islam and the Muslim Nation. Mohammad bin Saud, the founder of the present ruling family, and Sheikh Mohammad bin Abd al-Wahaab, the founder of Wahabi-ism (Ahl-e-Hadith Sect in Pakistan), and their descendents have a long history of co-existence and close affiliation and cooperation with the British whose details will be out of place here. But, to know the degree of decline of Muslims during that particular period of time, please read the following quote holding your hearts firm:-
“Swiss Muslim Johan Ludwig Burkhart in 1814, British Muslim Sir Richard Burton in 1853 and German non-Muslim Henrik Maltzen in 1860 have written reports of their visits and stay in Holy Hijaz. Amazingly, all the three have written that Makkah Al-Mukarramah and Madina Al- Munawwara both were infested beyond limits in those times with superstition, anarchy, crimes, insecurity, filth and moral decay. Every form of polytheism was common and folks used to prepare liquor within the precincts of Masjid Al-Haraam and Masjid Nabawi (the Prophet’s mosque). Worship was scarce. Harlots were boldly roaming in and out of Harmain viz. prostitution was openly visible. The number of pilgrims reduced every year. Merry-making, gambling and obscenity increased every year. In 1814 only seventy thousand pilgrims had performed the ritual of Hajj and in 1860 this number was further reduced to thirty by Dr. Shabbir – نئی صدی نیا الف ”thousand only.” (“Nai Sadi, Naya Alf Ahmed, Florida, USA).
Let us keep in mind that it was the time when in the region of Najd, under the sponsorship of the British, the houses of Al-Sheikh and Al-Saud had become stable on religious and political fronts respectively. The region of Hijaaz remained under the authority of Ashraaf-e-Makkah from the ancestry of Banu Hashim, the tribe of Mohammad pbuh. The Ottoman Caliphate was in the process of its gradual disintegration after having become politically instable. Later on, the Najedis overpowered Hijaaz too and laid the foundations of a United Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Then the journey of time reached the milestone where the White imperialists, with the help of technological advancement, discovered the precious mineral wealth of OIL in their land and these despots landed the opportunity to 13
take off on their flights of power and luxury once again. However, the wealth acquired through this help, trained them in the ways of slavery too as their elite class grew ultra-rich. The religious spirit and liberal thinking had abandoned them long ago by virtue of blind dogmatic pursuits and dictatorial frame of mind. So, the newly acquired opulence and royal luxury and splendor become their ultimate ideal and material destination in consonance with the earlier Umayyad and Abbasid times. After the collapse of British colonialism, their target of worship now is the notorious Uncle Sam. They live under its political and military protection, apparently as friends, but virtually as its slaves, while their people (and their poor immigrant labor) endure the slavery of their masters. They still have a tyrannical regime in the birthplace of Islam where they are accountable to no one. No formal opposition is tolerated. A voice raised in criticism would make one liable to be marooned in the merciless vastness of Rub’ul-Khaali Desert. It is the virtual continuity of the same old Arab dictatorship which had once re-emerged with the tragic takeover of the Pious Caliphate by Umayyad dynasty. In the same way, rest of the Islamic states, lacking a central authority, endure their own miseries of slavery and unconditional subjugation to their despotic rulers. As per the old tradition, their ruling classes and their allies and lackeys enjoy the worldly luxuries and riches by compromising their conscience on important national issues; whereas approximately 90% of their populations, the common people, are treated as helpless pawns in the game of power, and perpetually suffer from slavery, want, poverty and illiteracy. The same 90% segment of common Muslim citizens has been so brainwashed by their religious hierarchy of Mullahs through centuries that they are rendered absolutely ignorant of the eternal realities of their Divine discipline. Through the religious rituals like NAMAAZ which is a distorted face of the real Quranic SALAAT, counting on rosary beads (Tasbeeh), meaningless chanting and recitations (Zikr-o-Azkaar) and charitable offerings (Nazr-o-Niaaz) imposed upon them by tyrannical regimes, these poor folks continue beseeching their Lord and his “near ones” to redeem them from the prevalent calamities (Qiyamat-e-Mojood). But no change in their conditions takes place century after century. For them, the doors to progress are closed; securing of financial assistance to launch a small business venture for their living is impossible; education is not only extremely expensive but full of deliberately imposed obstacles in the way; jobs in governmental institutions are entirely monopolized 14
and nepotism is fully enforced; organized hoarding and black-marketing tactics employed by the elite monopolists have raised prices of foodstuff and commodities beyond reach; acquiring basic services like electricity, water, cooking gas, telephone line, is unbearably expensive and difficult; the institution of judiciary is ruined, and judges have been compromised to overlook the crimes of the elite class; the common people are forced by threat to vote for influential and criminal segments of society; and broken roadways, heaps of filth everywhere, daylight robberies, kidnappings for ransom; religious sectarian clashes, extremism, suicidal bombings, every sphere of life ruled by organized crime mafias, etc. But, let us go through an excerpt from the writings of a prominent scholar and writer which might be a more effective eye-opener than the writing of this humble student:-
“People ask me, as I have toured across the East for a long time, what have I observed. What can I tell them as to what have I observed! I have observed from end to end an array of dilapidated settlements, broken down bridges, dried up canals, desolate roads; I have observed wrinkled faces, bent back-bones, empty brains, senseless hearts, upside-down intellects; I have observed cruelty, exploitation, slavery, poverty, hypocrisy, detestable voices, multiple diseases, burnt forests, cooled-down hearths, barren lands, unwashed faces, idle hands and feet; I have observed leaders of prayers without any followers behind them, real brothers in enmity with each other; I saw days spent purposelessly; I saw nights with no hopes of a morning.” (Allama Inayatullah Khan Al-Mashriqi, a prominent Quranic Scholar of the recent past in the United India and then in Pakistan, and the leader of the historical “Khaaksaar Movement.)
Dear Readers, if you ever happen to bypass the artificial hustle bustle of big cities and their surrounding areas and take a tour of your backward towns, smaller roads and far-flung rural areas and under-developed provinces, the truth of Allama Mashriqi’s heart-felt mourning can be witnessed by your own eyes. You will note an extreme degree of poverty which would render you unable to swallow a 15
mouthful of food. You will observe humans and cattle drinking dirty water from the same stagnating pool, eating from garbage dumps and living a worse than animal life. All these torments are rampant irrespective of the fact that the Muslim nation is still full of religious emotions and fervor as in the past. There is an endless chain of prayers, singing of hymns, offerings on tombs, grand anniversary functions of saints, repeated offerings of NAMAAZ prayer, counting on rosary beads, overgrown beards and an ever-crying congregation of souls afflicted with miseries. Still their fate looks sealed and no glad tidings await them. According to poet, their conditions can be explained in these words:-
نہ درد جائے، نہ درماں راس آئے مگر خبط دوا ہے اور میں ہوں
(“Neither the pain is relieved, nor does some remedy work, but the obsession for a remedy is endless”.)
No glad tidings of a new dawn of freedom and opulence await them. On the contrary, their sorrowful state of affairs can be explained best through these poetical verses:-
یہ داغ داغ اجاال، یہ شب گزیدہ سحر وہ انتظار تھا جس کا یہ وہ سحر تو نہیں
یہ وہ سحر تو نہیں جس کی آرزو لیکر چلے تھے یار کہ مل جائے گی کہیں نہ کہیں
فلک کے دشت میں تاروں کی آخری منزل
(“Aah, this extremely scarred light! of this morning which looks marred by the darkness of the night passed; it doesn’t seem to be the morning we so much craved for; it is not the morning we wished to come, and which we had set out to meet somewhere, in the vast wilderness of space, amid the last glow of stars”.)
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4. THE REAL CAUSE BEHIND THE EXISTING CALAMITY
خود طلسم قیصر و کسر ٰی شکست خود سر تخت ملوکیت نشست
(“By their own hands they defeated the tyrannical powers of the Ceaser (Roman Emperor) and the Kisraa (Sassanide Emperor); and Lo, and Behold, by the same hands they occupied the same throne of tyranny”. IQBAL)
The foremost duty the Islamic Movement of Human Freedom was emphatically charged with by our Lord, the Creator, was to establish and enforce the Discipline or System of SALAAT and ZAKAAT once they achieved the target of power and authority over the land. The most direct relevant injunction in this connection reads as follows in the Verse No.41 of Chapter Al-hajj:-
الَّ ِذی َن إِن َّم َّكنَّا ُھ م فِي ا ْلَ ر ِض أَقَا ُموا ال َّص َالۃَ َوآتَ ُوا ال َّز َكاۃَ َوأَ َم ُروا بِا ل َم ع ُرو ِف َونَ َھ وا َع ِن ا ل ُمن َك ِر Transliteration: (Allazina im-makkanna-hum fil Ardh, aqamoo as-Salaata wa aatu az-Zakaata wa amaroo bil-ma’aroofi wa nahau ‘anil munkar….)
Translation: “These are the people who, if we award them with rule on land, will establish SALAAT and provide ZAKAAT; and will enforce the known virtues and prohibit the detestable practices….”)
The known virtuous practices and prohibitions are part and parcel of the same discipline called the Establishment of SALAAT and are enforced through legislation under the same Discipline of Values called SALAAT. Establishment of AL-SALAAT in reality stands for lexical, terminological and historical meaning of Enforcement of Divine Commandments. Its lexical and terminological meaning is already evident on pages of all the reputed, authentic Arabic lexicons. It has an historical authenticity too in view of the veritable truth that all the exalted messengers appointed to guide and reform their communities, were entrusted with 17
the same assignment of Aqamat-us-SALAAT as their working manifesto consisting of the practical application and enforcement of Divine Commandments in the society in order to free their poor compatriots from the chains and fetters imposed upon them by powerful exploiter aristocracy of their societies. In fact, the entire documented history of man is full of the tradition of tyranny and coercion, and the historical role of all divine Prophets/Messengers as defined in the Scriptures was that of life long revolutionary struggle to protect the masses from suppression and slavery by promulgating the divine manifesto of Aqamat-us- SALAAT.”
But the fate of humanity was soon to be sealed once again. In the gloom of a long period of darkness perpetuated by a total absence of human values, in a blessed moment in history, the last Exalted Messenger was deputed in Arabia. In his 23- years long struggle for enforcement of the Quranic manifesto of Aqamat-us- SALAAT, the fundamental duty of all earlier divine Messengers, he stood triumphant. He established a Kingdom of God on earth under the framework ordained by Quranic injunctions and emancipated the people of Arabia from a long era of cruelty, bloodshed, loot and plunder. He enlightened the future course of the caravan of humanity by setting brilliant examples of a welfare oriented government providing people a life of peace, prosperity and security. However, soon after his demise, the defeated despotic powers of the time, regained the opportunities of infiltration. After acquiring considerable power by way of securing ranks and authority they launched an extremely integrated and organized underground conspiracy to topple the Pious Caliphate and succeeded in completely overturning it in the year 40 al-Hejira, working from their headquarters in Damascus. Their despotic government then set out to corrupt the vibrant message of freedom of the masses proclaimed by Quran. By then the conspirators, consisting of Umayyad clan’s former Arab chieftains and their natural political allies, the local Jewish Arabs, had known very well that the real stimulus behind Islamic uprising was the revolutionary philosophy of the Quran. The bountiful riches acquired as a result of widespread conquests had already started tempting the leading members of the Muslim community towards a life of luxury and leisure. The old instincts of autocracy and exploitation were inherently existent in the character of the old Arab chieftains. Thus, the revolutionary impetus of Quran’s message gradually started
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fading. Fictitious Quranic interpretations back up by traditions concocted on the pattern of Jewish Oral Tradition (Mishnah) were fabricated and designed to serve the new despotic rulers’ interests. These interpretations enjoyed full official support and sponsorship. Who could then have raised the voice of truth and risked his life? Gradually, the fabricated interpretations of Quran spread across the occupied territories and their fictitious content was enforced throughout the length and breadth of Islamic empire. The new interpretation of Quran declared the kings the shadow of God on earth and the ultimate authority to be obeyed unconditionally by Muslims, as well as the rightful owner of the empire’s resources and entitled to a life of extreme luxury and splendor. Let us look at just one example of the ongoing scenario. The top most religious scholar of his time, Imam Ghazali, with the title of Hujjat-ul-Islam, delivers his edict in favor of the Despots by saying:
“Sultan (the king) is the shadow of Allah on earth. Therefore, it should be understood that the kingship is a blessing to the kings from Allah, hence they should be obeyed. They should be loved and their orders carried out. It is not fair to have differences with them and it is unfair to hate them, as Allah the Almighty ordains:- “Atee’ul-laaha wa atee’ur Rasool wa oolil- -Nasihat-ul) “ . اطیع( ہللا و اطیعو الرسول و اولی االمر منکم) ”Amr minkum Malook, Page 44, published London 1964).
The Readers can clearly ascertain from each and every word spoken above the loyalty of Imam Ghazali towards the rulers in return for high posts and lucrative allowances from the Royalty. The Discipline of SALAAT could not allow this kind of politics, therefore, distortion of the meaning of Quran’s most important commandment of “Aqamat-us-Salaat” was given the top most priority. It was redefined by “Offering of Prayer”, meaning thereby five prayers daily of five to ten minutes duration each performed by standing, bowing and prostrating before Allah. And this few minutes’ long performance was declared the only essence, the center point and the main pillar of the whole integrated and comprehensive revolutionary manifesto of Quran. And by that tactical move, the rulers got rid of all the ‘intriguing’ duties they were supposed to perform to afford a good life to their subjects, like welfare and progress, justice and fair play, reformation, rehabilitation, privileges and rights. The Quranic command to establish the Pursuit 19
of Divine Discipline was directly addressed to the Muslim rulers, viz., the Islamic authoritative body, because this was the only class of the society which possessed the power and the resources to enforce and promulgate it. But look at the craftiness on their part that they, in the first instance, transformed the entire nature of this great and foremost duty and obligation, and then imposed its performance or fulfilment upon the Muslim masses as a mandatory ritual of worship called NAMAAZ. These Arab Despots wielded absolute power over land and people. So, first of all the Arab masses were ordered and brainwashed, under threat of sword, to regard the Aqamat-us-SALAAT as “offering of worship prayer”; secondly, the entire Muslim world that looked towards Arabs for leadership and guidance was corrupted by force. The Arabs who were proud of their linguistic skills and fully understood the true meaning of SALAAT as the “pursuit of Divine Discipline, their minds were overturned by the use of tyranny and by inventing and introducing a fabricated chain of Traditions as a sacred field of knowledge parallel to Quran, supposed to be coming out of the mouth of the Holy Messenger of Islam. This branch of fake knowledge was named “hadith of the holy Messenger” (plural=Ahadith). The Books of Ahadith, authored from fictitious verbal reporting, painted a most controversial picture of the Holy Messenger’s character and conduct and showed him dedicated to the ritual of “NAMAAZ”, as well as indulging into praying most of the time. This lie was spread so repeatedly and with such a constant pattern that it acquired the status of truth. The rulers themselves demonstrated formal performance of prayers in public and thereby – (اللذین ھم یُراوون) ”testified the Quranic injunction of “Allazina hum yuraaoon “these are the people who make a show off of their high positions”. This hoax was most probably started cooking up in the second half of the 1st century Al- Hejira and gained momentum in the early 2nd century. Soon afterwards the Persians acquired political influence in the Muslim Empire and established their roots in religious, political, social and academic fields. In the meantime, the famous historical Jewish character, Abdallah Ibn e Saba, had introduced the philosophy of Imaamat (the Spiritual Leadership) in Islam as a parallel to political ruler-ship and had succeeded, thereby, in dividing the Ummah in two main factions of Shia and Sunni. The entire official record of the 1st half century of Pious Rule was erased from the face of the earth by sending armies to Madina, Makkah, Koofah, etc. No one could now prove from authentic written material whether or not the Holy 20
Messenger used to perform prayer ritual (of NAMAAZ), or was he actually holding regular congregations of strategic consultations, Quranic teachings, and exhortations. Mosques, in his time, were the public secretariats wherefrom governance under the divine injunctions was carried out and, along with the administrative work, Muslims were imparted Quranic teachings on ideological and conscious levels. Before Abbasside’s rule, the Umayyads too concentrated only on the stability of their dynastic rule, and ruthlessly killed or humiliated great Muslim generals, whose victories had built their empire, on personal biases. Then the Abbasside dynastic rule overcame the Umayyads with the advent of their 1st Caliph, Abul Abbas Al-Saffaah in 132 AH, who came to power by mass slaughter of the ruling Umayyad clan. This was a big change brought about with political and military help of the Persians. The armies of Abu Muslim Khorasani, A Parsi (fire worshipper) Noble from Central Asia, defeated the last Umayyad Caliph, Marwaan the 2nd (nicknamed “the Donkey”), captured the Empire and crowned the posterity of the Holy Messenger’s uncle, Abbas bin Abd al-Muttalab as their crony in order to seek a status of religious authority and sanctity for their rule.
From that point onwards, the history played very colorful dramas. Abbasides soon curbed the Persian political influence and secured full authority on the affairs of the vast empire. Persian women were inducted in their Harems. Glorious palaces were built. Loads of wealth filled their treasuries. In the background of luxurious nights, fantasy tales like “One thousand One Nights” were created. Many Abbaside Caliphs were born out of Iranian women. Their holy majesties fully indulged in the ultimate luxuries of life and ruled by decrees. Those on ministerial and high administrative posts were still the Persians to a large extent. These included the legendary Baraamka family who came from the posterity of the Chief Priest of the central Temple of fire in Khorasan province. On the face they had adopted the Shiite Sect. The underground agenda then started working openly. The hired writers of Arab and Persian origin got busy days and nights fabricating traditions, linking those with fake narrators to make them authentic, ascribed them to the holy person of the Messenger of Islam and, under Royal sponsorship, handed that stuff over to the bureaus of publicity. These fabricated stories were spread therefrom throughout the Islamic world with the sacred title of “Hadith of Rusool” – the saying of the holy Messenger. Guidance in the daily social life, in the
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formulation of state rules, regulations and constitution, in the ways of formal worship rituals, was sought not from the Quranic injunctions but from these concocted stories where the truth was turned into falsity and the false into truth. Such competent champions of intrigue were used in this mission that some of them fabricated up to thirty thousand false Ahadith each. A few of them did eventually confess their sin in writing. Such Judges were appointed who, in the guise of Muslim jurists, had actually descended from the elites of the fire worshippers who had schematically affiliated themselves with the Shiite sect. They were those who, on the pretext of supposed exclusive sanctity of the posterity of Holy Messenger, initiated their canonization, while on the other hand, started the process of condemning and abusing the Companions and the three Pious Caliphs before Ali, as a mandatory religious obligation. These judges were trained to pass decrees strictly under the non-Quranic jurisprudence and to find solutions to all legal problems by neglecting Quran and emphasizing on Ahadith based on oral tradition. Although some of the earlier historians, Mohaddithin and the writers of Seerat and Tafseer had a segment of Iranian Shiites, yet the most surprising fact comes to light that all the four Imams of Islamic Jurisprudence (“Fiqh”) who are generally regarded as Sunnis, were in fact Shiites as per the research of some “Scholars of Men” and as per the conclusions of the great nineteenth century Muslim Scholar and Saint, Shah Waliullah Dehlawi. Probably this background kept them in close co-existence with the Persian Elite of the Royal court and they could secretly continue to weaken the roots of Islam, never declaring the despotic governments as illegal, un-Islamic and a brutal dictatorship. The Majoos festivals of Nauroaz and Shab-e-Baraat had now started being celebrated openly in the Capital under the official authority and were gradually Islamized with the passage of time. The un- Islamic terminology of “Durood” and “Namaaz” were now injected into the Islamic vocabulary. Under the very umbrella of Muslim Caliphs, or the Arab Elite, the august person of the Holy Messenger, the Mothers of Ummah and the elder Companions of the Messenger were subjected to hidden and open obscenity and abuse. Any protesting voice was immediately silenced through the official application of religious edicts making the offender liable to death. Then all that damned stuff was got accumulated by six Mohaddithin of Persian origin and given the form of sacred books, thereby hindering the way of Quran forever and distorting the characters of Islam’s sacred elders. The whole array of this gravest of 22
sins was committed in the daylight under the Muslim rulers. Under the threat of sword, and forced to a slave’s life style, Arab and non-Arab subjects silently watched the detestable practice of slandering Islam and its Holy Messenger. Till the present time, all the enemies of Islam make use of these six True Books (Sahaa-e-Sitta) to implicate Islam and the Holy Messenger. They rightfully claim that they don’t invent these blames. The Islamic literature itself implicates its elders while the Muslim Ummah and scholars eagerly own this material. A few Ahadith from one of the most authentic books called “The Most Authentic Book after the Book of Allah”, are presented here as an example, with apologies to the frozen minded brothers.
The dominant segment of our religious leadership, who happens to read these lines, is requested not to proceed ahead of this point. There economy and authority depends on maintaining the status quo and this stuff might offend them to the extent of taking revengeful steps. This writing dares to bring into light those naked facts to which our frigid religious minds have never opened the doors of thought and deliberation. To criticize or launch a research venture into our religious inheritance was made tantamount to an exit from the fold of Islam. Nevertheless, these facts in their origin possess extremely sordid and obscene nature and have been ruining the dignity of Islam for a long time. They paint an abominable picture of Islam’s golden age and fragmenting the glory of its sacred elders through meaningless rhetoric.
This stuff is always picked up by anti-Islam Western writers and used by them to insult and defame the doctrine of Islam, the holy Messenger and his companions. The Muslim religious leaders then raise hell and hold demonstrations in protest, but you will never see them taking the steps needed to wash away the dirt from their inherited books of Ahadith. That reformative step, according to them, would be tantamount to blasphemy or sacrilege.
