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Islam Today
By Sayyed Siraj Haider Zaidi
Islam is based on two realities: the personality of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, (Peace be upon Him) who was chosen exactly fourteen lunar centuries ago to deliver God's message and to be the leader of Human kind; and the Qur'an, a book of divine origin which is the Prophet's enduring miracle and which contains God's words in the form of intellectual and practical teachings of a universal nature. These two realities must be considered as one of the most important factors in the development and perfection of Human life, or rather, they are the most important factor to have manifested itself over the course of fourteen century in the faith and practice of hundreds of million of men, extending its influence deep into every aspect of their society.
Islam is a peaceful religion like all monotheiaest religion of the world.
Prayers, (Salat) Fasting, Pilgrimage, Arms giving and defending it from annihilation (Jihad), are the main five Pillars of Islam. The tenants of Islam are believe in 1-TAWHEED (Oneness of God) 2 -ADAL (Justice), 3-NABOOWAT (a believe in prophet Mohammad), 4- IMAMAT (his rightful succession and finally, 5- QAYAMAT (believing in the end of the world). It has now almost seventy-two sub sects or school of thoughts, that varies from each other's. They're over 1billon Muslim in the
world today and almost 51 countries who are predominately Muslim countries. It is the fastest growing religion of the present world.
The fundamental pillars of Islam are common among all Muslims of the world, however various cultures and traditions influence certain aspects of Islam, it is widely practiced by all Muslim worldwide. It can be mainly divided in two major sect of school of thoughts - Sunni school and Shia school of thought. It differs in ideology and disputes have arisen among Muslims, during the early period of ISLAM almost immediately after the demise of the Holy Prophets, about the claim of successor ship or Imamat and Khilafat. Muslims are suppose to be one nation world wide, and do not necessary believe in the nationhood as such. However, the realty that emerge out of the success of Khilafat, and relatively less success of the Imamat, over the last 1400 years…created the nation states among Muslims (This happened, with the direct intervention of the British and other western Powers)
However, ideally the true leader ship or the Imamat that should have lead the Muslim Umma (the entire body of Muslim population worldwide) and which never came to power…until the Islamic Republic of Iran established and implemented the true and correct concept of leadership for the Muslim people all over the world. However, this is only applicable to a country where there is a majority Muslim population. In other words, the supreme leader who is above the president is an Imam of the time, a highest religious leader, who is above the democratically elected parliament and President. The nation can elect the government of their choice, by using the institute of democracy.
I think it is paramount to have some knowledge and backgrounds of the history Islam in order to understand the present Islamic reality of the 21st (Christian) Century. The history of Islam is so vast rich, deep and yet quite simple to grasp. Today, once again Islam is the focus of the world. It has always been ever since the divine religion came for mankind.
Islam came to a small City in Mecca 1424 years ago - present day Saudi Arabia. Islam was immediately high jacked by the so-called Muslims who were power hungry, materialistic and corrupt and more interested in using Islam for their own personal benefit. During the lifetime of the Holy prophet, there was a grate opposition and turbulence among the Muslims and Non- Muslims. Therefore the enemy of Islam declared a war on the family and the Progeny of Prophet. It was said by the Holy Prophet that after me I will be leaving two weighty things behind, do not separate one from the other.
One will be the book of Allah, Quran and the other is my Ahlul Bait (my Progeny). The Islam will be saved in their hands. It was not in too distant future that Abu Sufian and his son Muawya want to claim the inheritance of Islam to them self. They were present day Saddam Hussein and his tyrannical regime. The most corrupt ruthless and unjust ruler of the time. It was the grand son of the Holy Prophet, Imam (meaning leader) Ali Abdullah Al-Hussein who saved the correct and true Islam from inhalation. After Muawya, his son Yazid came to power, and immediately he forced Imam Hussein to accept the oath of allegiance. Imam Hussein refused, He said "A person like me can never give an oath of allegiance to a person like you" Yazid was every thing that Islam abhor, while Imam Hussein was a living and real Imam of the Muslim (Umma) world. He was a Progeny of Holy Prophet and the real leader, pious and a rightful successor. He became the vicious target of Yazid…who demanded his oath of allegiance or else his head. A massive army of Yazid rounded him up in a city called KARBALA (which is near Baghdad). Ironically, it is the same city called Karbala, where a battle between the Americans and Saddam's solders took place.
