Publisher’s Note

The esteemed Abbas Ali Khan is one of Bangladesh’s foremost Islamic thinkers. His contribution to the effort to propagate and establish Islam is particularly noteworthy. His pen has also remained tireless in the fields of Islamic literary composition and translation. Among the books he authored is The Eternal Conflict between Islam and Jahiliyyah. In this book, the author has skillfully portrayed the conflict that has taken place, and continues to take place, between Islam and Jahiliyyah in the past and present. At the same time, he has beautifully indicated the duties of those who seek to establish Islam. We believe that his book will be regarded as valuable provision for those who seek to establish Islam.

Islam and Jahiliyyah

Islam and Jahiliyyah are two opposing beliefs, ideologies, and systems of action. Their paths, objectives, and destinations are different—indeed, opposed. Therefore, conflict and confrontation between them are natural and inevitable. This conflict and struggle have continued since the beginning of humankind, and as long as humanity exists, this conflict will continue.

One of these two is good and the other evil. One is truth and justice, the other falsehood and injustice. One is beneficial, the other harmful. One is light, the other darkness. One is creative, the other destructive. One is the path chosen by Allah, the Creator of the universe; the other is the path He dislikes and has forbidden. Of these two paths and ideologies, the first is Islam and the second is Jahiliyyah. What is Islam is not Jahiliyyah, and what is Jahiliyyah is not Islam.

The word ‘Jahiliyyah’ is used in the sense opposite to Islam. All the ways and methods of Islam are knowledge-based, because God Himself taught these ways and methods, and He alone possesses knowledge of all hidden mysteries. Conversely, every way and method different from Islam is regarded as a way and method of Jahiliyyah. The pre-Islamic period of Arabia was called the age of Jahiliyyah in this sense: in that age, people determined their own way of life not through knowledge, but solely on the basis of superstition, conjecture, speculation, and desires. Whenever and wherever people adopt this method, it must be called the method of Jahiliyyah.

In short, in Islamic terminology, Jahiliyyah means those systems of action that are opposed to Islamic civilization and culture, principles and ethics, manners, and mentality. “He is the One who created you. Then among you are some who are disbelievers and some who are believers, and Allah observes all that you do”—(Taghabun: 2).

Commentators have explained four meanings of this, and all four are correct.

First—He is your Creator. Yet some deny that He is their Creator, while others accept this great truth. Thus, they have respectively been called disbelievers and believers.

Second—Having created you, He has shown you both the good and evil paths and has also told you the consequences of both. Thereafter, He has given you complete freedom to choose either of these two paths and to follow it. If you wish to adopt disbelief—that is, if you wish to refuse to follow Allah’s path—you may do so; and if you wish to believe and follow His path, you may do that as well. He does not compel you to adopt either faith or disbelief. Therefore, you yourselves are responsible for both faith and disbelief—that is, for accepting or rejecting Allah’s lordship, authority, command, and rule. By giving you the freedom to choose either of the two, He has placed you in a terrible test. He is watching how you use your freedom of choice. The words “He is observing what you do” contain an indication of warning. Just as you have freedom to follow either of two opposing paths, so you must also experience two opposing consequences. The consequences of the good and evil paths can never be the same. It requires no explanation that to enjoy a good consequence, one must follow the good path. This is the test of human beings. People are tested for the sake of reward and punishment; otherwise, the test would be meaningless.

Third—He created you upon a sound and correct natural disposition, and its demand is that you adopt the path of faith. Yet after being created upon a sound and correct natural disposition, some among you have adopted disbelief, which is contrary to His creation. Others have adopted the path of faith, which is consistent with their natural disposition.

It must be remembered that human beings were created with a natural disposition and mentality free from an inclination toward sin. Thereafter, each person adopts either the righteous path or the unrighteous path.

It should be noted that none of the prophets and messengers who came into the world, nor any of the heavenly Books given to them, described human beings as sinners by birth. Yet for a century and a half, the Christian world has maintained the religious belief that human beings are sinful by birth. They believe that, as a consequence of the sin of Adam and Eve, an inherited inclination toward sin has continued among humanity. Instead of thinking about and striving to suppress this inclination toward sin, they have placed all responsibility upon Adam and Eve and sought excuses for living lives steeped in sin. This is a profoundly erroneous way of thinking and philosophy—and this itself is Jahiliyyah.

However, Catholic scholars have now begun to say that this idea and belief has no basis in the Bible. In his book ‘Is Original Sin in Scripture?’, the renowned biblical scholar Reverend Habat Hag says that until the third century, Christians did not hold the belief that human beings are sinful by birth. When this idea began to spread through the propaganda of certain people, Christian scholars continued to oppose it for two centuries. But ultimately, in the fifth century, Saint Augustine, through his web of sophistry, incorporated into the fundamental beliefs of Christianity the claim that humanity had inherited the curse of Adam’s sin. And because Jesus Christ gave his life on the cross as atonement, provision was made for humanity’s salvation—there is no other way. This is an erroneous, fabricated, and irrational superstition, and it is a deadly weapon of Jahiliyyah.

Fourth—Allah the Exalted has brought you from nonexistence into existence. You did not exist, and then you came to be. If you reflected on this matter with a simple, straightforward, and impartial mind, you would certainly understand that your existence itself is a special gift from God, by which you are able to enjoy the countless blessings created for you. Yet many among you do not reflect on this matter. As a result, they have adopted the path of rebellion and sin. Some people, however, have adopted the path of faith and demonstrated sound and accurate thinking.

What has been said in Surah al-Rum of the Holy Qur’an is also particularly significant: “Therefore, set your face toward this religion with single-minded devotion. Stand firmly upon the nature upon which Allah has created humankind. There is no changing Allah’s creation. This is the absolutely true and correct religion or way of life”—(Rum: 30).

