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Books Section > Islamic Social Justice -- The Holy Prophet
[pbuh] as the Mercy for the Peoples by the Late Hazrat Ameer
Maulana Sadr-ud-Din Sahib
Islamic Social Justice
--
The Holy Prophet (pbuh) as a Mercy for the
Peoples:
Conferred Social Respectability on the Poor
Socialism Pales into Insignificance before Islamic Social
Justice
Friday Sermon by the Late
Ameer Hazrat Maulana Sadr-ud-Din Sahib
Hazrat Maulana recited the following verses: (18:27-28).
"And recite what has been revealed to thee of the Book of thy Lord. There is none who can change His words, and thou will find no refuge beside Him. And keep thyself attached to those who call on their Lord morning and evening seeking His pleasure; and let not thy eyes pass beyond them, seeking the adornment of the life of world; and obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his evil inclinations, and his case exceeds all bounds." (The Holy Quran; 18:27-28).
Guidance for
Mankind:
Hazrat Maulana said:
These Quranic verses draw a pointed attention to the divine guidance for the whole humanity and not for the Muslims only. The guidance referred to therein encompasses all races and all nations. It is for the low and the high, for the "Have-nots" and for the "Have gots", for men and for women and for the slaves and for the masters. In short, the guidance is universal. It aims at creating cosmos out of chaos.
Teaching for Here and
Hereafter:
There is glad tidings in the verse:
"This day have I perfected your Deen [religion] for
you and have completed My blessing. (5:3)" This means that the divine
guidance in the shape of Islam suffices for all spheres of human life
forever. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
was not sent to vouchsafe a few guidelines, he came to bestow on us
his heavenly guidance for this life and the life after
death.
His Indomitable Stand against
Odds:
For his high, noble and everlasting
Mission, he suffered persecution of all hues and colours at the hands
of the sworn enemies for thirteen years His devout followers were
also the targets of all sorts of trials and tribulations. When the
relentless, ruthless and remorseless tormentors observed no sagging
or relaxation in his resolve or determination, they changed their
tactics. They paraded temptations and allurements to induce the Holy
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to soften his
missionary zeal and zest. But the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing of
Allah be upon him) did not succumb to their deceptive technique, His
resolve remained as firm and unshakeable as ever. Then there occurred
the outbreak of hostilities which also signally failed to tell on his
death-less determination. The tactics of the enemies are referred to
in the Holy Quran which says: "They wish that thou shouldest be
pliant so that they may also be pliant." They desired that if the
Holy Prophet should display a spirit of compromise, they would
reciprocate by adopting milder methods. When all types of strategy
failed, the enemies waged war against the Holy Prophet and his
followers. In spite of the evident resourcelessness and the
conspicuous lack of the sinews of war, the Holy Prophet (peace and
blessing of Allah be upon him) faced the fiery ordeal with
unparalleled gallantry. At long last, the enemies were routed and the
Holy Prophet came out with flying colours and entered the Holy City
of Mecca as a glorious victor.
General
Amnesty:
If the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing
of Allah be upon him) showed remarkable perseverance and
determination during thirteen years of soaring crises, he displayed
marvellous courage and bravery as a front-rank warrior in the wars.
Now in the most exhilarating moment of victory over the enemies who
had left no stone unturned to torment and torture him, he rose to the
occasion in a manner which has no parallel in the annals of history.
He proclaimed general amnesty and said: "No blame shall lie on you
this day" (12:93). That day he pardoned his persecutors. The manner
of forgiving was so unique and so humanly impracticable that it made
one feel that the Kingdom of God had descended on the earth as only
the most Merciful and the most Compassionate God alone pardons the
sinners. Humanly speaking, it is unthinkable that after thirteen
years of victimisation by the enemies and after three military
expeditions against Medina when the dearest and nearest Companions
and the relatives were martyred and the Holy Prophet himself
sustained wounds, the inveterate foes would be pardoned by the divine
proclamation of: "No blame shall lie on you this day." This day of
unprecedented amnesty and pardon is a red-letter day in the history
of mankind, because the blood-thirsty enemies are not hauled over
coals. They are not even reprimanded. They are not commanded to
recall their inhuman atrocities They are just let off. They are
allowed to live peacefully.
