The attainment of tazkiyah is wholly a psychological act and can be attained only at that level. A psychological act means an act at the intellectual level. The human mind is at the centre of all kinds of human development. It is in fact the mind which is the deciding factor in shaping the human personality. The non-purified personality and the purified personality are both products of the mind.
It is a positive intellectual development that is actually required for tazkiyah. That is, one has to develop one’s conscious mind to such an extent that it may become discriminating, it may convert negative thoughts into positive thoughts, it may have glimpses of the Creator in His creation, and may discover spiritual aspects in material events.
It may reject Satan’s temptations, it may rise above the temptations of the self, it may distance itself from fruitless actions, it may make out its real well-wishers, it may accept advice, even if that be against its nature, it may develop anti-self-thinking, and be able to set the goal of spirituality for itself, rising above material goals. One who thinks along these lines will become hereafter-oriented.
All these developments take place at the psychological level, being the result of deep thinking. One who cannot engage in deep thinking will never attain high levels of tazkiyah. The process of tazkiyah can be initiated only in one who is capable of deep thought. Tazkiyah, in fact, is another name for psychological purification. First of all, tazkiyah is performed at the psychological level and only then is it possible for tazkiyah to be achieved at the level of the whole human existence.
The body requires physical food. When it receives its food, it becomes healthy. Similarly, the soul requires spiritual provision. When the soul is provided with such food, it becomes healthy. This process is called purification of the soul and this healthy soul is called a purified and cleansed soul.
According to the Quran, the food for the soul is in thinking. (3:191). At every moment certain incidents take place in the life of a man. These incidents appear at the level of society, history, the universe, etc. Thinking about these incidents or events and deriving lessons from them, is food for the soul.
One who develops his consciousness to such an extent that he sees the glory of God in the events which take place around him, and for whom these events become a means of remembering God, has obtained the divine provision for his soul. His soul will continue to receive this healthy nourishment until he finally leaves this world to be ushered into the Divine Presence.
The most important source of tazkiyah is the lessons one learns to take from every happening. The ability to learn lessons is the basis of tazkiyah. This is the soil from which tazkiyah grows. Trying to encourage its growth at any other place is like trying to grow a green tree on a rock. The source of tazkiyah is divine provision and not human provision. It is the result of that process which is directly established between God and man through a psychological relationship. Tazkiyah is not achieved through any intermediary between God and man. Tazkiyah is a blessing which man receives from God.
Tazkiyah literally means purification. In the extended sense, it means growth. In this respect, tazkiyah means intellectual development or positive personality development.
The mind is not something stagnant, it is ever-growing, like a tree. It is this process that is called “adding faith to their faith” (48:4) in the Quran. Adding faith to faith means development in consciousness, which is another name for intellectual development. The real faith is one which does not stagnate but grows continuously in its conviction about God.
How does tazkiyah or intellectual development take place? The path to this is contemplation. Contemplation is in itself a continuous process—contemplating the Quran and Hadith, the life of the Prophet, the lives of the Companions, the various human disciplines, the universe, the earth, and the heavens. There is also the kind of contemplation that takes place during serious discussions. In this process of contemplation, new ideas emerge, deeper meanings come to light, new aspects hitherto unexplored of different events and realities are discovered, etc.
For one who possesses true faith, every study and observation will become a means of divine discovery; every experience will bring him closer to God. If initially, his faith is in the form of a seed, it will keep growing and assume the form of a fully-grown tree—tazkiyah is the Islamic name for this intellectual and spiritual process.
Faith initially brings us into the fold of Islam, then tazkiyah helps in the development of this faith.
Source: The True Face of Islam
In this world man has to lead his life in circumstances in which he experiences various kinds of situations: there are times of gain, times of loss; times of happiness and times of grief. Sometimes he receives good treatment at the hands of others, at other times his fate is quite otherwise.
The ideal human being of the Quran is one who undergoes all these experiences without losing his integrity. Under no circumstances is his inner peace disturbed. However, untoward the occasion, he can maintain his natural balance. Success does not make him proud. Power does not make him haughty. No bad treatment by others drives him to seek vengeance in anger. At all events, he remains serene. It is such a man who is called 'a peaceful soul' in the Quran. And it is this man who, according to the Quran, has achieved the highest spiritual state.