In the above verse, addressing the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the Muslims, it is said: When it is clear to you that there is no creator or owner of this universe except Allah, then inevitably the course of action you must follow is to focus your goal single-mindedly upon this religion. This religion is the very one presented by the Qur’an. According to this religion, no one besides Allah, the One without partner, has the right to receive worship, servitude, or obedience. Do not turn away from this religion and turn toward anything else. After adopting this path for life, do not look toward any other path. All humanity has been created upon the natural disposition that, apart from Allah, the One God, they have no creator, lord, master, object of worship, or being whose obedience may truly be rendered. Human beings must establish themselves upon this natural disposition.

The meaning of the statement “There is no changing Allah’s creation” is that God created human beings as His servants, so that they would worship Him alone. No one can alter this natural course and disposition of creation. It is not possible to change from this state into a state of being “not a servant of God.” If someone regards one who is not God as God, that one cannot truly become God. No matter how many objects of worship people make for themselves, human beings are servants of no one but the One God, and cannot become servants of anyone else.

The essence of this discussion is that Allah the Exalted has, on the one hand, given human beings complete freedom to choose their own way of life and to act accordingly. On the other hand, He makes the actual truth clear to them and calls them to accept it.

Because Allah created human beings, He loves them greatly. He has spread countless objects and resources throughout the world around them to meet all their needs in life. The moon, sun, and stars; day and night; light and air; the clouds of the sky and rainfall; hills and mountains; rivers and streams; plants; animals and birds; and various kinds of food—He created all these for human beings. These are signs of His love for humanity. And precisely because He loves human beings, He will certainly tell them the correct path for their lives. This is entirely natural. It is inconceivable that He would not tell them the laws, regulations, and program by which their short worldly life could become happy and beautiful, and by which their eternal life in the Hereafter after worldly life could also become successful. In reality, He has indeed told them. Through the prophets and messengers, He has given humanity its complete code of life. This is what has been called the religion according to the natural disposition, mentioned above.

Human beings have been given knowledge, intelligence, and conscience, and then left free for the purpose of testing them; they have been given the opportunity to choose any path for their lives and to act freely accordingly. If they wish, they can follow the path indicated by God and gain its good results, or abandon this path and follow some erroneous path of their own invention. They can regard Allah as their sole Creator, Sustainer, Lord, and Ruler and obey Him completely, or they can worship many imaginary and false gods. Despite having the freedom to adopt either of these two paths, Allah has sent prophets and messengers to every nation and people throughout the ages to remind humanity repeatedly of the correct path for life. He did not wish to restrict the freedom granted to them to follow the right path; rather, attempts were made to persuade and inspire them by explaining the benefits of following it. At the same time, they were informed of the terrible consequences of following the wrong path and efforts were made to restrain them from following it.

No age or period in human history has passed without a prophet, or someone appointed in his place, being present to call people to God’s path. This succession and uninterrupted continuity of calling people to God’s path was particularly necessary then and remains so today. The reason is that abandoning God’s path and adopting any other path is essentially a struggle against nature. As a result, various calamities and disasters descend upon human life. Human domination and authority over other human beings become established. The strong sit as gods over the weak. Countless people become bound in the chains of human slavery. The sky and air fill with the cries and lamentations of people under the persecution and oppression of cruel and tyrannical rulers. The need to call people to God’s path in order to end this oppression and persecution and to ensure their freedom, peace, happiness, and the security of their lives and property existed in the past, exists now, and will exist in the future. This is Allah the Exalted’s unchanging policy. Following this policy is Islam, and everything opposed to it collectively is called Jahiliyyah. Whatever is true is Islam, while falsehood and error are Jahiliyyah.

Truth and Falsehood: Opposing Forces

The discussion above has made it clear that just as faith and disbelief are opposed to each other, so are Islam and Jahiliyyah. Islam is the path and method prescribed by Allah the Exalted, and a welfare-oriented program for life. Its source and center is the infallible knowledge granted by God. Human knowledge, intelligence, and conscience also support it, and it is consistent with natural disposition. Jahiliyyah, on the other hand, springs from the darkness of disbelief—that is, ignorance—conjecture, speculation, and fantastic imaginings. Therefore, the first is true and beautiful, while the second is false and ugly. The first is light, the second darkness. Neither of the two can ever tolerate the other. Thus, each is the rival force of the other. Their mutual conflict and confrontation are also eternal.

Knowledge–Intelligence–Conscience

It is by virtue of the knowledge, intelligence, and conscience Allah the Exalted has given human beings that they are known as the noblest of living creatures. This special quality has created a vast distinction between human beings and other creatures. Knowledge and intelligence create within people the awareness that they themselves are responsible for each of their actions. This principle does not apply to one who has not been given knowledge and intelligence. For example, if a heavy stone suddenly became dislodged from above, fell, and killed someone, the stone could in no way be considered guilty, because it is merely an inanimate, unconscious object. Likewise, if an animal entered someone’s field and ate and destroyed the crops, it could not be called guilty either. Although it possesses consciousness and sensation, it is devoid of knowledge and intelligence. But if a human being were to commit such an act, that person would certainly be considered guilty and would have to be punished under the law, because human beings have been endowed with knowledge, intelligence, and conscience in addition to consciousness and sensation. Through these qualities, they can discern right and wrong. Inanimate and nonliving unconscious objects, and animals other than human beings, lack the above qualities and the ability to distinguish good from evil; therefore, they are not held accountable for any of their actions. Human beings are personally responsible for their actions because they have been endowed with knowledge and intelligence.

Knowledge–Proper Use of Intelligence

Although human beings have been granted the greatest status through the gift of knowledge and intelligence, they misuse that knowledge. Even after being given intelligence and conscience and being made capable of knowing good and evil, right and wrong, it cannot be said that every action they take will be conscientious. Examples of this are plentiful; indeed, we see countless examples all around us. Consider students, for instance. Parents send their children to educational institutions to acquire knowledge and human qualities, and bear all the expenses of their education. The demand of conscience was that every student would study regularly, achieve the best possible results in examinations according to their ability and talent, and earn the praise of being a good student. Although every student possesses this knowledge, belief, and awareness, what do we see? Some students try to fulfill their responsibilities completely. Others neglect their duties and responsibilities and waste time in reprehensible activities that are undesirable in every respect. As human beings, both types of students possess knowledge, intelligence, and conscience. Yet the two types of students are not seen to employ their intelligence and conscience in the same way. From this it can be understood that not everyone is able to make proper use of their conscience.

