Second grade: is to do the (commandments that are termed) farz. It is a grave sin to omit these commandments. Things that Allâhu ta’âlâ commands us to do are called farz. It is very meritorious to do the farz. It is all the more valuable to do these commandments at a time when they are being forgotten and the harâms are being spread far and wide. People who do the farz shall be rewarded greatly.
Third grade: is to avoid doing (those prohibitions called) mekrûh tahrîmî, which are virtually close to harâms. Avoiding the prohibitions called mekrûh tahrîmî is more meritorious than doing the wâjibs (explained below).
Fourth grade: is to do the wâjibs. Doing the wâjibs deserves much thawâb (rewards in the hereafter), though not so much as doing the farz does. Wâjibs are those types of worships about which there is doubt whether they are farz or not.
Fifth grade: is to avoid doing (those prohibitions called) mekrûh tenzîhî, which means mekrûh (action, speech, behavior, etc. not approved by our Prophet ‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wasallam’) which is closer to halâl (permission).
Sixth grade: is to do the sunnats (actions, words, attitudes liked and commended by our Prophet ‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wasallam’) that are (called) muekked. It is not sinful not to do the sunnats. Yet it is a venial sin to make it a habit to omit them without any good reason to do so. And it is kufr (disbelief) to dislike a sunnat.
Seventh grade: is (to do) the nâfila (supererogatory) and mustahab (recommended, laudable actions). Muslims are free to do or not to do the supererogatory, yet those who do them with good intentions shall be rewarded (in the hereafter).
Since it is declared definitely by the âyats of Qur’ân al-kerîm that fasting is farz, it can never be optional. For the Islamic religion is based on the commandments and prohibitions of Allâhu ta’âlâ. No man can have the authority to change the form or the time of fasting. Christianity, on the other hand, was changed and interpolated very many times, and all these changes gave birth to other successive arbitrary changes.
c) We are not the sons of Allâhu ta’âlâ (may Allâhu ta’âlâ protect us from saying so). We are His impotent born slaves. He is our Creator, Sustainer. Acting upon His commandment can never be embarrassing for us. Turning away from worshipping Allâhu ta’âlâ is an attitude that would become antagonistic, vain, conceited people.
The statements, “It is extremely unhealthy, especially in summertime, to shift the habit of eating and drinking during the day to eating and drinking at night and to continue this one month. It is averred by medical doctors that it may cause many illnesses,” are not vindicable, either. [They are quite contrary to facts, slanderous.] For one of the proprieties of fasting is not to fill the stomach at the time of iftâr (breaking the fast) and to stop eating as you still have appetite for food. All medical doctors unanimously acknowledge that those who observe this propriety will heal, rather than become ill. It is a definite fact that fasting in this manner is extremely hygienic. If these Protestant fallacies were true, all Muslims in Islamic countries would become ill, and most of them would die, in Ramadân. On the contrary, medical statistics indicate no adversities in the month of Ramadân. Moreover, for rational reasons, many people eat only twice daily, in the morning and in the evening. What sort of change may take place in one’s body by making a few hours’ change in one of the two meal-times? Perhaps one will feel somewhat perturbed for the first one or two days of the fasting month. Yet this will not cause any impairment to health.
[Fasting does not give birth to gastric ailments. On the contrary, it is conducive to gastronomical hygiene. This is an indubitable fact proven plainly by today’s modern medical expertise. It is stated in medical books written in various languages by specialized doctors that dieting will cure, or at least help cure, many illnesses. A person suffering from a stomach illness, a pregnant woman, a nursing mother, a person who fears that his or her illness may become worse (in case he or she fasts), a soldier who is fighting, a person who is safarî, that is, who has set out for a voyage that would take three days if he walked, [a distance of hundred and four kilometres according to the Hanafî madh-hab and eighty kilometres according to the other three madh-habs]: these people may not fast. It is obvious that these priests are utterly ignorant of Islam. Or, rather, they either do not know anything of Islam and have their own image of Islam or do not tell the truth though they know Islam.
Here are some examples to prove that fasting is not harmful, but useful to health.
