(IFER)
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By Dr. Quazi Ashfaq Ahmad
Dr Quazi Ashfaq Ahmad has been an active member of various Muslim organisations for nearly 60 years, founding, heading and managing several of them over several decades. He has extensively written on Islam in international journals, magazines and newspapers. His works include booklets such as Quranic Insight: Aakhira - The Life Hereafter, The Hypocrites and the Believers, The paradigm shift etc. The paper below is first of a series of his works, he is currently engaged in.
I INTRODUCTION
In the present era, Islam has become ineffective as the mechanism to fabricate and forge the present societal life. The train of Islam is stationed at a place from where neither is the way nor the destination to move forward.
The Muslim scholars have analysed the reason for this catastrophe and
have prepared various devices for its remedy. The greatest reason for
this situation is that a Muslim of today does not act upon Islam and
the best remedy has been prepared for them to practice Islam. But the
fact is that neither the root cause of the evil is this inactiveness
of the Muslims nor the proposed action is its remedy itself. Inaction
is not the cause of the downfall of Islam. Inactiveness is the symptom
of the degradation of Islam and not its cause.
The DEGRADATION OF ISLAM is indeed due to the degradation of the faiths
and beliefs of us Muslims and hence the inactiveness is the result of
this basic degradation of faith and belief.
In my opinion, the cause and the degradation of Islam are the philosophies and ideologies in the West which have enveloped the whole atmosphere of the world by which all educated and uneducated Muslims are also equally affected. These ideologies have influenced unconsciously and indirectly and thus have snatched the love and importance of Islam from us just as the bacteria of a contagious disease destroys the health and stamina of a healthy person and suddenly he finds himself standing on the door of death.
The question arises: How and why the wrong philosophic ideologies of the West empowered so effectively the charm and the attraction of Islam which is the correct ideology of living, having the main characteristic of truth and virtues. The answer is: On one side the Muslims continued on presenting Islam as a wrong ideology of living by advocating its wrong interpretation to the people thus destroying its charm and attraction with their own hands. On the other hand there is as a portion of truth and reality in the wrong philosophic ideologies of the West which has been attracting the Muslims. This part of the truth in West was not explored and thus included in the wrong interpretation of Islam. Hence, the outcome is that Muslims preferred the truth of the West over Islam to a large extent.
Then the next question can be raised? Why did Muslims
present wrong interpretation of Islam. The Quran which we have, is the
same as owned by the Companions of the Prophet(s). Why do then the Muslims
of today interpret it wrongly. This has been caused in two ways:
Firstly that some wrong ideas (quite repulsive to Islam) have been inserted
in Islam as truth. We Muslims have been regarding these wrong inclusions
and thus this factor could become the most pertinent one for our degradation.
Secondly, that some scientific truth (which are actually the part of
Islam that should have been owned by us) have been excluded from Islam
by considering them wrong.
Since long on the one hand we have been dealing with the philosophic and scientific truths explored in the present era wrongly by excluding them from Islam and on the other hand we have not been able to secure all the wrong interpretation of Islam embedded in the past. The reason for these two blunders is, firstly, our Islamic scholars have been totally ignorant of the modern sciences and secondly, they have been interpreting the followings sayings wrongly:
‘Do not stray what you adhered with the Two;’
‘The Book of Allah is sufficient for us;’
‘What is with me and with my Companions is enough;’
Thus, Islam of today has become static, limited and petrified (rigid) life ideology and the inner truth and secrets of the Holy Quran are nothing but the ones which had been explored and found out by the original past scholars. Hence, it has become impossible for the Muslim scholars to accept and work upon the scientific truths that were discovered after the revelation of the Quran or the ones which were found (enunciated) by the non-Muslims. These truths did not exist apparently in word-form in the Quran but were conforming with the spirit of Quran and hence existed in the Quran in the conceptual sense.