Again, a group of power-hungry people do not hesitate to adopt any vile means to gain power. Many among them are highly educated and hold advanced degrees. Yet by means of corruption, force, murder, terrorism, and the like, they seize power and set themselves up as masters over people. Instead of fulfilling people’s basic rights, they then bind them in the chains of slavery and force them to live subhuman lives. This picture has been seen in many places around the world in the past and is still being seen. Looting, murder, embezzlement of state resources, theft, robbery, and similar incidents occur constantly in society. All those who commit these acts are human beings and are known as educated. They too should certainly possess knowledge, intelligence, and conscience. But where are they making proper use of them?

There are still several countries in the world that are called underdeveloped—backward in education and afflicted by poverty. In these countries, some people do not consider such conditions particularly blameworthy. Although there is no reason to agree with them, what is happening in countries known to be developed and highly civilized in every respect? England and the United States are currently regarded as countries that have reached the heights of progress and civilization. People continually flock to these two countries to receive instruction in knowledge and civilization. Although these two countries occupy leading positions in science and technology, they have demonstrated complete failure in the proper use of knowledge, intelligence, and conscience. They are highly skilled in oppressing and wronging other nations. In their own societies too, they are immersed in an abyss of moral decline. A report published in the June 27, 1988 issue of Newsweek reveals their extreme moral degradation and growing fondness for crime. The report stated that in London, a city of seven million people, 194 murders and 22,626 serious violent crimes were committed last year (1987). Meanwhile, in New York City, 1,672 murders and 148,313 violent crimes were committed. This is merely the condition of two cities in two countries. Where did the knowledge, intelligence, and conscience of these criminals go?

Possessing knowledge, intelligence, and conscience is not enough; using them properly is the work of a true human being. From the examples above, it became clear that not everyone can make proper use of their knowledge and conscience. Some are capable of using them properly, while others demonstrate failure.

What is the reason for this failure??

Why do human beings commit such a grave and dangerous error? Why do they commit such great injustice against their most precious possession, knowledge and intelligence? We must obtain the answer to this before proceeding further.

The first point is that human beings possess two opposing tendencies by nature. One is the tendency toward God-consciousness or virtue, and the other is the tendency toward vice. Conflict and confrontation between these two are always present. Both inspire, excite, and incite people to fulfill their respective demands. When the tendency toward virtue prevails, a person makes proper use of knowledge and intelligence and performs righteous deeds. When the tendency toward vice prevails, it leads that person into various sins.

The tendency toward vice prevails for several reasons. Its fundamental causes are as follows.

The first is the powerful evil inclination of human beings and their desires. These desires are so strong that people generally become helpless before them. When they lose the strength to restrain them, they become slaves to their impulses. Then they do not hesitate at all to commit any injustice, wrongdoing, sin, or beastly act. They make their own impulses their ‘ilah’ and become completely enslaved to them. After becoming slaves to their impulses, they lose the knowledge of good and evil. Often, even after believing that sin is sin, they lack the strength to stay away from it. Thus, although they regard theft, robbery, murder, adultery, and similar acts as evil, people cannot escape these sins because they submit to their impulses.

The evil inclination advances and turns people into worshippers of the world. Worldly enjoyment and luxury then become the goal of their lives. It is said that people are most attached to three things—wealth, women, and intoxicants. History is full of examples of the countless calamities caused in the world by these three. The slaves of their impulses become absorbed in a competition over who can become the greatest and strongest in the world, who can build the greatest mountains of wealth and riches, who can make the most people their slaves, and who can enjoy the youth and beauty of the greatest number of women. In order to prevent the fear of God and the Hereafter from disturbing their hearts even for a moment, fabricated philosophies and ideologies have been created. There is no force called God or Creator. The Hereafter is the product of an unreal and intoxicated imagination. This world and worldly life are everything. Life is a struggle for survival and continued existence—STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE.

Here, whoever is strong has the right to survive, exercise authority and domination, and enjoy life to the fullest. The weak have no right to live—SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST.

Once one believes in this philosophy, no question of right and wrong, lawful and unlawful, good and evil, mercy and cruelty is supposed to arise in the mind. Whatever is necessary to reach the goal is done. Advantage is taken of lies, deception, betrayal, breaking promises, murder, plunder, terrorism, the use of force, fabricated accusations, and the like. These are not imaginary claims. They are real events in past and present history. This is a terrifying form of Jahiliyyah.

The second basic cause is national, partisan and genealogical pride and arrogance, together with blind attachment to it. It is the blind following of forefathers and religious leaders, inherited ways of thinking and customs, and various superstitions. This blind attachment and blind following deprive people of the ability to distinguish between good and evil and between justice and injustice. For the sake of what is good and beneficial for their own nation, party or lineage—however harmful it may be to others—people exert all their strength to do it and become engaged in war. The history of England mentions wars lasting seven years, thirty years and one hundred years. These are the consequences of national and genealogical pride and arrogance and blind attachment. In the pre-Islamic era, similar bloody wars also continued for generations in the Arabian Peninsula. In fulfilling the desires and passions of the self, rivers of human blood were made to flow.

The insatiable lust to seize others’ territories by force and subjugate weaker nations brought about two world wars. Waged by the monsters of Jahiliyyah, the First World War spread its mighty and violent claws over twenty-eight countries and six continents. Ten million soldiers and ten million civilians lost their lives in this war. Another twenty million people departed the earth forever because of war-induced famine, epidemics and political instability.