As submitted earlier, some startling examples that follow are presented with the sole purpose of enlightening the readers on this subject as a help for them to reach a final conclusion; and may serve to put their faith and convictions on right lines leading to the ultimate Quranic destination. Before that, an excerpt from the book -: by H.A. Baig is presented (آت ِش انتقام)”entitled “Aatish-e-Inteqaam
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“A verbal onslaught, however injurious it may be, gradually heals with the passage of time. But if libel and slander is given a written form, and is preserved in the source books, as long as those books exist, the injuries would continue to be inflicted. Our beloved Rasool’s sanctity is smeared in our books. This written material makes us ashamed. The late Mohammd Islam had collected such material and shaped it in a book. The title said : “A Few Ahadith which must be taught to Muslim Sisters and Daughters”. But in fact those Ahadith was of such a nature that most open and shameless modern Muslim would have preferred to keep his sisters, daughters and even his male children away from them. Those who believe in Ahadith and help in their spread, do join us in our standpoint that this is the infiltration of Ajami hypocrites. But when pointed out that these are preserved in our own books and therefore, the Authors of those books must also be hypocrites, it infuriates them and they get ready for a fatal bout with you. Then they unleash a defaming campaign against you in the locality claiming that you are a deviationist, a kafir, an apostate, because you refuse to accept those Ahadith.”
And now dear Readers, some specimens from this “priceless” treasure! But regrets in advance for being immodest! Copy pasting of evil, is not equal to committing the evil:-
1. “Sahih Bokhari”, Vol.2, Chapter 609, Hadith No.1634
نِ َسا ُؤ ُك ْم َح ْر ٌث لَّ ُك ْم فَأْتُوا َح ْرثَ ُك ْم أَنَّ ى ِش ْئتُ ْم ۖ َوقَ ِّد ُموا ِِلَنفُ ِس ُك ْم ۖ َواتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ َوا ْعلَ ُموا أَنَّ ُكم ُّم ََلقُوہ ُ ۖ َوبَ ِّش ِر ا ْل ُم ْؤ ِمنِی َن ﴿٢٢٣﴾ Transliteration: “Nisaaoo-kum harth-ul-la-kum, fa aatu harthu-kum annaa shi’tum; wa qaddamu li-anfusi-kum; wat taqullah wa a’lamu anna-kum mulaqoo- hu; wa bashshiril momineena.”
Translation: “Your women are your tilth, so come into your tilth the way you like; and send your good deeds ahead for your salvation”.
In interpretation of this verse, they write a hadith as follows:-
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“Naafi moola ibn-e-Umr narrates that Abdullah bin Umr never talked with anyone while reciting Quran. Once I visited him while reciting. When he reached this Verse in Chapter Al-Baqarah, he said to me, did I know when exactly this verse descended. I replied I didn’t know. He explained the background of its revelation saying that it means that man should have intercourse with women in the anus. Then he continued reciting. Abdus Samad narrates that this tradition also comes from Ibn-e-Umr that some men used to have anal intercourse with women. So this Verse was revealed about them. Jaabar narrates that the Jews used to say that whoever would have intercourse with his women by laying her on her stomach, his offspring would be astigmatic. So this Verse was revealed declaring this quotation as wrong. So have intercourse with women as you like.” (Matalib al-Furqan, Vol. 3), (Aatish-e- Inteqam). It simply meant that sexual perversion is openly allowed in Islam !!!
“Allama Badr-ud-Din ‘Ayini and Haafiz ibn-e-Hajr ‘Asqalani have written exegesis of the Hadith book “Sahih Bokhari”. Both these prominent scholars write in their books that Imam Maalik and Imam Shafi’i were having unnatural intercourse with their women and thought it fair.”
2. Sahih Bokhari, Vol.3, Chapter 54, Hadith no.97
Although Quran explicitly ordains as to which women are prohibited for you to marry and which ones are allowed (4/23) – (The translation of 4/23 has since been redefined in the light of more advanced research. It can be seen at this link: http://www.quranstruelight.com/thematic-translation-installments-1-35-in- english/installment-36-marriages-or-human-rights ), yet Bokhari had his own Halaal and Haraam which can be seen from this narration of his : “’Akarma ibn-e- Abbas was quoted as saying that if one committed adultery with the sister of his wife, his wife would not become Haraam for him; and Abu Jaffer narrates that if one commits a homosexual act with a boy, he shouldn’t marry his mother. And Ibn-e-Abbas is quoted as saying that if one had sexual intercourse with his mother-in-law, his wife would not become haraam for him (Aatish-e-Inteqam)”.
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It implies that very serious sins like fornication and homosexuality are neither avoided nor taken as moral degradation nor stood as punishable. This debauchery narrated as a common routine only served to prove that such acts in the time of the holy Messenger was a way of life by Companions.
3. Sahih Bokhari, Vol.3, Chapter 22, Kitab at-Talaaq, Hadith No.157
“Narrate Imam Awzaa’ee and ibn-e-Shahab Zohri that we were reported by Abu Asyad that once upon a time we accompanied with the holy Messenger to the outskirts of Madinah. We reached a garden surrounded by a wall, which had the name of Shoot. There we sat down in between two other gardens. The holy Messenger asked us to stay there and entered the garden. There a woman named Junia was presented to him. She had been escorted into a house in the garden. This woman’s name was Umaima bint Noman Sharaheel, and she was accompanied by her maid whose name was now known. The holy Messenger approached the woman and asked him to give herself to him “Habbi nafsak li”. She replied saying “Go away; is that possible that princesses give themselves up to the subjects”. The Prophet (in spite of harsh talk) raised his hand towards her. This consoled her heart and she said, “I seek God’s protection from you”. The Prophet replied: You sought the protection of Him who is worthy of providing protection”. Then he ordered to Abu Asyad to give the women a pair of garments and to escort her to her family. And Hussain bin Waleed Nishapuri (whom Imam Bokhari never met) narrated this Hadith from Abdur Rahman bin Uqail. Both of them told Sohel bin Sa’ad and Abu Asyad that the holy Messenger entered into a proper marriage agreement with Umaima bint Sharaheel and when she was brought to him and he touched her, the unfortunate lady felt bad about it. The Messenger asked Abu Asyad to give her a pair of white clothes as a gift. “
About a dozen rational questions arise from this absurd story which can’t be answered by any logic; and this shameful event cannot be proved as near to any fraction of truth. However, the crime of character assassination of the Messenger of God and that of Islamic civilization was blatantly committed. Isn’t it strange that no punitive steps were taken by the Islamic Government of the time?
4. Sahih Bokhari, Kitab an-Nikah, Page 52 26
“The Messenger of God pbuh used to visit all of his wives every night; and there were nine of them”.
5. Sahih Bokhari, Vol.2, Page 189
“Ans bin Maalik narrates that the Messenger of God used to visit all his wives within one hour’s time and they were eleven.” (In the Kitab al-Ghusl, Bokhari has named the Title of this Hadith “intercourse with all wives, one after the other, by taking only a single bath”).
6. Sahih Bokhari, Kitab an-Nikah, Page 52
“The Messenger of God said the best among the Muslim faith is he who has more wives than others.”
7. Sahih Bokhari, Kitab al-Haiydh (Mensruation), Page 97
“Aaisha is quoted as saying that the Messenger of God and I used to take bath together in one tub of water and he used to have sex with me during my menstruation period.”
8. Sahih Bokhari, Kitab an-Nikaah, Page 56
“The Messenger of God reprimanded Jaabar bin Abd Allah as to why he married a divorced woman? Why didn’t he marry a young virgin so that he played with her and she played with him?”
9. Sahih Bokhari, Kitab an-Nikaah, Page 67
“Khaulah bint Hakeem offered herself to the Messenger of God for free. Aaisha said “A woman should be ashamed in doing so”. Immediately a revelation started descending upon the Messenger of God upon which Aaisha remarked : “O Messenger of God, what I notice is that your Rabb (Nourisher - God) makes haste in fulfilling your personal desires”!”
10. Sahih Bokhari, Vol.1, Kitab as-Saum, Chapter al-Mubaashirah 1207, Hadith No.1807, Maktabah Rahmania, Translator Allama Waheed-uz-Zaman
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“Aaisha told Aswad that the Messenger of God used to kiss me and have sex with me while he was observing fast. (Meaning; that the Messenger of God was directly blamed to violate the Divine injunctions).”
Dear Readers, it is just the beginning! As you can imagine, the obscene nature of the concocted blasphemous material no longer allows continuing! There is such a deluge of debauchery in this so-called ‘sacred’ collection that your imagination might fail to absorb it. I regret to say that it’s not possible to go on copying this stinking stuff. However, it is advisable to go through the booklets entitled “Aatish- e-Inteqam” by H.A. Beg (Idara ‘Saut-ul-Haq’, Karchi) and “Islam ke Mujrim” by Dr. Shabbir Ahmed of Florida (ourbeacon.com) wherein substantial eye-opening details from these so-called “holy books” are documented. Our theme on these pages is rather different. So, turning back to our particular theme, this humble writer hopes that after double checking the given links the devout Muslim brothers would throw the insinuations of Bokhari, along with the other five books of Hadith, into a burning fire.
Still the point to be pondered upon here is that how Bokhari and other enemies of Islam like him, could perform such heinous acts of compiling this slanderous stuff sitting right in the centers of Islamic Government while the long lasting repercussions of their evil designs, as mentioned earlier, still continue burning the Muslim faith group alive, and all hell is let loose upon them through these books by their adversaries. But our compliments to the Muslim clergy, whose seed was germinated by local Arab Jews of Arabia, and its growth cultivated by the despotic Muslim rulers, that they do not move an inch towards remorse and repentance, nor harbor any intention to discard this stinking material. On the contrary, when criticized and condemned, they would rather stubbornly bring up a shameless claim that the Messenger of God was bestowed with such a supernatural sexual power by God that it equaled the accumulated power of thirty men. They sell the Word of God for worldly riches and luxuries and twist and misrepresent its essence and spirit into more episodes of identically abominable nature. They live as accomplices and tools of despotic rulers and help these stinking books to sustain generation after generation of Muslims with the aim of keeping the Muslim
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mentally retarded and, and resultantly, perpetually subjugated by the exploiting elite classes. They do their best to see that the era of the supremacy of Divine Commandments may never reappear through a people’s revolution, where no man may have the right to subjugate and govern another man (Verse: 82/19); where instead of man-made laws, all human affairs may be conducted under the Divine Laws and Allah may be the absolute Supreme Ruler. That’s the destined era promised by God, which the great Iqbal defines in these words in his poetry:
گر چاہوں تو نقشہ کھینچ کر الفاظ میں رکھ دوں مگر تیرے تخیل سے فزوں تر ہے وہ نظارہ
(Had I so desired I could have drawn a complete picture in my words; but the scenario thus emerging may prove beyond the grasp of your imagination!)
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5. THE REAL CRIMINALS OF ISLAM – THE HIDDEN ASPECT OF THE PICTURE بجھی عشق کی آگ اندھیر ہے مسلماں نہیں راکھ کا ڈھیر ہے
(The fire of passionate devotion has extinguished since long – the Muslim now is but a lump of ashes!)
Dear Readers, from whatever you must have come across on this subject up to the present time, You must have noticed that our entire corps of Quran-only scholars have, in all their writings, invariably blamed the defeated Iranian fire-worshippers and their posterity for the gross infiltration in Quranic interpretations. The way of Quran was hindered by Iranians. It was only they who destroyed the entire governmental and academic record of the Pious Caliphate, the righteous scholar’s interpretations, biographies and histories. To corrupt the Quranic discipline, it was they who fabricated parallel writings. They devised wishful, cheap and obscene material in the name of tradition. The primary source of the present Quranic interpretations was concocted by them. The biographies of the Messenger of God were interpolated by them. Histories were corrupted by them. The philosophy of “Imaamat” under the sponsorship of the Jew, Abdallah ibn-e-Saba, was devised and invented by them. The theory of the holiness or sanctity of the House of the Messenger (Ahl-ul-Bayit) was also invented by them. It was they who introduced the new Shia sect based on the concept of Imaamat, the hereditary religious leadership, for dividing the faith into two big denominations. It was they who introduced the so-called religious duty of condemning the pious elders of Islam. And it was they who ignited bloodshed among two branches of the Arab elites for securing power and supremacy. Much later, in the fourth century A.H. the builders of the fake tombs of Ali and Hussain and laying the foundations of two holy cities of Najaf and Kerbala, were the Dailmi House of Bani Buwaiha of Faarus who were supposed to belong to the former Imperial House of Iranian emperors. Later on, these two cities assumed the status of Qibla for the Shiite community. The same Iranian House of Bani Buwaiha initiated the Shiite rituals of Eid-e-Ghadeer and
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Aashura-e-Moharram in Baghdad and wrote the insulting words of curses against the earliest Pious Caliphs on the walls of mosques.
But there was a hidden side of the picture too which no Muslim scholar ever tried to disclose, among them, Egypt’s Taha Hussain, the writer of the famous “Fitna- tul-Kubraa”, Ahmed Amin Misri, the writer of “Fajr-ul-Islam”, and starting with various big names from Indo-Pak sub-continent, up to the writer of “The Criminals of Islam” and “Kerbala ki Haqiqat”, Dr. Shabbir Ahmed, or other contemporary ones.
Various questions that arise in mind at this juncture are like this: Wasn’t the entire defaming and insulting process carried out under the authority and closely watching eyes of Muslim Arab kings? Didn’t our own Muslim rulers accept the demolition of the genuine Divine Discipline with open hearts? Hadn’t they watched in their full senses the division of Islam into two big sects? Had they wished so, were they not powerful enough to stop and crush that negative uprising? Weren’t they keen about keeping aware of every small or big conspiracy or movement, or thought patterns for the sake of their own security? Weren’t all the religious, educational, cultural sectors of the society controlled by their own relative ministries? Therefore, weren’t these negative deconstruction processes against the genuine Islam of Quran being carried out under their official sponsorship, openly or under cover? Weren’t they totally deprived of all values of religious devotion and loyalty in the very second half of the 1st century of Islam’s emergence, and cared only about strengthening their anti-Islamic despotic regime by all possible means? Weren’t all those Persian, or Jewish agents were actually deputed by them to carry out the heinous task of transforming the true face of Islam into a hotchpotch of worship rituals? And wasn’t it they who granted those agents rewards, high posts, estates etc? Wasn’t Ibn-e-Shahab Zohri (Majoosi or Jew), an open criminal of gross contempt of the holy Messenger, fabricator of the traditions about abrogation of Quran, misguiding the Ummah about the process of collection and editing of Quran, inventing stories of seven different dialects of Quran etc. not appointed in the Royal Court as the teacher of Umayyad princes and as a Royal adviser? Hadn’t the Arab rulers been suffering an inferiority complex against Persians in matters of political expertise, culture and civilization? Unfortunately, all these questions are answered in affirmative; and these answers 31
bring us to face the cruel reality that in the very initial period of Islam, starting from 2nd half of the very 1st century A.H., the Arab elite and the succeeding Muslim Monarchs, all were the enemies of Islam by all accounts. Our Muslim kings (Caliphs) were the real criminals who, for their selfish motives, derailed the great train of Islam immediately after it had set off to its inspiring journey. “The house was set fire by its own lamp”.
Had the Quranic injunctions remained in force, their autocratic rule couldn’t have existed. Palaces would not be built. Estates would not be grabbed. Hundreds of concubines would not be kept in royal harems. The institution of Slavery would not have re-emerged. Exploitation and amassing of wealth would not be possible. The free masses would not be subjugated and subjected to life of poverty, terror and misery. Public could not have been stopped from probing and questioning the elite class. And above all, had “SALAAT” not been transformed into just a ritual of prayer called “NAMAAZ”, the foremost duty of establishing the “pursuit of Divine Commandments” could not have been abrogated.
Dear Readers, begging your pardon for the lengthy discourse, let us now return to our actual theme, with the hope that this historical perspective must have equipped the minds with a wider vision and scope necessary to accept the presented research.
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6. RESEARCH INTO THE FAKE RITUAL OF ‘NAMAAZ’
ہے ازل سے ان غریبوں کے مقدر میں سجود ان کی فطرت کا تقاضا ہے نما ِز بے قیام یہ ہماری سعئی پیہم کی کرامت ہے کہ آج صوفی و ُمَل ملوکیت کے بندے ہیں تمام Let us now start with our research on NAMAAZ which is the word spoken for the Urdu & Persian equivalent of the Arabic word “SALAAT”, and is the name of the most important and mandatory daily Muslim Prayer ritual. This word has its origins in Persian (Pahlavi) language; from there it entered the languages of the Muslims of the sub-continent. In Urdu language this word is derived from Arabic as an equivalent of the word “Salaat”. Likewise, the meaning of Quranic term “Aqamat-us-SALAAT” is derived as “STANDING for the ritual of Namaaz”, a derivation that is not supported or attested by authentic Arabic lexicons. In the commonplace Arabic-Urdu dictionaries SALAAT will sure be found defined as “NAMAAZ”, which represents a common error caused by centuries of erroneous practice prevalent in Iran and the states in Indian sub-continent. This equivalent and the concept of worship behind it have no proof or authority for their authenticity. What is the actual definition of the word “SALAAT” and what Root it is derived from, are fully detailed in the upcoming Chapter presenting research into the essence of Quranic SALAAT. This word NAMAAZ is conceived as the main pillar of religion and the foundation and central point of all worship practices in Islam. Under the man-made religious disciplines, it is always the worship of God which is focused as a mandatory duty, rather than the obedience of Him. So NAMAAZ is the name of the basic worship ritual which consists of a series of physical acts of standing, bowing down, prostrating and sitting in a solemn manner. It is believed that this ritual is a means of presenting oneself before God and of having individual communication with Him. Therefore, this self presentation or attendance entails some necessary pre-requisites, of which Wudhu (Ablution) forms an essential beginning, which fulfils the purpose of getting purified as a first step. It is often argued that presence of special guideline for Wudhu (Ablution) is an undeniable proof of the validity of NAMAAZ as the 33
foremost worship ritual; AND had the “Establishment of Salaat” meant “enforcement of Divine Commandments and their pursuit”, there would be no need for a specific guideline on washing hands, face, feet, etc. In the context of this Wudhu (Ablution), Quranic injunction under Verse 5/6 is applied. This Verse has a cooked-up translation and subsequent interpretive concept by enemies of Islam which, under prevalent trends, enjoy general acceptance.
In contrast thereof, this Verse has its real academic and lexical definition too which was thrown in the background under a deep conspiracy. Both definitions would be presented before the Readers to make it easy to distinguish the truth from falsity in a way that Divine Writ’s foundations and reality is brought forth. The disgusting conspiracy would also be exposed which was sponsored by the entire line of our Arab Royalty for preserving their selfish interests and motives. Decision will be made by the Readers by using their own consciousness and their own power of judgment.
This fact is known to very few of us yet that this NAMAAZ of ours, with the same name and having the same physical actions, and with the same routine of five times daily performance, has roots in the ancient Zoroastrian Religion. Zarathushtara was the founder of this ancient religion and the famous Sassanide dynasty of Iranian emperors had acknowledged it as the official state religion. Zoroastrianism was founded around six or seven hundred years B.C. Some historians maintain that it is much older than that. NAMAAZ is being performed since that time by this community commonly known as Paarsi and, in its essence, is the act of fire worship. The Paarsi is a community rapidly reducing in numbers on the globe. The remaining few Paarsi communities are found scattered around the world with this ritual still offered by them in their temples. Please check with Zoroastrians’ websites to confirm the above statement. A visit to any Paarsi temple would also be an eye-opener. Latest research reveals that an almost similar ritual was in practice by Arabs too in the pre-Islamic Jahiliyyah age. So, NAMAAZ is an absolutely un-Quranic act or ritual which is based on individual or collective worship practice and offers a temptation for the performers’ salvation. Through the fake philosophy of NAMAAZ, a performer of NAMAAZ is brainwashed to think that he would achieve nearness to God and His approval. Once God’s approval and consent is secured, the Prayer’s entire list of wishes and goals would be 34
granted. It means that all the responsibility of carrying out one’s duties and fulfilment of aims and desires are entrusted to God to carry out and oblige. The great national Poet, Iqbal, however was almost on the opposite side of this view when he expressed the reality in these words :-
ہاتھ ہے ہللا کا بند ِہ مومن کا ہاتھ غالب و کار آفریں، کار کشا و کار ساز “It is in fact the True Believer’s hand which acts as the hand of God; it is dominant, dutiful, solution provider and remedy-oriented”.
A poor Muslim’s prayer usually consists of begging for selfish motives to be achieved. It is in the nature of securing a job, abundance of food and provisions, solution of family problems, prosperity, opulence, enemy’s destruction, and grant of offspring etc. etc. and, along with that, the ultimate salvation in the Hereafter. He is also indoctrinated to believe that Prayer helps absolving him from the punishment of his daily sins and crimes. It means that all sins and crimes being committed in routine are going to be pardoned immediately by offering the next prayer. Thus, with a clean slate after every prayer, he is granted the privilege of enjoying another free allowance for new sins and crimes; then another pardon with the next NAMAAZ is in waiting. So, the fake NAMAAZ doctrine simply means a vicious circle of sins and absolution; then again more sins and again absolution. In other words, the prevalent NAMAAZ is a valid license for committing sins, a potion to heal the voice of conscience, and an all time certificate of pardon from God. As the consent of God is believed to cause automatic success in all dormant wishes and projects and solution of all serious problems, therefore, the majority of Muslims are seen swarming to mosques sporting long beards and wearing head gear of unaccountable shapes and designs. Thus they are rendered devoid of any serious struggle out in the field. Most of them lag behind in economic fields of life and become dependent upon others for their bread and butter. Potentialities become redundant and watching the skies for mercy and abundance, their bones and muscles are frozen. However, the shrewd and the opportunist among them use the ritual of prayer as a cover for meeting their ulterior motives. They keep violating the divine commandments by using the shield of NAMAAZ, make hay while the sun shines and still maintain their credibility in the society through regular attendance in the local mosque.
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With the monarchy’s takeover of Islamic civilization, the seats of governance moved into palaces and the mosques became uninhibited. It must be kept in mind that since the time of the holy Prophet, the mosques were used in their rightful role as the centers of governance. These mosques were also the residences of the local administrative chiefs. These were also the communal and educational centers. These also were the houses of consultations and justice. These were the centers of enforcement of laws, treasuries, administrative institutions and the sources of providing sustenance to the needy masses. The official delegations were received here. Even the cultural troupes performed in there. On the central level, the holy Prophet himself, in the role of the Head of State, and on the lower level, the Governors and other authorities carried out their official duties in their local mosques. Then, as the result of civil wars, came the Umayyad dynasty, the usurpers of the Holy Kingdom. The holy caliphate turned into a despotic kingdom. Conquests and resultant abundance of wealth created a growing distance between rulers and the masses. Security measures were necessitated. Thus palaces were built or the old captured ones were rehabilitated and all levels of authoritative cadres abandoned the mosques and moved into palaces and/or well furnished offices. Governance started taking place from palaces.