The realization of God joins man with his Maker. Such communion with the divine brings about a state of spiritual elevation. Having been thus raised to a higher plane of existence, man becomes of a 'sublime character,' (68:4) as it is expressed in the Quran.
Source: The True Face of Islam
The principle of secular democracy is exactly in accordance with the teachings of Islam. There is a verse in the Quran describing those who know this principle as those “who conduct their affairs by mutual consultation.” (42:38)
A tradition of the Prophet explains it further: “As you will be, so will be your rulers.” (Sunan Al Baihaqi Vol. 6, p. 22, Mishkat Al Masabih, No. 3717) This verse and this tradition tells us that the principle of Islam is to accept the opinion of the majority in worldly matters common to all. This principle can be called practical settlement. This practical settlement can be arrived at with declaration or without declaration.
The Prophet of Islam started his mission in Makkah without interfering with the tribal Parliament known as Dar-an-Nadwa’. Neither did he challenge the presence of the 360 idols placed in the Kabah, etc. It was in the nature of an undeclared settlement. After the migration, he entered into a proper written agreement with the Quraysh on the occasion of Hudaybiyyah.
In this agreement, it was mentioned in writing that neither party would commit any aggression, directly or indirectly, against the other. It was, in effect a declared settlement.
Secular democracy is neither an absolute theory nor an eternal system. It is only a practical settlement that is made according to the situation. Its basic purpose is to provide opportunities by maintaining peace in social life.
By avoiding confrontation, such a process should be set in as may facilitate the journey to the desired goal. Holding secular democracy against Islam is extremism, and there is no place for extremism in Islam.
Source: The True Face of Islam
There is a common belief that Islam gives a higher status to men in comparison to women. This is a misconception in the truest sense of the word.
Contrary to the common misconception that Islam holds men superior to women, Islam actually gives equal status to women as that of men. The Quran says: “You are members, one of another.” (3:195)
This means that there is no difference between the two as regards status, rights, and blessings both in this world and in the Hereafter.
The following Hadith gives an apt description of the role of women: “Men and women are two equal halves of a single unit.” (Al Tirmizi)
We see that both the sacred scriptures of Islam make it clear that neither sex is inferior or superior to the other. However, studies in biology and psychology show that the sexes are different in nature, each being designed for a different purpose. So, the Islamic maxim runs: “Equal in respect, but different in role.”
Each being equal has a different sphere of action. That is, in making their contribution to social activity, the men undertake whatever is harder, while the women deal with whatever is lighter.
Source: The True Face of Islam
No, Islam does not curb religious freedom. The Quran went further and stated for the first time in human history:
“There shall be no coercion in matters of religion.” (The Quran, 2:256)
According to God’s creation plan, man has been granted total freedom. Freedom means that, from the moral standpoint, he can take either the right path or the wrong path as he chooses.
This fact has been expressed in the Quran in these words: “This is the truth from your Lord. Let him who will, believe in it, and him who will deny it.” (The Quran, 18:29)
That is to say, let one who wants to accept the truth, accept it. And let one who wants to reject the truth, reject it.
In such a situation it is quite natural that there should be total freedom of speech in Islam. Placing any curb on freedom of speech will go against the creation plan of the Creator Himself. Anyone who misuses his freedom should be countered with logic and argument, not with violence. In other words, the pen will be countered with the pen and not with the sword.
Source: The True Face of Islam
The Quran is not a book in the ordinary, accepted sense of the word. It is more an account of the final struggle to convey the message of Islam. From the most ancient times, God has been sending down the knowledge of the truth through His specially chosen emissaries. In the seventh century of the Christian era, it was God’s will that the inhabitants of the Earth should quite finally be provided with Knowledge of Truth and that a society should be founded on the basis of that Knowledge which would be a source of enlightenment and an example for the whole human race until the Last Day.
The Quran is the most authentic record of the True Call, raised in Arabia by the Final Prophet, who was guided right throughout his prophethood by God Himself. It is a collection of divine instructions, issued for the guidance of this movement at different times over nearly a quarter of a century. But the Quran is not merely a historical record. It is a divine proclamation, valid for all time, and cast in historical mould in order to be presented meaningfully to mankind. It is also a permanent proclamation in that it will decide the fate—good or bad—of human beings in every epoch, in accordance with the will of God.
