Discovery of Islam
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

Once a Muslim Scholar form UK visited India to give a lecture on:  ‘Islam and the west.’ During the question hour, an Indian Muslim asked him: ‘You have given us so much information about Islam and the west, now, would you, please tell us what should the Muslims do, when in minority, in countries such as India?’ The Scholar remained silent for a while and, then, replied: “It is, indeed, a difficult question. In Islam we find a model for the position of strength. But, there is no model in Islam for the position of modesty.”  This is not an individual remark. In fact, it illustrates the way of thinking prevalent almost all over the Muslim world today. It clearly shows what is the mental framework of today’s Muslims. They are consciously or unconsciously, looking at their glorious history in order to understand their status and role in the world.  According to this mental framework when they find a prominent model of strength they naturally conclude that the worldwide political dominance of Muslims is what Islam stands for. Due to this mental framework they fail to penetrate the veil of the glorious history to seek guidance directly from the Quran and Sunnah. If they did so, they would, certainly, have succeeded in finding role models for all human positions including modesty. They will further realize that it is not the political but the ideological spread of Islam through peaceful D^‘awah work that the Muslim Ummah has to struggle for everywhere and under all circumstances. 

In contrast to the prevalent misconception that Islam failed to provide its followers any model for the position of modesty; an unbiased study of Prophet’s biography will reveal that up till the conquest of Makkah in the 8th A.H., 20 years out of 23 years of his life as a Prophet, have been spent in exactly what nowadays is termed as the position of modesty. When, Chronologically, more than 3/4 of the Prophetic mission portrays a picture of modesty, then what it is that makes one remark that there is no Islamic model for Muslim minorities in India or elsewhere? The fact is that such people are so overwhelmed by the political glory built during the later period of the Muslim history that their eyes are totally blinded incapacitated for seeing the glory of modesty in the life of the Prophet.  

This shift in later history of drawing inspiration from the political glory instead of from the Quran and Sunnah, has, unfortunately, blurred the general vision of the present Muslims to such an extent that the original Islam has turned into an alien religion among them. Although, they proudly claim that Islam is a complete code of life and that their Prophet had set a perfect role model for all times to come, However, due to their own misdirected approach they are unable to find any model for the position of modesty which (model of modesty) is comparatively much more important than the model of the position of strength as it is popularly called.

This state of affairs is just in accordance with the prophetic prediction that declare:  “Islam has (Islam began as a stranger) initially been a stranger.  And, finally, it will again become a stranger. Let, then, the strangers be blessed.”  (Muslim)  It would not be an exaggeration to say that the original version of Islam has literally become as something totally unfamiliar to both Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Islam, thus, has to be rediscovered. And to rediscover Islam, we have first of all, got to discover what are the factors that have made Islam a stranger in the world.

ning that people have misunderstanding about their religion. For instance, the followers of Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity do not hold that their religion is a misunderstood religion. This problem of misunderstanding is related exclusively to Islam. One who studies Islam, directly from its sacred scriptures is astonished to find that original Islam is totally different from what it is generally understood. One reason that may be assigned to it is that adherents of other religions do not mix-up their religion with their communal politics. They do not generally try to secure their   worldly interests in the name of their religions as the present Muslims are doing it on a large scale.

In this way other religions remain before people in, as it is form. He

 would you, please tell us what should the Muslims do, when in minority, in countries such as India?’ The Scholar remained silent for a while and, then, replied: “It is, indeed, a difficult question. In Islam we find a model for the position of strength. Bese books aim at removing the misunderstandings in regard to Islam holding that people,  (non Muslims), have come to regard mistakenly that Islam was a religion of intolerance and violence. But the actual question to be addressed is as to why such misunderstanding has even taken place. This misunderstanding is not based on some allegation; rather it is based on the fact that the Muslims of today, in almost every country are displaying violence and intolerance with others. And they have adopted this course of action in the name of Islamic movement or Islamic Jihad.  Had Muslims done so in the name of their own communal interest and people would have attributed that to Islam, then this would have amounted to a misunderstanding or allegation. But when Muslims themselves have attributed their activities to Islam, in such a case it becomes a case of proper understanding instead of being a case of misunderstanding.  

