The Ulema—Who Are They?
Glossary
of Terms:
The Quran was revealed in the Arabic language,
the expression of which is neither poetry nor prose, but has its own unique
style and rhythm. It has rare beauty and
grandeur; it is sublime. To translate
such a language into another and retain its spirit, beauty, force, and depth is
just not possible. An attempt can be
made to translate a piece of literature, but when it comes to the Quran, which
is a charter of human rights—a constitution—one has to be absolutely certain
that the actual meaning is not lost during the course of translation. In addition, each language has its own
phrases, idioms, and expressions that are specific for its culture and values. It is not possible to translate a concept
that exists in one culture into a single word of another language that does not
even recognize that concept. This can be
illustrated by Persian and Urdu translations—they retain Arabic words like kafir,
momin, mushrik, rahman, raheem, sabr, sawab, salat, zakat, etc. These words were in use before the advent of
Islam and so the Arabs knew what they meant.
It is of paramount importance for the reader to know the meanings of
these words because they convey specific Quranic concepts and a simple English
translation would either be in Biblical terms, or out rightly contradictory to
the spirit of the message. Finally,
because these words are used repeatedly in the Quran, we have provided a
glossary to more efficiently explain the concepts in their original form.
This glossary is based on the following
universally recognized dictionaries of the Arabic language at the time of the
Prophet (PBUH):
1.
Lane, Arabic—English
lexicon
2.
Lisan-al-Arab
3.
Taj-ul-Urus
4.
Muhit-ul-Muhit
5.
Raghib,
Mufridat-al-Quran
DIN—this
word has been used in various contexts, among them being ascendancy,
sovereignty, management, conduct of affairs, ruling power, mastership,
ownership, exercise of power, code of law, constitution, law of requital, an
order. The Quran has described Islam as
Ad-Din, which is generally translated as religion. However, in the light of the above meanings,
it should be clear that this is not only incorrect, but distorts and negates
the very meaning of din. Islam is not a
religion (madhab), and it has never been described as one in the Quran. Islam is a way of life, a system, a code of
law. In the external universe Islam
signifies the Divine Order that governs life and the movement of the entire
universe. The whole purpose of the Quran
is to establish a universal order based on the Divinely ordained values of
life. This is ad-din.
MADHAB—literally
means way or course. This word does not
appear in the Quran and in Islamic fiqh it stands for “school of thought”. It is usually translated as religion, and
since Islam is described as a religion in English, the word madhab has come
into use for it in Urdu as well. This is
a fundamental fallacy—it goes against the very essence of Islam, which is a
din, not a madhab.
HAQQ (and BAATIL)—usually
translated as truth or right. According
to Lane, its primary significance is the state of being just, righteous,
truthful, real or factual; established or confirmed so as to be
undeniable. These meanings make it clear
that haqq does not fall into the domain of ideas or thoughts; rather, it stands
for constructive results of beliefs which manifest themselves in tangible form
and are in harmony with the changing needs of the times. No belief or theory relating to this world
can be described as haqq unless its truth is established by a positive manifestation
of its constructive potential. These
results are permanent and unchanging.
The antithesis of haqq is batil. This does not merely stand for ideas or
actions with destructive potential, but includes all thinking and conduct that
do not lead to positive results. As haqq
means something that is real and true, batil refers to something that may be
imaginary and/or false.
EIMAN—to
be convinced, to accept, to rely on, or to have confidence in something. This is usually translated as belief or faith,
which implies acceptance without proof or argument, and without reference to
reason, thought, knowledge, or insight.
Faith is generally regarded as the negation of knowledge and reason. It has been said about Kant that, “he found
it necessary to deny knowledge in order to make room for faith.”
According to the Quran, however, Eiman is not just
belief, it is, in fact, what Kant calls knowledge. Eiman is synonymous with conviction and it is
based on reason and knowledge. The Quran
does not recognize belief that involves blind acceptance. It is true that Islam does include acceptance
of certain things that cannot be explained through sense perception, but there
is no reason to assume that these things do not exist. In fact, our reason and thinking would compel
us to recognize the existence of such things.