Source: Quranic: An Abiding Wonder
The Quran is a book of divine warning, a combination of lessons and admonitions. It would be even more appropriately called a book of wisdom. The Quran does not follow the pattern of the traditional didactic book. In fact, when the average reader picks up the Quran, it appears to him to be a collection of fragmentary statements. Apparently, this feeling is not unreal. But this arrangement of the Quran is not due to any shortcoming but is rather in conformance with the Quranic plan of retaining its original form in order to fulfill its purpose of conveying the message of truth to the reader who may, in his forays into the scriptures, read only one page, one verse or one line at a time.
One vital aspect of the Quran is that it is a reminder of the blessings granted by the Supreme Benefactor. The most important of these are the exceptional qualities with which God endowed man when He created him. Another great blessing is that He settled him on the earth, a planet where all kinds of support systems existed for his benefit. The purpose of the Quran is to ensure that, while enjoying these blessings of nature, man will keep his Benefactor in mind: he must acknowledge the munificence of his Creator. It is in so doing that man will gain entry into eternal paradise; ignoring his Benefactor, on the other hand, will lead man straight to hell. The Quran is indeed a reminder of this inescapable reality.
Source: The Quran (Introduction)
The Quran, addressed to humankind, tells us of God’s scheme for human existence—man is placed on earth for the purpose of being tested. The freedom he is given here is not as a matter of right but as a matter of trial. On the outcome of this test, rests the eternal fate of man. The Quran asserts that human beings are eternal creatures, yet only an extremely small part of their lifespan has been assigned to this present world, the remainder is ordained for the Hereafter. As we learn from the Quran, all the revealed books were sent by God so that man might be informed of the nature and purpose of his life. The teachings of the Quran can be summed up under two basic headings:
1. Believing in one God and worshipping Him alone.
2. Regarding all human beings as equal and according them equal rights.
The Quran was revealed as circumstances demanded and not in a purely theoretical way. It enshrines only the basic teachings of Islam. The detailed application of these teachings is to be found in the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad.
The most repeated invocation in the Quran is “In the name of God, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful.” The occurrence of this invocation 114 times in the Quran is in itself an indication of its importance. Every piece of work must have a beginning. It is the Quran’s desire that when one initiates any undertaking one should begin by uttering the name of God. One is thus always reminded of God’s attributes of benevolence and compassion.
Source: Spirit of Islam May 2018
After the death of the Prophet, Abu Bakr became the first caliph. In his time, the Quran not only existed in written form on the bark of date palms, stones, leather, etc., but was also preserved in the memory of the companions. The Quran, when made into a book, was arranged in the order memorized by the companions, and the verses have been preserved in that same order right up to the present day. Zayd ibn Thabit’s work was more a process of collection than of compilation. That is, the scattered bits and pieces of the Quran in written form were collected by him, not just to be assembled and bound in one volume, but to be used to verify the authenticity of the Quran as memorized and passed on in oral tradition by countless individuals. Once this exact correspondence between the oral and written forms of the Quran had been established beyond any reasonable doubt, Zayd proceeded to put the verses of the Quran down on paper in their correct order.
In former times, when the accepted way of disseminating the subject matter of a book was to memorize it, then recite it, it was quite exceptional that the Quran should have been preserved in writing as well as memorized. This was like having a ‘double checking’ system, whereby memory plus written words and written words plus memory could be constantly compared for verification. In his book, The Bible, the Quran and Science (1970), the French author Dr. Maurice Bucaille, says about the process of preservation of the Quran, ‘This process of recitation afforded a considerable advantage as far as an uncorrupted text was concerned, for it provided a system of double-checking at the time the definitive text was written down.’
After Zayd ibn Thabit had prepared the entire Quran and bound it in the form of a book, all other materials collected from different companions, for the purpose of checking and rechecking, were all burnt. Now this volume was handed over to the caliph. After Abu Bakr’s death it remained with Umar, the second caliph. After the death of Caliph Umar it remained in the custody of Hafsa, daughter of Umar and wife of the Prophet.