It is declared in a hadîth-i-sherîf, “Fast, (and) be healthy.”
Fasting is reposing the stomach and the entire alimentary system after a whole year’s work, and clarification of man’s body. Ailment most commonly suffered by people is disorder of digestion. It causes fattening, heart and blood vessel diseases, diabetes, and high tension. Fasting not only protects against all sorts of disease, but also is a means of medical treatment. As we have mentioned above, diet is an indispensable method for recovering from many diseases.
It is doubtless that one will acquire a strong will power by fasting. It is for this reason that quite a number of people have rallied from harmful addictions such as alcohol and heroin owing to their fasting.
Fasting causes activation of carbohydrates, proteins, and especially fat stored in the body. Because of fasting, kidneys, relieved from their duty of excreting waste matter, have a day off during which to overhaul and reinstate themselves and to rest.
All these explanations strike the lies and falsifications of some priests to their teeth. Would they not attempt to use knowledge as a false witness for their mendacities.]
As for countries with different lengths of days and nights; this can never be incompatible with divine justice because people whose fasting continues a few hours longer than others’ shall attain heavenly rewards in proportion to their deeds.
In polar regions, each night lasts several months, and so is the length of daytime. There is no hardship for people fasting in such countries. Allâhu ta’âlâ declares plainly in Qur’ân al-kerîm that there is no hardship in the Islamic religion and that a person is not commanded to do something beyond his power or capability. For instance, the number of limbs to be washed in ablution is four. If a person has lost his both feet, this number is reduced to three. If a person is not able to perform namâz standing, he may perform it sitting. If he cannot manage this either, he may perform it by îmâ, (that is, by signs). It is farz for Muslims to fast in the month of Ramadân. Yet if a person becomes ill or sets out for a journey of more than three days’ walk, obligation of fasting is temporarily deferred. Later, whenever he finds convenience, he makes qadhâ of the fasts which he could not perform in their proper time, (that is, he pays his debt of farz by fasting a day for a day).
As for people living in polar countries with days and nights lasting two, three, or more months; these people shall fast, too. In such countries, as well as in any country where daytime continues for more than twenty-four hours, times of beginning and breaking fast are set in hours. The criterion to be taken (for the length of each fasting period) is the duration observed by Muslims living in the closest city where daytime is not so long, (that is, shorter than twenty-four hours). [By the same token, a Muslim who goes to the moon, for instance, follows the same rule, if he has not intended to be safarî, or if he decides to live there. These priests apparently know nothing of Islam.]
As it is known, manifestations, blessings, injunctions of Allâhu ta’âlâ upon His born slaves are not equal on every individual. Giving riches to some of His believing born slaves, He commands them to make hajj. And giving poverty to some believing born slaves of His, He does not enjoin hajj on them. He bestows power, energy and health upon some, and commands them to fast. On the other hand, He grants permission that those who are not strong or healthy enough to fast (in Ramadân) may fast later. Bestowing the nisâb[72]amount of property upon some of His born slaves, He commands them to give zakât and to help with the subsistence of their needy relatives. He gives poverty to some born slaves of His, on the other hand, and enfranchises them to take zakât. [All these are thoroughly compatible with the divine justice of Allâhu ta’âlâ. He bestows many blessings upon some of His born slaves. And they, in turn, thank for these blessings, thus attaining the high grade of gratefulness. To other born slaves of His, He gives few blessings. And these people are patient, thus attaining the high grade of patience. Allâhu ta’âlâ does not nullify the good deeds of any of His born slaves.]
The Protestants’ statement which purports, “In polar countries thousands of people follow Christianity and perform their religious rights without any difficulty,” is quite mendacious. For the countries meant here are those which are close to the North Polar Circle, namely the northernmost part of America and the northern ends of Siberia. Eskimos, Samoids, and very few other primitive tribes live in those regions. They make their living by fishing and hunting. Because they cannot raise such crops as wheat and grapes, they do not know of bread or wine. We would like to know how the priest in charge for the performance of the Eucharist has been managing this out there. For, inasmuch as the bread and wine represent the flesh and blood of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’, the Christians living there will not be able to consume their god. [Consequently, because they will not unite with their god, their sins will not be pardoned and they will not be purified of the depravity of the original sin. Poor Christians! We wonder if these priests, who assert that fasting and ablution will impair health while tolerating the dirty and filthy water used in Baptism, believe their own assertion? Or do they cast such abhorrent, irrational, unreasonable aspertions for the sake of the payments they receive from Protestant societies?]
