It is certainly important to present the message of Islam to non-Muslims, and to invite them to accept God's call, but we should not worry endlessly over the lack of success in convincing them to adopt the faith of Islam. May I, however, say that we Muslims also need to "acquire" Islam first in our daily lives in order to be able to show "Islam in practice" to non-Muslims. Our methodology in this respect is so lopsided in general, where we see the different sectarian approaches. Some of us even go to the extent of preventing people from reading translations of the Qur'an. They insist that everyone must read it in Arabic. They do not concern themselves with the question: How people are to understand the message of the Qur'an? Every year, the number of people who know the Qur'an by heart increases by hundreds and thousands, but how many enrich their knowledge of the message of the Qur'an? How do we overcome such shortsightedness in our midst? Another thing that bothers me which is relative to methodology is that some people are rarely willing to accept advice on the need to refrain from violating other people's rights. For example, people are required to obey the laws of the land. This is a part of the teaching process. But even those who teach such matters are often guilty of breaking the law. This may be only small matters such as parking in the wrong place and causing inconvenience to others, but these are important nevertheless. I will be grateful for your comments.
I am glad that you concur with me on the question of the limits of our duty to make Islam known to other people. It is indeed an aspect of God's grace that He has not imposed on us the duty of converting people to Islam. Indeed, this is an aspect of grace that benefits all humanity. Had it been obligatory for Muslims to convert other people, there would have been no end of wars motivated by religion. That would have ruined human life.
I also fully agree with you on your point concerning the "acquisition" of Islam by people who belong to it. They need to demonstrate how Islam works in practice. Our efforts at explaining the message of Islam to others will be sufficient to persuade a minority of people, and a small one at that, that Islam is the message of the truth. These normally belong to a section of human beings who are willing to rise above the pressures of tradition, community and self-interest. They try to bring the practical aspects of their lives in line with their conviction. When you talk to people about Islam, many of them will admire its truth. They will not hesitate to say that they see in it elements that will benefit every human society. Some will go further than that and express their wish that such a beautiful code of living could be implemented. Yet the next moment they turn away and follow their own practices which are at odds with the very point they have been admiring about Islam. They will not say to themselves: Let us make a start ourselves. To take such a step requires a higher quality which is found only among a minority of people.
Yet the Qur'an speaks about a time when people will adopt the faith of Islam "in large numbers". That is the moment when "victory and conquest will come", as stated in Surah 110 which may be translated as follows: "When the victory granted by God and the Conquest come, and you see people embracing the religion of God in large numbers, then celebrate the praises of your Lord, and seek His forgiveness. He is ever disposed to mercy." That this will happen is a matter of certainty. Moreover, it is not single occasion of which the Qur'an is speaking. It did happen at the time of the Prophet, peace be upon him, when the people of Makkah abandoned their opposition to Islam and accepted the faith.
They were followed by the rest of Arabia. It did happen in other periods in different parts of the world. This happens when people realize that the authority with which Islam speaks is overpowering. This must be seen in some sort of a social structure that is manifestly superior to what they have known. At the time of the Prophet, peace be upon him, the Arabs were ready to appreciate the superiority of Islam not merely in its military achievements. They were also able to see the sort of society Islam established in Madinah. It was Abu Sufian, the leader of Makkah who remarked: "I have never seen love that is so powerful as that felt by Muhammad's companions toward him." The bond of brotherhood that was characteristic of that community was so visible for all people to see. Moreover, that community lived the religion of Islam in practice and demonstrated that all its virtues can be practiced for the benefit of both the individual and the community. Therefore, when the pressures holding them from adopting Islam were removed, they adopted it in large numbers.
Islam spread its vast areas without a Muslim military force ever setting foot in them. In Southeast Asia we find large areas with Muslim majority, such as Malaysia, Southern Philippines and Indonesia. These areas adopted Islam as a result of continuous contacts, mainly in trade and business, with other Muslim countries.
These were businessmen from Yemen and other Muslim areas who established their presence in these areas. When the local population recognized the moral standards of these people, they were able to see that it was only through Islam that the Muslims had attained such a high standard of social and moral values. Therefore, they accepted the faith, realizing that the concept of the Oneness of God is the driving force behind all the virtues of Islamic life. There was no missionary work going on in these areas. Islam does not believe in structured and organized missionary activities. Every Muslim is required to contribute to the spread of the message of Islam, but there are no professional missionaries as such.
But Islam requires its followers to adopt a serious discipline. Everyone should watch what he or she does. They must always refer to God's law in order to find out whether a certain action is permissible, encouraged, obligatory, or, on the other hand, reprehensible or forbidden. At every moment in life, a Muslim should be a credit to his faith. In a Muslim community, there is no need for a large police force to ensure that every detailed aspect of Islamic law is implemented to the letter. Islam implants in every Muslim a highly sensitive conscience that is always alerting the person to do his duty and refrain from what is forbidden.
It is in small details that we can see the difference that Islam brings about. Suppose, the authorities impose a certain speed limit within a particular area. A good Muslim will confine himself to the speed limit, even if there is no chance that he will be caught over-speeding. He knows that it is his duty to follow the regulations because they are meant to benefit the community as a whole. He knows that disobedience in such matters is in fact disobedience to God.