In the beginning, as the history tells us, the Caliphs and regional or provincial Governors partly maintained the routine of addressing public on Fridays (the congregations named as SALAAT in the Arab World) in order to maintain an apparent Muslim profile and tradition. Later on, a solution of this issue was invented by introducing the third dimension of the power triangle in the form of a religious hierarchy, the clergy. This solution was to transfer the religious sector into the hands and thus under the authority of the Clerics, Imams or Sheikhs, and entrust the mosques into their custody to preach a fabricated religion there from. It was recommended to start an act of worship in the mosques aiming to prevent the masses from awakening, and by preaching dependence, patience, forbearance through an act of worship keep them under religious hibernation. The ritual of worship in the form of NAMAAZ, observing five daily timings, had already existed in the Arab Jahiliyyah tradition as well as in and around the former Persian territories now occupied by Arabs, so it was deemed suitable to enforce the same upon Muslim masses as a compulsory fundamental Prayer System by equipping it
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with chanting of some Quranic verses and some un-Quranic nonsense in Arabic language. The un-Quranic nonsense included Rusool’s supposed “dialogue” with God when he held his important face-to-face meeting with Him in his journey of Mi’raaj, called “at-Tahiyyaat”, and, a fabricated “Durood-e-Ibrahimi” (tributes and prayers for Abraham and his posterity), etc.
It was also decided that to do away with Quranic teachings and deliberation all emphasis must be laid on imparting the lessons of Hadith which was the hearsay fabricated in the name of Rusool’s verbal instructions. To marginalize the importance of comprehension of Quran, its mere reciting and Hifz (memorization) was emphasized as the source of great blessings. All the earlier Imams and the seminaries under them are reported to have followed this exercise in futility, rather than deliberating into Quran and disseminating its discipline. Most up to date research has revealed that this vicious mission was undertaken from the very beginning of the despotic regime (Malookiat) of the Umayyad kings, and it was ensured that it spread all over the Empire in an effective way. It continues unabated in the Muslim World to this day. History was also proliferated with by adding fabricated episodes serving the aims of particular religious sects.
Thanks to the latest research, we know now that Mohammad’s grandson Hussain was never martyred in Kerbala fighting against the forces of the Government, but at the time of his death he was working on the honorable post of Governor of Iraq. We also have discovered presently that the assassinations of Caliphs Uthman and Ali were planned and carried out by the Umayyads through hired killers whose names have also been exposed. Through the intensive research by Scholars of Probe and Investigation, spreading over centuries, we also have come to know the dubious antecedents of narrators of traditions/ahadith who concocted irrational gossip and ascribed it to the august person of Rusool pbuh. The entire teams of these negative characters had been working under the direct sponsorship of despotic Umayyad and Abbaside rulers. All the existing on ground realities also corroborate the modern research. Hence, the aforementioned lines provide clear cut answers to the questions as to When, Why, and How this ritual of NAMAAZ entered the religion of Islam.
After the introduction of the imported NAMAAZ into Islamic discipline, there 37
came about the stage of getting it justified, substantiated and finally canonized. The formula was already available and was already in use for justifying the dictatorial rule, and for authentication of countless other un-Quranic acts, immoral practices and open debauchery of the rulers. Supportive Traditions were fabricated and ascribed to the Messenger. As per these traditions, the act of NAMAAZ, its physical movements, the detail of recitations, the timings, all were Islamized and substantiated. We can find extremely contradictory details in the implementation of this practice in the collection of traditions. Yet, fabrications continued indiscriminately describing NAMAAZ as the source of blessings, prosperity, forgiveness from sins, salvation in the Hereafter, etc. etc. It goes without saying however, that such trivialities have no Quranic justification although efforts did continue to authenticate them by erroneous and wishful Quranic Interpretations concocted by hired clergy. No rational results can be derived from this fictitious work.
NAMAAZ is supposed to have become mandatory on the eve of “Mi’raaj”, conceived as the holy Messenger’s ascension to the heavens; or an excursion trip to meet the Almighty God when NAMAAZ was ordained verbally on the Muslim faith by God. It is also acknowledged that its specifications are not available from Quran. The time of “Mi’raaj” is supposed to be one to two years earlier than the historic Migration (Hijrat) to Medinah. So, the issue is open to question as to what was the “modus operandi” of offering NAMAAZ during the eleven or twelve years of pre-Mi’raaj era of Prophethood of Mohammad when Revelations continued to descend with repetitive commands for “Establishment of SALAAT” being revealed. No scholar of traditional Islam has ever been able to offer a satisfactory answer to this rational question yet. It is obvious that any qualified answer would demolish the whole edifice of a crooked conversion of the genuine philosophy of SALAAT into their highly adored act of worship called NAMAAZ. The Quranic reality was that during those 12 years of pre-Mi’raaj period, the holy Messenger “established the Real Essence of Salaat” by enforcing the all-pervading Discipline of dissemination and active pursuit of Divine Commandments in all walks of life.
Let us now throw some light on the sources from where we derive the act of worship called NAMAAZ and its specifics and so-called blessings, etc. First of all in the line, we have the book entitled “Tafseer-e-Ibn-e-Abbas”. This is supposed to 38
be the first and foremost Interpretation of Quran in the Islamic history, and forms the source material for all subsequent Interpretations. Its fabricator is the infamous Mohammad bin As-Saaib Kalabi. Supposed to descend from the tribe of Banu Kalab and was a citizen of Kufa where, according to famous Jurist,Imaam Malik, Hadith producing factories were established in every premises. He was an expert in genealogy, Interpreter and historian; reports traditions from Imam Sha’bi and others. In earlier times the book was named “Tafseer-e-Kalabi”. He claimed that he had received this entire Interpretation from Abu Saleh and memorised; and Abu Saleh had heard it from Ibn-e-Abbas (although Abu Saleh had never met Ibn-e- Abbas). Therefore, it became known with two titles viz., “Tafseer-e-Ibn-e-Abbas” and “Tafseer-e-Kalabi”. Ibn-e-‘Adi says that this man produces fake Hadith; and particularly when he narrates via Abu Saleh, it is certainly fake. This implies that the entire Tafseer Ibn-e-Abbas is fake. Imam Sufyan Soori confirms that Kalabi himself explained that he was once advised by Abu Saleh never to narrate in public the traditions of Ibn-e-Abbas that he had heard from him. Still, the shameless Kalabi not only narrated the entire stuff, but wrote a book on its contents. Abu Muawiya says that he had heard Kalabi claiming that he had learnt Quran by heart in such a short time, none else could do it. He said he had memorized the entire Quran within six or seven days. According to him: “The way I used to forget things, none else could have done it either. It so happened that I held my beard in my fist in order to cut the remaining hanging part of it, but instead cut it from above the fist”. Imam Yazeed bin Haroon states that Kalabi himself told him that whatever he memorized once, he never forgot it. But once he called upon a barber and held his beard into his fist to get it cut, but instead of cutting the lower part, got it cut from above the fist. (Please note the anomaly that he cut it himself as well as got it cut by a barber). Ya’li bin Obaid says that Imam Sufyan Soori once announced in his gathering like this: “O people, beware of this Kalabi’s traditions”. Someone objected by saying: “Don’t you also duplicate his traditions?” He said: “I am the one who knows how to distinguish between his truths and lies”. Imam Bokhari says that Yahya bin Saeed Al-Qatan and Abdur Rahman Mehdi had abandoned this man’s traditions. Ya’li states that I used to go to this Kalabi for learning Quran. Once he told us that he had in the near past fallen seriously ill and that illness caused him to forget everything. Then he visited the descendents of Mohammad pbuh, who spat into his mouth and he instantly 39
remembered all that he had forgotten. Who knows how many of Mohammad’s descendents he had made to spit into his mouth. Yazeed bin Dree’ announces that this Kalabi was a Sabaai – meaning the follower of Abdallah ibn-e-Sabaa, the founder of the philosophy of Imamiah (Shiaism). Imam A’mash is quoted as saying: “O people, beware of Sabaais because all the scholars I have met used to call them Kazzaab (liars). Ibn-e-Jabaan writes that this Kalabi belonged to that group of Sabaaians who claimed that Ali (the first cousin of Mohammad pbuh) had not died. He was alive to come to this world once again and would fill it with justice as much as it would be filled with tyranny. Whenever this group saw a cloud in the sky, they claimed that Ameer-ul-Momineen Ali was approaching them through this cloud (the Raj’iyya sect). Abu ‘Awanah says that he himself had heard Kalabi stating that whenever archangel Jibraeel descended with Revelation, and found the Messenger busy in his washroom, he revealed the Wahi to Ali. Ahmad bin Zohair quotes that he inquired Imam Ahmed bin Hambal as to whether studying Kalabi’s Tafseer was allowed. He replied in negative by saying that whenever this Kalabi needed to tell lies, he pulled Abu Saleh out of his grave. And that Tafseer ibn-e-Abbas was a result of his blatant lies. Imam Yahya bin Mueen was heard saying that there is a book in Iraq which must be buried in the ground; and that book is Tafseer ibn-e-Abbas, or Tafseer Kalabi in reality.
Dear Readers, this is the most deplorable and ridiculous reality of one of our two foremost sources regarded as most authentic. And it too was written after a blank period of more than a century of total absence of written material. And thus, this is also the true state of the so-called continuity of our act of worship (NAMAAZ). It is a matter of regret and surprise that no later tafseer exists where Kalabi’s crap and nonsense is not reproduced as authentic material.
After Tafseer, let us now take up the case of our foremost source of history and Rusool’s biography.
This book is called “Maghaazi Mohammad bin Ishaq” (d.151 AH). It was assumed to have become extinct in the very early period. However, the late Dr. Hameedullah informed from Paris that Ibn-e-Ishaq’s manuscript has been located. Mohammad Tufail then published it in the 11th edition of his Journal “Naqoosh”, Lahore, by getting it translated in Urdu (Allama Hafiz Habib ur Rahman Siddiqi
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Kandhalwi – “Mazhabi Daastanen aur in ki Haqiqat”, Vol.1). But later on, Ibn-e- Hisham had re-produced it with new order and update and its present name was “Seerat ibn-e-Hisham”. Mohammad bin Ishaq was of Majoosi origins and used to receive traditional narrations from Jews. He collected libelous poetry written by poets and ascribed towards Companions. Didn’t believe in predestination and was a Shiite. Hisham bin ‘Urwah and Imam Maalik etc., called him “Kazzab” (liar). There are two persons who copied this book from him : 1)Salamat-ul-Abrash (d.191 AH) and 2) Ziyad Al-Bakaai, and both are of Majoosi origin and confirmed liars. Ibn-e-Hisham had copied Ibn-e-Ishaq’s book from Ziyad al-Bakai. While Hameed Al-Raazi (d.240 AH) copied it from Salama-tul-Abrash. From the latter, the famous historian Tabari (d.310 AH) is reported to have copied the stuff in his “Tareekh-ul-Umam and wa al-Mulook”. All of the aforementioned were Majoos and possessed a Sabaaian mindset.
Another one of the foremost writers was the famous historian Waqidi (130-207 AH) who, according to Hadith experts, was a widely known liar and a Shiite extremist. The same goes for Abi Makhnaf Loot bin Yahya, Suddi, Ismael bin Moosa Al-Fazaari and Siri bin Ismael. All of them were pure Sabaaians. All the later historians, whether Sunnite or Sabaaians, totally depended on the books or traditions from the aforementioned characters. For example, Ibn-e-Saad, though Sunnite, but quotes 70% of the narrations of Waqidi the Liar in his widely read writings. Balaazari’s books are in reality a collection of the same peoples’ traditions. All the poisoning induced by these Sabaaian and Majoos historians where truth was turned into lies and lies turned into truth, was not only wholly preserved by the Majoos Ibn-e-Jarir Tabari in his magnum opus known as “Ummut Tafaseer” (the mother of all books of Interpretations) and “Ummut Tawarikh” (the mother of all works on history), but much more stuff was also added to those by him. All the books subsequently written by later Sunnite scholars are nothing but a plagiarization of those books. Even the famous historian Ibn-e-Khaldoon could not move out of the trance of Waqidi and Ibn-e-Ishaq.
So, this is the true state of history and books of Seerat. It was these expert craftsmen who invented the worship ritual of NAMAAZ which eventually reached ,No such act is stipulated in Quran .(تسلسل – us by the Continuity Factor (Tasalsal nor are its details or specifics available across its length and breadth. Therefore, it 41
is not possible that the holy Messenger would have performed or preached such a worship ritual in view of the clear injunctions in Verse 6:50 where he is directed to announce : I obey not except what is revealed to me. And that “It is the Quran which is revealed to me”. No suggestion exists of any further sources of revelations than the Wahi contained in Quran.
Let us now present some antecedents of the highly revered historian Mohammad bin Ishaq. He is acknowledged as the arch-historian being the one who wrote the very first book on the history of Islam, known with the name of Al-Maghaazi. According to later Muslim historians, his writing is to be regarded as the last word. The books of Ahadith also have his traditions and Mohaddithin and Scholars of Probe and Investigation have commented in detail on him. There is also a consensus about him that he stands unacceptable in the fields of both history and Hadith. Imam Zohbi writes : “Mohammad bin Ishaq’s grandfather was called Yasaar. He became a prisoner in the battle of ‘Ayn at-Tamar and was given in slavery to Qais bin Mohzamah bin Abd al-Muttalab bin Abd Munaaf. As Mohammad bin Ishaq and his father and grandfather’s masters lived in Medina, he used to be called Medinite. He has met the Companion of Rasool, Hadhrat Anas, died 93 AH. Khadaash states that he had heard Imam Yahya bin Saeed Al-Qataan saying that he asked Ubaidullah al-Qwarairy as to where was he going. He replied that he was going to visit Wahab bin Jarir so that he could take his dictation for writing Seerat. Imam Yayha said that he was going to write lots of lies (meaning that Seerat cannot be free from lies) or, because Wahab bin Jarir had copied the traditions of Seerat from Mohammad bin Ishaq, so Imam Yahya had declared all those traditions as wicked. Imam Ahmed bin Hambal said that Ibn-e-Ishaq’s Hadith was good; but Yahya bin Mueen (d.238 AH) says that though he was otherwise reliable but his Hadith is not authentic. Imam Nisai said that he was not reliable. Daarqatni said that his Hadith was not to be taken as authority. Sho’bah said that he was Muslims’ authority in Hadith. Imam Abu Daud said that he was “Qadri” as well as Mo’tazili. He was a descendant from Majoos. Hisham bin Urwah and Imam Malik (d.170 AH) used to call him a “liar”. Ibn-e-Abi Fadik has stated that he had watched him writing traditions from Jews. Ibn-e-‘Adi writes that this man used to keep fighter cocks. Imam Yahya bin Saeed al-Qatan said that he stood a witness to the fact that Mohammad bin Ishaq was a liar.
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Let us pack up the lengthy tales by narrating an interesting historical episode. Drawardi states that they were learning in the audience of Ibn-e-Ishaq when he suddenly starting dozing. When he woke up he said that he had just seen in a dream that a man had entered the mosque holding a rope. He tied that rope around the neck of a donkey that had come inside the mosque, and then pulled him out of the mosque. A little after his narration of the dream a man really entered the mosque. He had a rope which he tied around Ibn-e-Ishaq’s neck and took him out by pulling with it and presented him before the Governor. He was then flogged for being a “Qadri”. And in the end, Ibn-e-Ishaq states through the tradition of Makki bin Ibrahim that Hadhrat Abdullah bin Umar sent someone to Hadhrat Abdullah bin Abbas asking as to whether Prophet Mohammad had seen his Rabb (Nourisher). He replied in the affirmative, explaining that Allah swt was sitting on a chair made of gold. Four angels were holding it above their shoulders. One of the angels was in the form of man, the second was of a lion’s image, and the third one was like a male cow and the last one resembled a vulture. Allah swt was sitting in a tent of green shade and there were small flying objects of gold around His seat!
Dear Readers, I hope you would enjoy the funny characters of the great historical figures held in highest esteem by Muslim clergy and, at the same time, feel like mourning the deplorable tragedy that the most ludicrous tales spread by them form the basic substance of our blind faith.
While still on the subject, let us make some research into the phenomenon of so called “Mi’raaj”. This myth is often referred to as the source of NAMAAZ as it was allegedly ordained to Mohammad verbally during his rendezvous with Allah when he travelled across the ‘seven skies’. This episode from tradition is dated back to 10th or 11th year of Mohammad’s Prophet-hood, which categorizes it as a pre-Hejira phenomenon. The first tradition implicitly describes its occurrence at the house of Umm-e-Haani, a married cousin of the Prophet. Let us go through the research by Syed Suleman Nadwi:-
“Some sub-standard traditions and books of history depict Umm-e-Haani’s statement that the holy Messenger had had the Mi’raaj experience in her house. Umm-e-Hanai’s home was in the quarter of Abi Taalib. This
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tradition is narrated by the known liar Kalabi and there are the worst kind of nonsensical and immoral details mentioned in it.” In Masnad Abi Ya’ali, it is narrated on behalf of Umm-e-Haani that the holy Messenger slept with that family after ‘Isha prayer. She got up during the night and noted his absence. After getting up next morning the holy Messenger narrated the episode of Mi’raaj, etc. etc. These traditions narrate the offering of ‘Isha and Fajr prayers by the holy Messenger in congregations, apart from other bogus details, even before the supposed journey of Mi’raaj. This narration makes the tradition seem grossly fictitious as the ritual of five times prayer a day was alleged to have been ordained as mandatory worship ritual only during the Mi’raaj expedition! So how come the two prayers described in the tradition were performed even before those were ordained? If NAMAAZ was already being offered before the Mi’raaj rendezvous, the entire story of Mi’raaj proves false. Another story about Mi’raaj is narrated with reference to the companion, Abu Hurera, whereas, Abu Hurera converted to Islam only in 7th Hejira year in Medinah and had no connections whatsoever with Makkah, or the Holy Messenger’s Makkan life”.
Syed Suleman Nadwi didn’t think this tradition worth even criticizing in detail. It was not worth any consideration for the sole reason that its fabricator was the notorious Interpreter and historian, Kalabi, who is known to be the fabricator of “Tafsir Ibn-e-Abbas”.
He maintains that all the tales about Mi’raaj are radically fictitious and fraudulent. Ibn-e-Ishaq and Ibn-e-Sa’ad are known to omit the relevant references altogether. But Ibne-Jarir Tabari, Baihaqi, Ibn-e-Abi Hatim, Abu Ya’li and Ibn-e-‘Asakar have mentioned the sources thereof. The narrators are Abu Jafar Raazi, Abu Haroon Abdi and Khalid bin Yazid Abi Malik; of these Abu Jafar Razi though is regarded authentic but is still known to be bold in narrating unauthentic traditions. The other two are widely known liars and prevaricators.
About Mi’raaj expedition, the same Mohammad bin Ishaq also narrates traditions about which you have just studied some remarks from the books of the Scholars of Probe and Investigation. Tabari also has ascribed an identical tradition towards Hadhrat ‘Aaisha according to which the holy Messenger had not travelled
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physically and the Mi’raaj expedition was only spiritual. Here too the same Mohammad bin Ishaq is noted in the chain of witnesses. However, one witness in the middle of him and Hadhrat ‘Aaisha is missing which should have been a guy from the family of Abu Bakr. On this account this tradition too is un-authentic. Apart from that, notorious gangs of well known prevaricators are included in the chain. It means that the very basis of this episode is fake. This NAMAAZ ritual wholly and solely depended upon the traditions testifying the Mi’raaj expedition. That expedition having been proved the result of fake stories, the very foundations of NAMAAZ stand uprooted.
There is another famous Hadith calling NAMAAZ as “the Pillar of Deen”. This Hadith, though famous and on the tongue of every Tom, Dick and Harry, is equally un-authentic. Apart from the fact that the Quranic and Lexical definition of SALAAT is not proved to be the Arabic equivalent of NAMAAZ, Mulla Ali Qaari writes:
“Hafiz Ibn as-Salah has written in “Mushkil al-Waseet” that this Hadith is unknown and has no verifiable antecedents”. Imam Novwi writes in his “Tanqeeh” that this tradition is false and fictitious. However, Dailmi has attributed it to Hadhrat Ali as Allama Sewti has mentioned; and Baihaqi has ascribed it to Hadhrat Umar (Marfooan), but its credentials are weak. (Mozuaat Kabir, Page 79).”
Allama Mohammad Tahir Patni writes: “It is mentioned in the Mukhtasir that this tradition which says “NAMAAZ is the Pillar of Deen and whosoever abandons it he demolishes the Pillar of Deen…..etc” has been narrated by Baihaqi but it is weak (Tazkira al-Mozuaat, Page 38).
Dear Readers, in the valuable efforts made to refute the nonsense of traditions, it will not be out of place to mention here two big names. Allama Hafiz Habib ur Rahman Siddiqi Kandhalwi is the first one. In his splendid way he has proved the professional narrators of Ahadith as fake and fraudulent by classifying them as Majus, Rawafidh, highly biased Shiites, Prevaricators, obsessed, devoid of senses, Sabaian agents, etc. in his magnificent book “Mazhabi Daastanen aur in ki Haqiqat, (in four volumes). He has also classified the oral traditions in the pure Mudhtarib ,(مجروح) technical way of this field into the categories of Majrooh 45
Khabr-e-Wahid ,(مدلس) Mudlas ,(مرسل) Mursal ,(مغضوب) Maghdhoob ,(مضطرب) etc. In view of his conclusions, a Muslim is left ,(غیر مستند) un-authentic ,(خب ِر واحد) with sno choice but to disregard any human writing or reporting as the religious truth or the source of guidance, except Quran alone. If someone objects that the said great Scholar can’t be regarded as the last word or the final judge on these issues, it may be pointed out that he has not taken upon him the role of a judge. On the contrary, his writings draw conclusions from the collective research and probe of the whole team of the most prominent earlier scholars. He has benefitted particularly from the efforts of the Scholars of Probe and Investigation of the early Abbasid period. Thus, his aforementioned book saves us from the tedious task of shuffling for ages through hundreds of old and heavy volumes of writings. “Back to Quran” is the sole message of his life long research. May God rest his soul in eternal peace.