Now, a fair comparison of the two religions will reveal clearly which one of them is more practicable. The Islamic religion is a dispensation that can be practised easily and without any sort of hardship by any society in any part of the world, [and which is the only guide to happiness in the world and in the hereafter.] It is a religion of tawhîd (unity of Allâhu ta’âlâ). That this religion is superior to and more virtuous than trinity-based Christianity is a fact as bright as the sun.
[I have said little, lest I should
break your heart;
For I know you would be hurt, else I have much to say.]
One of the criticisms which Protestant priests direct to Islam concerns qirâat in namâz. They say, “Qirâat, that is, reciting a passage from Qur’ân al-kerîm, which is one of the farz (obligatory actions) of namâz, is seemingly spiritual at some places; but a closer thought will reveal that it is not spiritual at all, like the other farz of namâz. In the five daily prayers of namâz, litanies called tekbîr (saying Allâhu ekber), Fâtiha (the first chapter of Qur’ân al-kerîm), et-tehiyyât (the prayer said during sitting posture), the tesbîhs of rukû’ (bowing in namâz) and sajda (prostration), and other similar prayers are recited. They (Muslims) repeat these at certain times every day throughout their lifetime. One would be tired of this.
“The following two Biblical verses show that there is no use in carrying out all sorts of formalities or busying with a series of mortal and trivial deeds. These verses quote Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ as saying: “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” “Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.’ ” [Matt: 6-7, 8]
ANSWER: As will be granted by people of wisdom, like the body, which has a way of life and nutrition, the soul has its own peculiar way of life and a system of nutrition. The soul feeds on forgetting the mâsiwâ, that is, everything other than Allâhu ta’âlâ, and (thinking of Allâhu ta’âlâ alone and) mentioning His name. Raising the curtains between the Creator and the creature is possible only by weakening the carnal desires of the nafs by mortifications and reinforcing the soul by mentioning the name of Allâhu ta’âlâ. A person’s love and affection for another will be seen in his remembering and mentioning him frequently. For it is natural for one to remember one’s beloved friend or relative frequently. People who are ardently, zealously in love are sometimes so deeply absorbed in their love that they forget about themselves and always and only remember and mention their beloved one.
In the Islamic religion, the ultimate goal is (Muhabbatullah=Love of Allah). To this end the heart is reinforced by numerous reiterations of the name of Allâhu ta’âlâ in the five daily prayers of namâz. The reinforcement of the heart and soul, in turn, causes removal of the curtains in between and attainment of the end, i.e. approaching the beloved one. Since all the prayers uttered during namâz, e.g. tesbîh and tekbîr, are for the same essential purpose, they definitely nourish and reinforce the soul and the heart, let alone wearying or tiring a Believer. The ’Ulamâ of Ahl as-sunna have made very many explanations on the esoteric meanings of Fâtiha-i-sherîfa, which is repeated at every rak’at (of namâz). (These explanations are so numerous that) it would take rather onerous work even to compile them or make a list of them. Sadr-ad-dîn Konawî[73] ‘rahmatullâhi aleyh’ wrote a splendid book titled (I’jâz-ul-beyân), which explicates the occult meanings of Fâtiha-i-sherîfa. He acknowledges in this book of his that he has been able to state only very few of the inner meanings and preternatural subtleties in Fâtiha-i-sherîfa. [The âyats (verses of Qur’ân al-kerîm), the tesbîhs and prayers prescribed to be recited during the performance of namâz express greatness of Allâhu ta’âlâ and drill supplication to Him. Allâhu ta’âlâ declares that He “loves those who recite these prayers and shall give them much thawâb [many rewards].” Anything which is to be recited or done in order to attain love of Allâhu ta’âlâ and to acquire thawâb, hard as it may be, is easy, very enjoyable and delightful to those who have îmân. A person who has tasted sugar or honey knows its flavour. But one who has not tasted it may disbelieve its pleasing flavour, judging by its colour, which he sees from a distance and finds unattractive.]