The strong arms forces of Yazid slaughtered Imam Hussein mercilessly and his head was bought in the court of Yazid. He was martyred with all male members of his family and seventy-two loyal followers. His sister Bibi Zainab (Salam Ulal Alyh, peace be upon her) and a sick son of Imam Hussein, Zanual Ab-Deen and some children of the Household of Holy Prophet were taken as a prisoner of war. When they were bought to the Court of Yazid - Bibi Zainab delivered a powerful sermon, which shook the harts and mind of the people present in the Yazid's court. She said, "This apparent success of yours is the result of your worldly might and this makes you puffed with pride at our disaster. You feel that you have conquered the whole world and feel that you are well set in Power and control. Only time will teach you a bitter lesson. The following verse of the Quran points to people like you who are destined to go hell. Says the holy Quran: "Let not those who disbelieve, think that our giving them respite is good for themselves. We only give them respite so that they may increase in sins and for them is a disgraceful chastisement. (Sura 3 - Aly Imran, Verse 178). She says elsewhere in this sermon, " O Yazid! Do not inflate with pride after slaying the Prophet's progeny. Do you know what the Holy Quran says about such people? Who have been martyred? " Think not of those slain in God's way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord (Sura 3 - Aly Imran: Verse 169).
This is a very long and powerful sermon, the sermon clearly proved to the vast congregation that inhuman atrocities had been enacted on the family of the Holy Prophet. Bibi Zainab exalted the position of the Prophet's family and showed how injustice had been done on these innocents; she pointed out that treachery of Muaawiya, the father of Yazid, as well as the injustice of the Yazid, and all that she predicted became true.
This tragedy of Karbala is remembered by all Shia Muslims all over the world, every year during the month of Muharram, the first month of the Muslim calendar and passionately commemorated on large scale. Today there are almost 200 Million Shia Muslims all over the world. There are hundred of thousands of direct descended of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), the pious progeny of the Holy Prophet. They are mainly scholars, working in various Islamic seminaries and doing the job of teaching the correct, true and peaceful Islam. They are the one who are up holding the true banner of Islam and are always busy in serving Muslims (and non - Muslims) people…and protecting the sanctity of Islam.
Now Islam is facing what is called a Fundamentalist and radical Islamite, also known as Militant Islamite…. that makes every one worried and nervous especially in the western world. They are extreme groups who in the early days of Islam, tried their level best to suppress the true and pure Islam and systematically persecuted the progeny of Holy Prophets. It is interesting to see that the word ' fundamentalism' was first used in the early years of the last century by anti-liberal US Christians, who singled out seven supposed fundamentals of their faiths. The word then is not one of those derogatory terms that only other people use about you, like 'Quakers' or 'Fatso'. It began life as a proud self-description. The first of the seven Fundamentals was a belief in the literal truth of the bible; and this probably the best definition of fundamentalism there is. Islamic Fundamentalism is the term that is now in common usage. However, it has no Islamic basis. Therefore believing in Quran, Hadees (the Prophetic traditions), and the basic principal tenants of Islam should not make anyone Islamic Fundamentalist.
The concept upon which Islam has been founded is that one God has created the world, and that God directs every part of it towards the perfection and happiness peculiar to that part. Man also, who possesses eternal life, is directed towards the happiness and welfare peculiar to his nature; and this he gains by following the path shown to him by God.
It is indeed a religion founded in truth. It is such a fountain- head of learning that several streams of wisdom and knowledge flow from it. It is such a lamp that several lamps will be lighted from it. It is a lofty beacon of light illuminating the path of God. . it is such a set and principals of believe that will fully satisfy every seeker of truth and reality.
God has made ISLAM the most sublime path for the attainment of His supreme pleasure. And the highest standard of His worship and obedience. He has favored it with noble precepts, exalted principles, un dough table arguments and undeniable wisdom. It is up to you to maintain the eminence and dignity granted to you by the Lord. To follow it sincerely, to do justice to its articles of faith and belief, to obey implicitly its tenants, and orders and to give it the proper place in your lives.
The holy Prophet addressed his message to natural man, that is, man endowed with human nature and God-given primordial nature has the innate capacity and ability to apprehend the above-described world-view. With the slightest reminder he naturally understands that the world in its vastness and grandeur and its perfect arrangement and order is the creation of a transcendent Creator whose infinite Being is the source of every beauty and perfection and who is above
all ugliness and evil. He understands that the creation of the world and its inhabitants was not without meaning and purpose; that another life, and that will follow the life of this world the good and bad actions of this world will not unanswered for. And as a result he understand that there must be a way of life peculiarly suited to the needs of mankind which will enable him/her to
live according to his own real nature. I would like to end this notion of Islam Today, by end with a verse from Qur'an.
"So set your face towards the (true) religion, God's creation, in which He has created man. There is no alteration in (the laws of) God's creation. That is the right religion" (Qur'an Sura 30- The Romans, verse: 30)
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