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Books
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> Islamic Social Justice -- The Holy Prophet
[pbuh] as the Mercy for the Peoples by the
Late Hazrat Ameer Maulana Sadr-ud-Din
Sahib
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Islamic
Social Justice --
The Holy Prophet (pbuh) as a Mercy for the
Peoples:
Conferred Social Respectability on the Poor
Socialism Pales into Insignificance before Islamic Social
Justice
Friday Sermon by the
Late Ameer Hazrat Maulana Sadr-ud-Din
Sahib
Hazrat Maulana recited the following
verses: (18:27-28).
"And recite what has been
revealed to thee of the Book of thy Lord. There is none
who can change His words, and thou will find no
refuge beside Him. And keep thyself attached to those who
call on their Lord morning and evening seeking His
pleasure; and let not thy eyes pass beyond them, seeking
the adornment of the life of world; and obey not him
whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and
who follows his evil inclinations, and his case exceeds
all bounds." (The Holy Quran; 18:27-28).
Guidance
for Mankind:
Hazrat Maulana
said:
These Quranic verses draw a pointed
attention to the divine guidance for the whole humanity and
not for the Muslims only. The guidance referred to therein
encompasses all races and all nations. It is for the low and
the high, for the "Have-nots" and for the "Have gots", for
men and for women and for the slaves and for the masters. In
short, the guidance is universal. It aims at creating cosmos
out of chaos.
Teaching
for Here and Hereafter:
There is glad tidings in the
verse: "This day have I perfected your Deen
[religion] for you and have completed My
blessing. (5:3)" This means that the divine guidance in the
shape of Islam suffices for all spheres of human life
forever. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) was not sent to vouchsafe a few guidelines, he
came to bestow on us his heavenly guidance for this life and
the life after death.
His
Indomitable Stand against Odds:
For his high, noble and
everlasting Mission, he suffered persecution of all hues and
colours at the hands of the sworn enemies for thirteen years
His devout followers were also the targets of all sorts of
trials and tribulations. When the relentless, ruthless and
remorseless tormentors observed no sagging or relaxation in
his resolve or determination, they changed their tactics.
They paraded temptations and allurements to induce the Holy
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to soften
his missionary zeal and zest. But the Holy Prophet (peace
and blessing of Allah be upon him) did not succumb to their
deceptive technique, His resolve remained as firm and
unshakeable as ever. Then there occurred the outbreak of
hostilities which also signally failed to tell on his
death-less determination. The tactics of the enemies are
referred to in the Holy Quran which says: "They wish that
thou shouldest be pliant so that they may also be pliant."
They desired that if the Holy Prophet should display a
spirit of compromise, they would reciprocate by adopting
milder methods. When all types of strategy failed, the
enemies waged war against the Holy Prophet and his
followers. In spite of the evident resourcelessness and the
conspicuous lack of the sinews of war, the Holy Prophet
(peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) faced the fiery
ordeal with unparalleled gallantry. At long last, the
enemies were routed and the Holy Prophet came out with
flying colours and entered the Holy City of Mecca as a
glorious victor.
General
Amnesty:
If the Holy Prophet (peace and
blessing of Allah be upon him) showed remarkable
perseverance and determination during thirteen years of
soaring crises, he displayed marvellous courage and bravery
as a front-rank warrior in the wars. Now in the most
exhilarating moment of victory over the enemies who had left
no stone unturned to torment and torture him, he rose to the
occasion in a manner which has no parallel in the annals of
history. He proclaimed general amnesty and said: "No blame
shall lie on you this day" (12:93). That day he pardoned his
persecutors. The manner of forgiving was so unique and so
humanly impracticable that it made one feel that the Kingdom
of God had descended on the earth as only the most Merciful
and the most Compassionate God alone pardons the sinners.
Humanly speaking, it is unthinkable that after thirteen
years of victimisation by the enemies and after three
military expeditions against Medina when the dearest and
nearest Companions and the relatives were martyred and the
Holy Prophet himself sustained wounds, the inveterate foes
would be pardoned by the divine proclamation of: "No blame
shall lie on you this day." This day of unprecedented
amnesty and pardon is a red-letter day in the history of
mankind, because the blood-thirsty enemies are not hauled
over coals. They are not even reprimanded. They are not
commanded to recall their inhuman atrocities They are just
let off. They are allowed to live peacefully.