— 12 —
ANSWERS TO A PRIEST’S
DENIGRATIONS
A Protestant priest published a booklet, in which he reasons on the foundations of Islam and Christianity. We have considered it would be a propos to quote statements from that booklet and answer them. The quotations are italicized, within quotation marks, and the answers follow.
The booklet says, for instance, “According to the teachings of Jesus Christ, Christianity, a volitional religion suitable for and adaptable to every nation and every community, to their forms of government and policies, to the regulations, systems and states of their social structures, and to the countries they live in, can be established in any country without detriment to the order and policy of that country.”
ANSWER: As a matter of fact, because the existing Gospels contain very few rules pertaining to mu’âmalât, [that is, laws and regulations of buying and selling, family matters, conditions, forms, rights of tenure, employment and payment, political laws, etc.], it will certainly not damage or impair a nation’s order or policy, as the priest professes. [For they have no rules to make substitutions with. They have nothing in their repertoire to offer to others.] However, the world has seen no country as yet where Christians entered and yet did not make havoc of all its valid systems and states, homes, orders, lands and governmental organizations. Countless political law books existent in the libraries of Great Roman Empires, and books telling about Roman customs and traditions were all destroyed by Christians. [Christians exercised the same cruelty not only on non-Christian people, but also on their Christian co-religionists. Please see what Christian historians write about the cruelties and destructions the crusaders inflicted on the Byzantines when they entered Istanbul in the name of Christian religion. When they invaded Spain, they ruined and burned hundreds of libraries, destroyed thousands of works of art, slaughtered hundreds of thousands of Muslims and
Jews; all these performances are tangible evidences exposing the innocent face of Christianity, which the priest alleges to be “a religion that does not interfere with other peoples’ policies and customs and which is presently accepted by everybody.”] It has never been easy for Christianity to settle in a country. Nor could it be expected to do so. [Even today, they are spending billions of pounds to Christianize people of poor and starving countries. They are helping them in various ways. They are doling out monthly payments to those poor people. Yet they have not been able to Christianize them so far. Is this priest so oblivious of this fact?]
He alleges in the same booklet, “The kingdom of Christianity is unlike worldly kingdoms or sovereignties. It is a spiritual and genuine dominion. Owing to its religious essence, which is spiritual, real, and peculiar to itself, it is applicable to all sorts of situations and places natural for people. It neither stoops to Christianize the eminent and ruling people of a country, nor categorically rejects their inclinations or habits.”
ANSWER: When a religion is applicable to all situations and places natural for people, it will no longer be necessary to call people to that religion. For that religion will spontaneously promulgate itself. Therefore, since it is in the open how assiduously Protestants are endeavouring to spread Christianity, this claim of theirs lapses automatically. On the other hand, even if we were to accede to its being a merit not to stoop to Christianize the eminent and ruling people of a country, what good could be anticipated from not rejecting their inclinations and [atrocious] habits? Or, are all sorts of atrocity, in the view of this priest, innate in the natural spirituality of the Christian religion?
The priest proffers in the same booklet, “The essential mission of Christianity in this world is not to widen the Christian nations’ periphery of power, but to deposit the grandeur and sovereignty of Allâhu ta’âlâ into every individual’s heart, and thus to spread it and make it acceptable among all communities in all countries.”
ANSWER: Unfortunately, the same priest, who counts on the decrepit position of Islamic countries versus the wealth and prosperity of Europe as an evidence to prove that Christianity is superior to and more virtuous than Islam, an argumentation which he deals with from the eighty-seventh through hundred and seventh page of the same booklet, now says here that it is not the purpose of Christianity to widen the periphery of power of a nation. Could it be the case that the religion he commends in those pages is Christianity, and the one he advertises here is some other religion?