Hence, the result is that the Muslims started comprehending the concept of Islam in wrong sense. It is quite obvious that the one who negates a portion of the truth, then, he undermines the other correct portion of the same truth and declares this second one also wrong. Undoubtedly, the same book (the Quran) existed in the time of Companions but they never used to refuse the scientific truths that were discussed truly. They also never discarded these scientific truth from Islam. This may be because their truths did not exist in their time in word form and secondly conceptually they used to believe all the scientific truths as well as the scientific truths that are to be discovered till eternity. Why? Because all their scientific truths are already in the Quran in conceptual sense.
When any scientific truth is presented to us in word-form, then their denial prompts toward the distortion and ignoring of the Quranic understanding and its spirit. SINCE THE COMPANIONS DID NOT COME ACROSS this situation, the companions could not interpret Quran wrongly.
II SALIENT METHODOLOGY FOR EXTERMINATING THE INEFFECTIVENESS OF ISLAM AND FOR RAISING ISLAM AGAIN TO ITS HIGHEST ZENITH.
The only way of bringing Islam back again to its spirit, dynamism and effectiveness is to refute the wrong philosophical concepts of the West adhering with the spirit of the Quran vehemently. If our refutation would be scientifically and rationally sound and sucessful, the influence of these concepts would vanish eventually. Also there will be another advantage, much valuable better than this achievement, will occur that, during this attempt of searching and presenting such reputed findings, we will receive the following notions:
a) Though the Quran contains, in brief, the refutations
of all philosophies that would be cropped up till eternity, we cannot
convince the opponents just by copying the quotations of the Quranic
words.
b) Rather it would be essential for us to provide scientific and rational
argumentation to the stands and claims of the Quran specifically while
comparing with any wrong philosophy. The opponent should be dealt with
the same style and standard of tools.
c) Hence, it is essential for us to dive into the depth of the meaning
and explanation of the Quranic verses and then to deduce and conclude,
after full deliberation, all the intellectual consequences, inferences
and scientific anticidents and inclusions from the Quranic texts.
d) While continuing this systematic explanation and research, we shall
realise to include the old and new realities of physics, biology, psychology
and philosophy as the anticidants of the Quran which attest or confer
or at least do not contradict the spirit of the Quran. Also these findings
should follow in the category of scientific truths. ‘The word
of wisdom is lost (wealth) of a believer. From anywhere he gets it,
he is its best achiever (hadeeth)’ (Tirmizi). The outcome of such
research and pulverised (minute) study will conclude that the study
of the Quran will itself manifest as a philosophical system and only
this ‘Philosophical System’ shall be the best, healthy and
correct one in the world.
This correct ‘philosophical system’ exists potentially in the Quran. Today on one side are the philosophies of the West challenging us that we should transform the meanings and explanation of the Quranic words into an organised coordinated system intellectual system and on the other side, the situation indicates that the four disciplines of physics, biology, psychology and philosophy are providing the truth and realities which lead us to the development of a philosophical system. Once this inter-disciplined philosophical system is developed, this would enable us to look into and evaluate the whole Quranic teaching from a scientific outlook. The comprehension of the Quran would become most vivid and clear and then the present differences in this interpretation of the Quranic verses expounded very forcefully nowadays and that which have enveloped even the fundamental principles of the Quranic teaching would be subsided.
III OUR DIFFERENCES ABOUT THE INTERPRETATON OF THE QURANIC WORDS
Once the true interpretations of the Ideology of living is lost, it transforms into many interpretations because the truth is one and the non-truth have many forms and words. Islam is also undergoing the same phenomenon. We are presenting many interpretations of the Quran after loosing the most correct interpretation and it has become difficult to decide which is the correct interpretation and why is it so. Our differences in the Quranic interpretation, started originally by the learned Muslim Islamic scholars, has become a great stumbling block in the path of our societal living. Because of this, we, as the one ideological group, do not know precisely what kind of action does Islam demand from Muslims in different sections today. For example, we are unable to comprehend what kind of the political, economical, educational, or informational system should be worked for in the present times. Indeed when we are not aware of what Islam is, how can we agree what Islam wants from us.