Twenty-one years later, the Second World War brought even greater violence, killing and devastation to satisfy the monsters of Jahiliyyah’s insatiable lust for power. This great war involved every country and nation of the earth in one way or another. Seventeen million soldiers and forty-one million civilians fell into the deadly grip of death. Millions of people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, were killed by the inhuman atomic bombs used by the United States; millions were crippled and disabled. Millions died slow, agonizing deaths. No greater barbarity and savagery had ever occurred in the era of past Jahiliyyah. Science and technology have made modern Jahiliyyah more violent than the Jahiliyyah of the past.

Inherited beliefs and ideas, customs and traditions, and the blind imitation of religious leaders are a deadly mental illness, behind which lies the powerful provocation of the self. The history of Islam bears witness that when the prophets and messengers presented Islam’s dawah to people, they rejected it, saying that the religious beliefs they and their forefathers had inherited, the customs and traditions they had observed since time immemorial, and whatever their religious leaders said were being contradicted by the Prophet. Therefore, it could not be accepted in any way. These matters will be discussed in their proper place.

Boundless devotion and reverence for religious leaders and pirs and priests places them on the throne of God. They are considered sinless, and whatever comes from their mouths is believed to be incontrovertible truth, like scripture or divine revelation, without examining whether it is true or false. Allah Himself says—

“These people have taken their scholars, pirs and ascetics as gods besides Allah”—(At-Tawbah: 31).

It is related in a hadith that Hazrat Adi ibn Hatim was a Christian. Later, he appeared before the Prophet and accepted Islam. He asked the Prophet about the above verse, saying, “What is meant by the accusation made against us that we made our scholars, pirs and ascetics into gods?” The Prophet said, “Is it not true that whatever these people declared haram, you accepted as haram, and whatever they declared halal, you accepted as halal?” Hazrat Adi said, “Yes, we certainly did that.”

The Prophet said, “That is how they were made into gods.”

From this it is known that those who define the boundaries of halal and haram for human life without Allah’s authority in fact occupy the position of divinity themselves. Those who accept their legislation of Shariah make them into gods.

No matter how great a person may be, Allah and His Messenger are the standard by which his words or decisions must be tested. Any statement that contradicts the words of Allah and His Messenger, or is incompatible with their essential spirit, must be rejected. This belief and conception has divided human society into numerous parties and factions and created fitnah and disorder.

The third basic cause is an intensely anti-Islamic environment. If the environment of a country, locality, educational institution or student dormitory is such that everyone there is anti-Islamic, only anti-Islamic literature and newspapers are circulated, and training is provided to create an anti-Islamic mentality, then no one can remain steadfast in Islam in such an environment. In this environment, all kinds of materials encouraging unrestricted interaction, embracing and intimate conduct with the opposite sex are supplied to young people in order to weaken their belief in religion, God and the Hereafter. Thus, at the initial stage, their moral backbone is broken to pieces. As a result, they can easily and willingly accept the subsequent activities. These statements are not merely an imaginary tale from the realm of thought. Such activities are undertaken in Communist countries like Russia.

Then, in the non-Communist countries outside Russia to which Communist ideas and movements are exported, the same activities are begun, even if on a limited scale—openly in some places and secretly in others. The techniques of operation, recruitment of workers and their training nevertheless continue as usual. Attempts are made to bring the youth under control by various tricks, means and strategies. Russia provides every kind of assistance and cooperation for this purpose. In this way, Communist rule is gradually established in new countries. The latest victim of their trap is Afghanistan.

Wherever Communist rule is established, freedom of speech and freedom of thought disappear. Knowledge, intellect and conscience become paralyzed. Even if someone wishes to use his intellect properly, he has no means to do so. Willingly or unwillingly, one must accept mental enslavement to the Communist rulers.

TheDawah of theNoble Prophets

The foregoing discussion has made it clear that not everyone makes proper use of the knowledge, intellect and conscience Allah has given human beings, nor does everyone know how to do so. Consequently, people have to suffer its terrible consequences. Human beings also naturally possess various human weaknesses. The Most Exalted Allah cannot remain silent upon seeing human beings helpless. It is not the case that, in this conflict and struggle between Islam and Jahiliyyah, every possible effort and measure for the victory of truth has been left entirely to human intellect, conscience and natural abilities. Through intellectual thought, people cannot always reach the correct decision, because their world of knowledge and thought is extremely small and limited. At a certain point in thought, their path becomes blocked. They then feel helpless and make the wrong decision. Despite good intentions, many thinkers of humanity have reached wrong conclusions and invented ever-new philosophies and ideologies that have brought no benefit to human life, only harm. Therefore, out of immense mercy toward humanity, the Merciful Allah has arranged for infallible knowledge to be conveyed from Him. This is called the knowledge of revelation, or divine knowledge. He does not convey this knowledge directly to all people; rather, He chooses the best person in society and gives him all necessary knowledge through revelation. After giving human beings sound nature and intellect, this is an additional knowledge. When many thoughts, fears, temptations and the influence of the six inner passions, from within and without, try to lead a person astray, this additional knowledge comes to his aid and guides him to the right path. Although rejecting this additional knowledge is extremely unfortunate for him, he has also been given the freedom to do so. Allah places people in this test and also grants them the means to pass it, so that they may attain the highest dignity of human beings.

This additional knowledge described above is called the knowledge of revelation. Along with it, He also sent the bearer of this revelation, a human being like other people. He would convey the knowledge of revelation to people, explain and interpret it, and demonstrate its implementation through his own practical life. This bearer of revelation is called a prophet or messenger. Prophets and messengers have been sent into the world throughout the ages to guide people, develop their true human character, and make their lives happy and beautiful.

The Dawah of the Prophets and the Conflict with Jahiliyyah

Islam and Jahiliyyah have been compared with truth and falsehood, and with light and darkness. Just as truth and falsehood, and light and darkness, cannot coexist even for a moment, so Islam and Jahiliyyah can never coexist. Therefore, whenever the dawah of Islam and the dawah of truth came to people through the prophets throughout the ages, Jahiliyyah could not tolerate it. Thus, the entire history of humanity is the conflict and struggle between Islam and Jahiliyyah—in other words, between truth and falsehood.

