The Meaning of Implementation of Islam
Translation Speech of
His Eminence Ameer Muhammad Akram Awan
Sheikh Silsilah Naqshbandiah Owaisiah
Dar-ul-Irfan, Munara, Pakistan
23 July 2004
These Holy Verses are from Surah A’araf in the 9th Chapter.
Allah commands the holy Prophet S.A.W to address whole humanity and inform them: “I S.A.W am the Messenger from Allah to all of you. Allah, whose kingdom encompasses the earth, heavens and the whole universe; there is none else who deserves unconditional obedience; there is none other than Him, who is worthy of worship.” Worship denotes unconditional obedience. No condition is imposed on the obedience of someone from whom there is hope of some benefit and fear of some loss.
He grants life and causes death. No one, except He, has any part in granting life to anyone, similarly no one, except He has any part in causing death to anyone. Therefore, submit to the greatness of Allah and believe Him, and also believe His unlettered Prophet-SAW; who did not learn from any creature in this world; who has acquired no knowledge from anyone in this world, who believes in Allah and all His Commandments and fully obeys his Lord. You have only one option: follow him-SAW, so that you are rightly guided. Since independence of the country, about fifty-seven years ago, the issue of implementation of Islam is being discussed. This is something very strange. We need to understand why the country was divided. Muslims are still living in India and similarly Hindus are still living in Pakistan. They are living together here as well as there, then what was the need to divide the country; they could have continued to live together in the undivided sub continent. The reason for this division was that these are two separate nations, so wide apart that they can never blend. Muslims ruled the subcontinent for a thousand years and granted great concessions and amenities to Hindus during their rule. They were appointed Prime Ministers, promoted as generals, they established great businesses, were awarded large estates and got all facilities of life. They were never discriminated against in any form in any aspect of life. History bears witness to these facts. But we had also observed, before the creation of Pakistan, that they considered a utensil touched by a Muslim as unclean. If a Muslim happened to pass by their foreyard or their seats in the shops, they plastered it with cow dung to purify it. I remember I went to a small shop of a Hindu in Lahore. I was carrying coins instead of note bills in my hand. He told me to put them down; brought his water can and washed them before picking them. This was the state of their alienation and estrangement with Muslims despite having lived with them and under their rule for a thousand years.
This difference was named as the two-nation theory. The country was divided to grant Hindu majority areas to Hindus so that they can live and manage their country according to their own will and desire; the Muslims majority areas should similarly be given to the Muslims so that they can live according to their faith and beliefs, and administer their country in accordance with the principles of their religion. This independence was the result of a constant Muslim struggle during the whole one and half century of British rule. It was only the Muslims in the whole subcontinent who kept struggling for independence from the very first day British set their feet on this soil till their departure. They laid down their lives and made great sacrifices, in groups and movements; yet there were many more that kept fighting against the British system individually. Independence wasn’t granted arbitrarily, but was won by continuous Muslim sacrifices extending well over a hundred and fifty years. This event was inscribed on the pages of history with the martyr’s blood.
Hindus didn’t have to follow any specific pattern after the departure of British. One of the ex-prime ministers of India now preaches their religion. During one of his TV interviews he was asked, “Do you really believe in Hinduism from the core of your heart or being a politician, you portray such religiosity to attract Hindu votes in a predominantly Hind country?” he replied, “I believe in Hinduism from the depths of my heart because there is no such religion in the whole world.” The interviewer now questioned him , “ what is so unique about this religion?’ he replied, “ all religions have certain boundaries and defined parameters, that if you cross, you walk out of that religion. But, Hinduism is such a religion where there are no limits or bounds. Do whatever you like and you still remain a Hindu. There is endless openness in this religion. I am a Hindu for this reason.” As a matter of principle, if there are no limits it means there is actually nothing. If something exists it must have limits defined. But it is a different issue and we don’t want to indulge in any discussion. What I want to say is that the Hindus felt no difficulty in adopting the British system that they inherited because it didn’t interfere with their religion. A Hindu even if he spends his life according to a foreign system. So they accepted and adopted the system as it was, and are still managing their affairs under it. There is no hue and cry, movement or public uprising that the system should be changed, because no system can affect their religion. There are no restrictions of right or wrong, permitted or prohibited; pious or impious’ one is frees to do everything and still remain a Hindu.