Justice without Discriminations
against Foes:
After the establishment of the Islamic
State, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) set
a rare example of justice which does not discriminate between a
friend and a foe. The erring Muslims are duly punished. The guiltless
non-Muslims are treated justly. During the British Rule over the
Indo-Pak Sub-continent, we witnessed that in a case between a Muslim
and a British, the British judges invariably favoured the British.
But in a striking contrast with this, the Holy Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) always treated the non-Muslims
strictly in conformity with the canons of justice and fairplay. In a
famous case between a Jew and Taumah Ansari, the Jew was found
innocent and was acquitted honourably. Similarly, when it was
reported that the son of the Governor Amr bin-al Aas had beaten a
Christian, both the father and the son were summoned to stand trial
for this atrocious behaviour. The false sense of amour propre
was spurned with the contempt it deserved.
The Holy Quran Needs no Human
Advocacy for its Surpassing
Excellence:
During my stay in England, I used to
write articles on the excellences of the Holy Quran and Hadith. The
readers reacted to them in a curious manner. They felt that I was a
socialist, whereas Socialism was quite alien to me. Whatever I state
today in this sermon is derived solely from the Holy Quran. It is all
spontaneous and natural, because a laboured or strained
interpretation of the Holy Quran to suit a certain situation is
forbidden, as it amounts to blasphemy. It is because the Holy Quran
does not stand in need of any secular support.
Socialism is Born of Social
Contrasts:
Socialism appeared in England and
Communism was born in Russia, because the socio-economic systems were
detrimental to the real social well-being. In England the lords look
down upon the commoners. They keep at an arm's length from the poor
people. But Islam does not countenance any social disparity. This is
why during my stay in England there was unfailing equality at the
dining table. The invitees regarded it a privilege to dine in an
atmosphere of human equality, Lord Headley, a Muslim convert, also
sat at the same table This was something very striking for the
British society. It was the rare blessing of the Islamic teachings
that the lords and the commoners sat cheek by jowl.
Divine Command to Follow the Quranic
Injunctions:
In the Holy Quran, the Holy Prophet
(peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) is commanded thus: "Recite
the Holy Quran. It is the word of God Who has revealed it to you for
your spiritual sustenance." In response, the Holy Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "I am the first of the Muslim
and the sincerest and most devoted follower of the Quranic
commands."
The Holy Quran is
Immutable:
The raison de'tre for
strict and sincere conformity with the Quranic injunctions is
that the Holy Quran is the perfect scripture as stated in the verse:
"There is none who can change His words." It is an ideally perfect
scripture. It does not leave anything wanting. Hence no one can ever
think of changing God's words. There is not a jot or a tittle which
any rationalist can brand as irrational. Hence the question of
deletion or amending is absolutely unthinkable. Its teachings are
self-sufficient and everlasting. Their value does not decline by the
lapse of time.
The Holy Prophet's Close
Relationship with the Poor:
The Holy Quran says:
"And keep thyself attached to those who call on their Lord, morning and evening, seek His pleasure." (18:2)
It refers to the poor who kept constant company with the Holy Prophet. The command came because the Arab aristocrats resented the Holy Prophet's loving relations with the poor. They wanted that the poor must first be ousted if the Holy prophet desired to impart Islamic teaching to the tribal chiefs who thought it below their dignity to sit along with the poor and the slaves. They regarded the slaves and the poor people as the scum of the earth. Hence they gave wide berth to them. Overcome with the feelings of contempt they refrained from coming and sitting in the Holy Prophet's company. As a counter to this aristocratic resentment, God says:
"And drive not away those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His countenance" (6:53). The poor are preferred by God because they seek His pleasure Hence they are not to be cast away to draw near the aristocrats who felt a sort of contamination in the company of the poor. Here is a clear and indubitable instance of the privilege granted to the poor. Humanly speaking, there appeared to be an advantage in bringing the tribal chiefs closer, because they could prove a source of strength. But as their close association could be achieved only by black balling the poor, the Holy Prophet was commanded to prize the loyal and sincere contacts of the God-fearing poor people and discard the proud aristocrats. Allah warned the Holy Prophet against cold shouldering the poor people. That the Holy Prophet himself should be commanded to guard against the tactics of the aristocrats and that he should be strictly cautioned against parting company with the poor, shows the regard for the poor which God wanted to infuse in the mind of the Holy Prophet himself. It is the teaching of the Almighty Sustainer of the worlds. In sharing the divine sustenance, the rich and the poor are equal participants.