The third caliph Uthman, as advised by Huzayfa ibn Yaman, had copies made of the volume prepared by Abu Bakr, then sent one copy each to all cities. This task was again entrusted to Zayd ibn Thabit Ansari, who was provided with eleven people to assist him. As per the order of the third caliph, the committee wrote down the Quran in accordance with the spelling of the Quraysh, so that it should conform to the accent (lehja) of the Prophet of Islam. Caliph Uthman subsequently ordered that all other copies of the Quran, which people had written on their own, should be handed over to the government. These were all then burnt by his order. By this method, all the copies of the Quran were made uniform as far as writing was concerned.
These copies of the Quran, made with extraordinary care and precision, were passed on from generation to generation until the age of the press dawned. Many printing presses were then established in the Muslim world, where the beautiful calligraphy of the scriptures was reproduced after its content had been certified by memorizers of the Quran. Thus, once again, with the help of the memorized versions and written texts, correct, authentic copies were prepared; then with the publication of these copies on a large scale, the Quran spread all over the world.
Any copy of the Quran found in any part of the world at any time will be exactly the same as that handed down to the Muslims by the Prophet in his last days, arranged in the form still extant today.
Source: The Seeker’s Guide
The Quran, according to Muslim belief, is a book revealed by God. Today, it exists in the form of a book, but all of its 114 chapters were not revealed at once. They were sent part by part, according to circumstances, over a period of 23 years. The present order of arrangement of the chapters of the Quran is not the same as the order of their revelation.
In ancient times information used to be preserved in human memory. Oral traditions in those days functioned as libraries do today. This system made it possible for the revelations of the Quran to be preserved in the memory of a large number of Muslim companions of the Prophet. And to this day, and in spite of the invention of the press, the institution of memorizing the Quran is still alive all over the Muslim world.
But the message of the Quran was not transmitted purely by oral tradition even during the lifetime of the Prophet. Among his companions were a select group of about half a dozen katib-e-wahy, or transcribers of the revelations. A few of these scribes were always present with the Prophet and whenever any passage of the Quran was revealed, the Prophet would recite it to them. Thereupon, at the exact moment of revelation, they would not only commit it to memory, but would also write it down on any available material, such as paper, bones, leather, or skin. In former times, when the accepted way of disseminating the subject matter of a book was to memorize it and then recite it, it was quite exceptional that the Quran should have been both memorized and preserved in writing.
The second point concerns the arrangement of the verses and chapters of the Quran. When the Quran was revealed in parts, at different times according to the demand of circumstances, how did it come to be arranged in its present form? We find the answer in books of Hadith. It has been proved from authentic traditions that the angel Gabriel, who conveyed the revelations of God to the Prophet, himself arranged these verses in their present order. Each year during the month of Ramadan, the angel Gabriel would come to the Prophet and recite before him all the Quranic verses revealed up till that time. And after listening to the angel, the Prophet would repeat the verses in the order in which he had heard them. This dual process has been termed as al-Irza, or mutual presentation, in the books of Hadith:
In the last year of the Prophet’s life, when the revelations were complete, Gabriel came to the Prophet and recited the entire Quran in the existing order twice, and the Prophet also recited to Gabriel the entire Quran twice. This final presentation is called al-Arz al-Akhirah in the Hadith. (Fathul Bari, pp. 659-663)
And in this way the Quran came to be in the form we are familiar with today, preserved in memories of tens of thousands of the Prophet’s companions even during his lifetime. When the Prophet died in 632 AD, at the age of 63, the Quran existed in two forms: first, in the memory of these companions, who had learned it by rote in what is now its present order; second, in writing—on pieces of paper and other materials, preserved by the companions. What must be noted here is that the order existed in memory, not in writing, though all the parts existed at that time in written form.
Source: The Seeker’s Guide
The Quran, the Book of God, enshrines the teachings which were basically the same as were to be found in previously revealed scriptures. But these ancient scriptures are no longer preserved in their original state. Later additions and deletions have rendered them unreliable, whereas the Quran, preserved in its original state, is totally reliable.