Justice
without Discriminations against Foes:
After the establishment of the
Islamic State, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah
be upon him) set a rare example of justice which does not
discriminate between a friend and a foe. The erring Muslims
are duly punished. The guiltless non-Muslims are treated
justly. During the British Rule over the Indo-Pak
Sub-continent, we witnessed that in a case between a Muslim
and a British, the British judges invariably favoured the
British. But in a striking contrast with this, the Holy
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) always
treated the non-Muslims strictly in conformity with the
canons of justice and fairplay. In a famous case between a
Jew and Taumah Ansari, the Jew was found innocent and was
acquitted honourably. Similarly, when it was reported that
the son of the Governor Amr bin-al Aas had beaten a
Christian, both the father and the son were summoned to
stand trial for this atrocious behaviour. The false sense of
amour propre was spurned with the contempt it
deserved.
The Holy
Quran Needs no Human Advocacy for its Surpassing
Excellence:
During my stay in England, I
used to write articles on the excellences of the Holy Quran
and Hadith. The readers reacted to them in a curious manner.
They felt that I was a socialist, whereas Socialism was
quite alien to me. Whatever I state today in this sermon is
derived solely from the Holy Quran. It is all spontaneous
and natural, because a laboured or strained interpretation
of the Holy Quran to suit a certain situation is forbidden,
as it amounts to blasphemy. It is because the Holy Quran
does not stand in need of any secular support.
Socialism
is Born of Social Contrasts:
Socialism appeared in England
and Communism was born in Russia, because the socio-economic
systems were detrimental to the real social well-being. In
England the lords look down upon the commoners. They keep at
an arm's length from the poor people. But Islam does not
countenance any social disparity. This is why during my stay
in England there was unfailing equality at the dining table.
The invitees regarded it a privilege to dine in an
atmosphere of human equality, Lord Headley, a Muslim
convert, also sat at the same table This was something very
striking for the British society. It was the rare blessing
of the Islamic teachings that the lords and the commoners
sat cheek by jowl.
Divine
Command to Follow the Quranic Injunctions:
In the Holy Quran, the Holy
Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) is
commanded thus: "Recite the Holy Quran. It is the word of
God Who has revealed it to you for your spiritual
sustenance." In response, the Holy Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "I am the first of the
Muslim and the sincerest and most devoted follower of the
Quranic commands."
The Holy
Quran is Immutable:
The raison de'tre
for strict and sincere conformity with the
Quranic injunctions is that the Holy Quran is the perfect
scripture as stated in the verse: "There is none who can
change His words." It is an ideally perfect scripture. It
does not leave anything wanting. Hence no one can ever think
of changing God's words. There is not a jot or a tittle
which any rationalist can brand as irrational. Hence the
question of deletion or amending is absolutely unthinkable.
Its teachings are self-sufficient and everlasting. Their
value does not decline by the lapse of time.
The Holy
Prophet's Close Relationship with the Poor:
The Holy Quran
says:
"And keep thyself attached to
those who call on their Lord, morning and evening, seek
His pleasure." (18:2)
It refers to the poor who kept
constant company with the Holy Prophet. The command came
because the Arab aristocrats resented the Holy Prophet's
loving relations with the poor. They wanted that the poor
must first be ousted if the Holy prophet desired to impart
Islamic teaching to the tribal chiefs who thought it below
their dignity to sit along with the poor and the slaves.
They regarded the slaves and the poor people as the scum of
the earth. Hence they gave wide berth to them. Overcome with
the feelings of contempt they refrained from coming and
sitting in the Holy Prophet's company. As a counter to this
aristocratic resentment, God says:
"And drive not away those who call
upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His
countenance" (6:53). The poor are preferred by God because
they seek His pleasure Hence they are not to be cast away to
draw near the aristocrats who felt a sort of contamination
in the company of the poor. Here is a clear and indubitable
instance of the privilege granted to the poor. Humanly
speaking, there appeared to be an advantage in bringing the
tribal chiefs closer, because they could prove a source of
strength. But as their close association could be achieved
only by black balling the poor, the Holy Prophet was
commanded to prize the loyal and sincere contacts of the
God-fearing poor people and discard the proud aristocrats.