Eiman, according to the Quran, signifies conviction based on full mental
acceptance and intellectual satisfaction.
It gives one a feeling of amn—inner contentment and peace (notice
that these words have a common root).
Thus, Eiman means to believe, admit, or accept something, to testify to
its truthfulness, to have confidence in and to rely on that belief, and to bow
in obedience.
There
are five fundamental facts stated in the Quran that one must accept in order to
be a Muslim: belief in 1) Allah, 2) the law of mukafat and the
afterlife, 3) angels (malaika), 4) the revelations, and 5) the
messengers. Belief in Allah means not
only to profess obedience but also to show it through one’s actions. Belief in the law of mukafat means to
have conviction that every action has an inescapable consequence or
reward. Angels are not the winged
creatures so popularly depicted, but heavenly forces that carry out the laws of
Allah governing the universe. They figuratively
bow to Allah since they follow His orders, and they “bow” to mankind because we
are able to study, manipulate, and conquer them. Belief in the revelations and messengers
implies not only believing in the historical details but also acknowledging
that human intellect alone cannot safely reach the final destination of life;
that guidance in the form of wahi delivered by the messengers is necessary to
progress.
Therefore, a momin is one who has firm conviction and
trust in the prevailing laws of the universe as well as the laws revealed
through wahi. He/she accepts the truth
in such a way that ensures his/her own peace and helps to safeguard the peace
and security of humankind. Al-momin is
indeed one of the characteristics of Allah.
KUFR—this
is the negation of Eiman. It means to
deny the truth, or to defy the laws of Allah.
The root means to cover or conceal.
Kufr means open denial, not hypocrisy. A kaafir has the decency to proclaim
his/her beliefs, and so is not as damned as the hypocrite. The definition also includes concealing or
withholding the means of subsistence that Allah has created for the good of all
humankind, which are supposed to be freely available to everyone.
JAHANNAM—usually
translated as hell, this word has been inadequately described in English
terms. It is a Hebrew compound of the
words ji and hinnum; meaning the valley of Hinnum. This was a famous valley situated in the
south of Jerusalem
where people were burned alive as a sacrifice to the idol Moloch. Jahannum, therefore, denotes a situation in
which humanity is ruined. In Arabic, the
word jaheem means to prevent; that is, its denotes a condition in which
human evolution is prevented and life begins to stagnate instead of
progressing. It is also a miser who
prevents wealth from circulating.
According to the Quran, life manifested itself in the human form after
having gone through various stages of evolution. This is the final link in the evolution of
life in this world. But life does not
end with death; it continues beyond the dissolution of the physical body. The higher life that the developed
personality is capable of living is called jannah. On the other hand, the not-so-developed
personality thwarts its own future and lives in the infernal state of stagnation
called jahannum.
Jannah and jahannum do not stand for places or
localities; they denote different conditions of human life that have been
described metaphorically. It should be
clear that these conditions do not only relate to life in the hereafter—they
have their beginnings in this world. A
social order based upon Quranic foundations results in a heavenly situation:
the necessities of life are available in excess and are secured in decent ways
befitting human dignity. This brings
true happiness and peace of mind. In
contrast, a society based on laws other than Allah’s will invariably lead to
misery and collapse as has been so abundantly illustrated throughout history.
RABB—usually
translated in English as lord. This is
actually opposite in meaning to the true essence of the word. Rabb means one who enables something to grow
and develop, eventually fulfilling its potential; to bring something to
perfection. Nothing in the universe
starts out being perfect; everything is born with potential that, when
actualized, enables that object to become what it was designed to be—including
humans. We are endowed with manifold
potentialities that enable us to rise to the highest point of human existence
when fully developed. According to
Arabic lexicons, Rabb means one who looks after something and beautifies it,
keeps something in place, and continuously provides nourishment. The natural result of nourishment is greenery
and growth; thus, evergreen trees (that maintain their greenery year round) are
called al-ribbatu.