Apparently, he has been performing the ritual of NAMAAZ as act of worship in pursuit of his elders, taking it as a religious obligation, and his preoccupation did not let him direct his attention to the probe and investigation of this particular issue, and therefore, he could not examine it at all. OR, we can presume that in his time, about 60+ years back, the stage of freedom of expression stemming from the evolution of knowledge had not arrived yet to the point of questioning the concept of a firmly established institution like NAMAAZ. Still, you have already seen his research and analysis of the traditions calling the “NAMAAZ ‘the Pillar of Deen’, as well as those describing the episode of “ascension” (Mi’raaj). This humble writer believes that had Allama Siddiqi got the opportunity to divert his focus towards the issue of NAMAAZ, he could have easily ripped apart its prevalent concept as an acknowledged institution. This task would have been quite easy for him to accomplish as this Ritual neither can prove its existence and continuity in the 1st century, nor its narrators, thanks to their exposed characters, would have passed the test of accuracy and authencity. Examining on the basis of Lexical meaning as well, or its diverse usage in various verses too, Quranic SALAAT can never be proved as equivalent to the worship ritual called NAMAAZ in Persian language. The entire edifice of NAMAAZ looks hanging in the air without foundations. Looking from the criterion of results this act is claimed to produce, it is proved to be a fruitless exercise for centuries. The on ground realities are a
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living testimony in favor of this conclusion. There appears no reformation in the general conduct of the Muslim community, no progress or advancement in economy, social conditions, learning, sciences and technology in the face of more than a billion people performing this ritual every day of their lives.
Secondly, we have the great Scholar Allama Tamanna ‘Imaadi Mujibi Phalwarwi in the recent past who also stands as one of the most respected personalities who spent a life time in the study and research of heavy volumes of medieval writings and saved us from the pains of going through an endless study material. To facilitate us he left for us several lighter and easy to use books that can be regarded as the most useful extract or essence of heavier volumes written by earlier scholars. Undoubtedly, Allama Imaadi stood on a higher pedestal of Back to Quran Scholars’ platform. God bless his soul.
We have noted incidentally that while criticizing the “Lughat ul Quran” by the well known Quranic Scholar Allama Pervaiz, Allama Imaadi opposes the idea of determining the definitions of Quranic Terminology from the Arabic Lexicons. He maintains that the true definitions of that terminology would be the one that is transferred to us through constant application and usage from the times of the Holy Messenger (the Continuity factor). NAMAAZ also falls into this category because its authenticity is also proved on the basis of its continuous application. He states that Allama Farahi and Allama Pervaiz’ teacher Maulana Aslam Jairajpuri, had the same standpoint. We hope he was true in the latter part of his statement. Nevertheless, on this viewpoint of his various objections may be raised which can’t be answered or rebutted rationally.
First of all, the issue of constant application of this ritual starting from the era of the Holy Messenger, can’t be proved with authenticity with solid historical evidence in view of the absence of a contemporary historical source dating back to the era of the Holy Messenger. To be more specific, we do not find any kind of written material in the form of Seerat, history, Interpretation, etc. written in the 1st half of the 1st century AH, during the life or immediately after the sad demise of our Holy Messenger which may provide us with a documented proof of this worship ritual’s practical application. Moreover, after this blank period, the 47
upcoming writers’ dubious characters – having been ill-intentioned, Jewish origins, Majus, Rafidhi, Sabaians, Prevaricators, etc. – proves their written material on this issue as un-authentic, fabricated and linked with preconceived agenda. So, when we look up to the practical application of Prophetic era for our guidance we are forced to refer to the writings of these negative characters. Allama Imaadi himself has in his books rejected various traditions coming from those writers, including those of Sahih Bokhari, as detailed in earlier part of this research.
Secondly, practical application is not a frozen act which must always be kept or preserved in the ancient style as it was 1400 years ago. The practical application of divine commandments in the holy Messenger’s era depended on the social dictates and available facilities and means and resources of that time. Today, after the passage of 1400+ years, continuing with the age old practical application of that time would simply tantamount to pushing the entire Muslim civilization backward to the medieval times, depriving them of the benefits of mental and intellectual evolution during the succeeding periods of time. The commandments of Discipline are the ultimate truth and that truth would be preserved and maintained, but to improve its application and bringing it in accordance with the dictates of modern times would be the only rational attitude. Therefore, whichever ritual would be declared mandatory on the same physical style of application as it was performed one a half millennium ago, by labeling it with Nabi’s Sunnah, it will be nothing but a conspiracy to push the Muslims backwards in the medieval ages. The traditional way of application of old rituals is not compatible with the dictates of the fast modern life and has no attributes except becoming a target of ridicule. When lifestyles change, the working styles change likewise.
Thirdly, in principle, for a true comprehension of a foreign language, we have no alternative but to take guidance from the relevant authentic lexicons. The definition or mode of application that does not accord with the lexical meanings of the Quranic word under research, will naturally be construed as deviation from its original form due to passage of time or other valid reasons.
Fourthly, we find no Quranic authority to follow the old routine application of a worship ritual by ignoring what its lexical meaning stipulates. True that we are advised to follow the conduct of God’s Messenger, but is it a suggestion to pursue
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his great mission and sacrifice he made there for, and his character and ethics in performing his social and strategic duties; or does it mean scanning the details of private and family life that he pursued under the prevalent routine of his time? At the same time, Quran itself ordains to contemplate upon its injunctions in the light of prevalent rules of Arabic language and through a study of all verses relating to a particular theme.
And in the end, the fact is brought to light that every routine style of application cannot be accepted as right only because some centuries have passed over its continued exercise, without analyzing it on the criterion of Quran.
The natural conclusion therefore is that on this particular issue the contention of Allama Pervaiz is more rational, logical and principled than those of Allama Faraahi, Allama Jairajpuri and Allama Tamanna Imaadi which look influenced by the blind pursuit of pious elders.
My valued Readers are free to form their opinions and arrive at their own decisions. The above few lines are presented in the context of our research work with the purpose of offering some guidance with reference to our elders’ work to assist their thought process and develop their own concepts, particularly to apprise .(تواتر – them of the reality of traditional practice called Continuity factor (tawater Here we also present a quotation on the subject of “Continuity factor which throws more light on this issue:-
“For Muslims only that act or practice would be regarded as religious which enjoys continuity generation after generation in the community starting from the holy Messenger up to this day, PROVIDED THAT its commandment is prescribed in the Quran. Today we find several acts, which are not few in numbers, which are performed under the name of religion although their application is not prescribed in Quran. To take them for Religious practice would be mere superfluity”. Maulana Abul Kalaam Azaad (‘Tawater’, published BALAGH, May 1937).
The rule prescribed above by Maulana Azaad applies to NAMAAZ too since the injunctions and details of this act of worship are nowhere available in Quran.
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And now dear Readers, we submit here under two translations in respect of the so- called act of Ablution (Wudhu) as promised in the beginning of this research work.
Verse No.6, Chapter Al-Maaida
یَا أَیُّھَا ال َّ ِذی َن آ َمنُوا إِ َذا قُ ْمتُ ْم إِلَى ال َّص ََل ِة فَا ْغ ِسلُوا ُو ُجوھَ ُك ْم َوأَ ْی ِدیَ ُك ْم إِلَى ا ْل َم َرافِ ِق َوا ْم َس ُحوا بِ ُر ُءو ِس ُك ْم َوأَ ْر ُجلَ ُك ْم إِلَى ا ْل َك ْعبَ ْی ِن ۖ َوإِن ُكنتُ ْم ُجنُبًا فَاطَّھَّ ُروا ۖ َوإِن ُكنتُم َّم ْر َض ى أَ ْو َعلَ ى َسفَ ٍر أَ ْو َجا َء أَ َح ٌد ِّمن ُكم ِّم َن ا ْل َغائِ ِط أَ ْو ََل َم ْستُ ُم النِّ َسا َء فَلَ ْم تَ ِج ُدوا َما ًء فَتَیَ َّم ُموا َص ِعی ًدا َطیِّبًا فَا ْم َس ُحوا بِ ُو ُجو ِھ ُك ْم َوأَ ْی ِدی ُكم ِّم ْنه ُ ۖ Transliteration: “Ya ayyuhal lazina aamanu, idhaa qum-tum ilas-Salaat fa-ughsilu wujuhu-kum wa ayidi-kum ila al-marafiq wa amsahu bi-ruoosi-kum wa arjula-kum ila alka’bayeen. Wa in kuntum junuban fa-at-tahhiroo. Wa in kuntum mardhaa aou ‘alaa safarin, aou jaa’a ahadum minkum min al-ghaa’it, aou laamas-tum an- Nisaa’a fa-lam tajidoo maa’an fa-tayammamoo sa’eedan tayyaban. Fa-amsahoo bi- wujuhi-kum wa ayidee-kum min-hu.”
1. Traditional translation
“O YOU who have attained to faith! When you are about to pray, wash your face, and your hands and arms up to the elbows, and pass your [wet] hands lightly over your head, and [wash] your feet up to the ankles. And if you are in a state. requiring total ablution, purify yourselves. But if you are ill, or are travelling, or any one of you comes from the privy, or have cohabited with a woman, and can find no water-then take resort to pure dust, passing therewith lightly over your face and your hands.”
2. The most Rational, purely academic, lexical translation:
“O people of faith and peace, when you embark upon (Qum-tum) the pursuit and enforcement of divine commandments (ilas-Salaat), then purify (ughsiloo) your vision and thoughts (Wujuha-kum) and your powers/capabilities (ayidiya- kum) from all errors and negative influences until they become the closest source of support and assistance (al-Maraafiq) in your mission. At the same time, carefully check and assess the qualities/competence (amsahu) of your ranks and chiefs (bi raoosikum wa arjulikum) and upgrade them to the status of excellence (ilal-ka’bayin). In case you have been a stranger (junuban) on this ideological front, then start the process of purifying your mind from negative
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influences (fa at-tahharoo). And if you suffer from infirmities of faith and belief (mardhaa), or still are in the middle of your learning process (‘alaa safarin), or if one of you has come up from a very low intellectual level (min al-Ghaait), or a particular conscious weakness has touched/influenced you (laamas-tum an- Nisaa) and you have not known a revelation/guidance solving this problem, all you need is to keep your targets and aspirations very high and noble. And in the light thereof, you need to assess and analyze your thoughts and capabilities once again.”
Both translations have been pasted above. The first one is extremely commonplace and is devoid of depth of meanings and purposefulness. It negates the real lexical definition of “SALAAT”. The questions we face here are: Was the Arab civilization of Mohammad’s time so backward that there was no awareness of washing hands, faces and feet in order to remain clean and tidy? Was that why the need was felt to send down elaborate washing and cleaning instructions “from the skies” through the medium of Revelation? On the other hand, history provides us ample proof of Quraishite chietains’ luxurious living with palaces, abundance of means of sustenance and comfort as well as the privilege of owning slave men and women, etc. We read about the year-long traffic of trade caravans and wealth acquired there from, which is emphasized by the traditional translation of Quran’s Chapter Qurayish too. And it goes without saying that Western Arabia of Mohammad’s time was a rich mixture of different civilizations including substantial presence of People of the Books (Christians and Jews).
The second, most up to date rational translation is worthy of the lofty and highly revered entity of Quran’s Narrator as it gives far-reaching and enlightening guidance for those who raise the banner of a revolutionary discipline of conduct in the darkness of denial, polytheism, cruelty and exploitation. It exhorts the purity of heart and vision with loftiest ideals with depth of thought and meaning. It fully accords with the world renowned Arabic lexicons. And it strictly follows the principle of cross-reference with all relative verses for the purpose of perfect comprehension. Of course, it is for the Readers to make their choice out of the two.
While closing the chapter of Research into ‘NAMAAZ’, kindly spare a few minutes to go through a paragraph from one of the earlier articles by this writer,
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which follows here under. That article was written in rebuttal of a certain scholar’s thesis supporting the prevalent ritual of ‘Namaaz’ and highlighting its so-called praiseworthy results or influence in the Muslim society. It is not based on a satire or criticism or on antagonism against Companions or other elders. It is rather against the blind conformism of our inherited counterfeit history and traditions which we dare not reassess and bring under fresh research. Let us assume for a few moments that the ritual of worship (‘NAMAAZ’) was actually ordained by Quran and was being performed from the very first Hejira year! And then let us observe from the historical facts as to what “grandiose” results were achieved by following this practice till the present times, as were highlighted by this writer in its rebuttal:-
(Excerpt)…..“Some of the same NAMAZIS (‘worshipers of Allah’) attacked Medina, the city of the holy Messenger in 35 AH. The central capital of a Government which had extended its authority and domination up till Khorasaan in Central Asia, was unable to defend its center and its ruler against a few hundred Muslim “Namaazi” mutineers. The sacred blood of Caliph Uthman was brutally shed. Against the succeeding Caliph Ali, the same ‘worshipers’ fought the battles of Jamal, Saffain and Nehrwaan and hundreds of thousands of worshipers shed each others’ blood. The sacrilege of raising copies of Quran above people’s heads by piercing them through with spears was also committed by these ‘worshipers’. Islamic extremism and terrorism also appeared for the first time in Islam in the same century in the form of Mutiny of Khwaarij. Then the Caliph Ali was killed in cold blood. Within the 40th Hejira year, while performing this worship ritual, Amir Mu’awiya’s dictatorial rule succeeded the Pious Caliphate of Islam, and its dynastic aspect came into light when he nominated his son as his successor against the philosophy preached by Quran. This rule became a symbol of coercion and terror in the name of Umayyad Caliphate. The Real Islam was bidden farewell. Worship ritual continued to be performed unabated. Ali’s sons Hassan and Hussain were murdered. Palaces continued to be built and estates acquired. Heaps of wealth accumulated. Hundreds or rather thousands of concubines were inducted into Royal Harems. Humans were openly bought and sold in the markets as slaves. Worship rituals continued to be performed regularly. Political opponents
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were skinned alive after applying religious edicts against them by Judges appointed by kings. Sects started emerging and scholars and jurists remained at loggerheads against each other. All of them were worshiping God most punctually five times a day. It was about them that the Sufi Scholar Maulana Rome had stated in his poetry : “They split the Discipline of Righteousness into four parts - - -thus inducting chaos and disorder in the Discipline brought about by the Messenger”. What was all that about dear Doctor? This worship ritual of NAMAAZ is still being offered while the entire Arab world is a den of rogues and those afflicted with lust, debauchery and faith-selling. Men in your and my towns are being blown into pieces. Iraq, Afghanistan, Kashmir have become living hells. Palestine is a butchery of humans. Iran is mourning the death of its sons in hundreds of thousands. And NAMAAZ (prayers) are still offered unceasingly. Admonition for NAMAAZ also continues. You might argue that this scenario comes up only because NAMAAZ is not being offered wholeheartedly or with due diligence and solemnity! Kindly do tell us the methodology of offering NAMAAZ “in the right manner” which was ever applied anywhere during the last 1400 years and through which any positive results were obtained! Kindly do lead us to pray in that “right manner” which may bring about those positive results which you are trying to prove as the natural reaction or result of this NAMAAZ – which we still fail to observe anywhere in the Muslim world! Why shouldn’t we consider this state of affairs from a different perspective? Isn’t the present deplorable situation an inevitable result of losing the real spirit of the injunctions about SALAAT soon after the demise of our beloved Messenger of God, and of following the un-Quranic “NAMAAZ” by declaring this futile ritual as the overall destination of Muslim nation? And then this blatant deviation from the eternal truth has caused the body of Muslim nation to bleed profusely!”
Dear Readers, in spite of the terrifying historical episodes described above, the state of Muslim nation’s blind conformism and slave mindset is such that SLAAT’s real definition is still stubbornly substituted by the ritual NAMAAZ! Whatever results are assured in Quran by close pursuit of the Real Discipline of SALAAT, efforts continue to achieve those results from the fake ritual of worship
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called ‘NAMAAZ’. They never take into account the divine injunction contained ان الصل وة تنھ ی – in Verse 45/29 (Innas-Salaata tanhaa ‘an-il-Fahshaa-i-wal-Munkir which clearly stipulates that SALAAT is the conduct which does (عن الفحشاء و المنکر away with all excesses/immodesty and indecent conduct. And because all the evil is let loose in the Muslim world irrespective of a widespread performance of the ritual of ‘NAMAAZ’ therefore, this physical act being performed in the wrongful assumption of SALAAT cannot be our much acclaimed target and goal. Had we been right, the aforementioned evils would have been eliminated today or at least in some era in the past. Muslim would have abstained from evil for at least a short period of time in some distant or remote past. A chain of superfluous rhetoric continues to be spread all around claiming, for example, that NAMAAZ reforms man’s inner self and inculcates physical discipline; whatever restraints can possibly be employed to stop men from doing evil acts, NAMAAZ is the best and most result-oriented of them all; that what else could be more inspiring to stop man from indulgence into evil than to call him upon to offer prayer many times during day and night; that from the beginning to the end of the act of NAMAAZ (prayer) one has to act repeatedly in a way that there is none between him and God who could know whether he has violated the law or complied with it.!!!
Dear Readers, at this point the issue has reached a climax of stupidity that makes my mind boggle! My God! they are talking in grandiose terms about a five or so minutes long physical act of ritual prayer (NAMAAZ)!! And look what “beginning and end” is being emphasized! And look at the ‘private” kind of acts that stay between the prayer and the prayed one! We do realize that exaggeration is necessary some times to emphasize a point, but, for God’s sake, what is there to emphasize in a ritual of physical worship? A prayer, or NAMAAZ is a simple and useless ritual of standing, bowing, sitting and prostration for about 5 minutes’ duration! It is useless because no aspect of practical human benefit has ever been witnessed resulting there from. And 90% of worshipers never know the meaning or purpose of what they are chanting during this act! If is of course true that the clerics do exercise an hour long rhetoric to enhance the weight and duration of this ‘ritual’ by exhibiting their oratorical skills a substantial part of which consist in condemning those who are absent from the congregation. Everyone knows that if prayer congregations are thin, the cleric’s economy starts shrinking because his
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sustenance comes from regular worshipers. But all of us know that to this date, these clerics have not arrived at a consensus as to the right movements to be followed in the act of ‘NAMAAZ’- they differ seriously about raising of hands, about folding the arms, about the right distance between feet when standing, about calling out Amen loudly or silently, about the text of chanting during Tarawiyah prayer, etc. All these issues are targets of rift and sectarian schism and cause of constant quarrelling and condemning each other. That is why every sect maintains the stand that NAMAAZ by all other sects is non-conformist, hence disapproved by God.
Another big reason that serves to refrain us from any criticism, research and investigation of the ritual of NAMAAZ is the grandiose structure of salvation we have built with the bricks and the foundations of NAMAAZ as compared with all other similar supposed salvation work that our respected ancestors have carried with them to the Hereafter as their assets to gain divine forgiveness and blessings. We can’t think even remotely that the great structure of salvation work based on NAMAAZ has no intrinsic value or substance to stand upon because all the earlier ones have departed doing a fruitless work in the form of NAMAAZ prayers. However, for our consolation, we might pay attention to some other welfare works apart from NAMAAZ that our forefathers must be doing in their lives such as emphasizing the virtuous conduct in their social interaction and feeding some hungry folks from their legitimate incomes. They must have helped and supported some fellow beings in their pain, misery and destitution by any means possible. They would definitely be rewarded for those acts of welfare because according to the great philosopher/poet Dr. Mohammad Iqbal, “worship is but to serve the humanity---it doesn’t consist in counting on beads or prostrations”.
Nevertheless, if the great prevalent deviation called NAMAAZ is not seriously investigated, and if its strong rebuttal or refutation is overlooked, it is feared that the actual divinely ordained duty of “Iqamat-us-SALAAT” may never be drawn forth before the Muslim masses. As a result, they would remain doomed to the darkness of utter deprivation in this life and the Hereafter, generation after generation.
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The only result that has come up from the prevalent ritual of NAMAAZ, call it constructive or destructive in nature, is the birth, sustenance and development of the species of Gog and Magog we know as clerics. Like other corrupt and criminal mafias, this is also a religious mafia and in the present time violence and blood shedding is its weapon of maintaining authority. We find that this species has reached a number of more than 1.6 million (Statistics from the years 2006-7) right in the middle of Pakistan’s pitiful common population. And mosques and seminaries are the source of its creation and NAMAAZ provides its sustenance and builds its authority in the society. Therefore, without obstructing its spread and power effectively, it will be impossible to dispel the sanctified magic of the ritual of NAMAAZ brought down from mysterious shadows of ancient times. To succeed in our mission we would need an elite class of genuine Quranist people to emerge from the poor masses and acquire the seats of political power and authority. But we know that to hope for a Quranic revolution in the prevalent objective realities of Islamic World is just a farce. In our country alone we notice several groups affiliated with Quran-alone doctrine, who are just not interested in getting together on a single united platform and become a substantial power. They can satisfy their egos with countless tiny pockets of authority within their own groups, with fancy names of posts and ranks, some revenues from selling their dead leaders’ writings, sizable salaries, their own monthly magazines and with all the evil practices of a divided and doomed nation, like self assertion, sense of superiority over others and exclusive monopoly over righteousness. The biggest voice observed among Quran-only community is their closed fists. They don’t contribute a dime to their much-coveted cause and excel in hollow verbiage.
However, if by some miracle, if a Quran-only party comes into power, it has first of all to deal with the Arab elite firmly established in the center of Islam in its holy places. The fiercely dictatorial regime of those pious successors of Islam’s founder are not going to allow the exposition of the true Quranic philosophy and a direct unhindered approach to and pursuit of the divine revelations. The Arab regime of Saudi Arabia is the product of British Imperialism and under an old protocol are bound to work in strict collaboration with the powerful religious hierarchy of the family of Al-Sheikh (Mohammad bin Abdul Wahab) created and supported by the British colonial power in the 19th century AD. The jurisprudence and the principles
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of strict conformism with the pious elders enforced by these Sheikhs have paved the way to the perpetuation of present rulers’ dictatorial rule. This ritual of NAMAAZ is an effective tool in their hands to keep the general public under control. This is the only country in the Islamic world where NAMAAZ (instead of SALAAT) is forcibly promulgated in violation of the divine injunction of :“There should be no force or coercion in Deen” (Laa ikraaha fid-Deen), and where markets must be closed for a few minutes when a Prayer is announced.