The Quran is a medium-sized book as far as its volume is concerned. It comprises of 114 chapters or surahs. The Quran is a revealed book: it is not authored by a human being. It is the actual word of God in human language. The Quran began to be revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, through the angel Gabriel, in 610 AD, while the Prophet was sitting in seclusion in the cave of Hira at the top of the Mountain of Light, two miles from Makkah. The Quran was not revealed in book form at one point of time. Its various parts were revealed as the occasion demanded. It was later compiled in Madinah during the last days of the Prophet. The entire revelation was completed over a period of 23 years. The last passage was revealed to the Prophet while he was addressing a gathering at Mount Arafat after performing his last Hajj in 622 AD.
The contents of the Quran in a nutshell are belief in one God, and considering oneself answerable to Him; firm belief that the guidance sent by God through the Prophet Muhammad is the truth and that man’s eternal salvation rests thereon.
The position of the Quran is not just that it is one of the many revealed scriptures but that it is the only authentic heavenly book, as all other books, due to human additions and deletions, have been rendered historically unreliable. When a believer in the previously revealed scripture turns to the Quran, it does not mean that he is rejecting his own belief but rather amounts to his having re-discovered his own faith in an authentic form.
The Quran is a sacred book sent by the Lord of all creation. It is a book for all human beings because it has been sent by that Divine Being who is the God of all of us.
The Quran is no new heavenly scripture. It is only an authentic edition of the previous heavenly scriptures. In this respect, the Quran is a book for all human beings, of all nations. It is the expression of God’s mercy for one and for all. It is a complete message sent by God for every one of us. The Quran is a light of guidance for all the world just as the sun is the source of light and heat for all the world.
Source: The Quran (Introduction)
To understand the Quran, you need to know the language, the occasions of revelation of different verses, and so on. These are the basics for understanding the Quran. To progress to a higher level of Quranic comprehension and application of its principles in one’s life, the reader must have developed a “prepared mind”.
This intellectual preparation is a pre-condition for comprehending the Quran. The “prepared mind” that you need for this purpose can be developed through study, reflection, contemplation, discussion, etc. Through such rigorous intellectual activity, you can acquire additional knowledge that can help you develop a certain taste, which will lead you to discern the interpretation and veracity of a particular verse.
Conventional Quranic sciences familiarise you with the technical aspects. On the other hand, intellectual preparation can enable you to get an in-depth understanding of the aspects of the Quran that deal with the realization of God and higher realities. You will be able to draw spiritual lessons from the Quran and develop to be a Godfearing person with a strong affection for God. Your study becomes a creative one, and the Quran becomes for you a means to discover new meanings. Studying the Quran now becomes a moment of meeting God.
Source: Spirit of Islam November 2015
The story of the Prophet Joseph who lived some 3500 years ago, appears in both the Quran and the Bible. In his time, Egypt was under monarchical rule, and the kingdom was an agrarian economy. The king of Egypt ruled as the political authority and appointed Prophet Joseph as the administrative authority. According to the Quran, the law of the land remained with the king, while the agricultural economy was under Prophet Joseph’s control. The Bible describes this arrangement in the words of the Egyptian king as: “Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” (Genesis 41: 40)
Prophet Joseph got this opportunity because of the personal bent of mind of the king as an individual. In terms of applied understanding of the Quran, one can say that in today’s age this same opportunity is available to all believers in general, because of the changed times. Democracy gives an elected ruler a few years to rule. Today, the role of government is essentially to manage the governance of a country. All fields other than governance, such as businesses, education, media and religion, are free and open to all. Every individual now has the right to do as he pleases in all the many non-governmental spheres, provided that in seeking his goals he uses peaceful methods and does not foment conflict against anyone else, whether ordinary citizens or the government.
As a result of the global changes that have taken place through the ages, the ‘best story’ has become a universal principle, an applied living guide for people today. This is a case of applied reflection and understanding of this chapter of the Quran. This same method of applied interpretation is desirable for the whole Quran. In this way, the Quran becomes a book of guidance for humanity today, whereas if the Quran is studied in the light of the earlier-cited principles of exegesis, it will only appear like a story of an age long past.
Source: Spirit of Islam November 2015
There are two levels of Quranic comprehension—the first is the Quran, and the second is the applied Quran. The first level in understanding the Quran is to know how those who lived at the time when the Quran was being revealed understood it. The second level is to try to understand what its applied meaning is in the context of the changed conditions of today.