The
process by which one fulfills his/her potential is called rububiyat. The Quran seeks to establish a social order
under which the latent potential of every individual can be fully
realized. This realization will include
the sustenance and growth of one’s body as well as one’s mental and spiritual
potential. This kind of social system is
called the rububiyat order, and its establishment is the ultimate purpose of
the deen of Islam.
TAQWA—the
common English equivalent, piety, does not express the real meaning of the
word. Deviation from the right path
leads human beings to ruin; taqwa is the act of keeping them on the right
path. Merely saving oneself from ruin is
a negative virtue, and the Quran emphasizes the positive aspect of life. Therefore, taqwa means not only saving oneself
from destructive forces, but also stabilizing one’s personality through
preservation and enforcement of the laws of Allah—in other words, taking a step
in the right direction. Waqa
means to protect something from harm; in verse 2/24 Allah exhorts us to protect
ourselves from the fire (fattaqun naar).
A very illustrative example is of someone walking through a thorn
bush. The thorns represent destructive
forces that are ready to snag at the clothing of someone walking through. Those who have taqwa will save themselves
from these thorns by gathering their clothes and walking carefully so that they
do not get scratched by the thorns. Ittaqullah
has been used numerous times in the Quran and means to follow and remain in
harmony with the laws of Allah. In verse
5/2 it has been used as an antonym of udwan, or rebellion, disobedience.
Muttaqi (pl. muttaqeen) is a person who
leads a life of taqwa, eschewing things that are injurious to their
personalities and espousing the laws of Allah.
INTRODUCTION
The
capacity to acquire knowledge makes human beings the most superior of
creations. But what is knowledge? Who is entitled to be called a knowledgeable
person (ulema)? What is the Quranic
point of view on this? Before dealing
with these fundamental questions, let us look at the historical perspective.
In the world of
knowledge, the ancient Greek philosophers enjoyed a highly distinguished
position. In fact, the history of
humanity traces the beginning of knowledge and wisdom to ancient Greece. Socrates and Plato are the most prominent
among the philosophers, and Socrates is considered the grandfather of all Greek
philosophers. Plato, besides being
Socrates’ student, is the founder of an entirely new school of thought.
For Socrates, human
beings were the only object of study while the universe was of no
consequence. Plato went one step further
and denied the very existence of the universe.
For him, the real world was the “world of ideas” and the material world
was only a shadow of the real world.
Since the perceivable world was not real, any knowledge gained from its
study would also be unreal, and thus unreliable. Plato believed in the abstract only, and
denied the concrete.
The
Greek view of knowledge was mostly subjective, i.e., it belonged to human
consciousness or the perceiving ego, and there was no objective test of the
truth. There is no doubt that the
ancient world produced some great philosophies at a time when human beings were
comparatively primitive and governed more or less by suggestion. But we must not forget that these theories
were the work of abstract thought, which cannot go beyond the systemization of
vague religious beliefs and traditions, and they give us no insight into
concrete situations of life.
MYSTICISM
This Platonic philosophy ultimately became the basis of
Greek mysticism. Later on, the same
philosophy took the form of Vadantic Theory (Hindu mysticism) in India. According to this philosophy, the world is
nothing but an illusion (“maya”), or a dream dreamt by the god Brahma, or a
drama (“leela”) being played out by the god Ishwar. Everything is a stage show, artificial and
unreal. There is actually one Hindu god
by the name of Nat Rajan, or the actor king.
This philosophy created a
negative mental attitude towards the material world that caused many religious
people to start despising it. Later on,
this same philosophy found its way into Muslim thought, via Persian mysticism. Under its effect, the forward looking and progressive
Muslim nation was brought to a miserable standstill.
The attitude of people towards the world
before the revelation of the Quran was that this universe is unreal, an
illusion, and any knowledge concerning it is presumption.