The Holy Prophet's Love of the
Poor:
It is reported by the
Companions: "The Holy Prophet used to sit so close to us that his
knees touched our knees." The Holy Prophet used to say to the poor:
"I am bound with you in life and in death."
This is the Glorious Revolution which the Holy Prophet created in human society. In contrast with this transformation, Socialism and Communism are the merest moonshine. Islam broke the back of the stiff-necked and stiff-lipped Arab chieftains and created such an impressive scene of human equality, that Hazrat Bilal, Hazrat Salam and Hazrat Salman Farsi used to say with pride that the relevant verse was revealed for their sake. The Holy Prophet gave Hazrat Zainab (God be pleased with her) in marriage to a slave Zaid. Zaid and Usama were appointed military commanders under whom many chiefs served as soldiers. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him) eclipsed all forever by granting respectable status to the poor. Those who had slaves in their family were commanded thus: "None of you should call them: "My slave" and "My handmaid." Similarly, he advised the slaves not to call their masters "My Master and "My Lord." The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) exhorted all human beings that they all were the slaves of Allah Who was their Lord. If we compare with it the achievements of Socialism, the Socialist Revolution pales into insignificance because its aims are earth-bound, hence very limited.
Share of the Poor in the Public
Exchequer:
The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him) not only elevated the status of the poor in the
society, but also defined their share in the Public
Exchequer.
The Holy Quran says:
"The alms are only for the poor and the needy, and for those employed to administer it, and for those whose hearts are to be reconciled, and for the freeing of slaves, and for those in debt, and for the cause of Allah, and for the wayfarer an ordinance from Allah. And Allah is All-knowing Wise." (9:60) The commandment given in this verse forms a basis for the Islamic Social Justice. All categories of the poor and needy people are defined and their right to economic assistance and subsistence is defined. It is made incumbent on the Islamic State to provide for them all out of the Public Exchequer. The poor are not surrendered to the small mercies of the wealthy classes.
Human Beings Constitute the Family
of God:
The Holy Quran says that the human
beings should bear in mind that Allah is the Sustainer of the worlds.
He has made adequate provisions for the economic sustenance of all
His creatures. Side by side with this, He has made ample provision
for their spiritual upbringing also. All nations and races constitute
His family. In this connection, God says: "O mankind, We have created
you from a male and a female; and We have made you into tribes and
sub-tribes." (49:14). After creation, some tribes went to the East
and settled there, others went to the West and made their abode
there. Even these physical distances do not negative the basic fact
of being originally one, because their Creator is the Lord of the
East and the West. If on account of the changing climates, colours of
the skin have changed, that also does not tamper with fact that all
human beings have a common origin. Hence, their oneness as the
creatures of God is immutable. They are the offsprings of Adam and
Adam was created out of clay. Thus the differences of race, language
and nationality cannot divide human race into water-tight
compartments. Likewise, the differences of possessions and property
should not raise Iron Curtains between the rich and the poor. The
mainspring of respectability lies in virtue and piety. The Holy Quran
says: "The most honourable among you is one who is most God-fearing."
It is this principle which illumines the whole Islamic social set-up
and brings into being real fraternity and genuine equality. There can
be no lasting equality without a dynamic belief in the primacy of
piety and virtue.
International
Justice:
It is this stress on piety and God
fearingness which leads to the establishment of international justice
in the real sense of world. In the light of the basic principle of
the oneness of human race, the Holy Quran says:
"Let not a people's enmity incite you to act otherwise than with justice that is nearer to righteousness" (5:91). Here also virtue comes into meaningful play, because it is the fear of God alone which debars a man or a nation from encroachment and aggression. Thus, belief in the original oneness of mankind and strict adherence to piety and virtue can guarantee the maintenance of peace and cordiality between the Muslims and the non-Muslims. During the Holy Prophet's time, there was not the slightest deviation from the twin principles of common origin and the primacy of piety. It was the miracle of the sacred personality of the Holy Prophet who was fittingly called Mercy for all Peoples by God Himself.