In fact, majority of Saudi people does not like this compulsory enforcement of NAMAAZ. They just leave their shops and offices, start their cars and make a 10 or so minutes long driving trip around their locality and come back to join their jobs. The segment of them who feel obliged to attend the ritual in mosques, they also try to just get rid of this forced prayer ritual within the shortest possible span of, say, five minutes or so, and get out of the mosques. The extra physical prayer movements which are other than mandatory, called Sunnat and Nawafil, which we always find being performed in Indo-Pakistan, are not visible in Saudi mosques.
Dear Readers, the Mulla (Cleric) creed mentioned in above paragraph, which is a product of the ritual of NAMAAZ, holds a full half responsibility of smearing the bright face of Islam throughout the world. After eight to ten years’ studies in seminaries, when they still are at a boyish age and just equal to 10th graders in any junior educational institution, and have just begun to see the threshold of knowledge at a far distance, they are appointed to the post of congregation leaders (Imamat). They attain the titles of Imam, Mufti, Mohaddith, Aalim and Allama in another 2 years’ time while their intellect is not yet ripe. Quran is not included in their curriculum. They have no concern or approach to the fast advancing world. Rather, the very term ‘advancement’ is a target of condemnation in their dictionaries. Conformism, or blind pursuit of elders, is highly appreciated and rewarded by their teachers. Therefore, these are the very legendary Gog and Magog scattered all over the Muslim world who with their constant struggle unceasingly perform the egregious task of pushing the Muslims and Islam back into the darkness of ancient times. Only a single eye-opening example of their sad state of mind should be enough here :-
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“Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Baaz, Vice Chancellor of the Islamic University of Medinah Munawwarah in Saudi Arabia issued a statement proclaiming that the Earth is stationary and the Sun is orbiting around it. If anyone may conceive something other than this theory he ought to be hanged. In a Saudi Newspaper, an article by bin Baaz was published wherein he emphasized that no matter how long this issue has been allowed to linger on, still there should be no harm in bringing people back to the right path. Humankind do observe constantly that the Earth is stationary at one and the same point and the Sun is circling it. It comes up and goes down around it. He further wrote that had the Earth been rotating as per the present claims, there would be no stability (istaqamat) in towns, trees, mountains, rivers and oceans. If the Earth started rotating, eastern cities would be seen in the direction of west and western cities would appear in the east”.
This is the kind of approach the Mulla (Cleric) has with knowledge and intellect!
Dear Readers, about sixty to seventy years in the past, the rituals of worship called NAMAAZ (the traditional equivalent of SALAAT) were admittedly and consensually taken as derived from out of Quran source – from Hadith. The entire Muslim community unhesitatingly acknowledged that NAMAAZ’ timings, physical movements related to its performance such as standing, bowing and prostration etc. and the verses and other chanting during these movements, all had their origins from the traditions. Call it an evil of the modern times, or a new mutilation of Quran, that more than one sect of Muslims are now asserting that the methodology of NAMAAZ prayers is described in Quran. Efforts continue to prove it through the fake, wishful translations of Quranic Verses. It is quite obvious that if a word or its identical synonymous equivalent is not found in Quran, how could its explanations/expositions be derived there from? As the word NAMAAZ (ritual of worship) is foreign to Quran, in the same way its prevalent meaning of worship is also foreign to Quran. The deplorable practice of emphasizing NAMAAZ as a mandatory worship continues only because in the long periods of performing this ritual in the past no tangible results were ever recorded coming out of its blind pursuit; its futility and hollowness had become 58
manifest and the vehement emphasis upon its mandatory offering, five times a day, had lost all its justification. So, as a last ditch effort, Quran’s text was manipulated to extract some justification of this meaningless practice from the Word of God. The result was more catastrophic and only natural. Negative justifications caused ridiculous and conflicting concepts to rise and doors of new sectarian rifts opened up. If a sect derives one NAMAAZ from Quran, another sect believes Quran prescribes three times of NAMAAZ. Some reveal a particular count of bowing and prostration and some others state a different count. In this respect, a sect is also found there which has resorted to fabrication of a new term for NAMAAZ called ”Salaat-e-mo’aqqat”, by manipulating Quranic compound of “Kitaban Mouqootan” described in Verse 4/103. This sect defines this compound as fixing the times of NAMAAZ. They argue that the use by Quran of the term Mouqutan confirms the fact that SALAAT does mean the ritual of worship called NAMAAZ as it is the NAMAAZ which is Mouqoot, i.e., timed, or offered according to fixed timing. The Verse reads as “Innas Salaata kaanat ‘alal-Mo’mineena kitban Here again the Arabic .(ان الصل ٰوۃ کانت علی المومنین کتابا موقوتا") ”mouqootan lexicons and rules of Arabic Grammar have been grossly violated and sectarian fabrications have been applied. The word Mouqoot is defined in Arabic lexicons as “something with limitations or whose borderlines are clearly drawn” (Mufarradaat-e-Raaghib; Lughaat al-Quran by G.A. pervaiz). Accordingly, the authentic translation of this Verse comes up like this: “Indeed SALAAT (or the Discipline of enforcement and pursuit of Divine Commandments) whose enforcement is liable upon Mo’mineen stands as a law/duty which has clear borderlines (the limitations of which are clearly defined, with no excesses or extremes)”. It must be noted that this Verse does not ordain SALAAT as Mouqoot, but a law which is Mouqoot – “Kitaaban mouqootan”.
The translation of “At-Tahiyyaat” which is recited at the end of NAMAAZ prayer is quite revealing. It is supposedly a dialogue between the holy Messenger and the واقع ِہ ) ”God that took place on the occasion of the supposed episode of “Mi’raaj and by which the holy Messenger and the Almighty God are bidding peace ,(معراج and greetings to each other as well as upon the righteous subjects! Nobody can see any reason or necessity behind annexing this personal verbal exchange with the ُدرو ِد ) ”process of God’s worship! Then there is a chanting of “Durood-e-Ibrahimi
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From where has it descended in the process of worship prayer called !(ابراہیمی NAMAAZ, you can never find out as it is found nowhere in the entire text of !(التحیات) ”Quran, just like the aforementioned “At-Tahiyyaat
However, no worship or contact prayer (Namaz) is ever seen among the people of the Books but was found in the pre-Islam polytheist pagan culture and at present it is practiced in the Zoroastrian religion, the only difference being that the Arab pagans used to offer their 5 times contact prayer facing towards the deity of Moon god whereas the Zoroastrians face their Sun deity. However, the rituals and timings remain the same in both. In addition to unavoidable evidence of Middle East archeology discovered by world famous educational institutions and displayed in the world history museums including the British Museum, the following authentic books also confirm the same as mentioned above in relation to the rituals of pre- Islam polytheist pagans:
Mizan al-Islam by Anwar al-Jundi, page 170; The Book of Idols (Kitab Al- Asnam), by Hisham Ibn-Al-Kalbi, 819 CE page 14; English translation by Nabih Amin Faris, 1952; Encyclopedia Britannica - Arabian Religions, page1059 published in1979; The Encyclopedia of Islam (edited by Eliade) Page 303, Bowker, John; The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions, New York, Oxford University Press, page 763-764, published in 1997; GAHS (prayers for each period of the day) by Joseph H. Peterson - Avesta Zoroastrian Archives; and many more books on the History of Arabs.
Nevertheless, it is pleasing to note that some progress and a radical change are presently visible in the rigid line of thinking of our religious scholars. A majority of our intellectuals now tend to acknowledge NAMAAZ as just a “symbolic manifestation or expression” of God’s obedience, rather than the previous conviction of “the essential spirit of Islam and the essence of divine obedience”. It has been declared in writing repeatedly by now that the “real worship” consists in the “following and enforcement of divine injunctions in letter and spirit”, and that the acts of social uplift and reforms, providing sustenance to the needy, paying full rights to everyone are the real and practical ways of divine obedience.
Dear Readers, the age-old institution of NAMAAZ is so deep-rooted in the Muslim tradition that the absolute denial of its stipulation in Quran casts a feeling of great 60
sin upon the conscience of the common Muslim. However, you would appreciate that the above mentioned conceptual advancement is in itself a great deviation from the hitherto prevalent tendency of blind conformism. This new thought pattern is inspiring, but has in it a potential of serious confrontation against the orthodox religious hierarchy or papacy whose sustenance and authority depends solely upon holding the NAMAAZ as the basis and foundations of the religion.
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7. RESEARCH INTO ‘SALAAT’
قرآن میں ہو غوطہ زن اے مر ِد مسلمان
ہللا کرے تجھ کو عطا ج ّد ِت کردار (Enter into the depths of the philosophy of Quran, O Muslim! May God bless you with a renewed character.)
Respected Readers, writing on this theme brings up before me my own humbleness and humility in the field. It is a magnificent term whose spirit is permeated all over the Quranic guidance for the mankind. It possesses a wide scope of meanings. It is a term which our Sustainer has applied 102 times in Quran and on every occasion it is used in diverse kinds of new and old perspectives. To circumvent its full scope needs volumes of writing. At the same time, there’s a treasure of valuable writings by Quranic scholars and intellectuals of our times that’s already available on this theme where they have applied deeper research and investigation and brought forth precious pearls of Quranic knowledge and wisdom. The respected luminaries who have raised the flag of Quran in a dauntless manner and have encountered great obstacles in their way in the form of established dogmas, misguiding translations and fabricated traditions, include my own teachers and those seniors who stand on high pedestals of scholarly status. They have taken great strides in exploring the true essence of Quran. Therefore, to write something in the presence of their precious work is like lighting a candle in the face of sunlight. So, whatever this very humble student could write on this theme for the benefit of his Readers would be his meager effort to fulfill the need of completing this booklet and should be deemed as a direct inspiration by the research work done by the aforementioned teachers and senior colleagues. In the end of this writing names of a few books will be proposed where Quran’s true concept of SALAAT and all those Verses of Quran where this term is used, are brought under discussion in their full contextual details. The said books are written with due reference to deeper research and do not leave any aspect of the theme un-accounted for. In concordance with the background of narration and for ease of comprehension a detailed comparative analysis of SALAAT with NAMAAZ has 62
also been presented in those books. It is firmly hoped that this study would help expand the scope of Readers’ insight.
is S L W and here is the full range of its (صل وة) ”The Root of the word “SALAAT definition from the world famous Lane’s Lexicon :-
,Sad-Lam-Waw = prayer, supplication, petition, oration = ص ل و eulogy, benediction, commendation, blessing, honor, magnify, bring forth, follow closely, walk/follow behind closely, to remain attached. In a horse race when the second horse follows the first one so closely that its head always overlaps the first horse’s body that horse is called AL- MUSSALLI (i.e. the one who follows closely/remains attached). Central portion of the back, portion from where the tail of an animal comes out, the rump.
For those who are busy in discovering Quran in its true and original light, SALAT means “to follow behind closely”. For those who are misguided into believing that Quran presents a religion, SALAT means prayer and supplication which is translated in Iran, Indo-Pakistan sub-continent and many other non-Arab Muslim communities as NAMAAZ. However, Quran presents a socio-political doctrine for the entire humanity to follow closely for peace, general welfare and overall prosperity which, in turn, leads to the ultimate conscious evolution of mankind. It doesn’t propose or prescribe a religion or religious rituals of worship. So, SALAT is a conduct in which close pursuit or following is found. When it becomes a proper noun with the prefix “al” and is read as al- SALAT as a Quranic term, its basic meaning becomes deeper as “pursuit or close following of divine commandments”. After becoming a compound as “Aqamat-us-SALAT”, it becomes the great divine manifesto and constitution according to which establishment of that discipline becomes your foremost duty and destination which promulgates and carries out the divine commandments ordained in Quran.
To update dear Readers with the modern developments, let me disclose here that in recent years a new theory has been introduced by inventing a new Root of the word SALAT. It is revealed by one or two upstart Quranists that SALAT’s Root is neither “s l w” nor “s l y”, but “s l l” or “w s l”, and that through some old 63
conspiracy it was diverted away from its origin. An intensive research carried out into the reality of this discovery revealed that this theory is based on a deviation from the definitions noted in all acknowledged and most authentic Arabic Lexicons. To get this new theory accepted, the noted introducers – only two gentlemen yet in the entire Quranic field – will need a constant purely academic and research-based struggle. This humble writer does wish that whatever, if any, is still concealed from public eye in the background of SALAT’s Root, must come up in the open with supportive academic and historical arguments.
Along with the help from Lexicons, which follow the style of words’ specific and exact root meanings, there’s another method of understanding the Quran as elaborated by its August Writer Himself. That is the method of taking into account all related Verses of any Quranic theme. Quran has used some of its words as terms. These terms are so full of meanings that lexicons alone cannot provide the great concepts that Quran has squeezed in these terms. SALAT is also one such term. Some other similar terms are: Zakaat, Taqwa, Eimaan, Islam, Kufr, Fasaq and Fujoor, Nisaa, Al-Riba, Sadaqaat, etc. Their details can only be known from Quran alone. Quran’s style of narration shows that a topic touched at a particular place in its text is most of the times more elaborated, detailed or compiled at another place and in another perspective in such a manner that its mention in the first instance is fully explained automatically. This style of elaboration is called by Quran as “Tasreef-ul-Aayaat”. It means taking into account all relevant Verses in a way that the theme discussed is fully investigated and analyzed from every angle in all contexts and only then translated in a flawless and perfect manner. It states in the Chapter al-An’aam, Verse 105 :
“Wa ka-dhaalika nusarraful-aayaati wal-yaqoolu drasta wa li- ٰ َو َك َذلِ َك نُ َص ِّر ُف ا آلیَا ِت َولِیَقُولُوا َد َر س َت َولِنُبَیِّنَهُ ) ”nubayyana-hu li-qawmin ya’lamoon Translation: “And In this way we repeatedly bring up – (﴿١٠٥﴾ لِقَ و ٍم یَ علَ ُمو َن the Verses so that they may acknowledge that you have properly educated them and so that we make it clear for all those who seek knowledge and vision”.
It simply means that Quran interprets itself by its own text. Now we have only to note all the places where the word SALAAT is mentioned and to check in which
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context it is used every time. A study of all those places would clarify the real Quranic concept of the word SALAAT. A few Verses would be presented before the Readers to highlight the process of revealing the true light of Quran on this theme. It is submitted here as a preamble that since the following of divine commandments enjoy the status of man’s ideal social interaction, his foremost duty and his ultimate destination, hence, these aims/targets are also included in the scope of SALAAT and this word has been used in Quran in these meanings too. Moreover, since the pursuit of divine commandments entitles one to commendation, encouragement, endorsement and support, so these words are also covered in the range of SALAAT’s wider meanings, and so is it proved from the Quran’s script. Kindly check the upcoming Quranic Verses.
A third point to be noted is the issue of Arabic Idiom (Muhawarat-ul-Arab), viz., the use of this word among the nomadic Arab tribes and their particular concept of its Root. And then comes the major question of keeping in view the overall educational Doctrine the Quran is meant to disseminate through its text. It should be made clear from the very beginning that the goal of Quran’s revelation was to remove the burdens of cruelty and exploitation from the backs of common humans and to shatter the chains of coercion and slavery by which their freedom was usurped, as clearly proclaimed by Quran in Verse 157/7 like this:
“Wa yadha’ ‘un-hum isra-hum wa al-aghlaal allati kaanat ‘alayi- Translation: “……and – ( َویَ َض ُع َع ن ُھ م إِ ص َرھُ م َوا ْلَ غ َال َل الَّتِي َكانَ ت َعلَ ی ِھ م ۚ ) ”him He (the Messenger) was to relieve them of their burdens and the shackles which were put upon them.”
We need to remove the long established misunderstanding that all holy Messengers were appointed to inculcate the worship of God individually or in religious congregations in the temples!
Our purpose is to assert and emphasize here that the word SALAAT does not stand, even remotely, for any kind of worship, prayer, ritual on any account or through any method or style under Quran’s overall doctrine or its basic philosophy, nor has it so proved by research into this word’s Root meaning or its derivatives taking in view its various applications in different Verses scattered all over 65
Quran’s length. SALAAT, on the contrary, denotes the central duty of the pursuit and enforcement of divine commandments. Since common masses do not possess the power to get this duty enforced and acted upon, therefore, the target audience of this commandment of SALAAT is the Muslim communal authority or the ruling elite. Only the ruling authority has the power and capability to promulgate this duty on the national level and ensure its compliance through state machinery. Kindly check again the Verse No.41 of Chapter Hajj referred to earlier in the beginning of Chapter 4)”:
الَّ ِذی َن إِن َّم َّكنَّاھُ ْم فِي ا ِْلَ ْر ِض أَقَا ُموا ال َّص ََلة َ َوآتَ ُوا ال َّز َكاة َ َوأَ َم ُروا بِا ْل َم ْع ُرو ِف َونَھَ ْوا َع ِن ا ْل ُمن َك ِر
Transliteration: (Allazina im-makkanna-hum fil Ardh, aqamoo as-Salaata wa aatu az-Zakaata wa amaroo bil-ma’aroofi wa nahau ‘anil munkar….)
Translation: “These are the people who, if we award them with rule on land, will establish SALAAT and provide ZAKAAT; and will enforce the known virtues and prohibit the detestable practices….”).
This is the situation under which the other associated major duty that goes side by side with the AQAMAT AS-SALAAT, can also be enforced and acted upon, viz., “AATOO AZ-ZAKAAT – Mandatory provision of Sustenance for the entire population – which simply means “Establishment of Welfare based System of Governance”. This associated commandment is also for the ruling elite to obey since it is only the Government that can provide its people with their needs of sustenance and nourishment, having full control over all means of production and revenues. Many governments of the Western countries are already pursuing this policy and discharging this great duty of theirs on national level.
Against this divinely prescribed system of overall sustenance to come from the Muslim governments, we Muslims have inherited a quite opposite and dubious jurisprudence which prescribes an un-Quranic doctrine of ZAKAAT. It rather imposes a two and a half percent tax upon people on their holdings and fully relieves the Muslim government from its basic obligation. It undoubtedly was the result of the old despotic tactics employed by Umayyad and Abbasid dictators. By this prevalent Muslim Jurisprudence it was proclaimed that this Tax was the best 66
way of money laundering since it converts your crookedly earned fortunes and all of your assets unconditionally into HALAAL money. So, the prevalent law connects the Quranic philosophy of ZAKAAT with the black money in a way that to act upon this duty, one must first have a substantial balance of black money into his account. Simply, if you pay two and a half percent tax as ZAKAAT on your black money and holdings acquired through it, the entire earning from loot, plunder, bribes, swindling, black marketing, hoarding, etc. etc. becomes white. This fabricated definition of ZAKAAT itself is an exposition of fraudulent and ludicrous Islamic Jurisprudence. Moreover, old jurists’ corroded frame of mind is also exposed by a study of the legal standard they have fixed in respect of Gold and Silver holdings of a common man. They have devised a ‘unique’ formula through which, by all accounts, only the poor segment of population is drained of its means of sustenance, and the rich gets full opportunities of getting richer and richer. However, the issue of ZAKAAT is not the theme of this thesis; therefore, we prefer to keep silent about it.
Under the major issue of AQAMAT US-SALAAT also falls the sub-issue called in امر بالمعروف و نہی عن ) ”Arabic as “Amar bil Ma’roof wa Nahi ‘un-il-Munkar It simply means “to order what is universally known and approved and to .(المنکر deny what is generally rejected and refused”. The “Ma’roofaat” (the known and accepted values) are made to follow by promulgating different social laws through the state authority and the “Munkiraat” (the undesirable acts or social, moral or political misconduct) are made illegal or declared crimes by imposing civil and criminal laws. All these laws require power and authority for their enforcement which makes it clear that it is not a duty on the part of common people or a community of clerics. It is rather the duty of a government established under divine commandments.
As from SALAAT, or from any other Quranic terminology, no philosophy of a ritualistic worship (or NAMAAZ) can linguistically or lexically be proved to exist, the so-called high priests of religion and their follower traditionalist scholars come down to the lowest level of ignorance by openly rejecting the entire corpus of authentic and acknowledged lexicons of Arabic language. To that vicious end, they declare all lexicons as prepared by non-Arabs. By implying this tactic they 67
foolishly over-rule their own unconditional acceptance of all books of history, holy Messenger’s biographies, Quranic exegeses and all bigger collections of traditions/hadith which are the works compiled solely by non-Arab sources. It is they who have not only sanctified these writings but also issue edicts of KUFR against all those who do not agree with this stuff. Why then they resort to rejecting only the authentic Arabic lexicons by labelling them as non-Arab products, is a question that openly signifies a double standard. So, their hypocrisy becomes fully evident.
There are some other scholars who maintain another baseless stand for rejecting the real and true definition of SALAAT by insisting that no Arabic lexicons were in existence when Quran descended upon Mohammad pbuh. So, lexicons have no importance in the comprehension of Quran. Quran therefore must be understood from Quran itself. In other words, Quran must be understood from that particular translation of it which comes to us by inheritance from the “pious elders”. By that argument they simply emphasize the same primary and earliest source known as “Tafseer Ibn-e-Abbas” or “Tafseer al-Kalabi”. They cannot answer the question that if a non-Arab wishes to deliberate in Quran without the proxy of a tafseer or exposition by a mortal, with the help of his own knowledge and research, what stuff can help him other than the authentic Arabic lexicons! What other material can assist him in his direct approach to Quran? By employing your imagination it becomes clear that Arabic lexicons could never have been compiled in the pre- Quranic era as Quran was the first book of Arabic prose that was ever written in that language. In the pre-Quranic era, though this language had matured to a great extent, but its written treasure consisted of only poetry the selected pieces of which were hung in writing in the precincts of the temple called “Ka’bah”. And it was transmitted onwards verbally from generation to generation. Lexicons are always compiled only when the native speakers of a language have attained a particular advanced level of civilization with respect to their language and literature. It goes without saying that every language, in its initial stages, exists only on speakers’ tongues; in the next phase it attains the form of writing. After reaching the written form, literature starts growing and expanding, civilization develops towards its climax. Then finally the time of compilation of lexicons and dictionaries arrives. In the same successive stages, in Islam, first of all the books on hadith, 68
biographies, history and archaeology were authored. Quran’s exegeses were written. Books on Arabic literature were created. The linguistic and grammar rules and regulations were edited; and then the books of lexicons were compiled. The successive process started in the Umayyad period and reached its climax in the Abbasid period when not only Persian but Greek and Indian philosophical concepts had become widespread in the Arab world.