THE QURANIC
CHALLENGE
The Quran challenged those speculative philosophies and
demolished the very basis of Platonic theory:
“The
creation of whatever is in the heights and depths of the universe and all that
is in between is not without purpose. It
is presumption on the part of Unbelievers who think the universe is not
real. The result of denying such a great
truth will be that all their efforts and achievements in life will end up in
smoke.” (38:27)
The Quran
uprooted the centuries old philosophy and brought to light the dehumanizing
effects of this false concept. Here it
is very important to note that those who believe the universe is not real and
have a negative attitude towards it are referred to as Unbelievers by the
Quran. It demarcates the Believers from
the Unbelievers.
The Quran states that the negative attitude towards the
material world brings hardship to human beings.
Mysticism is the exemplar of such an attitude; instead of recognizing
this world as a happy and vibrant place full of possibilities, mystics view it
as a massive jailhouse in which inmates are serving time.
To reject the claim of those for whom the creation of the
universe is merely a drama, the Quran says, “The creation of the heavens and
the Earth and that which is between them is not a game.” (21/16) The creation is real. However, Allah does not expect these claims
to be accepted without any scrutiny or investigation; on the contrary, these
claims are based on reason and should be judged on the basis of discernment and
insight. This is why “there are well
explained facts for those who have knowledge.”
(10/5)
THE QURANIC DEFINITION
OF KNOWLEDGE
Now the next logical question arises: what is
knowledge? The Quran says, “Do not
pursue that of which you have no knowledge.
The hearing and sight and the heart—all of them shall have to answer
whether personal inquiry was made concerning the matter.” (17/36)
The words hearing and seeing refer to human senses and the Arabic word
heart is also used to mean the mind. The
following example illustrates the point of this verse: you hear a gunshot. It is followed by a scream and moans of
pain. When you go to see what happened
you discover that your best friend has been shot and you are consumed with
feelings of vengeance towards the shooter.
In this situation your feelings are backed by your first hand knowledge
of the events. On the other hand, if you
do not hear a gunshot and you do not see your injured friend, but you are
consumed with hate anyway for some person you think may have committed a crime,
you are acting on hearsay and not knowledge because your senses and mind were
not involved in arriving at the conclusion.
Thus the Quran strikes at the Platonic philosophy once again. Plato said that knowledge gained through the
senses is not reliable, whereas the Quran is saying that anything not verified
by the senses and mind cannot be regarded as knowledge. This shows how valuable sense-perception is
in Islam. The Quranic concept of
knowledge is objective and the knowledge of the non-ego is superior to that of
the ego. The revelation of the Quran
marked the birth of inductive intellect.
Inductive reason alone allows the human being to become master of
his/her environment. Islam has created
and fostered the spirit of critical observation of outer experience by
divesting the forces of nature of that divine character with which the earlier
culture had clothed them. The important
thing to note is that the Quran, for purposes of knowledge, fixes its gaze on
the concrete and finite. It is also abundantly
clear that the birth of the method of observation and experimental science in
Islam was due not to a compromise with Greek thought but to a prolonged
intellectual warfare with it.
THOSE WHO DO NOT USE
THEIR SENSES
In view of the
importance given to human senses and the mind, the Quran declares in the
clearest terms that people who do not use their senses and their minds are not
living their lives on a human level.
They are in fact living on an animalistic level and are admonished: “Many among human beings have adopted a
lifestyle that will lead them to hell.
They have a mind but do not use it to think and reflect. They have eyes but do not see. They have ears but cannot hear. They are not human beings and are even worse
than animals. They are neglectful.” (7/179)
This verse also indicates that knowledge is only that which can be
explained by the senses and the mind.
Intangible, abstract matters have nothing to do with the senses. Observation of natural phenomena and the
study of the universe, experimentation to discover the laws of creation,
maintenance, and workings of the components of the universe are the
applications of sense-perception. In
modern terminology this is called scientific knowledge. As the Quran states, the pursuit of such
knowledge is the duty of all believers (momineen).