It was Allah’s glorious prophets who brought the light of the true and right path to humanity, which was confused, astray and immersed in the darkness of ignorance. For this reason, Jahiliyyah created the greatest obstacles in their way. Not only that, the prophets were subjected to severe persecution at the hands of the standard-bearers of Jahiliyyah, and many of them even lost their lives. A brief account of the dawah of the prophets—that is, the conflict and struggle between Islam and Jahiliyyah—is presented below.

Hazrat Nuh (peace be upon him)

From the time of Hazrat Nuh (peace be upon him), we can learn something about the history of humanity. There is no human-written history covering a very long period of human existence. This long era is called the prehistoric age. However, the histories of the prophets of that age have been described in the heavenly scriptures, and the most reliable account is found in the Qur’an. Hazrat Nuh (peace be upon him) addressed his people, saying—

“He said, ‘O my people! I am a plain warner for you. I warn you with this message: Worship Allah, fear Him, and follow me. Allah will forgive your sins and grant you respite until an appointed time. Indeed, when Allah’s appointed time comes, it cannot be held back. If only you knew, how excellent that would be for you’”—(Nuh: 2–4).

His dawah was clear and just. It is entirely natural and just to obey the commands and rule of the Allah who created human beings and fulfills every one of their needs from the beginning of their birth until the moment before death. But the chiefs and common people of his nation rejected this dawah. Hazrat Nuh (peace be upon him), however, continued his dawah work with extraordinary patience. For a very long period—nine hundred and fifty years—he continued calling them toward the truth.

He did not merely promise them prosperity in the distant future—that is, welfare in life after death; he also spoke of prosperity in this worldly life.

“I said, ‘Seek forgiveness from your Lord. Indeed, He is Most Forgiving. He will send down rain upon you from the sky, give you wealth and children, make gardens for you, and cause rivers to flow for you’”—(Nuh: 10–14).

For prosperity in this world and the Hereafter, he said: Worship the One Allah, abandoning your false, self-invented gods. The chiefs of the nation rejected his dawah and issued a strict command to the people:

“You must never abandon your gods. Never abandon Wadd, Suwa, Yaghuth, Ya‘uq and Nasr”—(Nuh: 23).

In reply, they said to Hazrat Nuh (peace be upon him)—

“We clearly see you in manifest error”—(Al-A‘raf: 60).

In the view of the nation’s so-called intellectuals, accepting one God was a grave error and misguidance. They said—

Although this universe was created by one God, it is governed by many gods. Therefore, the other gods also have the right to be worshipped. Their intellectuals and chiefs—who had refused to accept Nuh’s (peace be upon him) words—said, “In our view, you are nothing more than a human being like us. We also see that the lowest and most contemptible among us have followed you without any thought or consideration. We do not see anything that makes you better or superior to us. Rather, we think you are liars”—(Hud: 22).

At that time, these chiefs and leaders were the ones who ruled and exploited the people. They also held the keys to people’s livelihoods. They owned the gardens, farms and businesses. They were immersed in the luxuries and pleasures of this world. Under their domination, no one dared to accept the Prophet’s dawah. Anyone who did so would be crushed beneath mountains of oppression and persecution. A few oppressed and wronged people—very small in number—accepted Hazrat Nuh’s dawah. The chiefs looked upon them with contempt. In any case, Hazrat Nuh (peace be upon him) continued trying to explain matters to them in various ways, with gentle speech and sound reasoning.

“He said, ‘O my people! Consider carefully: if I stand upon clear proof from my Lord and He has granted me special grace from Himself, though you do not see it, what means do I have to make you accept it? Should I force it upon you? O my people! I ask no wealth from you for this work. My reward rests with Allah. Nor am I prepared to drive away those who have accepted my words. They themselves will appear before their Lord. But I see that you are immersed in Jahiliyyah’”—(Hud: 28–29).

Even after presenting the call to truth to them repeatedly and in various ways over a very long period, their obstinacy, pride in their status, and influence over society could not attract them to the truth in any way. When Hazrat Nuh called them to accept his messengership, they rejected it with great astonishment. They said, “Even if we accept that there is only one Lord, and even if we accept that He wishes to send a messenger for humanity, how can He send a human being like us as a prophet? If He wished to send someone, He could have sent one of His near angels as a prophet.”

The chiefs of his nation who refused to accept his dawah said, “This man is nothing more than a human being like you. His aim is to establish his authority over you. If Allah wanted to send someone, He would have sent an angel. We never heard in the time of our forefathers that a human being could become a messenger. Nothing more than this: the man is afflicted by some madness. Wait a while longer; perhaps his madness will pass”—(Al-Mu’minun: 23–24).

By this argument, they not only denied the prophethood of Hazrat Nuh; they denied the entire succession of prophets. For all the prophets and messengers Allah sent were human beings.

At one point, they issued Hazrat Nuh (peace be upon him) a terrible warning.

“O Nuh! If you do not desist from these activities, we will stone you to death”—(Ash-Shu‘ara: 116).

The persecution that then began against Hazrat Nuh (peace be upon him) and his handful of followers can easily be imagined. For among an entire nation, not even fifty people accepted the dawah of Islam.

Finally, the conflict and struggle between Islam and Jahiliyyah reached such a point that the Prophet Nuh was compelled to seek refuge in God.

“And Nuh said, ‘My Lord! Do not leave a single inhabitant on earth from among these disbelievers. If You leave them, they will lead Your servants astray, and they will beget none but hardened sinners and disbelievers’”—(Nuh: 26–27).

Allah accepted the prayer of His beloved, persecuted prophet and drowned and destroyed the entire nation in a terrible flood.

“At last, when Our command came and the oven boiled over, We said, ‘Load into the Ark a pair of every kind of animal. Take aboard your family as well, except those already designated. And take aboard those who have believed.’ Yet very few believed with Nuh”—(Hud: 40).