As a matter of fact, the religious Papacy’s best unethical endeavor has always been aimed to divert your attention solely to the highly dubious material of hearsay traditions which this hierarchy keeps nearest to its heart. Since this class of Muslim society is by nature anti-Quran, Quran does not form a part of their eight and ten year long curriculum. And since this religious class remains involved in all kinds of corruption, therefore, it lives its entire life in the publicity and dissemination of that literature which is anti-Quran and from which it can derive authentication of its immorality and anti-Quran rituals and practices. So far as the nature and purpose of Islamic Oral Traditions is concerned, you must have thoroughly studied its true essence in the above lines. It is these traditions (Riwayaat) which have doomed the prestige and sanctity of Islam to the abyss of defamation. The results of following the Islam described in these traditions (Riwayaat) are not unknown to Muslims. In most of the non-Muslim circles they are now taken for sexual perverts and highly immoral creed of humans. The other name of taking guidance from this treasury of nonsensical tales is called as Muslims are ordained by their clergy to send the .(تواتر اور تعامل) ”consistency“ lexicons to hell, bury under the ground the entire rules and regulations of a legal and rational translation, throw into river the factors of careful deliberation, meticulous research, deeper probe, understanding and improvising and just blindly adopt whatever was written in the earliest age of Islam by highly controversial scholars like Mohammad bin Ishaq, Kalabi, Waqidi, Ziyad al-Bakai, Salmat-ul- Abrash, Hameed Raazi and other ancestors or so-called ‘pious elders’. This, according to them, is the only way to qualify as a Muslim, otherwise you are going to be labelled a Kaafir. It means that the great philosopher of Islam, Dr. Mohammad Iqbal made a big mistake when he said :-
“گر تقلید بودے شیو ِہ خوب پیمبر ہم ر ِہ اجداد رفتے" 69
اور "تقلید سے ناکارہ نہ کر اپنی خودی کو کر اس کی حفاظت کہ یہ گوہ ِر ہے یگانہ"
“Had blind pursuit been the righteous conduct The holy Messenger of Islam would follow the way of his elders”
And
“Do not ruin your self-esteem by blind pursuit Protect it fully as it is a unique jewel”
Those manipulators of divine guidance who start shouting and yelling when referred to the Arabic Lexicons, are in fact the remnants of old crooks like Ibn- Ishaq, Kalabi, Waqidi, Ziyad al-Bakai and Tabari, who have been serving the vicious goals of Arab despots. They are still active in carrying out their ancestors’ ancient agenda. Like olden times, the Muslim despotic regimes and the global capitalist Mafia are still eager to sponsor and finance them. They want Quranic philosophy of human emancipation kept infested with their wishful unbridled misconceptions through which they can keep the Muslim community engaged in behind which they can ”(تقدیر) worship rituals and the dogma of “predetermination pursue their secret agenda of amassing great wealth and live in royal luxury. These conspirators do not give a damn as to what catastrophe would befall upon Arabic language if the rules of grammar and language are bypassed. Supposing if every Tom, Dick and Harry, assuming to be a scholar in his own right, is allowed to start inventing his own definitions of Quranic words and terms and his own rules of grammar, what weird form this Divine doctrine would eventually take! We are already suffering intensely for interpreting Quran through Oral Traditions. The present distorted image of Islam has already condemned us to the lowest levels in the community of nations. Non-Muslim world spits on the name of Muslim. But these religious bigots are still not intent and continue demanding freedom from all linguistic rules and regulations so they can manipulate the Scripture and hinder all efforts towards its true understanding. They have the same old agenda of defaming and destroying the Muslim to the point of making Islam history.
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Some of them keep criticizing the Quranist group of Muslims by ridiculing that Quran has descended only upon this group. They don’t remember that the great Iqbal has categorically prescribed the only method of understanding the true essence of Quran. It is by assuming that in fact Quran has descended directly upon the student:-
"تیرے ضمیر پر جب تک نہ ہو نزو ِل کتاب گرہ ُکشا ہے نہ رازی نہ صاح ِب ک ّشاف"
“Unless the Book descends directly upon your conscience Neither Raazi nor the author of Tafseer-e-Kashshaaf can answer your questions”.
According to Iqbal, the sad state of these so-called scholars may be portrayed like this :-
"خود بدلتے نہیں قرآں کو بدل دیتے ہیں ہوئے کس درجہ فقیہا ِن حرم بے توفیق"
“They do not change their own conduct, but instead they have the audacity to change the Quran; Lo & behold, in what great degree these guardians of Haram have gone incapacitated”.
And after various kinds of academic exchanges and debates we ultimately come to the conclusion, as elaborated earlier, as under:-
"تھا جو ناخوب، بتدریج وہی خوب ہوا کہ غالمی میں بدل جاتا ہے قوموں کا ضمیر"
“The worst has gradually transformed into the best This is how nations’ conscience is changed by slavery”
As the continued slavery has eaten up this nation’s mental faculties, it has gone into the absolute grip of religious clergy waiting to be wholly swallowed. Every Tom, Dick and harry, under Mulla’s brainwash, has grown accustomed to edict mongering and is seen pasting labels upon everyone who is consciously alive.
Let us know study some of those Verses where SALAAT’s versatile term is seen in its full scope of meanings:-
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1. SALAAT as “Walk behind closely” : Verse 31/75 – COMPARISON OF TWO OPPOSITES/antonyms –
﴿٣١﴾ َولَٰـ ِكن َك َّذ َب َوتَ َولَّ ٰى “ فَ َال َص َّد َق َو َال َصلَّ ٰى
Transliteration: “Fa laa Saddaqa wa laa SALLAA, wa laakinna Kazzaba wa Tawallaa” . Translation: “So, he did not accept the truth, nor he followed it closely (walked behind it/followed the way of truth), but on the contrary, he gave lie to the truth and walked away.” According to the principle of “Comprison of Two Opposites”, the way “Saddaqa” was used as antonym to the word “Kazzaba”, the same way against “Tawalla”, the word “SALLAA” was used as antonym to emphasize its authentic meaning of “walking behind closely”.
2. SALAAT as equivalent to “close FOLLOWING” – Verse 87/15
َو َذ َك َر ا س َم َربِّ ِه فَ َصلَّ ٰى ﴿١٥﴾
Transliteration: “Wa zakara isma Rabbi-hi fa-SALLAA”. Translation: “And he kept in mind the attributes of His Lord, and then established a close following thereof”. It must be noted here that the divine commandments conveyed to man through revelations for acting upon, are virtually the attributes of God. And to manifest those attributes in our social and private conduct is also the proper form of SALAAT.
3. SALAAT as equivalent to “OBEDIENCE” – Verse 96/9-10, 13 – Another “Comparison of Two Opposites/antonyms”.
أَ َرأَ ی َت الَّ ِذي یَ ن َھ ٰى ﴿٩﴾ َع ب ًدا إِ َذا َصلَّ ٰى ﴿١٠﴾ أَ َرأَ ی َت إِن َك َّذ َب َوتَ َولَّ ٰى ﴿١٣﴾ Transliteration: “Ara’ayita allazi yanhaa ‘abdan idhaa SALLAA.”
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Translation: “Have you seen the one who prevents a subject from obeying (his Lord)”. “Have you seen the one who gave a lie to the truth and turned his back upon it”.
Here again we see the word “TAWALLA” used in comparison with its antonym “SALLA” in order to assert the true meaning of SALAAT.
4. SALAAT as a “PERMANENT ROUTINE/CONDUCT OF LIFE” – Verse 24/41
أَ َل ْم َت َر أَ َّن اللَّـ َه ُي َس ِّب ُح َل ُه َمن فِي ال َّس َما َوا ِت َوا ْْلَ ْر ِض َوال َّط ْي ُر َصا َّفا ت ۖ ُك ٌّل َق ْد َعلِ َم َص ََل َت ُه َّ ْ ُ َو َت ْسبِي َح ُه ۖ َواللـ ُه َعلِي ٌم بِ َما َيف َعلو َن ﴿٤١﴾ Transliteration: “Alam tara anna-llaaha yusabbihu la-hu man fis-Samawaati wal Ardhi wa at-tayiru saaffaatin. Kullu qad ‘alima SALAATA-HU wa Tasbiha-hu. Wallaahu ‘aleemun bi-ma yaf’aloon”.
Translation: “Do you not see that whoever exists in this Universe and the Earth, and the birds rank after rank, work hard to achieve God’s appointed goals. Every one of them is well aware of his routine duties/functions of life and the nature of his endeavors, while God keeps track of how they are functioning”.
Kindly ponder upon the point that every creation knowing its own SALAAT and Tasbeeh cannot mean that every creation prays or performs the rituals of NAMAAZ, and there is a counting rosary of beads around its neck (which remains invisible to human sight). Actually man here is being questioned as to whether he has not clearly seen what every living creation is busy doing what is clearly seen by all and by God too. There is no riddle here. The Root word for Tasbeeh is s b h which means “working with all available means and energy”; and SALAAT is the routine function of all life forms, or their life’s aims and targets which, in respect of birds, is clearly manifest before us.
5. SALAAT as equivalent to “OFFICIAL DUTIES” – Verses 2/23 and 9/23, as well as Verses 23/70 and 34/70
الّذین ھم فی صل ٰوتہم ٰخشعون ۔ الّذین ھم عل ٰی صل ٰوتہم یحافظون ۔ الّذین ھم علی صالتہم دائمون۔ الّذین ھم علی صالتہم یحافظون۔
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Transliteration: “Allazina hum fi SALAATI-him khaashi’oon. Allazina hum ‘alaa SALAATI-him yuhafizoon. Allazina hum ‘alaa SALATI-him daa’imoon. Allazina hum ‘alaa SALAATI-him yuhafizoon.”
Translation: “These are the ones who show humility in demeanor in the performance of their duties”. “These are the ones who are very mindful and considerate towards their duties”. “These are the ones who perform their duties enduringly/unceasingly”. “These are the ones who are very mindful and considerate towards their duties”.
6. SALAAT as equivalent to “APPRECIATION/ENCOURAGEMENT” and “BLESSING/FACILITATION” etc. – Verse 9/103
ُخ ذ ِم ن أَ م َوالِ ِھ م َص َدقَةً تُطَ ِّھ ُر ُھ م َوتُ َز ِّكی ِھم بِ َھا َو َص ِّل َعلَ ی ِھ م ۚ إِ َّن َص َالتَ َك َس َك ٌن لَّ ُھ م ۚ َواللَّـهُ َس ِمی ٌع َعلِی ٌم ﴿١٠٣﴾
Transliteration: “Khuz min amwali-him sadaqatan, tutahhir-hum bi-ha wa tuzakki-him bi-ha, wa salli ‘alayi-him. Inna salatu-ka sakanun la-hum. Wallahu samee’un ‘aleem.” Translation: “(O Messenger) Receive taxes (cattle money/poor rate) on their wealth. By it you will purify their character and will provide sustenance for all. And send felicitations and blessings upon them. Indeed your encouragement is a source of peace, blessing and tranquility for them.”
Several other Verses can be presented here whose authentic translations would affirm the aforementioned meanings of the word SALAAT with its entire expanded form and would negate and refute its commonly adopted meaning as the ritual NAMAAZ, or Prayer. However, it would only tantamount to lengthening the content of this writing. Therefore, this humble writer requests that the aforementioned authentic meanings of SALAT should rather be applied by my Readers directly on to related Quranic Verses. This practical test would certainly be an eye opener. Moreover, as mentioned earlier, names of some related books would be proposed which throw more detailed light on related Verses of Quran.
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And now an excerpt from Dr. Qamar Zaman’s Book entitled “The Truth About SALAAT” which would certainly assist the Readers towards a complete comprehension of this theme - It may be pointed out here that the said Book was written in Urdu language by the author, and thereafter, translated into English by this humble writer:-
“Before I take up the subject of Salaat directly, I would like to convey to you some opening comments. Before the start of discussion on Salaat, the question that comes up is: why should we learn the concept of Salaat from Quran alone, whereas, its embodiment – the ritual of Namaz – is inherited by us not from Quran but through ‘continuity’ (technically called “tawatar”), as confirmed by tradition, over the centuries. Let us see that, if it were the common mutual understanding that Namaaz, regarded as a common admitted ritual of worship, followed by Muslims, has been inherited by us through Hadith and ‘tawatar’ (continuity/succession); and, apart from that, there is the Salaat, a comprehensive term of Quran, which is not Namaaz, but has its own distinct meaning and interpretation; then the problem would have been easily clarified with the consensus that the term ‘Namaz’ and the term ‘Aqamat as-Salaat’ actually define two quite different concepts. And that these terms and their respective concepts do not resemble or relate each other. But common Muslim understanding about these terms is not like that. Because whenever we open up the pages of Quranic interpretations, we find the translation of the word Salaat as Namaaz; and that of “Aqamat as-Salaat” as the ‘offering of Namaaz (prayer)’. It seems very odd that a great mission is entrusted by Quran to be carried out, but its plan of action, or methodology, is not explained, while Quran claims about itself, with respect to its instructions, as being “the complete and the detailed narrator of all details” (‘tibyaanan li kulli shayi’in’). In view of the above, we can draw only two conclusions :-
1. Quran is self-explanatory and is not dependent upon man for its rendition. 2. Quran is not self-explanatory and is dependent upon man for its rendition. 75
Evidently, for those who do not take Quran as dependent, the second option is not acceptable, so they insist upon the first conclusion. But, when they are questioned with reference to Salaat and asked to show the details of the ritual of Namaaz in Quran – if they thought that Quran was complete in all respects - they find it difficult to answer that question, as nowhere in Quran the way to offer Namaaz is explained; nor have its ritualistic details been determined. More clearly, nowhere in Quran is explained as to how to start the ritual of Namaaz, how to call people to offer this ritual, what wording is to be employed therefor, and what physical gestures will be displayed. Nowhere has it been told that Namaaz will consist of standing, bowing, prostration and seating positions; what verses will be recited during these postures; what action will signify the end of the ritual and how many times it will be offered, etc. etc. In view of the above, the foremost point will be to establish the true, authentic meaning and interpretation of the word Salaat in order to determine that whatever this term is being taken to mean – either Namaaz, or teachings, or just symbolization, or a system – are these actually its basic meanings, or are just fabricated interpretations. If these are the ‘root’ meanings then we cannot move an inch away from these. But if all the meanings are fabrications, then no one has a right to impose one’s own fabrications upon others. Whoever undertook to misinterpret Quranic verses, he either related Salaat with some system, or with teachings or congregations, or eventually accepted it as Namaaz by misconstruing it as prayer - but, without being able to prove its timings, number of “rukaats” (Ruk’at = one complete round of the ritual), and number of prostrations, from a verse of Quran. Before I proceed further I deem it of utmost importance to refer to an extract from an article. This article was published in the Journal of “Ahl-e-Hadith”, issue of 19th to 25th November 1997 under the title of “Aqamat-us-SALAAT”. Kindly have a look :-
Let us study the Quran with an open mind and instead of adopting our wishful meanings from its verses, concentrate upon the term
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Salaat, with particular reference to its context, and thus try to determine what Salaat actually means.
“As-Salaat is a fundamental aspect of Islamic discipline and the kind of social order the Quran is desirous of establishing, it wishes to define it by the comprehensive term of Aqamat-us-Salaat. The are to follow (ص-ل-و ) meanings of Salaat, according to its Root someone’s Footsteps and move on. Therefore, in the light of authentic Arabic lexicons, the interpreters have determined the meaning of Quranic term “Aqamat as-Salaat” as “following the divine laws steadfastly”. In other words, to abide by the commands and laws revealed through divine guidance (Wahi) and to continue acting upon the program prescribed by Him, is called “Aqamat as- Salaat”. According to Quran, its enforcement or promulgation can only take effect under a social system – a system where individuals continue rising up to the determined goals and ideals through honest pursuit of Quran’s guidelines, without regard to their personal gains or interests. Thus, Aqamat as-Salaat has been declared a common goal and obligation and it is made clear that the establishment of Salaat would not be possible without Believers’ acquisition of “Tamakkan fil Ardh”, meaning, without their coming into power as a free state, as elaborated in the Chapter “Al- ٰ الذین ان ّمک ّنھم فی االرض اقامو الصل ٰوۃ و آتو الزک ٰوۃ و امروا بالمعروف “ :Hajj”:41 Transliteration: “Allazina im makannahum til). و نھو عن المنکر"۔ Ardh, aqaamus Salaata wa aatuz Zakaata wa amaru bil Ma’arufi wa nahaw ‘anil munkir”.) “They are those, that when their own free state is established, they will perform the duty of establishment of Salaat and grant of Zakaat. Virtues will be ordered and evil will be forbidden.” This respected verse makes it clear that the pre- condition of evolving a free state for the final goal of Aqamat as- Salaat and Ita-az-Zakaat, actually defines a whole integrated social system, and not only the offering of Namaaz, and paying of the prevalent traditional two and half percent of savings as Zakaat. Obviously, such obligations are easy to fulfil under even a non- 77
Muslim government. In Chapter “Ash-Shuraa”:38, an Islamic State was defined as “Wal Lazina astajaabu li Rabbihim, wa aqamus Salaat wa amaruhum shuraa bayinahum wa mimma razaqnahum والذین استجابوا لربھم و اقامو الصل ٰوۃ و امرھم شور ٰی بینھم و مما ) .”yunfiqun The Momineen are those who respond promptly to“: (رزقٰنھم ینفقون the call of their Nourisher and bow their heads in His obedience, and settle their affairs with mutual consultation and spend in the way of God from what He has bestowed upon them. Here Aqamat as-Salaat has been mentioned along with mutual consultation to run the affairs of state. It means that As-Salaat is that discipline of governance where the state is run through mutual consultation among the community of momineen. It is stated in the Chapter “Al- :Transliteration ,(والذین یمسکون بالکٰتب و اقاموا الصل ٰوۃ) :A’raaf”:170 “Wa al- lazina yumassakuna bil kitaabi wa aqamus Salaata”… “These are the people who remain attached with the Book of God and they carry out the duty of Aqamat- us-Salaat”…. It is because the discipline of Islam actually means the practical application of the tenets of God’s Book. To further elaborate this goal, in Quran, the word “Tawalla” is used as an antonym of “Salla” (Chapter 75, verses 30-31). Tawalla means to deviate from the right path, to show hesitation, to turn faces. And Salla means to move on in the right direction as per the divine injunctions; to continue performing your duties as prescribed by the divine system. And those duties encompass every aspect of life.”
And now dear Readers, here are the names of some booklets based on extensive research into the concept of SALAAT which may remove all ambiguities and provide a complete comprehension on this major Quranic theme :-
by Dr. Qamar (حقیقتِ صل ٰوۃ – Truth About SALAAT” (Haqiqat-e-Salaat“ .1 Zaman, translated into English by Aurangzaib Yousufzai. This book is available on Dr. QZ’s website, aastana.com.
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صل وة کے وہ معنی جو قرآن نے ) ”Salaat ke who Ma’ani Jo Quran ne Batae“ .2 ,by Azizullah Bohio, Sindh Sagar Academy, P.O. Khair Mohammad Bohio ,(بتائے via Noshehro Feroz, Sind, Pakistan.
by ,(صل وة اور نماز میں کیا فرق ہے) ”Salaat aur Namaz men kya Faraq he“ .3 Azizullah Bohio, address as above.
کیا ہماری نمازیں قرآنی صل وة )”?Kya Hamaari Namaazen Qurani Salaat he“ .4 .by Azizullah Bohio, address as above (ہے؟
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(اقم الصل ٰوۃ) AQIMIS SALAAT .8 (سبّح بحم ِد ربّک) SABBIH BI-HAMDI RABBIK
The Misconception about Prescribed Timings of Salaat Prayer
PRELUDE
a ,(اقم الصل ٰوۃ) ”Is the most frequently quoted Quranic injunction, “Aqimis Salaat highly emphasized order for common Muslims to PRAY, as maintained by traditionists? ---- OR ----- is it, contrarily, a direct order to the Islamic Government to “establish the discipline of close pursuit of Divine Commandments”, as originally prescribed in the Quranic narrative?
Traditional translations and exegeses vehemently insist that “Aqimis Salaat” is the injunction to pray five times a day by way of physical prostration to God. Therefore, to assess this crucial issue and consequently answer the above question in an authentic scholarly way, we present here-below a discussion criticizing the validity of the traditional interpretation. Some important Verses directly connected with the “alleged” timing of Aqimis Salaat are brought under focus for this purpose. These “alleged” timing-related verses are actually misconstrued from the Quranic narrative and are misrepresented by traditionists as a strong argument in support of the existence of worship rituals in Quran! Had there been no worship ritual in Islam, the traditionists argue, the Verses illustrating “prayer timings” would not have been included in Quranic text! They, however, leave us wondering by this claim of theirs because, in spite of our best efforts, we fail to find the least trace of any “prayer timings” in these verses!
Moreover, after having exposed the great Arab Scam of subjecting Quran to a high degree of corruption through the medium of writing its fictitious interpretations, the modern Quranist scholars no longer acknowledge the possibility of existence of any worship ritual in the socio-political doctrine of Quran, not to speak of any
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mention of “timings” there for. So, let us see whether the “alleged timings” are in reality the prayer timings, or is that a different story altogether.