THE FOLLOWERS OF ALLH’S
LAWS
The Quran emphasizes the observation and study of natural
phenomena and the laws of the universe.
“In the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alteration of the
night and day there are signs for people of understanding.” (3/189)
These people are those who “whatever condition they are in, keep Allah’s
laws in sight. They ponder the creation
of the heavens and earth and after thorough observation and experiment, they
declare on the basis of reason that O Sustainer! You did not create this universe in
jest.” (3/190)
Here, as on other occasions, the Quran states something
of paramount importance. It claims that
nothing in the universe has been created without a purpose. There is nothing in the universe that is
useless or that does not benefit mankind in some way. Lack of knowledge on the part of humans makes
it seem as though there are pointless creations, and as a result of this
ignorance all of mankind suffers. Thus,
it is the duty of Muslims to substantiate this Quranic claim based on research
and investigation. This is no easy task,
and requires a vast network of laboratories and scientists and continuous
research. However, people who make the
effort will learn the laws that will enable them to conquer the forces of
nature whereas those who do not will eventually lag behind and become weak and
vulnerable.
SIGNS OF ALLAH
As mentioned above, it is the duty of the Muslim ummah to
understand the laws of nature and utilize them for the benefit of mankind.
“There are
signs for the believers in the heavens and the earth. In creation, and all the animals that He
scattered on the earth are portents for the believers; and in the alteration of
night and day and the sustenance sent down by the sky that revives the earth
after its death, and in the change of winds are hints for those who have
sense. These are the revelations we have
presented to you in truth. For those who
will reject, what other truth can convince them?” (45/3-6)
Allah has stated in unambiguous terms that belief in Him
comes through the study of nature and its laws.
If studying natural law does not lead one to believe in Allah, then
nothing else can. This astounding
declaration illustrates the importance of studying natural phenomena. Real belief based on reason can only be
achieved through this method.
SEEING ALLAH
Saying that Allah “reveals Himself” through natural
phenomena is not a flight of fancy. The
Quran explains this as well as the goal of human life and the purpose of
following the laws of Allah. Everyone
wants to “meet” or “find” Allah. The
Quran says, “Allah is He who raised the heavens without any visible support,
firmly in charge of the central control.
He has subjected the sun and moon (to His laws), each one runs its
course for an appointed time. He
regulates all affairs, explaining things in detail, that you may believe with
certainty in meeting your Rabb.”
(13/2) The Quran describes the
setup of the universe and follows by saying that meeting with Allah is
possible. It indicates that if you want
Allah to reveal himself to you then you have to study the universe, scrutinize
every object in it, and through observation and experiment, discover the laws
governing this system. Thus all the
mysteries of Nature will be unlocked one by one and you will gain insight into
how Allah is sustaining this universe. This
is what meeting and “seeing” Allah means.
As far as the entity of Allah is concerned, He is beyond the comprehension
of human minds, let alone sense-perception.
Seeing or meeting Him does not refer to the physical sense, it means
gaining knowledge of how the universe functions and is regulated by Him. It is clear that according to the Quran, only
those who observe natural phenomena can know how Allah runs the universe. It is a long, arduous process which sometimes
requires scaling the highest peaks of the Himalayas, diving to the bottomless
depths of the Atlantic, bearing the scorching
heat of the Saharan dessert, and doing research in the bone chilling cold of
the North Pole. This kind of research is
only carried out by those who are not satisfied with what they know at present;
those who look beyond the horizon and strive for more knowledge. The Quran says, “Verily, in the alteration of
the night and day, and in all that Allah has created, in the heavens and the
earth are signs for those who are devoted believers (muttaqeen).” (10/6)
WHO ARE THE DEVOTED
BELIEVERS (MUTTAQEEN)
The verse mentioned above describes the muttaqeen. It goes on to say, “Those who expect not the
meeting with Us, but desire the life of this world and feel secure therein, and
those who are neglectful of our revelations are doomed people because of their
negligence.” (10/7) These verses offer a cause for the cyclical
rise and fall of nations. Those who are
satisfied with the status quo and do not strive for improvement and a better
future are devoid of thought and action; they fall from grace and are left far
behind in the struggle of life. In
contrast, those nations that work hard to develop new inventions and make new
discoveries surge far ahead. Because of
their initiative and well directioned hard work, nature rewards them by
revealing its hidden treasures.