But still now , when the Prophet (pbuh) upon whom the Quran was revealed is not amongst us and he can not come again within us, we have a means of exploring the meanings and objectives of the Quran, comprehending the order and directives of Allah and the Prophet (pbuh) and thus overcoming our differences about the comprehension of the Quran. Hence, the method is to understand the Quranic teachings through scientific style and this has to be presented continuously because of the pursuit of knowledge, more and more in the present age. But this is also essential that the correct knowledge of the scientific Quranic understanding conforms together with the will of the Allah and His Prophet (PBUH).
As the one of the topic of the Quran ‘the knowledge of the reality of mankind and universe (Human Mind and Universe) is coming to our access through mutual exploration and is developing on and on. Thus we have been approaching towards our final destination of the intellectual evolution when we human would be able to comprehend the Quran in scientific way. Then all of us shall be bound compulsorily to agree on the scientific explanation of the Quran. This is the guided indication of the Quranic words.
(41:43)
[And as for thee, O Prophet,] nothing is being said to thee but
what was said to all [of God’s] apostles before thy time. [36]
Behold, thy Sustainer is indeed full of forgiveness - but He has also
the power to requite most grievously! (Fussilat 41:43)
Evidently if the rhetoric and meaning of the Quran exist before us in
the form of an organised and systematic rational/scientific philosophy
of living , there is no place for any kind of difference. The reason
is that this kind of the philosophy of living resembles a chain such
that if a link is misplaced, the chain becomes broken. Each reflection
of such philosophy of living receives support from the rational and
scientific ideas of other reflections and also supports rationally and
scientifically other imaginations as well.
Hence, if any of the reflections in the ‘Islamic Philosophy of Living’ is distorted or is comprehended wrongly, all the other reflections protest against this transgression. Due to the internal rational coordination and systemisation of the reflections of an organised philosophy of living, it is not possible for anyone to distort any reflection or comprehend/make others to comprehend it wrongly. Thus, Quran, being the book of God in reality, contains a firm intellectual bond in its rhetorics and meanings. Hence, this can be experienced only if the researchers/scholars are not committing any mistakes in the comprehension of its verses.
(4:82)
Will they not, then, try to understand this Qur’an? Had it
issued from any but God, they would surely have found in it many an
inner contradiction! (Al-Nisa 4:82)
In my opinion, this very national and philosophical knowledge of the
Quran is the key to open all the doors of Islam now around. Unless the
philosophical knowledge of the Quran is not presented, no challenging
of the West can be answered and the followers of Islam, the Muslims
shall go on weakening and exhausted. But when this shall be manisfested
fully, not only shall it meet the challenge of the West which shall
attract not only others towards Islam due to its forceful argumentation
but shall also serve as the powerful light that will enlighten our own
houses and we shall also become capable of comprehending the Quran more
vividly and transparently with clarifications. Our beliefs shall be
vitalised and our old doubts, inconsistencies, hesitations and differences
shall vanish and a new sense of enlightenment shall be established in
our Ummah (Global Muslim Community).
According to the secular philosophers of the West, the almost unanimous opinion is that the love of ideals is neither the in-born permanent outcome of the human actions nor the roots of the human actions but it is the accidental response of the necessities of the human struggle. If this view is taken as the correct one, it pertains to conclude that the ideal of God or the belief in the Oneness of God (the most common ideal of all religionists) is not in the human nature. But this verdict is evidently opposite to the Quranic teachings. We believe as directed by the Quranic point of view that the sentiment of the love of ideals is the permanent in-born outcome of the human nature and, therefore, it is the formation of all human actions. Thus, the claim of the Quran, that the human is created for the worship of one God, becomes, futile according to the present Western Philosophy. If so accepted, then there is no place for the ideal of God; rather it is construed that the ideal is also the unnatural and accidental outcome of the animal instinctive desires. We are fortunate that the truth of the Quran has the most obvious evidence that the most authoritative finding and analysis of science has also confirmed that stand off the Quran is totally true. Hence, the more the philosophies are away from this Quranic stand, these are incomplete and objectionable and their argumentation are wrong and illogical. Inspite of the difference of the philosophies in their outcome, their fundamental commonality in relation to the source of their ideologies makes it sufficient to refute their ideologies just by proving that the love of ideologies is the permanent characteristics of the human nature and is therefore the fountain-head of all human actions. Hence, is this book, efforts are made to prove this basic reality. The topic of this book is ‘The Philosophical System of Islam’. The central themes of this philosophical system is the same viewpoint that the love of the ideals is the permanent dun of the human nature. Obviously, the claim about the source of the love of ideals raises the following questions:
1) What is the cause of IDEAL?