The same priest asserts, “Those who admit the effectiveness and ascendancy of Christianity and value it will attain a lasting, sacred tie of brotherbood in addition to wisdom and policy. Being mature born slaves, on the other hand, they will attain divine blessings and delights in the hereafter.”
ANSWER: In accordance with this argument of his, it must be doubtful whether peoples of England, Austria and America are Christians. For these people have never been seen attached to one another with ties of brotherhood. They try to do utmost harm to one another for the sake of political advantages. The hostility between Lutherans and Calvinists or between any two other Protestant sects is no less vehement than the enmity between Catholics and Protestants. [Throughout history, Catholics and Protestants have looked on each other as enemies and disbelievers and ruthlessly destroyed each other. We have related a few examples earlier in the text. Those who read history know this fact very well. It is obvious that these statements of the priest are adoptions from goodnesses such as brotherhood, amity, generosity, etc., which exist in the Islamic religion and which are written in Muslims’ books. He appropriates the good qualities that belong to Muslims and which he has read about in Islamic books, and affixes them on Christianity.]
The priest goes on, “If it were true that Islam were superior to and more virtuous than Christianity, it would necessarily demonstrate Allah’s dominion in a manner better, higher and more spiritual than the explanation given above. It would be more adaptable to the positions and countries of the nations on the earth. It would guide people to happiness, perfection and justice in the world and infuse into them better hopes of honour and eternal felicity after departure from his world.”
ANSWER: In the Islamic religion, the dominion of Allâhu ta’âlâ is the Sharî’at of Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’. Those who act upon its rules shall attain infinite blessings in this world and in the hereafter. And those who do not adapt themselves to it shall be bitterly disappointed and tormented in Hell. This fact is demonstrated in the most beautiful manner in Qur’ân al-kerîm and in hadîth-i-sherîfs. If the blessings and felicities promised to be given to Believers in the hereafter were demonstrated exactly as they were, the human mind could not comprehend them.
Because this priest is not aware of what has been going on in the world but for the four Gospels and the epistles of Peter and Paul, this queer allegation of his signifies nothing but his nescience. We would like to remind him that realizing how powerful Islam is in guiding to happiness, peace and justice requires meticulous study of Islam and the history of Islamic states. Those who know the facts and events about these two religions are quite aware that the Christian religion, which is far from spirituality, have been altered quite a number of times, [e.g. by Paul, by Councils, and by other priests]. If a person reads literature on the historical facts about Islam and Christianity, he will see that the truth is quite contrary to the priest’s allegation.
The priest goes on, “Every Christian accepts Jesus Christ’s resurrection and ascension after being killed as an atonement for his (or her) salvation. Christians’ feeling of security against the fear of death has reached the belief that ‘dying is similar to sleeping in a mosque.’ Christians accept death not as harmful, but as useful. On the other hand, most Muslims fear death. According to their creed, many promised rewards are awaiting them in the hereafter, and therefore, especially those lunatics who rush themselves into battlefields with the zealous aspiration for martyrdom in a holy war expect that as they die houris will meet them and entertain them in Gardens of Paradise. All these things are not contrary to our belief. Nevertheless, the relief and delight seen on Muslims at the lime of death are based on sensuous desires and pleasures such as delicious dishes of food and houris, which will be served to them in the hereafter. But Christians’ delight at that moment originates from their full belief in that they will attain to the presence of Allâhu ta’âlâ in new bodies clarified from sins. This proves the fact that Islam is not so heavenly or so spiritual as Christianity.”