A LIFE OF DEPRIVATION
“Those who disbelieve in Allah’s revelations and in their
meeting with Him, such are deprived of the means of sustenance—an extreme
penalty.” (29/23) In this verse, being deprived of the
amenities of life is considered a great penalty. For example, rivers of petroleum flowed under
the desserts of Arabia but the people were
content with their meager existence.
They did not have the will, desire, or the knowledge to find and utilize
this hidden gift of nature. As a result
they were dependant on others for even the most basic of necessities. Western nations made the effort to discover
and start pumping the hidden petroleum, and as a result the people of the
region benefited and became prosperous.
Many countries have great potential, but their people are happy with the
status quo and prefer whatever is easily available, so nothing motivates them
to work harder. As a result they are
always one step behind, and in many cases dependant on, other nations. On the other hand, there are European nations
with very little land but with so much production capabilities that they not
only provide for local needs but they even manage to export surplus food. This is due to the fact that they are
perpetually laboring in accordance with the laws of nature in order to take
advantage of its hidden treasures. It is
a divine law that the livelihoods of those who eschew the laws of Allah
continuously diminish (20/124). This law
is universal and there are no exceptions.
Muslims have been shunning this law for centuries; as if this were not
enough, we also have not put our senses to proper use and have been thus
divested of these faculties. We have
fallen into the category of those people whose “hearts, ears, and eyes have become
useless, and they do not take heed.”
(16/108)
Some people think that “meeting Allah” means being
accountable to Him for our deeds after our death. Though in the context of the above mentioned
verses this meaning is not appropriate, the fact remains that in order to
believe in a meeting with Allah, observation and study of natural phenomena is
vital. Life after death and
accountability for actions is an essential part of our belief.
PROOF
In the above paragraphs the Quran has explained that:
i) Knowledge is only that which
can be verified by the human senses and mind,
ii) Use of the senses means to
observe natural phenomena, study the laws of nature, carry out consistent
research, and experience the revelation of Allah’s laws that run the universe
and provide systematic sustenance, growth, and development.
Such practice
is the hallmark of believers in general and the duty of muttaqeen in
particular. This is zikr-o-fikr
i-khudawandi, or following the laws of Allah. This behavior brings to light the hidden
secrets of the universe and on the basis of knowledge we can say to our Rabb,
“You did not create anything in vain.”
This is not
all that must be done. Allah has stated
that there is testimony to the truth of Quranic claims in the form of signs
provided by Him in the universe. “We
will show them our signs in the farthest regions of the earth, and in their own
minds until it becomes manifest that this is the Truth.” (41/53)
As an aside, when the entanglements of truth in the intricacies of time
can be sorted out through human knowledge and effort, only then will these
claims become manifest. In this verse
the word anfus (internal world) is mentioned along with afaq
(external world), which shows that science is not confined to the laws of
physics but encompasses all the social sciences as well, the latter of which
have to be developed by practical research.
History, psychology, and sociology are important in this
distinction. With the passage of time
the physical and social sciences will continue to reveal and confirm the claims
made by the Quran. This is obvious since
the Quran is the book of Allah and He sees everything all the time. “Is it not enough that Allah oversees all
things.” (41/53) Whatever He reveals about the universe and
objects within it is based on fact and is not a presumption. “Say, the Quran was revealed by Him who knows
the secrets of the heavens and the earth.”
(25/6)
It will be
fitting to mention a book named The Great Design. A questionnaire was sent to a large number of
scholars around the world asking whether each one felt that the universe was
functioning according to a definite system, or whether it came into being
accidentally and is being governed similarly.