The Muslims got separated because there are bounds and limits in Islam. Had they remained together with the Hindus, they won’t have been able to accommodate themselves under that system, because Islam confines the Muslims to adhere to the system given by the holy Prophet-saw. They have to follow the holy Prophet-saw, whose footprints outshine the sun, in all walks of life. All aspects of life from birth till death, including morals, beliefs, worship and mutual dealings are illuminated by his-saw resplendent Sunnah. Whether a Muslim is a shepherd, an employer or a worker, a businessman or a worrier, he will always find the prophetic guidance showing him the right way through all walks of life, including war and peace, living with family, children, parents and relatives. There is no phase of life, which is void of guidance of the holy Prophet-saw. Islam is the name of obedience of the holy Prophet-saw at each step. Muslims goy separated because they could never accommodate themselves under the British system; similarly, the system of Hindus won’t suit them either. They would make their own system that could help them in following the holy Prophet-saw. What does adherence to the holy Prophet-saw mean? It means two things; first, faith in the supreme Greatness and absolute Unity of Allah, without any partners in His Divinity, and second, faith in the truth and universal Prophet Hood of the holy Prophet Muhammad-saw. Then, there are two restrictions about actions in life: first, which should be done that has been instructed or permitted by the holy Prophet-saw. And second, it should be done according to the manner ordained by him-saw. Those acts that have been forbidden by him-saw should be avoided.
Our bad luck; but it is natural that, in the new country, power had to pass to those who were already managing the offices and were close to the rulers, it couldn’t have been offered to any religious figure sitting in a mosque. It was actually the poor and the ignorant that made supreme sacrifices for independence. They were tortured, their honours were molested, their properties were snatched and their wealth was looted. The rich and the affluent migrated safely from this side to the other and from the other side to this side of the border. They brought with them huge claims of property abandoned in India and annexed large estates left by Hindus here. Some of them ever seized more property than they had left behind. But it was blood of the poor that was shed and they were killed in such great numbers that vultures had stopped eating the carcasses. Land was littered with dead bodies, while the vultures sat watching on trees with filled bellies. It was the common man who mad sacrifices, but the power was given to the rich and affluent class that was close to the ruling British. Although their blood, colour and appearance were local but their thinking, food, mannerism and culture were British. Such were the people who inherited the rule from the British. Even after fifty-eight years, power is passing down from father to son and to the grandson or to a nephew within those few families. You will find only a couple of army generals outside there families who jumped into this arena for a shout while. But, when these generals entered the corridors of power, they were baptised in the same colour. Instead of changing that culture, they were overwhelmed by it; and the class that had made sacrifices kept crying for the implementation of Islam. But, they also remained far away from the knowledge of religion and they have no answer when they are asked, ‘ there is no restriction on offering prayers, keeping fast, performing Hajj, eating Halal, earning lawfully, then what else is meant by implementation of Islam? What else does u want?’ I don’t think anybody has the answer to this question. You are sitting in a Jami’ah. Mosque, listening to the Quran in the speech and criticising those acts that you consider un-Islamic and no one stops you, what other Islam do you want?