Claims of the Poor on the
Rich:
The Holy Quran lays down:
"It is obligatory on the wealthy people to share their wealth with the poor because it is the poor people who as workers produce wealth. In a way, the rich people are dependent on the poor people. A wealthy man needs a cook. He needs a driver, a watchman. He cannot do without the services of these servants This is why it is said: "Bear in mind that the poor people help their wealthy bosses by rendering the required services." They are the real producers of wealth. Hence, the wealthy people owe a debt of gratitude to them. This is why the needy and the destitute have a right to claim a share in the riches of their employers.
The Poor should Respect the
Rich:
The poor people are commanded to be
respectful to the rich people, because they have a degree of
respectability in the eyes of God Who has blessed them with riches.
Once when Hazrat Saad-bin-Maaz came, the Holy Prophet exhorted those
present thus:
"Stand up as a token of respect for your chief." 'The rich people contribute to the construction of mosques. They finance social welfare institutions. They also build schools for the benefit of the poor.
In the absence of their philanthropic services, there can be no missionary activities which require ample finances. Thus, the rich people who unstring their purses for the good of the people at large, have a status worthy of reverence. To this effect Hazrat Ayesha (God be pleased with her) observed:
"The Holy Prophet said that the people should be shown such respect as their status demands."
The Question of
Self-respect:
Socialism and Communism have
very limited horizons. Their plans are confined to mere bread &
butter. But the Holy Prophet's splendid plan aimed at promoting
self-respect among the poor people. He created a Balanced Society in
which every individual commands such respect as is due to his social
status. The rich are under obligation to vindicate their
respectability by their benevolent behaviour. Hazrat Abu Bakr spent
forty thousand dirhams to set the slaves free. Hazrat Usman got a
well dug for the poor. It was the Islamic teaching which urged them
to spend their riches for the benefit of the poor.
International
Equality:
In his sermon on the occasion of the
Last Hajj, the Holy Prophet said:
"Indeed your Sustainer is One. Your progenitor is one." Hence no Arab has any superiority over non-Arab nor has the non-Arab any superiority over the Arab. It is virtue and piety which elevate one's status. This highlights the fact that Islam does not recognise nationalism in the political sense. This is why the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him) did not claim any ascendancy for the Arab people. If he discountenanced Arabism, he also condemned any alien nationalism, because it is racial pride or national arrogance which fan the fires of international conflicts.
Exhortation at the Time of
Death:
At the time of death, the Holy Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) exhorted the chiefs to
treat the slaves benevolently. He also commanded that the rights of
the wives should be jealously guarded and safeguarded. Thus
throughout his life, he laid emphasis on providing safeguards for the
poor and the destitute.
The Holy Prophet in the Eyes of His
Wife:
On the occasion of the first
prophetic revelation, the Holy Prophet was filled with fear and was
trembling. He addressed his noble spouse Hazrat Khadijah and said: "O
Khadijah what is the matter with me." She replied:
"I swear by Allah that He will never put thee to shame; for thou art one who unites uterine relations, thou takest the burden of others on thyself and providest what is not available, thou honourest thy guest and helpest people when they are in trouble on account of their supporting the truth."
The Sons of Adam are
Honourable:
The Holy Quran proclaims:
"We have conferred honour on the sons of Adam." The teaching is universal. Every human being, be he a Hindu or a Christian or one belonging to a low caste is worthy of due regard. The criterion is:
"The best of the people is one who is most useful."
The Holy Prophet also said:
"The most honoured in the eyes of God is one who is most God-fearing."
It is in the light of these comprehensive and all-encompassing codes which Islam gave to mankind that God said: "I have perfected your religion for you." This categorical Divine imperative leaves no room for any other teaching. As a matter of fact, after owning allegiance to Islam, humanity does not stand in need of any other code. This is why the Holy Prophet is called: "The Last of the Prophets." This perfection is best depicted thus:
"In the Holy Prophet's pious person every prophetic excellence reached its perfection. Undoubtedly, prophethood came to an end."
This page was printed from the 'Official Website of the Ahmadiyya
Anjuman Isha'at-e-Islam Lahore (Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement for
the Propagation of Islam)'
located at http://aaiil.org
or http://www.aaiil.org