The answers were compiled into the above-mentioned book without any
review or editing. All of the scholars
reached the same conclusion based on their individual fields of research: that
this universe is functioning in accordance with an established order designed
by an all-knowing creator. They
appreciate the order and discipline of the system but being oblivious of the
Quran, cannot correctly identify the entity that is running such a harmonious
and efficient system. However, they are
observing His great system of sustenance (Rabubuiyat) personally. With such a foundation it would be easy for
these kind of scholars to discover the truthfulness of the Quran if someone
presented it to them.
Maurice
Bucaille, in his book The Bible, the Quran and Science, discusses
various Quranic claims that are verified by modern scientific research.
People who have
been unaware of these signs in the universe have their doubts about seeing
proof of Allah. In fact they would not
have to go very far to do so; the study of any object in the universe can
provide evidence for the workings of Allah’s laws. The rabubiyat order is not tied to any one
thing but encompasses the whole of the universe: “Indeed, are they in doubt
concerning the meeting with Allah? It is
He who controls all things.” (41/54)
WHO ARE SCHOLARS (THE
ULEMA)
We have so far seen the Quranic definition of
knowledge. By knowing this it is easy
to figure out who, according to the Quran, is a knowledgeable person and what
the term actually means. The Quran has
even explained this fact so there is no confusion:
“Did you not
ponder the rain that Allah caused to fall from the sky, with which we produce
fruit of diverse colors; and among the mountains there are layers of red and
white which differ in shade and type, some being dark in color. Similarly, humans and animals are of
different colors and kinds. Among the
followers of Allah and knowledgeable persons (ulema) are those who are
awestruck by the greatness of Allah.”
(35/27-28)
These two verses deal with different parts of the
universe, different branches of nature, and different fields of science. Physics, botany, zoology, and the humanities
are all touched upon. The knowledgeable
persons are awestruck because their insight has convinced them of His power and
Wisdom in controlling the universe perfectly.
The Quran has referred to those people as ulema, and in modern
terminology they are called scientists.
These are the people who study nature and after observation and
consistent experimentation, conquer the forces of nature. Allah has put the forces of nature under our
control, but only those who know the laws can manipulate these forces. The only way to become one of the ulema is to
acquire this knowledge.
THE ULEMA (MULLAHS)
After learning the Quranic definition of ulema, it is an
interesting exercise to compare our current ulema with it. They do not know the fundamentals of natural
sciences, and their knowledge is limited to theoretical discussions and verbal
emendations. These discussions are
mostly related to issues that have no bearing on the universe or the practical
life of people. The curriculum of
religious schools is spread over ten years during which students study logic,
philosophy, rhetoric, grammar, literature, etc, most of which is outdated. They also learn about astronomy, geometry,
and arithmetic, which are also outdated.
It is curious to note that the study of the Quran is not included in the
curriculum. A certain exegesis
(Jilalain) is taught that consists of only synonyms of the Quranic words. In the last year of study an exegesis of the
second chapter of the Quran is taught (Bazadi).
This is the education upon completion of which they receive
certification for becoming an aalim (knowledgeable person). Here is a case in point to illustrate just
how much knowledge these people have:
When the use of loudspeakers was introduced in India
before 1947, a fatwa was sought on their use for religious purposes. The president of the organization of ulema,
Mufti Kafayat-ullah, wrote:
“The device,
about which the opinion has been sought, has not been seen but it is heard that
such a device, when it is placed in front of an orator and he speaks while
facing it, the device absorbs the sound and then broadcasts it to such a
distance that the sound would not reach even a quarter of the distance without
the help of the device.” (Naqeeb, 10
Nov. 1941)
The Mufti then
gave his verdict in favor of the use of loudspeakers. However, another aalim, Mufti Mohammad
Shafee, a senior teacher in the religious academy of Deoband,
published a verdict in a magazine in which the use of the devices for prayer
was declared unlawful. He wrote that he
did not know the nature of the device and how it worked. He sought information from the science
teacher, Mr. Brij Nandan Lal of Alexander High School of Bhopal, and the
teacher said, “Because of the use of electrical power I am hesitant to believe
that the sound is original, and find it hard to deny it either because to prove
otherwise is equally difficult.” After
this “exhaustive research” and on the basis on conjecture from a non-Muslim, a
Muslim aalim decided that it was the decree of Allah and His prophet to forbid
the use of loudspeakers. This
illustrates nicely how ignorant the ulema are in matters natural and modern
science; it is ironic that they still retain the ability to issue verdicts (fatwas)
on them, however. In Pakistan not only is the expression
of personal opinions a target, but law making has fallen victim to the same
ignorant judgments.