These conditions for understanding the Quran can be helpful only at the first level of understanding. But, for the second level of Quranic comprehension—the understanding of its applied meaning in the contemporary context—these conditions are wholly insufficient. The only benefit of understanding the Quran at the basic level is that the Quran becomes an understandable book in the historical sense. But as far as the present age is concerned, the current generation will not gain any guidance from it. They may accept the Quran only as a matter of belief, but it will not be possible for them to make the Quran a living guide, although the actual significance of the Quran is its guidance meant for all times and for all people.
Source: Spirit of Islam November 2015
Yes. Today no one needs to be a scholar to perform dawah work. Everyone can perform dawah work as the present age is highly favourable to the communication of the word of God. Today we are living in an age of religious freedom, with communication facilities available as never before in human history. And we are in possession of Quran translations that are clear and in an easily understandable language as well as effective dawah literature in the form of articles, books, audios, and videos explaining Islam in the modern idiom.
All one needs to do to perform dawah work today is to make it their priority. You do not need to abandon all one’s activities and then study all the relevant subjects to become a scholar, for all these steps have already been taken. Now, without changing your life’s plan at all you can make dawah a part of your life, and fulfill your dawah responsibilities in the best possible manner.
Source: Dawah Made Simple
A dayee is like a beacon standing by the roadside as a divine guide for the wandering caravan of humanity. The Quran says: ‘Worship God alone and shun the evil one.’ (16:36) In another chapter, it records the words of the Prophet: “… hasten to God; truly, I am sent by Him to give you a clear warning” (51:50). This is the real point of calling people to God is to warn people to seek out God and shun Satan.
In this world, a man stands in between two calls: one is God’s call, and the other is Satan’s. God is the source of all goodness and calls people toward all that is good. On the contrary, Satan is the source of all evil and calls people towards it. The test of a man is that he should not fall prey to Satan’s illusion: he should instead leave Satan and run toward God.
Source: Dawah Made Simple
Dawah means inviting people to God and Truth. As the Prophet of Islam was the last prophet, the responsibility of dawah is now the duty of the Muslim Ummah. Every Muslim is charged with this mission, as God says in the Quran: “Let there be a group among you who call others to good, and enjoin what is right (marouf), and forbid what is wrong (munkar): those who do this shall be successful.” (3:104)
The fulfillment of this mission, on the individual level, however, varies with the capacity of the Muslim, including their linguistic abilities, confidence, and knowledge.
A dayee (addressor) is an individual who invites others to God and the Truth. A madu (addressee) is the one called to God and the Truth. The successful dayee introduces man to God and His Creation Plan with all sincerity and well-wishing. A dayee is an individual who invites people to God and the truth and makes them aware that they have to bring about an intellectual awakening in themselves so that they may, in recognizing these two demands, control their ego and strengthen the subtle voice of their conscience. Avoiding Satan’s temptations, they may become travelers on God’s path, which will take them to Paradise. This was the mission of the prophets. A dayee takes up this mission in the hope of being given a very special reward in the form of eternal Paradise.
Source: Calling People to God
Dawah work has been termed in the Quran as ‘calling people to God.’ (The Quran, 41:33). In other words, dawah work aims at bringing people closer to their Creator and Sustainer. ‘Calling people to God’ tells them that the only right way of life for them on this earth is to become true believers in God.
Man has only two ways of leading his life in this world: the self-oriented and the God-oriented. A self-oriented life is one in which all activities center on oneself. Such a life is led according to man’s thinking. He follows his whims and desires. To him, fulfilling personal interests and ambitions is the standard to measure human success.
On the other hand, a God-oriented life is one in which man considers himself subservient to God. He moulds his feelings and emotions according to God’s commands. To such a person, a successful life is one in which one lives and dies in accordance with God’s pleasure.
Calling people to God means warning man of the evil consequences of the self-oriented life, inviting him to adopt the God-oriented life. The most authentic and reliable source of knowledge of the divine teachings on both types of life has been preserved in the Quran. Presenting God’s Message in the form of the Quran to people is another name for calling people to God.
Source: Calling People to God