Furthermore, the educated class of modern times is obsessed with the concept of anthropology, which treats the study of religion as a social phenomenon instead of as a revealed truth. Therefore, according to their way of thinking they naturally come to regard the activities of Muslims to be Islam itself. And their thinking is further confirmed when they find that Muslims themselves are to engaged in those activities in the very name of Islam.

In such a state of affairs the real task to be performed is to differentiate between Islam as such and Muslims.  This should be made clear to people that Islam and Muslims are not necessarily one and the same thing.  Islam is an ideology. One who adopts this ideology in full is a Muslim otherwise he is not a Muslim. So, you will have to differentiate between Islam and Muslims. You will have to judge Muslims in the light of Islamic ideals and not to judge Islam in the light of what the Muslims are doing in the name of Islam.

Prophetic Perspective

In a hadith the Prophet of Islam has observed:  My generation is the best one, then the second generation and then the third generation (Sahih Muslim 8/550)

 This means that the best period of Islam is that of the first generation, then that of the second generation and then that of the third generation. These three periods are known in the history of Islam as the period of the Prophet’s companions and the period of Prophet’s companions’ companions.

 There is nothing mysterious about it. Degeneration is a law of nature, which applies to every group. This process of degeneration begins after the first generation itself. By the third generation, however, its roots weaken. By the time it reaches the fourth generation that age sets in when the characteristics of the first generation are considerably weakened. This process goes on until after a few centuries that period begins when we certainly do find (some) individuals having imbibed the true spirit of Islam, but, on the whole, the society is bereft of these features of the early Islam.

 This is what is meant by ‘strangeness of Islam’ in the prediction of the Prophet quoted above.  In latter times this difference is so explicitly marked that the Islam of the early days becomes to appear strange to the Muslims of the latter day.  Some basic reasons of this transformation are outlined below:

 Separation of Spirit and Form

 The first reason for this difference lies in the separation of the spirit from the form. In later generations the form remains intact but the spirit is lost to the extent that their state can be compared to a fruit whose skin is intact but is devoid of pulp altogether.

 For instance, in the first phase Imaan (faith) meant realization of God, while in later times Imaan becomes synonymous to the verbal recitation of the creed of Islam (kalimah).  In the early phase ibadat (worship) meant Khushu,  (spiritual devotion) but in later times it becomes synonymous to a set of rituals. In earlier times Akhlaq (good moral character) meant unilateral good character, but in later times it becomes synonymous to bilateral character. That is if others do good turn to us we shall also return good to them and if they treat us badly we shall return the same to them.

 If, in the early period of Islam, the post offices were identified with responsibility, in the later period it becomes associated with honor and prestige. In the early phase, the ideology of Islam is highlighted in; later phase history of Islam replaces the ideology. In the first phase Islam is an issue of duty, in the second phase, it becomes an issue of pride. In the first phase, Quran is a book of tadabbur,  (deep contemplation), whereas in the second phase if becomes simply a book for recitation. In the first phase, following in the footsteps of the Prophet is given utmost   importance but in later times, the Prophet is glorified as a national hero to assert their   own greatness over other nations. While the thinking of the first generation is that they can earn paradise only on the basis of their personal deeds. The people of the later period come to regard that mere association with the Ummah (community) is enough to secure paradise. People of the first generation turn to the original texts as preserved in the Quran and Sunnah to seek guidance in every matter, while people of the later generation refer to the commentaries and interpretations produced afterwards.  In the first phase self-reckoning and criticism is appreciated, in later times criticism becomes a taboo as they become reluctant to accept their own faults, considering themselves above any shortcoming.