Allah warned the Holy Prophet against cold shouldering the
poor people. That the Holy Prophet himself should be
commanded to guard against the tactics of the aristocrats
and that he should be strictly cautioned against parting
company with the poor, shows the regard for the poor which
God wanted to infuse in the mind of the Holy Prophet
himself. It is the teaching of the Almighty Sustainer of the
worlds. In sharing the divine sustenance, the rich and the
poor are equal participants.
The Holy
Prophet's Love of the Poor:
It is reported by the
Companions: "The Holy Prophet used to sit so close to us
that his knees touched our knees." The Holy Prophet used to
say to the poor: "I am bound with you in life and in
death."
This is the Glorious Revolution which
the Holy Prophet created in human society. In contrast with
this transformation, Socialism and Communism are the merest
moonshine. Islam broke the back of the stiff-necked and
stiff-lipped Arab chieftains and created such an impressive
scene of human equality, that Hazrat Bilal, Hazrat Salam and
Hazrat Salman Farsi used to say with pride that the relevant
verse was revealed for their sake. The Holy Prophet gave
Hazrat Zainab (God be pleased with her) in marriage to a
slave Zaid. Zaid and Usama were appointed military
commanders under whom many chiefs served as soldiers. The
Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him)
eclipsed all forever by granting respectable status to the
poor. Those who had slaves in their family were commanded
thus: "None of you should call them: "My slave" and "My
handmaid." Similarly, he advised the slaves not to call
their masters "My Master and "My Lord." The Holy Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) exhorted all
human beings that they all were the slaves of Allah Who was
their Lord. If we compare with it the achievements of
Socialism, the Socialist Revolution pales into
insignificance because its aims are earth-bound, hence very
limited.
Share of
the Poor in the Public Exchequer:
The Holy Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) not only elevated the status
of the poor in the society, but also defined their share in
the Public Exchequer.
The Holy Quran says:
"The alms are only for the poor and
the needy, and for those employed to administer it, and for
those whose hearts are to be reconciled, and for the freeing
of slaves, and for those in debt, and for the cause of
Allah, and for the wayfarer an ordinance from Allah. And
Allah is All-knowing Wise." (9:60) The commandment given in
this verse forms a basis for the Islamic Social Justice. All
categories of the poor and needy people are defined and
their right to economic assistance and subsistence is
defined. It is made incumbent on the Islamic State to
provide for them all out of the Public Exchequer. The poor
are not surrendered to the small mercies of the wealthy
classes.
Human
Beings Constitute the Family of God:
The Holy Quran says that the
human beings should bear in mind that Allah is the Sustainer
of the worlds. He has made adequate provisions for the
economic sustenance of all His creatures. Side by side with
this, He has made ample provision for their spiritual
upbringing also. All nations and races constitute His
family. In this connection, God says: "O mankind, We have
created you from a male and a female; and We have made you
into tribes and sub-tribes." (49:14). After creation, some
tribes went to the East and settled there, others went to
the West and made their abode there. Even these physical
distances do not negative the basic fact of being originally
one, because their Creator is the Lord of the East and the
West. If on account of the changing climates, colours of the
skin have changed, that also does not tamper with fact that
all human beings have a common origin. Hence, their oneness
as the creatures of God is immutable. They are the
offsprings of Adam and Adam was created out of clay. Thus
the differences of race, language and nationality cannot
divide human race into water-tight compartments. Likewise,
the differences of possessions and property should not raise
Iron Curtains between the rich and the poor. The mainspring
of respectability lies in virtue and piety. The Holy Quran
says: "The most honourable among you is one who is most
God-fearing." It is this principle which illumines the whole
Islamic social set-up and brings into being real fraternity
and genuine equality. There can be no lasting equality
without a dynamic belief in the primacy of piety and
virtue.
International
Justice:
It is this stress on piety and
God fearingness which leads to the establishment of
international justice in the real sense of world. In the
light of the basic principle of the oneness of human race,
the Holy Quran says:
"Let not a people's enmity incite you
to act otherwise than with justice that is nearer to
righteousness" (5:91). Here also virtue comes into
meaningful play, because it is the fear of God alone which
debars a man or a nation from encroachment and aggression.
Thus, belief in the original oneness of mankind and strict
adherence to piety and virtue can guarantee the maintenance
of peace and cordiality between the Muslims and the
non-Muslims. During the Holy Prophet's time, there was not
the slightest deviation from the twin principles of common
origin and the primacy of piety. It was the miracle of the
sacred personality of the Holy Prophet who was fittingly
called Mercy for all Peoples by God Himself.