ANSWER: According to the Islamic creed [belief], after death people shall assemble at the place of Mahsher, where everybody shall be called to account, judged, and taken to Paradise or Hell, whichever they deserve. There shall be various degrees of thawâb [rewards] and torment [retributions], depending on people’s deeds. The highest blessing in the hereafter is for us Muslims to attain to Allâhu ta’âlâ, not only to attain dishes of Paradise food or houris. [Indeed, whatever Believers do in the world, they do it for Allah’s sake. The most virtuous deed is the one which is done with ikhlâs (for Allah’s sake). Muslims never dislike death. They say, “We owe this life to Allâhu ta’âlâ, and we are ready to return it anywhere.” For they have definite belief in the hadîth-i-sherîfs which purport, “If a person does not wish to attain to Allâhu ta’âlâ, Allâhu ta’âlâ will not wish to attain to him, either. If a person wishes to attain to Allâhu ta’âlâ, Allâhu ta’âlâ, in turn, will wish to attain to him,” and “Death is a bridge that will lead the lover to the beloved one.” Most great men of Islam and many Awliyâ yearned after death, whereafter they would attain to Allâhu ta’âlâ, to Rasûlullah, to their teachers, who were among the Awliyâ, and to other Awliyâ. As their disciples sadly waited on them during their throes of death, they would advise, “Do not be sorry! There is no weeping for a person who is going to attain to Rasûlullah and to Allâhu ta’âlâ or who is going from one room to another in a house.” All these religious superiors left this world with a sweet, pleasant smile.] This aspect of the matter being unpropitious to the priest’s wicked purpose, he mentions only the aspect pertaining to the physical blessings of Paradise, thus, so to speak, buttressing up his opposition. Yet, with all his adversity and bigotry, he somehow acknowledges that at the time of death Muslims and martyrs feel more relieved and happier than do Christians. The omnipotence of Allâhu ta’âlâ is so infinite.
The priest goes on, “In the Bible, Jesus Christ does not threaten an unbelieving person or king, nor does he command to behave towards him in a manner as to be an example for others. He commands to obey a king even if he is an unbeliever.”
ANSWER: Yes, Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ commanded to obey even a pagan king. For it was impossible to make jihâd or to resist against the Roman Empire and the whole race of Jewry with seventy to eighty followers. Islam, too, prohibits to oppose the state or laws.
The priest goes on, “The Bible commands to obey all rulers. In fact, let alone non-Christian rulers, it preaches and advises to everybody to obey the worldly regulations and laws put by those emperors who are spiteful and hostile against Christianity.”
ANSWER: It is so astounding that Luther, the founder of Protestantism, was not aware of the existence of such a principle, which is known even by this priest. Or, perhaps, he completely disignored it because he followed no one. For Luther uses an utterly abusive language in his writings castigating the King of England, Henry VIII. For instance, a passage from the two hundred and seventy-seventh page of 1808 edition of his book can be paraphrased as follows: “I am speaking to the cuckold for the salvation of the people. Why should I not cram that cuckold’s lies down his throat while he, a king as he is, disregards the rights of his own honour and post. O you ignorant block-head! Why are you a mendacious liar, an extortioner, a thief, and an idiot, though you are the owner of the state. The administration of England, with all its superiority and abundance, has now fallen into your hands. ...” As it is seen, Luther, the leader and founder of Protestantism, let alone obeying or submitting himself to the authority of King Henry, did not hesitate to write the abovementioned foul words about him because he disregarded Luther’s innovations although he was not hostile to Christianity. [After all these, whereabouts is the Biblical commandment, “Obey rulers even if they are unbelievers”? Why did Luther, the founder of Protestantism, ignore this Biblical commandment instead of obeying it?]
It is written in the same blooklet, “By means of war, Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’ established a political state, not a religious one. Islam permitted holy war only in Medîna-i-munawwara. Like Mûsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’, Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’ was charged with jihâd (holy war). He held religion and state in unity, and assumed both the task of Prophethood and the office of head of the state.”
ANSWER: Whereas the former half of this passage is completely wrong, the latter half is correct. The Islamic religion concedes domination or ownership to no one except Allâhu ta’âlâ. According to the Sharî’at of Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’, all Believers are free. For the principles of mu’âmalât (matters pertaining to buying, selling, etc.) in this Sharî’at are so immaculate that better ones could never be ideated. These principles are based on such steadfast and exquisite essentials that for thousands of centuries from now they would retain their validity and applicability to thousands of new colours that civilization might assume, and every possible new matter could be assimilated to one or more Islamic principles, no matter what the century, its improvements and requirements might be. Contrary to this priest’s supposition, Islam does not permit an overpowering, irresistable sovereignty. No statement could be so ignorantly expressed as the one which purports, “Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wasallam’ allocated both Prophethood and sovereignty to hi