Once, the movement of implementation of Islam was launched, in our country, with great fervour and enthusiasm. The Chief Justice of Lahore High Court came here and put this question to me. He said, “I have travelled all the way only to know what anti-Islam activity is being practised here? In the whole country, Muslims have complete freedom to offer prayers, keep fast and perform Hajj. Here, marriages, divorces and even burials are held according to the Shari’ah. What else is meant by implementation of Islam, for which this movement is being launched?’ I told him, “Muslims offer prayers, keep fast and perform Hajj even in India. No body stops them from offering prayers, keeping fast, performing Hajj and spending their personal lives according to the Shari’ah, even in the non Muslim countries of the world, including Europe, America, Britain, Africa, china and Japan, where they are a negligible minority. But, is their relationship with their governments according to the Shari’ah? When they got to a court, does the court decide their cases according to Islamic law? When they visit a bank, does, it deals with them according to Islamic principles? When there is an issue between a common man and Government, is it resolved according to Islam? They can’t even think about it! Those countries have their own laws and rules, and all people, Muslims or Kafirs have to abide by then. What we want is that when a common man deals with the Government, court or other institutions all matters must be settled according to Islamic Shari’ah. He must get his right allowed by Shari’ah and he must be stopped from that which is prohibited by the Shari’ah.” He said, “I now understand. But, I think those who are taking out procession don’t know themselves. I tried to ask many times, but no one could make me understand.” It was simple issue that has been unnecessarily complicated. A common man and even the westernised class think that Islam is probably like an iron cage in which they with be imprisoned or it is like some monster that is going to grab them. On the contrary, Islam is the most beautiful way to spec this life. It is nothing separated from this world. Islam is nothing outside our daily routine, dealings and business. It is the name of adherence to the holy Prophet-saw in every walk of life. Do business and earn wealth; had Islam been against wealth how could it impose Zakat? Zakat will be payable only when sufficient wealth exists. Similarly, why would Islam make Hajj mandatory for the rich? Hajj will only be possible if sufficient means exist. Islam is not against wealth; it is against concentration of wealth. It is the only system, which has effectively blocked amassing of wealth. In Islam, wealth cannot be accumulated at one point. If someone preserves his capital for a whole year, he has to pay back two and a half percent to the State. His efforts to preserve his capital would find it sliding out of his hands to the state treasury. No economic system of world, except Islam, can effectively redirect accumulated wealth to re-circulate in the society. Islam is not against earning wealth; it is against usurping others rights. It is against earning by stealing, gambling and fraud. It does not stop from earning wealth through lawful means. It considers lawful earning to be a mandatory obligation just as offering Fardh Salah. Rather, it considers lawful earning an even greater worship that Fardh Salah, because Fardh Salah is an individual matter between a slave and his Lord, while earning lawfully involves numerous member of the society as well. Someone who earns honestly and lawfully, and offers prayers also, would experience supreme pleasure in prayers and will receive higher reward for his worship. Islam does not oppose the elegance in life. It doesn’t consider you any better Muslim if you don’t marry or don’t have a good house or a car or don’t dress well.
The story tellers and fiction writers have defined the excellence of Islam as, “He was a great Wali, because he didn’t eat or drink and left the town to live in a jungle.” It is correct that some Aulia of high eminence did spend their time in jungles, but if you carry out a research you will find that none of them went there of his own accord. They were revolutionary people who had changed the out look of masses. The rulers considered them a threat, expelled them from cities and forbad the public to meet them. The great achievements of these great people had started disturbing the governments and the rulers thought that if their activities are allowed to continue, the general public may get out of their hands and their rule may come to an end. For that reason, they forcibly expelled them. Hadhrat(R.A) used to say that when these great people got cut off from public life and spent their remaining life in jungles, their spiritual progress also stopped. They died at the same spiritual stations that they had attained before they came to live in the jungle. I dared to ask, “Hadhrat, weren’t they expelled forcibly and were prohibited to meet the public?” he replied, “The spiritual progress is related to deeds. They got cut off from practical life. If a man dies today, his register of deeds is closed; he will remain at the same spiritual station. It is a different issue whether they went out on their own or were expelled by the rulers. It is for Allah to reward them and He will certainly give them an even greater reward. But the progress in spiritual stations was related to the work that they were doing in the society. When that work stopped, their spiritual progress also came to a standstill.” If a mason stops laying bricks, how would the wall get any higher? But the storytellers and fiction writers gave us a different concept. ‘A person who neither eats nor drinks nor works is a great saint, and still greater is the one who wears nothing.’ Even thought he may be mad! The west has its own civilisation, a different culture. For them it doesn’t really matter if one puts on clothes or remains naked. In our culture, however, no sane person would like to remain without clothes.