The Great Flood of Nuh is universally known. It is said that a total of forty people—with or without members of his family—survived this punishment of Allah. After nearly one thousand years of conflict between Islam and Jahiliyyah, Jahiliyyah was uprooted.

The Qur’an contains a detailed account of the movement of Hazrat Nuh (peace be upon him). Here, only a summary has been presented.

The People of ‘Ad

Historians say that Hazrat Nuh (peace be upon him) carried out his dawah work in a region now called Iraq. After his passing, the human population increased and people spread in all directions. Forgetting the Prophet’s teachings, they again became involved in misguidance. After the people of Nuh, the nation that became very powerful and influential was the people of ‘Ad. Arabs of every age and condition knew about the people of ‘Ad. Just as the Arabs knew of their valor and might, they also knew the account of their destruction. After rising to the heights of progress, they were again cast, along with their civilization and culture, into the abyss of destruction. They lived in the region of Ahqaf, located southwest of the Rub‘ al-Khali between the Hijaz, Yemen and Yamamah. The Qur’anic account concerning them is as follows.

Allah sent Hazrat Hud (peace be upon him) to guide the people of ‘Ad. This nation was immersed in the black darkness of Jahiliyyah. When Hazrat Hud (peace be upon him) presented the Islamic dawah, conflict began between the two sides; whatever was said to them about the religion of truth was dismissed with mockery and ridicule. Just as the people of Nuh raised objections, spread a web of sophistry and rejected the Prophet’s dawah, so did the people of ‘Ad.

“Have you come to us so that we may worship one God and abandon the gods whom our forefathers worshipped?”—(Al-A‘raf: 70).

This conflict and struggle between Hazrat Hud (peace be upon him) and the people of ‘Ad continued. Allah’s prophet Hud (peace be upon him) continued calling them, with profound compassion, toward lasting prosperity. Finally, they demanded proof that Allah’s beloved prophet was truly a prophet.

“All right, then, if you are truthful, bring upon us the punishment with which you threaten us”—(Al-Ahqaf: 22).

Because they repeatedly demanded the punishment, that was precisely what befell them.

“‘Ad was destroyed by a raging cyclone, or whirlwind. He subjected it to them continuously for seven nights and eight days. Had you been there, you would have seen the people lying scattered about as though they were the trunks of ancient, dried date palms. Do you see any of them remaining?”—(Al-Haqqah: 6–8).

Thus, the existence of the people of ‘Ad was erased from the face of the earth. However, some righteous people were certainly with Hazrat Hud (peace be upon him); they had accepted his dawah and were living as Allah’s righteous servants. Allah saved them from this terrible natural disaster by extraordinary means.

“And to ‘Ad We sent their brother Hud. He said, ‘O my people! Worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him. You are merely fabricating lies. O my people! I ask no reward from you for this. My reward rests with Him who created me. Will you not use your reason? O my people! Seek forgiveness from your Lord, then turn toward Him. He will send abundant rain upon you from the sky and increase your present strength. Do not turn away from worship as criminals.’”

“They replied, ‘O Hud! You have brought us no clear proof, and we cannot abandon our gods at your word, nor will we believe in you. We think that one of our gods has afflicted you with a curse.’”

“Hud said, ‘I call Allah to witness, and you bear witness, that I am free of the partners you associate with Allah in divinity. All of you together, then, plot against me without respite, and give me no reprieve. I place my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord. There is no creature whose forelock He does not hold. Surely my Lord is on a straight path. If you wish to turn away, then turn away. I have delivered to you the message with which I was sent to you. Now my Lord will replace you with another people, and you cannot harm Him in the least. My Lord is certainly the Guardian of everything.’ Then, when Our command came, We saved Hud and those who believed with him through Our mercy and rescued them from a severe punishment.”

This is ‘Ad. They rejected the signs of their Lord and did not obey the words of the prophets and messengers. They followed the mighty enemies of the true religion. Thus, a curse befell them in this world as well as on the Day of Resurrection. Know that ‘Ad disobeyed their Lord, and ‘Ad—that is, the people of Hud—were cast far away.’ (Hud 54–60)

After the destruction of the people of Noah (peace be upon him), Allah granted the people of Hud the opportunity to rise to the pinnacle of prosperity. At that time, no one equaled them in valor and might. They were wiped from the face of the earth solely for the crime of rebelling against God.

The People of Thamud

After the destruction of ‘Ad, those whom Allah had saved because of their righteous deeds continued to live according to the teachings of Hud (peace be upon him). But after some time had passed, they fell into the grip of Jahiliyyah and went astray. Allah sent Salih (peace be upon him) to guide them. Once again, the conflict and struggle between Islam and Jahiliyyah began.

Among the oldest peoples of Arabia, Thamud were the second, and after ‘Ad they were the most famous. Before the revelation of the Qur’an, tales about them could be heard from the lips of Arabs, young and old. They were mentioned in the poetry and speeches of the Age of Jahiliyyah. References to them are found in Assyrian inscriptions and in the ancient histories of Greece, Alexandria, and Rome. After the destruction of ‘Ad, the descendants of those who survived among them continued to exist until shortly before the birth of Jesus (peace be upon him). Roman historians say that when these people enlisted in the Roman army, they fought against the Nabataeans, with whom they had an ancient enmity. Their dwelling place was in those regions of northwestern Arabia still famous as al-Hijr. Today there is a station on the Hejaz Railway between Medina and Tabuk called Mada’in Salih. This was the central settlement of the people of Thamud. Even now, the ruins of mountain buildings can be seen there across thousands of acres—buildings they had carved out of the mountains. Looking at them, one feels that the city’s population could not have been less than four or five hundred thousand. In the age of the revelation of the Qur’an, the commercial caravans of the Hejaz passed by these ruins. While passing through this area during the expedition to Tabuk, the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) showed these instructive ruins and told people to learn from them. Pointing out a well at one place, he said that the she-camel of Salih (peace be upon him) used to drink from it. He instructed the Muslims not to drink from any other well, but to drink from this one. The Prophet (peace be upon him) pointed out a valley and said that the she-camel used to come here to drink water. This place is still known as Fajju’n-Naqah.