This is a very simple matter but when it comes to more important ones affecting the rights of other people, a Muslim always realizes that God will question him about any violation and will not forgive him any of that unless the people concerned are willing to forfeit their rights.
We certainly need to do much in order to bring about our behavior in line with our beliefs. When we do that, we will certainly be better Muslims and we will be able to take the message of Islam to non-believers.
• Islamic community: Actions, not words, make one
I have noticed that there is little difference between Muslims and those who profess other faiths these days. Most people commit all sorts of sinful actions whenever the occasion arises. Some Muslims may go to the mosque on Fridays but when the prayer is over, they may not pray until the next Friday, or they may pray but they nevertheless indulge in forbidden practices to satisfy their desires. When they are reminded of their religious duties, they accuse the person reminding them of fundamentalism or extremism. Please comment.
Much of what you say is regrettably true, which serves to show that faith has not taken firm roots with many of those who claim to be Muslims. Much of this is due to the fact that in most Muslim countries, little attention is given to providing the young generation with proper Islamic education. Such education is provided neither at home nor at school.
The result is that many people understand the Islamic faith no more than a set of worship practices that you do regularly or occasionally to demonstrate your belonging to this faith and that is the end of the matter. Hence, when you speak to them about the broader Islamic concepts, most people would take this as imposing certain concept that have other motives.
Indeed most people do not understand that to be a Muslim means to bring your whole life in line with Islam. They wonder what has religion got to do with this or that matter which are pure human transactions that may be social or commercial or political.
They forget that Islam is God's message providing guidance to human beings so that they are able to conduct human life in accordance with God's guidance, which has the dual purpose of bringing happiness to human beings and earning them God's pleasure.
Without the implementation of Islam as a code of living, no society can be described as truly Muslim.
What to do in such a situation? There is no alternative to exerting a determined effort to explain the message of Islam to people and to make them aware that Islam is much more than a set of worship practices such as prayer, fasting, payment of zakah and going on pilgrimage. The Prophet's task was simply to convey God's message, and this task continues to be the responsibility of those Muslims who are endowed with knowledge of God's message and its applicability to human life in all times and communities.
The charge of fundamentalism and extremism betrays people's ignorance of the true nature of Islam. Moreover, such accusations happen to be in vogue these days. Unfortunately, the behavior of some of the advocates of Islam give credence to such charges.
Hence it is important that the advocates of Islam are fully aware of the limits of their task of advocacy. They must shed the image of rigidity which they unfortunately often give. Such rigidity is alien to the true nature of Islam.
When Islam is felt to provide a realistic and clear code of living which is flexible enough to cater for the needs of societies in different stages of development, and geared to ensure human happiness both in this life and in the life to come, people will be more than happy to follow Islamic laws and principles, and to observe Islamic values and ideals.
This is borne by history and we need to understand it and implement it with clear understanding and well-defined objectives. If we are sincere, God will favor us with His guidance, and when we follow His guidance, success is assured.
• Islamic duty: Responsibility for
People in my home country, India, say that a wife may not perform pilgrimage, pay zakah or offer the sacrifice on Eid Al-Adha using her husband's money. She must have her own resources to perform these duties. They say that if she utilizes her husband's money to do the pilgrimage, it is not valid. Please comment.
Islam treats both man and woman as equals with regard to religious duties. Everyone is responsible for the completion of his or her duties. Hence, a man is not responsible to pay for the travel expenses of his wife in order that she fulfills the duty of pilgrimage. However, if he willingly pays for her travel, she may accept and go on pilgrimage. Her pilgrimage is certainly valid and her reward is the same as every other pilgrims. The fact that she did not pay for it does not detract from the validity of her pilgrimage. She would have earned more reward if she were to pay for her own expenses. In that case, she receives a reward for spending money in order to obey Allah and a reward for fulfilling her duty. When her husband pays for her pilgrimage, he also earns a generous reward from Allah.
What follows from this is that if a woman has a rich husband who is unwilling to pay for her pilgrimage and she does not have money for her own to cover her expenses, she does not meet the requirement of ability which makes pilgrimage a binding duty. As you realize, pilgrimage is required to be fulfilled by every Muslim, man or woman, who is able to undertake the journey. That ability includes both the physical and the financial.
The sacrifice on the day of Eid is recommended, not obligatory. However, it is an act of worship for which reward is granted by Allah. If a woman wants to do it, she should use her own money. If she has no money and her husband offers to buy her the sheep for sacrifice, she may accept that. Both of them will be rewarded by Allah for their actions.
Again, zakah is an individual duty. But zakah is paid only by a person who has money in excess of the threshold of zakah. Therefore, no husband needs to pay zakah on behalf of his wife, if she has no money of her own. In this case, she has no zakah to pay. The only exception is the zaka-tul-fitr at the end of Ramadhan. This is a duty which the head of a family must fulfill on his own behalf and on behalf of all his dependents including his wife and children and other relatives, if he supports them.
There is a point of confusion in the question. While we say that the duty is binding on the individual, and that the woman should pay for her own pilgrimage, it does not mean that if someone else pays for it, the pilgrimage is not valid. It is indeed valid and rewarded by Allah.
| Back | Contents | Next |