When some power tricked down to the hands of religious people, the only Islam that appeared was to demolish a TV shop or burn a video cassette shop. Which type of Islam is this? Islam emphasises on provision of livelihood for people, while you are snatching his morsel. Which Islam is this? If you think that by destroying some TV sets, you will eliminate TV from the whole world and this media will cease to exist, you are only exposing your ignorance. But, if it continues to exist in the world and only you are the ones without it, who is at a loss? Why don’t you use the TV to propagate truth and nobility instead of breaking it? In my opinion, there is hardly any indecency on the TV now. What you brand as indecent on TV is not even a fraction of what resides on the internet. Should then all computers be broken and the whole internet blocked? On the contrary, we conduct Zikr on the internet for Ahbab from all over the world. God willing, all Ahbab shall hear this speech that you are hearing now, through the internet, this evening. Can this be achieved by breaking the computer or by its positive use? We haven’t broken the computer, but have installed it inside. This speech is bring recorded and after today evening’s Zikr, all Ahbab or any one from any corner of the globe can hear it on his or her computer: should we break the computer or use it to serve the cause of Islam? Which is a better option?
The meaning of implementation of Islam is that if governance comes to the religious people, they should strive to provide the resources of life to common people, as their first priority. Opportunities of legal and lawful earning should be created. Taxes should be cut. Industry should be helped to function so that more jobs are created and common man can also earn to live. Business activity should be encouraged. Quality education should be made affordable so that children of middle and lower class can also get educated and enter the exclusive circle established by the privileged class. The Siqarah Education System was founded on the same principle. By Allah’s Grace, ex-student of this Academy have attained to high ranks in the Army as well as in Police. Someday, some of them will become generals and federal or provincial secretaries. And they all belong to the middle and lower class families.
Creating violence, taking our processions and rallies or arranging opposition meetings is no service to Islam. People oppose the government because that brings them fame, earns public applaud and attracts more funds. Teal Islam is that we teach every Muslim that he doesn’t need to follow us, but that we all should follow the holy Prophet-saw. I and his-saw servant and you also claim a relationship with him-saw. We both must see how much we are following him-saw in our practical lives, business and relationships. This practical example will attract other people and will become the base of a positive change. Do teach religion to your children but don’t deprive them of worldly education either, because it constitutes half knowledge and half religion.
Iran witnessed a great revolution. Let our differences of Shia or Sunni rest aside, but they did make a state based on their Islamic ideology. Do you know its reason? One of the major reasons was that their religious scholars also hold doctorate degrees from foreign universities. You may not know others but you can see their Ulama in the Assembly and in Ministries. They are religious scholars as well as doctors from foreign universities. While our mistake was that our religious class attached no importance to worldly knowledge. Then, some of our leaders also tried that no children, other than their own should get good education. What is happening in Government schools? Seventy-three students of a Government school appeared in Secondary School examination. Seventy of them failed and only tree passed. Doesn’t the Government know about it? What action did it take? NONE! The concerned officers don’t want to take any action because their own children are not studying in this country. They either study in institutions affiliated with foreign universities or simply go abroad, complete their education and return to join the ruling class, we also made a mistake. We didn’t send any suitable child to the religious Schools. All that we sent were poor, unintelligent and disabled children. And then, we kept them there for good and didn’t let them come to the other side.
Is religion only for the Sheikh and Ulama? Is the Holy Prophet-saw only of the Sheikh and Ulama, and not yours? No, he is of us all! When every Muslim realizes this responsibility individually, no power can hinder the implementation of Islam. It is wrong to think that some Sheikh or Maulana will do it. It will never be done like that. It has to be done by each of us.
May Allah grant us the ability to realize this responsibility and the capacity to undertake it! May He preserve this county forever and bring it under the rule of the True Religion!