Claims of
the Poor on the Rich:
The Holy Quran lays
down:
"It is obligatory on the wealthy
people to share their wealth with the poor because it is the
poor people who as workers produce wealth. In a way, the
rich people are dependent on the poor people. A wealthy man
needs a cook. He needs a driver, a watchman. He cannot do
without the services of these servants This is why it is
said: "Bear in mind that the poor people help their wealthy
bosses by rendering the required services." They are the
real producers of wealth. Hence, the wealthy people owe a
debt of gratitude to them. This is why the needy and the
destitute have a right to claim a share in the riches of
their employers.
The Poor
should Respect the Rich:
The poor people are commanded
to be respectful to the rich people, because they have a
degree of respectability in the eyes of God Who has blessed
them with riches. Once when Hazrat Saad-bin-Maaz came, the
Holy Prophet exhorted those present thus:
"Stand up as a token of respect for
your chief." 'The rich people contribute to the construction
of mosques. They finance social welfare institutions. They
also build schools for the benefit of the poor.
In the absence of their philanthropic
services, there can be no missionary activities which
require ample finances. Thus, the rich people who unstring
their purses for the good of the people at large, have a
status worthy of reverence. To this effect Hazrat Ayesha
(God be pleased with her) observed:
"The Holy Prophet said that
the people should be shown such respect as their status
demands."
The
Question of Self-respect:
Socialism and Communism
have very limited horizons. Their plans are confined to mere
bread & butter. But the Holy Prophet's splendid plan
aimed at promoting self-respect among the poor people. He
created a Balanced Society in which every individual
commands such respect as is due to his social status. The
rich are under obligation to vindicate their respectability
by their benevolent behaviour. Hazrat Abu Bakr spent forty
thousand dirhams to set the slaves free. Hazrat Usman got a
well dug for the poor. It was the Islamic teaching which
urged them to spend their riches for the benefit of the
poor.
International
Equality:
In his sermon on the occasion
of the Last Hajj, the Holy Prophet said:
"Indeed your Sustainer is One. Your
progenitor is one." Hence no Arab has any superiority over
non-Arab nor has the non-Arab any superiority over the Arab.
It is virtue and piety which elevate one's status. This
highlights the fact that Islam does not recognise
nationalism in the political sense. This is why the Holy
Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him) did not
claim any ascendancy for the Arab people. If he
discountenanced Arabism, he also condemned any alien
nationalism, because it is racial pride or national
arrogance which fan the fires of international
conflicts.
Exhortation
at the Time of Death:
At the time of death, the Holy
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) exhorted
the chiefs to treat the slaves benevolently. He also
commanded that the rights of the wives should be jealously
guarded and safeguarded. Thus throughout his life, he laid
emphasis on providing safeguards for the poor and the
destitute.
The Holy
Prophet in the Eyes of His Wife:
On the occasion of the
first prophetic revelation, the Holy Prophet was filled with
fear and was trembling. He addressed his noble spouse Hazrat
Khadijah and said: "O Khadijah what is the matter with me."
She replied:
"I swear by Allah that He
will never put thee to shame; for thou art one who unites
uterine relations, thou takest the burden of others on
thyself and providest what is not available, thou
honourest thy guest and helpest people when they are in
trouble on account of their supporting the truth."
The Sons of
Adam are Honourable:
The Holy Quran
proclaims:
"We have conferred honour on the sons
of Adam." The teaching is universal. Every human being, be
he a Hindu or a Christian or one belonging to a low caste is
worthy of due regard. The criterion is:
"The best of the people is
one who is most useful."
The Holy Prophet also said:
"The most honoured in the
eyes of God is one who is most God-fearing."
It is in the light of these
comprehensive and all-encompassing codes which Islam gave to
mankind that God said: "I have perfected your religion for
you." This categorical Divine imperative leaves no room for
any other teaching. As a matter of fact, after owning
allegiance to Islam, humanity does not stand in need of any
other code. This is why the Holy Prophet is called: "The
Last of the Prophets." This perfection is best depicted
thus:
"In the Holy Prophet's pious
person every prophetic excellence reached its perfection.
Undoubtedly, prophethood came to an end."
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Books
Section
> Islamic Social Justice -- The Holy Prophet
[pbuh] as the Mercy for the Peoples by the Late
Hazrat Ameer Maulana Sadr-ud-Din Sahib
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