 Due to these differences, the religion of the first phase of Islam becomes an unknown religion for the people of the later phase. This state of affairs reaches the point up to that when they are called to the religion of the first phase they find it so unfamiliar to their thinking   and practices that they become dire opponents of such a call.  However, there is no doubt that one who loses his popularity among the people as a result of calling them towards the original Islam will have a great reward reserved for him by God in the Hereafter.

 Communalization of the Religion

 Another reason for people’s alienation to the real Islam is that people fall from the high pedestal of principled religion to the level of communal religion. Then, this communal agenda is Islamized. The ideals of Islam are replaced with their communal aspirations. For instance, in modern times, Muslims are faced with many kinds of communal problems such as the usurpation of their land, the deprivation of political power, cultural invasion, exploitation in terms of economic resources, etc. There are so many communal problems like these the Muslims of today are suffering from at the hands of their opponents.

 The Muslims, all over the world, have launched movements in the name of these issues; at some places in the form of protest and demand and at some places by means of armed conflict. If all these activities have any justification, it is only communal.  But all these activities are given the name of Islam. They fight for their   communal objectives and call it Islamic jihad.  Their leaders form political parties, initiates violent conflict with other rulers, to gain power.  This solely power politics is given the name of Islamic politics. So-called Islamic Jihad is the most prominent example of engaging   in non-Islamic activities under the banner of Islam.  At various places Muslims are engaged in fighting for their own communal   purposes, but they call it Islamic jihad. The harm of such violent jihad has multiplied by 1000 fold due to modern media.  The reason being that modern media is an industry of selective news. It always gives publicity to hot news instead of soft news. Therefore, the violent activities of Muslims find place in the modern media as hot news.  This has distorted the image of Islam to such a great degree and extent that today Islam and violence have become synonymous.

This state of affairs has developed this thinking among Muslims that the cause of Islam can be served only through jihad activism, that is, armed struggle.  In such a situation according to this mind set, they are unable to understand the significance of peaceful struggle.  Anyone who talks in terms of peace and tolerance is suspected for his integrity.  Any attempt at making them understand the importance of peaceful struggle is seen as a conspiracy to keep them away from the act of jihad.  In such a state of affairs it is an extremely difficult task to call Muslims to peaceful Islam. Such a mission involves the risk of being discredited among one’s own co-religionist; consequently the call goes unheeded. 

Veil of Interpretation

One reason for original Islam becoming alien is that in later times the self styled interpretations of the Quran and Sunnah gradually placed a veil over the original Islam of Quran and Sunnah.  A time comes when the original Islam is completely obscured from view.  The wrong man-made interpretation takes the place of revealed guidance.  People mistakenly take that to be the real Islam in later times.

In the early phase of Islam people derive their religion directly from the Quran and Sunnah, therefore, their association with the original Islam remains intact.  But the interpretations and explanations of later days serve only to be a cover on the original teachings. The natural beauty of Islam disappears.  The Quran and Sunnah now serve as a relic instead of an instrument of guidance. Thus the religion comes to be derived from the latter day interpretations and explanations instead of from the original scriptures. 

How this corruption sets in the literature produced by the later generations?  The answer is that these people having command on the language are able to acquire superficial knowledge of the scriptures but are unable to understand in depth, for which realization (ma‘arifa) is required. When one finds religion at the level of realization God bestows him with the wisdom (hikmah) with which he understands the deeper meaning of the words of the scriptures.  While those who are not blessed with this special gift of wisdom, they have nothing by which to understand Islam except their own preconceptions.

They begin to interpret religion according to their   own mind set.  The result is that, although, they refer to the Quran and Sunnah, but their interpretations have nothing to do with the Quran and Sunnah.  Then the degeneration reaches to the extent that they would appear to follow Islam but they will be far from the spirit of Islam.  They fail to differentiate between God sent religion and man-made interpretation. At this point, one who calls people to the original Islam becomes alien among one’s own people.  He fails to gain popularity among the Muslims. However losing popularity in this world for the sake of God is to gain greater reward in the life Hereafter. For, when the image of Islam had been distorted it was they who attempted to revive its original form by taking all the risks involved in the process.