CLARIFICATION OF A
MISUNDERSTANDING
From the various explanations so far it is evident that, according
to the Quran, the Mumineen, Muttaqeen, those who abide by and keep Allah’s laws
in sight, and those who have faith and long to “meet” with Allah, are people
who study the universe and perform practical research on the objects therein as
well as the forces of nature. The
experience thus gained is called knowledge, and the Quran calls those who have
this knowledge ulema.
At this point it comes to mind that European and North
American nations are not Mumin and Muttaqi in the true sense of the words. While it is very important to acquire
scientific knowledge, it is wrong to assume that just by doing so one can
become a Mumin or Muttaqi. The critical
factor is whether one uses the information according to the laws of Allah. So, there are two conditions in becoming a
Mumin: to gain knowledge from nature, and to use it according to the
injunctions of Allah. The Quran demands
that “its system be accepted in its totality.”
(2/208) A nation that does not
meet both of these criteria cannot be Mumin, and since Muslims fail regarding
the first condition, we cannot claim to be Mumin. In addition, if we do not have knowledge of
the forces of nature, we will not be able to use them as Allah has advised in
the Quran. In contrast, Western nations
do not fulfill the second criterion; thus, on a practical level, Muslims and
western non-Muslims are in the same position.
In order to use the forces of nature in accordance with
Allah’s laws it is absolutely necessary to study the Quran because these laws
are contained within it. Those who are
firmly grounded in knowledge conduct affairs of the state according to Allah’s
injunctions because they know “if any fail to judge by the light what Allah has
revealed, they are no better than the unbelievers.” (5/44)
As a result of rejecting the Quran, human society, in spite of its
prosperity, turns its environment into a living hell. This progressive demise is evident in western
culture. Despite all their scientific
prowess they cannot find the right solution to human problems. Their senses and mind are not helping them,
and about these kinds of nations the Quran says, “And we had firmly established
them in prosperity and power. And we endowed
them with hearing, sight, a heart, and intellect. But of no avail to them were their faculties
when they went on rejecting the commandments of Allah, and they were encircled
by that which they used to mock.”
(46/26)
If Western nations use the forces as well as the rewards
of nature in Allah’s cause, the hell through which all of humanity is suffering
would be transformed into a much sought after paradise. Those who are satisfied with the status quo
and do not act according to Allah’s law of Rububiyat live a damned life. In contrast, people who have firm belief in
the word of Allah and work constructively within Allah’s system are on the
right path and enjoy gardens of lush verdure.
They are concerned for each other’s well being and recognize that the
universe has not been created in vain.
Such a society will continue to expand until it encompasses the whole of
humanity, and at that time everyone will acknowledge that Allah’s system of
universal sustenance is superlative.
CONCLUSION
If we Muslims want to shape our society according to the Quran, then we
must become competent researchers and scientists in every field of
knowledge. Through observation and
experiment in both the internal world (anfus) and external world (afaq), the
forces of nature can be harnessed and then the rewards amassed can be used and
distributed according to the laws given in the Quran. Only people with these characteristics are
qualified to be called ulema. If we
continue to hold our current distorted view of knowledge in Islam, not only
will meeting with Allah be impossible, but we will not even be included in the
category of living nations.