2) What is the relation between the Reality of the Universe and the
IDEAL?
3) Which aims of evolution are fulfilled by the passion of IDEAL?
4) What is the relation between the instincts and the IDEAL?
5) Is the stimulant of human actions the IDEAL or any one instinct,
some instincts or all instincts. What is the evidence of the correct
answer?
6) What is the relation between the IDEAL and the ECONOMIC NEEDS AND
CONDITIONS?
7) What is the relation between the subconscious and the IDEAL?
8) Why does the ideal change?
9) In what direction does the IDEAL changes?
10) Do all the IDEALS fulfil the aims of the evolution equally or not?
In other words are all the IDEALS correct or some are correct and some
are wrong?
11) If all the ideals are not correct, then which ones are correct and
why?
12) What are the signs and the characteristics of the correct ideal?
13) What are the signs and the characteristics of the wrong ideal?
14) Why does a human change a wrong ideal?
15) From the point of view of the evolution, what are the advantages
of the correct ideal and what are the disadvantages of the wrong ideals.
16) How religion, prophethood, humanity, politics, law, knowledge, skill,
intellect, philosophy and science relate with the passion of ideals.
If we ignore the answer of any question given above or if we cannot give or do not give any convincing answer, our claim of the source of the ideals persists as an incomplete, unmatched and without evidence one and thus the refutation of the wrong philosophies, the main goal of this claim , also becomes ineffective, failure and incomplete. In this situation our apponent declares that we are unable to answer these questions properly and hence our claim is totally fictitious. Then he answers these questions and then boastly presents his wrong philosophy as the ‘truth’. But if we provide very pertinent, correct and effective answers for these questions which are of standard, with rational arguments and agreeable to all the authenticated scientific truth, rather raising the level of comprehension about these truths as well, then we bring out Islam as a perfect philosophical system or the Philosophy of Universe. Thenceword, no question about the humans and the universe remains unanswered. In this book, the rational and argumentative answers of all the questions are provided. Thus the content of this book defines and elaborates the Philosophical System of Islam.
V NECESSITY OF THE QURANIC THEORY OF LIFE TO BE RESTRUCTED AS THE PHILOSOPHICAL SYSTEM OF ISLAM
Till the Quranic theory of life is not transferred into a perfect Philosophical System, it has to bear the losses due to being silent against, refusal and denial of ourselves and the others not able to refute the wrong contemporary philosophies. But when it transforms into a perfect philosophical system, it becomes a challenge not only against the contemporary wrong philosophies but also against all the wrong philosophies that can be envisaged. The true philosophy of the universe shall be sufficient to challenge wrong philosophies even if thousands in numbers.
These elucidations indicate that the claim in reply
to all the wrong contemporary philosophies or to express the definition
of the Philosophical System of Islam, the following one sentence is
sufficient enough for presentation.
“ The passion of love to ideals which is also the fountain-head
of all human actions and which can become contended in total just by
one ideal is the permanent in-born dun of the human nature”
The sign of a true phenomenon is that, when pondered over it, the phenomenon
is envisaged as a simple common reality. If it has been known first
time, a person gets astonished why was it not found or watched over
beforehand. The above sentence is comprised of a very simple common
reality but strange that such an information, which is the key factor
to explore and research the correct and wholesome information about
the human nature, had been hidden from the psychological experts throughout
the world.
I am sure that sooner or later this reality shall be accepted as a reality in all the intellectual and scientific groups. And at such time then, the whole direction of all the whole knowledge will be changed. Rather in the whole world, a tremendous conceptual revolution shall occur. And the gradual downfall of the blasphemic communities and the gradual uplift of Islam shall be carried on in this period. The reason is that once this simple reality is accepted, there is no alternative left except to accept its rational and scientific outcome. But these outcomes are such that their sum-totals are similar to the Quranic teachings. If we wish earnestly, we can bring such period ruled by this Philosophical System of Islam through our actions and communications to others.