One great loss of these additions to the original Islam was that of the shift of emphasis.  Some important teachings of Islam were relegated to the background, for instance, concern for the extended humanity, D’awah, patience etc.  D’awah is the greatest mission of the Muslim Ummah.  After the finality of Prophethood the mission of the Prophet has not come to an end. The Mission continues through the Ummah.  For this reason, D’awah work is the obligatory duty of this Ummah.  It would be no exaggeration to say that without the performance of this duty its very credibility of being Ummah Muhammadiya becomes doubtful.  Strangely, indeed, D’awah found no place (figured nowhere) in the literature produced later on.  Nor it has been mentioned anywhere in the Muslim agenda today. The classical commentaries of the Quran (Tafsir) fail to give any prominence to the concept of D’awah.  In books of hadith, we find all kinds of chapters except for D’awah.  Similar is the case of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), which also covers all the topics save that of D’awah. Nearly all the books of Fiqh are devoid of D’awah Chapter.

According to the Quran, patience (Sabr) is a deed, which makes man eligible for the highest reward (8:46) one who exercises patience will be exceptionally rewarded beyond measure (39:10).  But the interpretation that gained popularity in later age is that the injunction of Sabr, patience, has been abrogated and replaced by Jihad (in the sense of Qital, fighting) Thus, a person who studies these books, gathers consciously or unconsciously the impression that patience might have been important in the past but nowadays it has lost its relevance.  Now Jihad (in the sense of Quital) not Sabr is of the foremost importance. 

Hence, whenever a reformer calls Muslims back to their duties concerning D’awah and Sabr, then, according to their mindset, they find it alien to their thinking, and therefore, they become allergic to such a call.

Obsession of Historical Glory

As, mentioned above, one of the major reasons for original Islam becoming an alien religion among the Muslims is that for the later day generations the source of deriving Islam became the later history of Islam instead of the Quran and Sunnah.  Muslims found their glorious history far more attractive, while the Quran and Sunnah consisted only of a set of words.  Their   history gave them immense sense of pride, as it was full of imperial grandeur and conquests.  Although, they continue to recite the Quran as lip service, but practically they were lost in the glories of Islamic history. Gradually they came to associate themselves with this grand history.  Instead of the Quran and Sunnah, history became their   source of inspirations.

This change of the source of inspiration incurred immense harm.  When the Quran and Sunnah are one’s intellectual source it is modesty that breeds in his mind, whereas if one makes history as one’s intellectual source, the mentality of pride breeds within him.

If the Quran and Sunnah is taken to be the source, all mankind, in the words of a hadith, will be regarded as God’s family, the whole humanity will become his concern: Whereas, when their minds are shaped by history then they will see themselves as rulers, and others as subjects. If they derive Islam from the Quran and Sunnah, then all the creatures of God, even a blade of grass, would appear to them as God’s signs. Whereas when history is the source of their Islam the forts and palaces of their kings   becomes the signs of grandeur and glory to them.  This is what exactly has happened with the latter day Muslims.  Almost all the activities of Muslims in present times bear a testimony to this fact.  The speeches of their leaders, the books of their writers, the poetry of their poets, seem to move around their glorious history.  Their writers and speakers provide them food for historical glory instead of nourishment for divine glory. This is the reason why in modern times the Muslims have written a large number of books on the subject of the celebration of history, but perhaps not a single book has been produced on the majesty of God Almighty. 

In such a state of affairs, when a reformer arises to call Muslims to the religion of the Quran and Sunnah, his voice naturally appears strange to them.  For they would feel that this person is calling us to the position of modesty, whereas our religion (that is, history) aims at placing us to the position of strength.  In such an atmosphere the words of the reformer will be rendered worthless, alien and unacceptable.