Salih (peace be upon him) presented them with the same call that was the fundamental call of all the prophets and messengers.

‘And to Thamud We sent their brother Salih. He said, “O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him.”’ (A‘raf 73)

It should be noted that before his prophethood, Salih (peace be upon him) was extremely beloved among his people, and everyone had placed all their hopes and aspirations in him. After he presented the call of Islam, he became an object of their hatred. In response to his call, they said—

‘O Salih! Until yesterday we had placed great hopes in you. (But what has happened today that) you are forbidding us to worship those deities whom our forefathers worshipped?’ (Hud 63)

They also regarded the call to Tawhid as a deception and commented on it as follows—

‘You are merely bewitched. You are nothing but a human being like us.’ (Shu‘ara 154)

They raised the same excuses and accusations that the people of Noah and Hud had raised. Salih (peace be upon him) admonished them in many ways and warned them of the terrible consequences. But they rejected every one of his words. At last, they faced a terrible fate—

‘Thamud rejected the warning as false. They said, “Are we to follow a mere man, one of our own kind? If we follow him, we will surely be astray and have lost our senses. Has the Reminder been sent down to him alone from among us? No, he is a flagrant liar and one who is deluded.” (We said to Our prophet,) “Tomorrow they will know who is the flagrant liar and the deluded one. We are sending the she-camel as a trial for them. Wait patiently and see what their end will be. Inform them that the water is to be shared between them and the she-camel, and each shall come for water on its appointed day.” Finally, they called one of their wicked men. He took responsibility for the deed and killed the she-camel. Then see how terrible My punishment and warning were. We sent upon them a single mighty blast, and they became like crushed and trampled dry stalks in an animal pen.’ (Al-Qasas 23–31)

Elsewhere in the Holy Qur’an it is said—

‘Then they killed the she-camel and arrogantly violated their Lord’s command. They said to Salih, “Bring us the punishment you threaten us with, if you are truly one of the messengers.” At last, a devastating calamity seized them, and they lay dead, fallen on their faces in their homes. Salih departed from their settlement, saying, “O my people, I conveyed my Lord’s message to you and sincerely wished you well. But what can I do? You did not like my counsel and goodwill.”’ (A‘raf 77–78)

The People of Lot

After Salih (peace be upon him), several more prophets came, and the people of each nation treated them in the same way. That is, they rejected the call to truth, humiliated and disgraced the prophets, and did not hesitate to persecute them in various ways. Finally, Lot (peace be upon him) came. He too had to face all the obstacles, opposition, mockery, and ridicule encountered by the earlier prophets. In addition, he had to confront an unprecedented, astonishing, and detestable moral doctrine. It was the widespread homosexuality practiced in society. The essence of their doctrine was that freedom of action could not be restrained by moral discipline. The people of Lot firmly embraced this brutish doctrine of freedom, and as a result they became immersed in loathsome moral degradation. Along with refuting their polytheism and disbelief, Lot (peace be upon him) strongly criticized their depraved tastes. But they paid no heed to his words.

“And We sent Lot as a messenger. Recall when he said to his people, ‘Have you become so shameless that you commit such indecent acts as no one before you in the world has ever committed? You satisfy your sexual desire with men instead of women. Indeed, you are a people who transgress all limits.’ But the only answer of his people was, ‘Drive these people out of your settlement; they claim to be so pure and holy.’” (A‘raf 80–82)

It was as though they were saying: Let Lot and his followers dislike what we do if they wish. But what right do they have to interfere with our actions?

They could not tolerate the counsel Lot (peace be upon him) gave them to live honorable and decent lives, so they resolved to expel him from their city. The false ideas and doctrines of Jahiliyyah had cast this wretched people so far from the light of truth and had so disabled and distorted their knowledge, reason, and conscience that how could they respond to the call of Tawhid, Risalat, and the Hereafter? Rather, they regarded the caller to truth as an enemy of their lives. When, despite every effort, they underwent no mental change, Allah seized them according to His eternal law and wiped them from the face of the earth.

The Qur’an records the account of the destruction of this people.

“Has the story of Abraham’s honored guests reached you, O Prophet Muhammad? They entered his presence and said, ‘Peace be upon you.’ He replied, ‘And peace be upon you.’ They seemed to him like unfamiliar people. Then he quietly went to his wife and brought a fat, roasted calf, placing it before the guests to eat. He said, ‘Will you not eat?’ When they did not eat, he felt fear within himself concerning them. They said, ‘Do not be afraid,’ and gave him the good news of a knowledgeable son. Hearing this, his wife came forward crying out and slapping her cheeks, saying, ‘A son for this old, barren woman?’”

They said, “Thus has your Lord said. He is All-Wise, All-Knowing.”

Abraham said, “O angels sent by God, what mission have you come on?”

They said, “We have been sent to a criminal people so that we may rain upon them stones of baked clay, marked by your Lord for the transgressors.” (Dhariyat 24–34)

Elsewhere in the Qur’an it is said—

“And We sent Lot when he said to his people, ‘You commit such shameful, detestable acts as no one before you in the world has ever committed. Is it not the case that you approach men for sexual relations, rob travelers, and commit evil deeds openly in your gatherings?’

His people had no answer except to say, ‘Bring us Allah’s punishment if you are truthful.’

Lot said, “My Lord, help me against these wicked people.”

Then, when Our angels came to Abraham with good news, they said, “We are going to destroy the people of this town. They have become greatly unjust.”