It is important to clarify here that there are two parts of Islam. One deals with the eternal and universal laws of the human nature and the second one deals with the practical life of humans according to these laws. The first one is non-changing and its expression and manifestation was neither necessary in each era nor possible even. The second part of Islam has always been changing according to the societal conditions. The first part deals with beliefs and the second one deals with actions. First one is the basis of the second one. The first one is the principle or root of the ad-din and the second one is its ramification (subsidiary development). This is why the first non-changing part is termed as ad-din or Din-e-Qayyum in the Quran.
(30:30)
AND SO, set thy face steadfastly towards the [one ever-true] faith,
[25] turning away from all that is false, [26] in accordance with the
natural disposition which God has instilled into man: [27] [for,] not
to allow any change to corrupt what God has thus created [28] this is
the [purpose of the one] ever-true faith; but most people know it not.
(Rum 30:30)
The Quran calls it also Ayatum Mohkamatun (fixed signs) and Ummul Kitab ( the root of the book)
(3:7)
He it is who has bestowed upon thee from on high this divine writ,
containing messages that are clear in and by themselves - and these
are the essence of the divine writ - as well as others that are allegorical.
[5] Now those whose hearts are given to swerving from the truth go after
that part of the divine writ [6] which has been expressed in allegory,
seeking out [what is bound to create] confusion, [7] and seeking [to
arrive at] its final meaning [in an arbitrary manner]; but none save
God knows its final meaning. [8] Hence, those who are deeply rooted
in knowledge say: "We believe in it; the whole [of the divine writ]
is from our Sustainer - albeit none takes this to heart save those who
are endowed with insight. (Imran 3:7)
Because of this fundamental position of the first part of Islam it is said that the teachings of all the prophets born in whatever time or whatever part of the world is ONE UNITY. Yet all the essential elements of this part of Islam including political and social life have been manifested in the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad according to the requirements of the time, and hence he is called the seal of the prophets. The importance of this part of Islam is that the one who does not believe in this part, becomes compelled to ignore the other part and the one who doesn’t understand this part properly, he can neither understand the second part nor can take upon it rightly. Then the correct explanation and comprehension of the whole Islam rather its implementation depends upon the correct explanation and comprehension of the first part of Islam.
Surely, our belief in the first part of Islam is weakened. We are deprived of actions, and are going down the path of declination and degradation. Whenever we shall start believing in this part , we shall generate the power of action and we shall follow the path of uplift and elevation. This is the first part of Islam that can be transformed in the philosophical and scientific system. This is the part whose plausibility has been manifesting day by day due to the exploration and findings of the philosophy and science, and shall continue on and on. (The readers should note down that Islam wherever mentioned above in relation to the ‘Philosophical System of Islam’ is referring only to this first part of Islam.
VI PHILOSOPHY OF HUMAN NATURE AND THE CORRECT AND TRUE EXPOSITION OF THE QURAN
The framework of the ‘Philosophical State of Islam’ is the philosophy of human nature. The rest of human is the consciousness or self-consciousness which Iqbal termed as self. Hence, we can term our ‘philosophical system of Islam’ as SELFISM. Then some of the characteristics and attributes of the selfness of human emerge from his central characteristic of the love; to one ideal and extracts the theory of life from this love, our subject can be termed as the PHILOSOPHY OF IDEALS. This is the same Falsafa Khudee that was initiated by Iqbal but it has been culminated in the form of the philosophy of ideals in this very book of mine. And also the short terminology khudee that was used by Iqbal is misunderstood by some learned process. I have replaced it with the khud-shaooree which is more clear and explicit than khudee. It should become clearer that the true words khudee and khud-shanasee are similar words which are referred to as the consciousness which is acquainted by himself. This is very important to decide that which of the interpretations and expositions offered in the present time and produced various religious organisations and activities are correct and which are wrong. This is not enough to say that the Companions decided that this issue in their declaration ‘The Book of Allah is sufficient for us’. Hence whatever is according to the Quran is correct. This is also not enough to say that the prophet (SAW) had decided 'ma ana alaihe wa ashabihi’. Nowadays, every religious scholar claims that his expression and interpretation is according to the Quran, Prophet's (pbuh) teachings and companions’ actions.