PART 1
Verses 17/78-79:
َ َ َ َ أقِ ِم ال َص ََل َة لِ ُدلُو ِك ال ش ْم ِس إِ َ َٰل َغ َس ِق الل ْي ِل َوقُ ْر آ َن الْ َف ْج ِر ۖ إِ َن قُ ْر آ َن الْ َف ْج ِر كَا َن َم ْش ُهودًا ٧٨﴿﴾ َو ِم َن الل ْي ِل فَ َت َه َج ْد بِ ِه َ َ َناف ِلَ ًة ل َك َع َ َٰس أن َي ْب َعثَ َك َر ب ُ َك َم َقا ًما َم ْح ُمو ًدا ٧٩﴿﴾ First of all, let us check two of the most popular traditional translations.
Moududi: “Establish Prayer from the declining of the sun to the darkness of the night; and hold fast to the recitation of the Qur'an at dawn, for the recitation of the Qur'an at dawn is witnessed. And rise from sleep during the night as well- this is an additional Prayer for you. Possibly your Lord will raise you to an honoured position.”
Asad: ” Be constant in (thy) prayer from the time when the sun has passed its zenith till the darkness of night, and (be ever mindful of its ) recitation at dawn; for, behold, the recitation (of prayer) at dawn is indeed witnessed (by all that is holy). And rise from thy sleep and pray during part of the night [as well], as a free offering from thee, and thy Sustainer may well raise thee to a glorious station [in the life to come].” Discussion:
The purpose of “Aqimis Salaat” ( َ )” is stipulated here in undeniable terms أقِ ِم ال َ ص ََلة َ that is, “For/for the sake of/for the purpose ;(لِ ُدلُو ِك ال َّش م ِس ) ”as “li-duluk-ish-Shams of, duluk-ish-Shams”. It is stated here clearly that you carry out Aaqimis Salaat --- “for/for the sake of/for the purpose of” ---Duluk-ish-Shams. Therefore, It is quite obvious that “Duluk-ish-Shams” is some big target, and to achieve that target the act of “Aqimis-Salaat” is ordered. So, it ordains to “establish the pursuit of divine commandments” FOR achieving the target of “Duluk-ish-Shams”. Therefore, it is obvious that “Duluk-ish-Shams” here cannot be construed as suggesting a time or period, but rather “A target”, “a purpose”. When it becomes clear that it is a target 81
or goal, it also becomes obvious that “Shams” here is not used for the Sun, but is a symbol or metaphor for supremacy and glory, because acquisition of “the Sun” cannot be a logical target or goal. Salaat also cannot be misconceived here as Prayer (Namaaz) because acquisition of the Sun through praying can only be regarded as an idiotic idea. “Duluk-ish-Shams” is a Murakkab-e-Idhafi, meaning Duluk of Shams. The Duluk of Shams, or Duluk of Glory and Grace simply means “to strictly emphasize or insist upon achieving the goal of glory and grace”.
prescribes the limits of your efforts. It (إِلَ ٰى َغ َس ِق اللَّ ی ِل ) ”Ila Ghasaq il-Layil“ stipulates hard work to a degree or point where all darkness of tyranny and suppression, or ignorance, is vanished. “Ghasaq” has also the meaning of ‘making extinct’. Layil is known to be a metaphor for darkness.
“Quran al-Fajr” ( ), actually means that “the light of daybreak (Fajr)” َۖقُ ْر آ َن الْ َف ْج ِر must be “brought forth (Quran), because another definition of Quran is “to bring forth, to draw forth, to cast forth”.
It is most regretfully brought to your kind notice that all the traditionist and modern interpreters of Quran have misconstrued this verse stating that it is an order to perform prayers “at the time of sunset”,,,, or,,,,to establish the discipline of Salaat “along with the movement of the Sun”, meaning to perform this act during with a lower diacritical sign(a (ل) the entire day. The prefix preposition “laam” li accruing before “Duluk-ish-Shams” was criminally ignored by all of ,(کسر kasar them. This letter means “for/for the sake of/for the purpose of”. Therefore, it is not possible to translate this as “AT the time of sunset” or “WITH the movement Nor . ل of Sun”, because “AT” or “WITH” is not the translation of the Prefix letter we can say “establish the divine discipline FOR THE DECLINE OF THE SUN, OR FOR THE MOVEMENT OF THE SUN”!!! Obviously, it is not a coherent or meaningful translation. Hence, it is essential that “Ash-Shams” is not taken literally for Sun, but metaphorically for fame and glory.
It was also inferred that this work “must be done IN THE beginning of night”, while the word used here is “ila ghasaq al-layil”, which means UP TO THE “ghasaq al-layil”. Obviously “ila” cannot mean “In”. Thus a senseless
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manipulation, personal choice or blind pursuit of a vicious agenda was exercised and all linguistic rules were blatantly violated.
قرآن الفجر(Also stated was the sentence “Read the Quran at daybreak (Quran al-Fajr ”,,,,because it is more understood at that hour. What a ridiculous idea! It implies that those who can’t spare time to read in the morning cannot understand Quran at all, or at least fully! Quran was linked preposterously to the daybreak time alone. And thus, recitation of Quran during the day or at night was made useless and futile and the use of human intellect or common sense was left dormant. Moreover, there’s no word stipulating a “recitation”! It actually says “Quran of al- Fajr”, viz, bringing forth of the dawn, or, the light of the day. How can the deduction of “recitation of the daybreak time”, or “the Quran of Fajr or Daylight” be logical here? Quran is not reserved to be read either during the day or at daybreak only. It is a guidance to be referred to at all times.
”فتہجد بہ - Fatahajjad bi-hi“
Then again, from the term “fatahajjad bi-hi” another prayer was derived superfluously and imposed upon a superstitious religious order; whereas, in here again ,”(اللیل) keeping with the former mention of “the darkness of ignorance the holy messenger is being admonished to “keep vigilant in respect of Quranic directives”. If it may be regarded as an additional prayer in the middle of the night, as our traditionists believe it is, imagine awakening a totally exhausted man, who has slept very late after his daily revolutionary activities, for another prayer! Would that leave the poor guy active for his next days’ important duties? To sleep at night is a natural compulsion which restores the spent energies of a man. To arise once again from deep sleep is neither logical nor rational and productive. And in the end, which or where is that particular word in this sentence which might suggest a prayer or worship, for God’s sake? Obviously, none!
So now, let us throw aside this self-serving and fictitious crap from our despotic regimes and try a fully rational translation through pure academic research which may come up to any academic and intellectual criterion, and meet the goals of Quran by bringing forth the true and clean picture of its divine injunctions.
The latest research based rational translation:
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(اقم الصل ٰوۃ) Establish firmly the pursuit of Divine Commandments“ ,(الشمس) towards the path of Glory (لدلوک) enabling you to press hard (غسق اللیل) leading to the total extinction of the darkness of ignorance .(الفجر) the light of Dawn (قرآن) and culminating into drawing forth is a (قرآن الفجر) Indeed the bringing forth of the light of dawn And in the midst of .(مشھودا) prominently manifest phenomenon you must always remain awake and ,( َو ِم َن ال َّلی ِل ) darkness of ignorance it’s an additional obligation for you; so that your ;( َفتَھَ َّج د بِه ِ) vigilant َم َقا ًما ) Lord may glorify and raise you to a highly praised status/position ”.(مَّ حمُو ًدا
Important words defined from authentic lexicons:
Pressing hard, urging, to discipine, try, to prove, to :(دلک؛ دلوک) Dalak; Daluk render, teach, to familiarize, to habituate, the act of rubbing, pressing or squeezing, eat, consume, decline, decline after midday, of the sun, the sun becomes high.
,to be bright, be glorious, be sunny. shams – sun, gold : الشمس: Ash-Shams; Shams source, spring.
,Ice cold darkness, watery, thick purulent matter that flows or drips ;غسق ;Ghasaq dark/murky/cold fluid; sunset and nightfall, darkness/shed tears/to become obscure.
.night, darkness of night, darkness :اللیل: Al-Layil
,to recite, to read, to compile, to collect, study :قرآن الفجر: قرآن: Quran al-Fajr explanation, investigation, collected together, draw it, to draw forth, to bring forth; to cast forth.
.break open/cut/divide lengthwise/dawn, sunrise, daybreak : الفجر: Al-Fajr
to sleep watch, to remain awake : تھجد: ھجد؛ ھ ج د : Tahajjad
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give spoil, gift, voluntary gift, a deed beyond what is : نفل : Nafilat; n f l obligatory.
PART 2
The second important Verse with the caption “AQIMIS SALAAT” from where our traditionists derive some element of “prayer timings” is also presented hereunder with Discussion, followed by a latest rational translation.
Verse 11/114: ٰ َوأَقِ ِم ال َّص َالۃَ َط َر فَ ِي النَّ َھا ِر َو ُزلَفًا ِّم َن اللَّ ی ِل ۚ إِ َّن ا ل َح َسنَا ِت یُ ذ ِھ ب َن ال َّسیِّئَا ِت ۚ َذلِ َك ِذ ك َر ٰى لِل َّذا ِك ِر ی َن ﴿١١٤﴾
We start with the available old traditionist translations.
Moududi: And establish the Prayer at the two ends of the day and in the first hours of the night. Indeed the good deeds drive away the evil deeds. This is a Reminder to those who are mindful of Allah.
Asad: And be constant in praying at the beginning and the end of the day, as well as during the early watches of the night: for, verily, good deeds drive away evil deeds: this is a reminder to all who bear [God] in mind.
Pervaiz: For the accomplishment of your programme you should arrange for the assembly of Sal’at at the break and close of the day and during the early hours of the night (17/78, 24/58). The results accruing from your good actions will efface the ill effects of your faltering, if any. This is a basic principle for those who ۔adhere to Allah’s laws
Discussion:
(It must be born in mind that this ‘discussion’ is solely meant to expose the futility of prevalent traditional translations. The latest rational translation which follows is self-explanatory, without the need of any kind of discussion, this being the unique
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attribute of God’s Word, provided the translation is done in the light of deeper knowledge and the true vision of Quran’s classic literary style and its ultimate destination.)
In this Verse order is passed to establish Salaat “Tarfi-un-Nahaar”, meaning,,,, ‘on both sides of An-Nahaar’. No effort was made here to explore 1) the literary meaning of “An-Nahaar” and 2) the diverse scope of the definition of “Tarf”! I daresay, the task was wrapped up by presenting a very commonplace, rather street- wise, cheap translation as “both ends of the day”! No fear of God and no regard for Quran’s lofty academic narrative were considered; nor was human intellect or wisdom exercised. Woe is to the mentally retarded Imams (scholars) of this nation! They didn’t care to question as to why this grand duty was limited to “both ends of the day”? Why the order did not apply to the entire time of the day? Any logical reason for that? …Absolutely none! Perhaps it was already conspired that Salaat must be ill-defined to mean a ritual of worship at all costs! Even then, why the logical way of describing “Day’s start and end” was not adopted; what was the reason behind using the words “both sides and ends of the day”? It was only Allama Pervaiz who made some advancement on this point and in his translation, as “Day’s beginning and end” as this was ”طرفی – mentioned the meaning of “Tarfi the only proper course to adopt. Nevertheless, it also did not help much as the Arabic word “Tarf” doesn’t give the meaning of “beginning and end”!
The question remained unanswered as to what was special about this particular terminology? We also know that both ends of a day always pass out or elapse within a few minutes’ time! No venture undertaken in these short durations of time can produce tangible results! It can as well be called a “part-time job” of a few minutes’ duration. Obviously, a day’s beginning is of a few minutes’ duration - and then, its end also turns into darkness of night after a few minutes! What was the feasibility of launching the big operation of “AQIMIS SALAAT” twice in a day - but just for a few minutes? So, we all can easily discern how the use of human intellect and wisdom was kept dormant!!!
And as a result of this bogus translation of “Tarfi”, the Qayam of Salaat had to be misconceived as the same old traditional meaning of “Praying or Namaaz”! So, the entire human philosophy of social reforms and conscious evolution had to be 86
discarded, or limited to “praying”! And this praying is, in its essence, nothing but some dumb physical movements behind a prayer leader, as the dominant majority of praying public has no awareness of what is being “read” in Arabic during this ritual! And still this frivolous ritual is being followed blindly for about 1400 years, with no apparent plausible results! In the Muslim world, since the beginning of despotic regimes in 35 AH, we continue facing disparity, hatred, bloodshed and large scale exploitation of the masses. The same class discrimination, the same rapacious politicians, the same hunger, poverty, illiteracy, narrow-mindedness and slavery. On the other hand, history is witness to the fact that AQIMIS SALAAT in its true sense was that great divine discipline which, after its first trial in the age of the Holy Messenger and the PIOUS CALIPHATE, could never be enforced in the Muslim world again. Had it been re-enforced in a territory, its serendipitous influence would definitely have manifested in the frigid Muslim minds to a great extent.
Let us suppose Salat is prayer, or Namaaz, as it is called in Iran and the middle and far east! Now from this translation we only have “two prayers” – one of Fajr, viz. morning, and one of the evening or Maghrib. Even if we agree to this point, we have to think as to why only two prayers were ordered here in part? If there had to be five prayers, why not an integrated and cohesive and complete order for five prayers was issued? Why the order for offering prayers was issued in broken parts, or installments? We see no reason why at another place in Quran we are made to deduce another order for the “Fajr prayer” and in the night another prayer, called “Evening prayer” (Qabl Salaat al-Fajr ….. ba’ad Salaat al-‘Ishaa). And again, at another place, another “Salaat al-Wostaa”, meaning the “central prayer”, or “Zuhr prayer (and sometimes ‘Asr prayer)” is being derived. If Salaat is “prayer”, and if these are suggestions, in pieces, towards “five prayers”, we fail to understand as to what precluded an articulate and consistent order to be issued in an easy, direct and definite way? Why were the five prayers not brought into light together through one direct and precise order? What was the wisdom behind creating confusion and ambiguity by passing piece-meal orders in an apparently ambiguous way? These questions amply testify that the source of all confusion and ambiguity was not the entity of the Exalted author of Quran, but it is the conjecture-infested Imams who
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were hired to perpetuate the endless chain of illogical and irrational interpretations from Quran.
in the literary language of Quran is defined as “the flow of (ال َّنھَار ِ) ”An-Nahaar“ repulsion, reproach and chiding”. No doubt Nahaar is also defined as “day”, but this word has its metaphoric and idiomatic meanings which are invariably used in writing like Quran whose narrative is based on classical literary language. “Tarf”, in the same academic and literary style is the equivalent of “the extremity ( َط َر َف ِي ِ) of enemies encampment” and of “attacking those extremities”; it also means flanks and sides.
was again easily disposed of by ( َو ُز َل ًفا ِّم َن ال َّلی ِل ) ”Then “Zulfan min al-Layil translating it simply as “beginning part of night”. No painstaking was resorted to in order to think that “Zulfan” has the meaning of “drawing near, close, and advance”. Many Quranic Verses describe this meaning of Zulfan as quoted under the “authentic meanings” underneath. Even otherwise, the “beginning part of night” has already been brought in as per their translation of “Tarfi-un-Nahaar”, where from they have already deduced the “end of day” which itself is tantamount to the “beginning part of night”, though a few minutes later. Why then, the same “beginning of night” is occurring twice in the same sentence? As for “Al-Layil”, whether taken as Layil or al-Layil, these easy going Imams have been taught only a single absolute meaning of it; the same most commonplace and street jargon – the “night”. They are not concerned at all with idiom, metaphor, allegory, etc. They do not acknowledge Quran as a masterpiece of classical Arabic. Hence, May God ruin them as they have ruined the essence of Quran!
Although in recent times, some modern Quranic scholars, including Allama Pervaiz of Lahore, Pakistan, have made advances in the right direction and defined the important term “Salaat” in its true light, they still have not carried their research through to its logical conclusion and left behind a great degree of work still to be done. Perhaps all they could do in their time actually correlated or corresponded with the relative progress of their time. Improvement and advancement take place gradually with the passage of time and the process of mental evolution. It advances in smaller degrees along with every coming generation. Since we are their pupils and are performing our duty of advancing 88
their line of thought further, therefore, it is incumbent upon us and our coming generations to continue this evolutionary process of exploration and discovery. The corruptors of Islamic doctrine have left behind such a great amount of mess and confusion, and the reformation work has begun so late, that it may not be possible for one or two more generations of reformers to complete this crucial undertaking. It needs time - a lot more time - perhaps many coming generations.
Setting aside the history of this great scam of the earlier Arab despotic regimes, let us now try to present a fully literary and rational translation of this Verse which may prove to be worthy of the grace and majesty of the Exalted Creator of this Universe.
The latest research-based translation: ٰ َوأَقِ ِم ال َّص َالۃَ َط َر فَ ِي النَّ َھا ِر َو ُزلَفًا ِّم َن اللَّ ی ِل ۚ إِ َّن ا ل َح َسنَا ِت یُ ذ ِھ ب َن ال َّسیِّئَا ِت ۚ َذلِ َك ِذ ك َر ٰى لِل َّذا ِك ِر ی َن ﴿١١٤﴾
“While attacking both flanks of the stream of repulsion, reproach and chiding and ,( َو َأقِ ِم ال َّص َال َۃ ) enforce the pursuit of Divine Commandments , ( َط َر َف ِي ال َّنھَار ِ) َو ُز َل ًفا ِّم َن ) expand this mission up to close proximity of the darkness of ignorance because, verily, the good deeds alleviate the influence of evil deeds. For ;(ال َّلی ِل the mindful it is but an advice and admonition.”
Authentic meanings of words in parenthesis:
,Tay-Ra-Fa = attack the extremity of the enemy's lines, chose a thing =ط ر ف extremity, edge, lateral/adjacent/outward part, side, border, end, newly acquired, proximity, fringes. leaders/thinkers/scholars, best of the fruits. Look from outer angle of eye, twinkle in eye, putting eyelids in motion, looking, glance, blinking, raise/open eyes, hurt the eye and make it water. Descend from an ancient family, noble man in respect of ancestry.
,Nuun-ha-Ra = to cause stream to flow, repulse, reproach, flow abundantly = ن ہ ر drive back, brow beat, chide, do in the day time, day, daytime, daylight hours (from dawn to dusk).
.Zay-Lam-Fa = draw near/close, advance, nearness/closeness/proximity = ز ل ف
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Azlafnaa (prf. 3rd. p. f. plu. IV): We brought near, caused to draw near Uzlifat (pp. 3rd p.f. sing. IV): It is brought near Zulafan (n. acc.): Early hours Zulfatan (n. acc.): Night Zulfaa (v.n.): Approach; near. zalafa vb. (1). zulfa n.f. (pl. zulaf) - 11:114, 34:37, 38:25, 38:40, 39:3, zulfah n.f. (adv.) - 67:27
PART 3:
Our Theme of “AQIMIS SALAAT” is represented in the following Verses too in both injunctions ;( َو َسبِّ ح بِ َح م ِد َر بِّ َك ) ”terms of “WA SABBIH BI-HAMDI RAABIKA having more or less a similar concept …AND…., as alleged by traditionists, describe some kind of “timing” for prayers.
After issuing the above part of my rational translations, I had to face several questions from readers - not unexpectedly of course. Some of my well-wishers did not approve of the new rendering. Although they could not reject it altogether – nor, I hope, can they do so in the near future – yet they bombarded me with other verses having identical theme. They challenged me to produce a similar style of latest academic and literary translation of those Verses too to help them to accept and acknowledge my efforts. (It goes without saying that it is not always possible for the traditionists to agree with the latest renderings of Quran by the Quran-only scholars). Some of these Verses follow hereunder. I have tried fresh rational translations thereof in keeping with Quran’s classical style of prose, with the hope that it meets their approval and satisfaction.
The point to understand here is that we are dealing with the clash of “religiosity” and “Ideology or Idealism”. It is the same historical clash which Allama Sir Mohammad Iqbal, while throwing light on Islamic Jurisprudence, had in technical terms named as the clash of “Deduction” and “Induction”. We here are trying to present a divine Ideology of Life which highlights great universal human values; whereas our adversaries are converting this divine ideology into a religious mold by translating it literally into a commonplace and street language. That’s a mold
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which embodies only dogmas, verbal faith and meaningless rituals of worship, and where your moral conduct and your practical interaction in the society is rendered unimportant, or in a secondary status.
Let us then start first with a discussion on traditionist translations. Then accepting the challenge, an academic and rational ideological translation will be presented which would naturally go entirely against the traditionist one. Following Verses are pointed out:-
Verses 50/39-40:
50 ع سب َ َ /39۔-40- فَا ْص ِ ْب َ َ َٰل َما َي ُقولُو َن َو َ ِ ْح بِ َح ْم ِد َر ب ِ َك قَ ْب َل ُطلُو ِع ال ش ْم ِس َوقَ ْب َل الْ ُغ ُر و ِب ٣٩﴿﴾ َو ِم َن الل ْي ِل فَ َس ِ ب ْح ُه َ ستم َ َوأ ْدبَا َر ال ُس ُجو ِد ﴿٤٠﴾ َوا ْ َ ِ ْع يَ ْو َم ُي َنادِ الْ ُم َنا ِد ِمن مكَا ٍن قَ ِر ي ٍب : Moududi: Hence bear with patience whatever they say, and celebrate your Lord's glory before the rising of the sun and before its setting; and in the night, too, celebrate His glory, in the wake of prostration. Hearken on the Day when the caller will call from a place nearby,
Asad: “Hence, bear thou with patience whatever they may say, and extol thy Sustainer’s limitless glory and praise before the rising of the sun and before its setting; and in the night, too, extol His glory, and at every prayer’s end. And (always) listen for the day when He who issues the call (of death) shall call (thee) from close-by.”
Pervez: 39/40. In any case, you should not get disturbed by whatever they say against you. Remain steadfast and firm in your programme. In order to prove that the Nizam-e-Rabubiyyat of your Rabb is worthy of all Hamd, you should always work hard (to establish it practically) from morning till evening, during the dead of night and in the early hours of the morning (52:49). 41. (After this there will be a clash with the adversaries.) The Day will arrive when from the place nearby the caller will give a call for battle (The adversaries will reach the outskirts of the city of Medina for attack.)
Discussion:
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The first two translations stipulate some kind of counting of prayers on the rosary ???”with particular timings – “before the sunrise” and “before the sunset – ( َو َسبِّ ْح ) And again, a third time, viz., at night too! And again and again, whenever you get !start counting on rosaries ,( َوأَ ْدبَا َر ال ُّس ُجو ِد ) free from continued prostration
NOW, obviously that’s all you need to do, according to above translations, to become a true Muslim in the traditional Islam, even if your family is starving, an army is advancing against you, or the roads and streets of your towns are infested with crime and terrorism; even if you are confronted with domestic, national, economic, political or social crises, just continue counting on the rosaries and prostrating to God the entire day and part of night!!! What should be the duration of each round of this “divine act”, how many minutes or hours each time, we are not guided in this behalf by the unique intellectuals whom we call our nation’s elders and leaders, under some secret diplomatic policy!!!
It seems as if the counting of prayers on rosaries and continued prostration to God embodies some magic spell which would automatically bring about progress and prosperity in the nation, our defenses would be strengthened and all the social and (کاالنعام – domestic crises would be solved!!! These dumb cattle like (kal an’amm scholars of ours, who consist of such prominent names which would make you terrified if you even think of criticizing them, were most probably bereft of the facts that such protracted life-long idle sittings for worship rituals would essentially jam the working of their limbs and joints; food would refuse to be digested or metabolized, legs would be rendered unable to bear the weight of their bodies and, before long, they will be cripples! Then they would be living on charity or alms! That’s a tragedy which has already taken place at large and the Muslim is collectively living a life of slavery, sustaining on loans and grants and depending entirely on foreign products and inventions!
For God’s sake, “Tasbeeh” (Root: s b h) is not the rosary to be counted while praying or glorifying God verbally! Had you cared a little bit to open an Arabic lexicon, you would know in a jiffy what this word means! You were not created by God as dumb, deaf, blind, to act this way. Intellect and imagination is a gift bestowed by the Creator indiscriminately. Where have you people lost your share of it, or to whom and for what cost have you sold this priceless treasure of yours? Or have you mortgaged it to your despotic rulers in return for easy stipends from them for perpetuating your inactive life of counting on the rosaries?
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The definition of “Tasbeeh” is “to remain steadfast and persevere with all your might and resources for achieving a certain goal or fulfilling a mission”, which you have misrepresented to mean a useless ritual based on laziness or sheer inactivity. You never took pains to deliberate on whether the Holy Messenger of God had achieved great success in his mission by just prostrating or counting on rosaries?
However, in the third translation above, our respected teacher Allama Pervaiz effectively did away with the sickness called “Rosary” (tasbeeh), and by introducing its true academic definition, showed the Islamic world a new light. Still, in the context of determining of day and night “timings” he could not expose the reality and had to bend towards the same old misconception of worship and prayer because fixing of certain day and night timings has to be linked with worship rituals!!! The enforcement and expansion of a global ideology is always a constant or consistent duty, not bound by particular timings. Determination of day or night timings does not apply to the global expansion of a divine mission or ideology, unless some rituals of prayer, worship, Namaaz or counting on rosaries are involved therein.
Modern Rational Translation
Let us now present here a modern academic and rational translation for your kind consideration.
Verse 50/39-40:
50/39-40 فَا صبِ ر َعلَ ٰى َما یَقُولُو َن َو َسبِّ ح بِ َح م ِد َر بِّ َك قَ ب َل طُلُو ِع ال َّش م ِس َوقَ ب َل ا ل ُغ ُر و ِب ﴿٣٩﴾ َو ِم َن اللَّ ی ِل فَ َسبِّ حهُ َوأَ دبَا َر ال ُّس ُجو ِد ﴿٤٠﴾ َوا ستَ ِم ع یَ و َم یُنَا ِد ا ل ُمنَا ِد ِمن َّم َكا ٍن قَ ِر ی ٍب :
"Therefore, keep patience upon what they insinuate and keeping in view the keep ,(بِ َح م ِد َر بِّ َك ) target of establishing the glory and praise of your Sustainer before the sun of your supremacy rises ( َو َسبِّ ح ) striving hard with entire resources And in the midst .( َو َقب ل َ ا ل ُغ ُر وب ِ) and before you fear its downfall ;( َقب لَ ُط ُلوعِ ال َّش مس ِ) keep working hard towards this target ,( َو ِم َن ال َّلی ِل ) of the shadows of ignorance as well as after you have already achieved the state of total submission ( َف َسبِّ حه ُ) And keep your hearing open to that time when an announcer .( َو َأ دبَا َر ال ُّس ُجو ِد ) would proclaim about a certain event from a station near about."
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The other Verse sent to me for a latest translation has the same “timing” factor which allegedly relates to the prayer/worship rituals. Let us, without much ado, translate it straight-away in our purely academic and rational way illustrating the glorious real face of Quran which proves to be free from frivolous prayer rituals.
Verse 20/130: 20/130 فَا صبِ ر َعلَ ٰى َما یَقُولُو َن َو َسبِّ ح بِ َح م ِد َر ب ِّ َك قَ ب َل طُلُو ِع ال َّش م ِس َوقَ ب َل ُغ ُر وبِ َھا ۚ َو ِم ن آنَا ِء اللَّ ی ِل فَ َسبِّ ح َوأَ ط َر ا َف النَّ َھا ِر لَ َعلَّ َك تَ ر َض ٰى:
“Therefore, whatever the people insinuate against you, keep steadfast in your َقب لَ ُط ُلوعِ ) and before the sun of your dominance/supremacy arises ,( َفا صبِ ر ) goals keep striving hard ,( َو َقب لَ ُغ ُر وبِھَا ) and also before it is feared to decline –(ال َّش مس ِ to establish and expand the glory and praise of your ( َسبِّ ح ) with all resources to block the dominance of ( َف َسبِّ ح ) Also keep striving .(بِ َح م ِد َر بِّ َك ) Sustainer of the flowing ( َۚ ط َر ا َف ) and attack both flanks ,(آ َنا ِء ال َّلی ِل ) darkness of ignorance so that you may achieve a state (ال َّنھَار ِ) stream of repulsion, reproach and chiding of full satisfaction.”
Difficult words defined from authentic lexicons
to swim, roll onwards, perform a daily course, float, the act : سبح: س ب ح : = Siin-Ba-Ha of swimming, occupy oneself in: the accomplishment of his needful affairs or seeking the means of subsistence, business/occupation, those who are floating, went/travel far, being quick/swift. To praise/glorify/hallow/magnify, sing/celebrate praise, holy, declaring God to be far removed or free for every imperfection/impurity.
,went/passed away, depart/retire/remove/disappear = :غرب :غ ر ب : Ghayn-Ra-Ba become remote/distant/absent/hidden/black, withdraw, western, foreign/strange, exceed, abundance, sharpness, (maghrib = sunset), black, raven-black, setting place of the sun, the west.
to accept/admit/receive/agree, meet anyone, to face/encounter :قبل : ق ب ل = Qaf-Ba-Lam someone/something, advance/approach, before, correspond, counteract/compare/requite/compensate, the front part (12:26), accept with approval, show favour.
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9. CONCLUDING SUBMISSION
وق ِت فرصت ہے کہاں، کام ابھی باقی ہے نو ِر توحید کا اتمام ابھی باقی ہے ]اقبال[ (No respite! Work is still to be done; the light of Monotheism is still to be spread far and wide) – IQBAL
سبحان ) ”A guy repeats the chanting of Arabic words “Subhaana Rabbi al-‘Azeem without ever knowing ,(سبحان ربی اَلعل ی ) ”and “Subhaana Rabbi al-a’laa (رب العظیم the meanings of the word RABB and the implications of the divine Attribute of RABUBIAT (Nourishment/Sustenance). He chants these words without ever having the essential awareness that every divine attribute is an achievable objective or target and a prescribed conduct worth following closely, as well as a command worth carrying out most dexterously and consciously. This kind of frivolous and futile action is called NAMAAZ, the ritual of worship.
There’s another guy who did not indulge in meaningless chanting or frivolous acts of worship, but solved the lodging problem of a shelter-less person; provided food, clothing and medicines to the hungry, the naked and the sick; solved an illiterate person’s problem by arranging education for him. This kind of practical course of action is called SALAAT. This is the kind of work named as SALAAT and this is the real SALAAT the God Almighty has ordered to perform and carry out – not the ritual of worship called NAMAAZ by the majority of Asian Muslims. It is the same course of action that fully reflects and practically applies the proclamation chanted in Arabic as “Subhaana Rabbi al-A’laa’ and ‘Subhaana Rabbi al-“Azeem”.
Kindly decide with your own thinking as to whether meaningless verbal chanting (NAMAAZ) makes the divine attributes manifested, or does the practical application of the act of SALAAT causes to bring about the real spirit of Rabubiyat in a physical and material form, puts the same into operation and then results in benefitting the humanity? God’s attribute of the Nourisher is reflected in the acts of human welfare and benevolence and in providing them with their basic needs of sustenance, rather than in chanting God’s names on rosary beads or in reciting His praises while bowing and prostrating. God’s names are those attributes of His 95
Exalted Self which lay dormant in man’s conscious self and must be revitalized and made to manifest in our character and conduct. When these attributes become our own conduct and we start working to give them a practical shape for the benefit of our human community, that conduct of ours is called AQAMAT-US- SALAAT.
SALAAT is given to us by Quran, and NAMAAZ is the legacy of Oral Tradition. The reality of Tradition and its Narrators has been exposed earlier in this book. SALAAT is a collective, rather global destination having the objectives of human welfare and evolution, while NAMAAZ is a mere physical movement with a false temptation of personal salvation. SALAAT prevents one from all excesses and immodesties (Verse 45/29) . The constantly performed ritual of NAMAAZ has, till date, never prevented any evildoing by the worshipers. Our personal experience and all the available statistics and analysis would prove that all kinds of social evils are not only rampant but are on the increase among the worshiper segment of Muslims in spite of their regular praying on a wide scale. The discipline of SALAAT offers reformation and improvement in a nation’s economy, social status and politics. The act of NAMAAZ has no relation whatsoever with the problems faced by humans in their normal lives. It is nothing but an exercise in futility of five minute’s duration, based on a purely selfish motive of acquiring quick pardon for our most recent sins and crimes. A very obvious example of superfluous and fraudulent interpretation of NAMAAZ from Quran is noted from the Verse 17/79 The ." َو ِم َن اللَّ ْي ِل َف َت َه َّج ْد ِب ِه َنافِ َل ًة لَّ َك َع َس ٰى أَن َي ْب َع َث َك َر ُّب َك َم َقا ًما َّم ْح ُمو ًدا : which reads translation goes like this: “O Messenger, sit in deliberation of Quran in some part of night; it is an additional duty especially for you; May your Sustainer raise you to an adorable/praise-worthy status”. Look at the craftiness of our ancestors that they derived a NAMAAZ again from this Verse. The midnight prayer of “Tahajjud” and all the extra (Nafl) parts of NAMAAZ are fabricated by distorting the translation of this particular Verse. The holy Messenger’s extra duty in his role of a ruler, leader and reformer, was firstly converted into an extra midnight NAMAAZ, and then this additional NAMAAZ was enforced upon the entire Muslim Ummah. Then lots of rubbish was fabricated in the form of oral traditions highlighting the supposed blessings and rewards as a result of offering this NAMAAZ. This NAMAAZ also became a “Sunnat” automatically! And then, the 96
"فمن ر ِغب عن سنّتی : Hadith was concocted concealing a threat within, which reads Whoever turned away from my way of conduct, he has nothing to do) .فلیس منّی" with me”). Kindly check to see whether this Verse, by any account, ordains any commandment, or suggestion, or a hint of an act of SALAAT or NAMAAZ???
As submitted earlier, the very purpose of appointment of divine Messengers and of their mission (AQAMAT-US-SALAAT) was to establish a welfare based rule under which no one could exploit the working man’s labors; that everyone must get full remuneration, salary or wages for the work he is employed to perform. The God Almighty goes a long way in this respect when He ordains that this Universe is created for the sole purpose of providing every one with the due return َو َخ َل َق اللَّـ ُه “ – for what he works hard for and nobody is deprived of his rights َ .(Verse: 45/22) ”ال َّس َما َوا ِت َوا ْْل ْر َض بِا ْل َح ِّق َولِ ُت ْج َز ٰى ُك ُّل َن ْف س بِ َما َك َس َب ْت َو ُه ْم ََل ُي ْظ َل ُمو َن The timing for SALAAT, by dividing its performance into shifts, covers the entire 24 hours of a day and night. It is so because SALAAT’s concept expands up to the affairs of the entire state and to its population’s problems. On the contrary, the prevalent system of five prayers (NAMAAZ) a day, collectively takes only half an hour of chanting with just physical movements of standing, bowing and prostrations – that too for one’s own selfish motives.
Let us now turn to the narratives being issued by our contemporary thinkers and writers. Different viewpoints about our decline and the present sorry state of affairs are coming out from our intelligentsia. For example, “our ideological crisis which has diverted the direction of our collective journey, is based in our thought pattern not in our jurisprudence; that it is a centuries old historical deviation which must be highlighted without reservations; that the prevalent Islam which has been formulated through the medium of jurists’ edicts, Sufi’s experiments, interpreters’ superfluous definitions and authentic and un-authentic stuff from the scholars of Hadith, it has transformed the mold of the divine message to a great extent; that the influence of Greek philosophy had caused a turbulence in the Muslim thought; that (معتزلہ) Mo’tazila ,(جبریہ) Jabriah ,(قدریہ) Qadriah ,(مرجیہ) several sects like Marjiah and the like, had started a complex chain of discussions on our convictions which also cast its adverse influence; that even the fundamental scriptural source like ’or ‘created (قدیم)’Quran was subjected to the debate as to whether it was ‘ancient 97
that the debates on the form or nature of Revelation had shaken the central ;(مخلوق) and un-alterable status of the divine revelations; Abul-Hassan Ash’ari’s rebuttal of the philosophical crises created by Mo’tazilah; the clash between the Shafiite and Hanafiite sects; the prevalent concept of improvisation (“Ijtehaad”) and the need to change it; the need to smash the basic philosophical structure, etc. etc. And, among all these analysis by Muslim thinkers, there appeared the positive concept too that the true abidance of God and His Messenger cannot be achieved individually but only by a collective abidance of a central authority of the Ummah”.
Results derived from philosophical analysis of contemporary intellectuals cannot be overlooked. Nevertheless, the suicidal trend of the Muslim Ummah caused by organized distortion of its fundamental doctrine, has no deeper philosophical roots. The conclusions detailed above are based on sub-issues and are trying to portray the process of reaching the roots of the problem as a very difficult process. It is submitted here that the philosophies, literature and movements are cultivated, nourished, developed and encouraged by the ruling elite. In the last 1400 years of tyrannical rule, only that kind of thinking patterns were allowed to develop which condemned the enlightenment of divine revelations to the dark shadows of oblivion. Only those innovations and philosophical patterns were encouraged which caused gross misguidance to grow and spread. The philosophical and (ذا ِت باری تعال ی ) exaggerations of Mo’tazillah on the themes of Divine Self was not deprived of the Royal patronage. Rather, on (صفا ِت باری) Divine Attributes the controversial issue of Khalq-e-Quran, three successive Abbaside Caliphs took personal interest and saw with open eyes the Muslims dividing themselves into sects. They exploited the Mo’tazillah philosophy for issuing religious edicts for beheading their political opposition. It goes without saying that the controversy of Khalq-e-Quran had emerged due to setting Quran aside as a judge. Rather it had emerged due to the ignorance of Quranic guidance; or it was purposefully created to divert Quranic teachings and the true concepts of its injunctions away from its true path. Mo’tazillah not only concentrated in their debates on the theme of and (محکمات) by ignoring Quran’s Mohkamaat (متشابہات) Mutashabihaat emphasized on super-natural concepts of God’s Self, Divine Attributes, paradise and hell, nature of the Revelation and the accountability of conduct etc., but also
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produced their own conviction or conditions for faith or belief which were different from the mainstream convictions of the Ummah. It consisted of 1) and (بین بین) monotheism, 2) Justice, 3) Covenant and admonition, 4) Middle way 5) Amr bil-Maroof. In spite of this manifest deviation, Caliphs Mamoon, Mo’tasim and Waathiq continued sponsoring them. Most of our thinkers wonder as to what their strategy meant. Was it the same Machiavellian strategy of “divide, by creating rift and schism among the general public, and rule them”! In the context of the mission of Prophet Moses, Quran has highlighted a similar policy on the part of the Pharoas of Egypt. Caliph Mutawakkal turned to sponsoring the rival group under the same despotic strategy after realizing that the (اشاعرہ)Asha’ira power and the clout the Mo’tazillah had acquired grew to alarming proportions and felt the need to bring a fatalistic end to them. The clash between the Shafiite and Hanafiite sects, etc., was intentionally created to inculcate division and confrontation among the public. In the continued sectarian clashes, the poor masses were made to forget the burning reality that their rights and resources are being plundered by the Royalty and their cronies. In any case, these episodes of history were only the sub-causes of the decline of the true philosophy of Islam. The major causes of the fall were the same stranglehold of the despotic rule and the dominance of policies of coercion and suppression of common population. It was the sovereign, despotic and exploitative, un-Quranic rule of the Arab elitist class of the Qurayish tribe which could not afford the risk of direct guidance from the divine revelation. It could not establish the discipline of AQAMAT-US-SALAAT. It could not distribute the state wealth among the needy masses under the divine commandment of “AATUZ-ZAKAAT”, because it would deprive them of their luxuries and splendor. It could not have established the discipline of submission to God and His Messenger from their seat of power – the central authority of the Muslim Ummah – as to that end they would first of all have to make themselves the true example of that submission, a conduct impossible for them to adopt. Under the Chapter entitled “The Real Criminals of Islam”, these deplorable facts have been detailed in the context of the causes of the fall of the Ummah.
To make the long story short, all of our rulers, from Umayyad despots down to the last Turkish Caliph Abdul Hameed the 2nd, and the emperors of united India and Iran were Muslims only by name. It can be stated here with the testimony of
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history that all of them were only Dictators. Dictators have no religion and no faith. They have only one destination. They only safeguard the dynastic continuity of their unhindered rule. To vanish the divine revelations from the scene these dictators had several instruments in their hands, such as troops of armed warriors, Jewish/Majoos think tanks, the five Scholars of jurisprudence, the six Imaams of Hadith; the religious sects like Qadrite, Merjaites, Jabrites, the Mo’tazillah or Ashaa’irah, the intellectuals like Raazi, Zamahshari or Ghazaali; or the saints of Sufi lines called Wali, Ghous, Qutb and Abdaal, etc.
When the rulers become characterless, unscrupulous, and fond of plunder and loot and practice widespread tyranny, their subjects cannot be kept free from these النا ُس عل ی دی ِن ) ”voices. As the saying goes : “An-Naasu ‘alaa Deen-e-Mulooki-him the common people always follow the conduct of their rulers. When – (ملوکہم educating their subjects would go against the interest of despotic rulers, nations can never follow the way out of the darkness of ignorance! Their educational institutions and authorities would be listed under the most corrupt sector of society because they would be assigned to use all possible means to keep the nation illiterate. When the rulers themselves would be making unfair profits (Al-Ribaa) by hoarding and black-marketing, how can the common people be provided with the basic necessities of life at nominal rates. They would rather be kept content on starvation and on awaiting God’s blessing with the help of regular brainwash by the burgeoning segment of an organized clergy! Ideological Movements do not flourish or gain momentum in the darkness of ignorance and illiteracy. Or they cannot, at least, acquire an effective majority! Lofty values and aspirations do not appeal to empty stomachs! Dearth of noble souls in a society makes emergence of revolutionary leaders impossible! And without leaders, no ark of revolution lands in safety! The semi-literate clerics, raised on alms, charity and begging, can never become leaders of men, or Generals. Unless the downtrodden and the suppressed do not firmly stand up and get united to seek restoration of their rights, exploitation never ends by itself! Coming down of Saviors from the heavens has long since discontinued! Teaching and comprehension of Quran in closed rooms can never become the harbinger of a revolution! The demand of the time and an honest analysis of human history strictly prescribe a socio-political struggle as a pre- requisite.
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My serendipitous dreams which I would like to share with my Readers do suggest a remedial course of action which can be shortly envisioned somewhat like this :-
. A strong political movement by a self-less group of Quran-inspired patriots which is self-reliant with regard to financial means and sources;
. A most welfare-oriented Manifesto highlighting the most effective solutions of all the problems faced by people in their daily lives, according to the true spirit of Quranic values of equality, justice and fair play. This manifesto must correspond fully and be an honest representative of the major Quranic injunction of .(آتو الزکاة)”AATUZ-ZAKAAT“
. Establishment of a role model community exhibiting a fascinating practical application of this Quranic Manifesto on an acquired piece of land, open for general public to visit and get inspired;
. A most effective publicity or propaganda machinery utilizing all possible means of advertising and educating the masses, like magazines, newspapers, T.V. channels, extensive use of electronic media, lobbying, etc.
. An extremely systematic, highly disciplined, scientific and calculated, state of the art struggle to contest and acquire the seats of power and authority;
. Eventually, establishment of a kingdom of God in keeping with the dictates of our most progressive modern times and techniques, with the support of a national as well as global database and a most efficient digital medium of functioning.
And then the most visible ground realities must concord with the following concept of the great Allama Mohammad Iqbal :-
“No beggar and no deprived one in this land; No slave and no master; and no ruler nor a ruled one”
The central point to concentrate the attention upon by our intelligentsia should, in my humble opinion, be to explore all available ways and means to elevate the group of righteous Quranist leaders of men up to the high seats of power and
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authority after a fateful 1400-years-long period of capitalistic tyrannical rule. And before that, to try most effectively to get united all the existing smaller groups or parties which believe in seeking guidance directly from the Book of God, in order to make their voices fully audible. The divinely ordained Discipline of AQAMAT- US-SALAAT and ITAA-az-ZAKAAT, which obviously constitutes the sole panacea for humanity’s entire ills, cannot be enforced without securing authority as per valid (تمکن فی اَلرض – over a land or territory (TAMAKKAN FIL ARDH Quranic injunctions. And securing of authority is not possible without first acquiring unity. Let us then launch an extremely effective struggle, equipped with the power of Quranic values and ideals, against the continued domination of inhuman ruling mafias, because, in the great Iqbal’s words :-
“Unless the existing system is uprooted, Establishment of a wise, civil and character-based rule would remain a farce”.
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