Every exponent of religion comprehends through his intellect
and colours it with his intellect, though he refuses it verbally and
in some cases he may also not be knowing that he is doing so. It is
quite natural for every scholar that he can never escape from it. All
the explanations and expositions of Islam are the intellectual claddings
of the text. So when the intellects without fails comes over the text
and the text also wishes to have the intellectual or logical interpretation,
then, the main task is to find out what combination of the text and
the intellect its totally away from any kind of wrongness. For such
kind of decisions, it is necessary to frame a principle for the selection
of true and correct expectations and test it upon same rules extracted
from the principle.
Fortunately, Quran itself directs toward the signs and characteristics
of the true and correct expositions and also informs its readers how
to apply these while testing.
(4:82)
Will they not, then, try to understand this Qur’an? Had it
issued from any but God, they would surely have found in it many an
inner contradiction! (Nisa 4:82)
The differences in the statements are always the intellectual differences because the reason is the one which is applied for comprehension. Hence the differences in the explanation of any verse from the Quran are basically the logical contradictions. The Quran has prescribed the most important principle that there is a logical or rational relevancy and harmonious correlations among all the truth. And all the truths support each logically. The corollary of this principle is that these truth refute all the wrong things rationally. Contrary to this, the beliefs falsify each other as well as all the truths.
If the support of other truths are taken away from a truth, then this truth does not remain as the truth. This principle is applicable to all the truths in this world whether these truths are apparently or wordly inside or outside the Quran; whether this has been revealed to the Prophet (pbuh) or to any human under this reference. If there are truths not mentioned in the words in the Quran and if we separate them from the truths mentioned in words in the Quran and look into both as separate things, there may occur contradiction and such kind of exposition both may be considered against the will of Allah and the Prophet and will be condemned. But if there is exposition of the Quran in which there is no contradiction between the inner truths of the Quran and this other truth apparently outside the Quran (assuming the many truths already been discussed) and thus both have been harmonious and supporting each other. This would prove that we have been fully aware with the causes and wisdom of the ad-Deen and we have discussed the most important issues of the reality of human and universe and their solutions. Then and there, our exposition shall be manifested as the perfect philosophy of the humans and the universe.
T he causes and the wisdom of the derivatives of deen are nothing else but the eternal realities of human psychology and the permanent love of the human level of evolution and all these are in the form of a sequence. Every wisdom has another wisdom and every cause has another cause. This sequence of causes and wisdoms culminate to Allah who is the Cause of all causes and the Reality of all realities.
(53:42)
and that with thy Sustainer is the beginning and the end [of all
that exists] (Najm 53:42)
This analysis concludes that the true and correct exposition
of the Quran should fulfil the following conditions.
1. It does not contradict any scientific truth. It should be in harmony
and full agreement with all scientific truths and all the in-coming
new scientific truths merge into this philosophy like all existing scientific
truths.
2. All its conception should have rational intimacy and coherence with
each other and affirm rationally to each other. It may happen only when
all the conceptions are intellectually and rationally laid into the
fundamental and central concept of the Quran i.e.' THE BELIEF IN ONE
GOD'
3. It should effectively contradict and refute all wrong philosophies.
4. It should have one complete and coherent philosophy which goes on
providing scientific guidance in the important matters of human and
universe and always guides toward or follows the paths of truthfulness
and rationality.
5. It explores the deficiencies of the scientific conceptions and then
modifies such conceptions to become noble and pure.
6. It informs the humans about the whole sequence of the causes and
wisdoms of the directives of deen and presents their conceptions in
the best way of coordination without any contradiction.
REFERENCES:
1. " Quran aur 'Ilm-e-Jadeed" by Late Dr. Rafi-ud-Deen of
Indo-Pakistan's Urdu publication
2. " Quran and the Conteporay ideologies of the West” by
Mr. Salah-ud-Deen Mahmood published by Rafi-ud-Deen Fondation, Karachi.