Abraham said, “But Lot is there.” They said, “We know very well who is there. We shall save him and the other members of his household, except his wife; she will be among those left behind.” Later, when Our angels came to Lot, he was deeply distressed and saddened by their arrival. They said, “Do not fear or grieve. We will save you and your household, except your wife, who will be among those left behind. We will bring down upon these people a punishment from heaven because of the wickedness they commit.” (Ankabut 28–30)

Allah’s angels had taken the form of handsome, beautiful young men and become Lot’s guests. Lot (peace be upon him) did not realize that they were angels. The sinful people of the city became delighted at the news of the arrival of the beautiful youths and began crowding around Lot’s house. The Qur’an describes it as follows—

“Meanwhile, the townspeople came rushing joyfully to Lot’s house. Lot said, ‘My people, these are my guests, so do not disgrace me. Fear Allah and do not humiliate me.’ They said, ‘Did we not repeatedly forbid you from entertaining people from all over the world?’ Finally, at daybreak, a mighty blast overtook them. We turned the entire settlement upside down and rained upon them stones of baked clay.” (Al-Hijr 67–74)

It is possible that these stones were hurled from beneath the earth by a volcanic eruption, destroying the settlement. Or it may be that a violent storm rained down the stones.

The Field of Activity of Lot

Lot (peace be upon him) was Abraham’s (peace be upon him) nephew. The region where he carried out his mission is now called Transjordan, situated between Iraq and Palestine. The chief and central city of this region is called Sodom in the Bible. Since the people of Sodom, the people of Lot, were involved in the sin of homosexuality, sexual relations between men are still called sodomy. This city was situated somewhere near the Sea of Lot (the Dead Sea), and it was submerged in the sea.

The disgraceful and shameful vice for which the people of Lot are notorious has still not been abandoned by immoral people. Greek philosophers called this heinous crime a moral virtue, and it has been legalized in various Western countries, including Germany. In the age of modern Western civilization—in other words, modern Jahiliyyah—this act is being promoted as righteous, although people in the age of ancient Jahiliyyah did not regard the same vile crime as a crime.

Homosexuality is an act contrary to nature. No animal other than human beings is known to practice homosexuality. Human beings were granted freedom of action as a test. They have misused this freedom and engaged in a struggle against nature.

Allah has made male and female distinctions among all living creatures for the purpose of reproduction. In the case of human beings, there is an additional great purpose behind this: husband and wife are to establish a family, from which society and civilization will develop. For this purpose, the sexes were made different. Their forms, physiques, structures, respective abilities, and functions were also differentiated. One was given the capacity for action, and the other was given the responsibility of receiving the effects of that action. An extraordinary pleasure was placed in their mutual union and intercourse, attracting them to one another. A person who satisfies sexual desire through homosexuality, which is contrary to nature—no creature other than human beings engages in this act—commits several kinds of crime at once.

First, he struggles against the nature and structure of his own actions and against his psychological nature, thereby producing extreme distortion and disruption, which greatly affects his body, mind, and morality.

Second, he commits the ultimate betrayal of nature. Sexual pleasure was regarded as remuneration for serving society and civilization, and certain duties and responsibilities were imposed in order to receive that remuneration. Yet he seeks to obtain it without performing any duties or responsibilities.

Third, he also betrays society. He enjoys the benefits of the various civilizational institutions established in society. But without rendering any service to them himself, he selfishly spends his physical strength and time on an activity that is terribly harmful to society, civilization, and morality. He makes himself entirely unfit to serve his lineage and family. He involves at least one man with himself in unnatural, effeminate activity and opens the door to sexual licentiousness, moral decline, and ruin for at least two women. That is why Allah wiped the people of Lot from the face of the earth, so that people with conscience might learn a lesson from it.

The People of Shu‘ayb

The people of Midian and the people of Aykah are referred to as the people of Shu‘ayb. Allah sent Shu‘ayb (peace be upon him) as a prophet to guide them. There is disagreement over whether the people of Midian and Aykah were the same nation or two separate nations. Some have said that they were two distinct nations, while others have held that they were one nation. Investigation shows that both views are correct. Although the people of Midian and Aykah were two separate nations, they were two branches of the same lineage. The children born to Abraham (peace be upon him) through his wife Keturah are known as the Children of Keturah. The best-known tribe among them was called the People of Midian, after Midian son of Abraham. Their dwelling stretched from northern Hejaz through the southern part of Palestine and from there to the far end of the Sinai Valley, along the shores of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. Their chief and central city was Midian. Among the remaining tribes of the Children of Keturah, the Dedanites were comparatively more famous. They lived in northern Arabia, in the region between Tayma and Tabuk and AlUla. Their central city was Tabuk, which was called Aykah in ancient times. The reason the same prophet was sent to the people of Midian and Aykah was probably that they descended from the same lineage and spoke the same language. Their regions were adjacent. They may also have intermarried, and both peoples were engaged in trade and commerce. Their moral and religious conditions were alike. They were extremely corrupt in business and were immersed in polytheism and disbelief.

“And to the people of Midian We sent their brother Shu‘ayb. He said, ‘O my people, worship and obey Allah. You have no god other than Him. Do not give short measure or weight. Today I see you in a good condition, but I fear that a day will come upon you whose punishment will encompass you all. O my people, give full measure and weight with justice, and do not diminish people’s goods by adulterating them or giving them inferior merchandise. Do not spread corruption in the land.’” (Hud 84–85)

Because they had forgotten the teachings of the previous prophet, they had become slaves to nature. Instead of God, they worshipped deities of their own invention. They denied Tawhid, Risalat, and the Hereafter. Consequently, they became corrupt, unjust, and sinful. Like the people of Lot, they became notorious not only for doctrinal misguidance but also for moral decline, dishonesty in business, and corruption. The Prophet Shu‘ayb called them to Islam and also urged them to pray in order to reform their character. They were completely unwilling to accept this.

The people of Shu‘ayb replied—

“O Shu‘ayb! Does your prayer command you that we should abandon the gods whom our forefathers worshipped?” (Hud 87)

The words ‘whom our forefathers worshipped’ conceal the lame argument of Jahiliyyah’s principle of blind imitation. Their point was: What value do your words have compared with those of our learned and illustrious sages? Was it wrong for them to regard so-and-so as gods, while you alone are right?

Mocking his claim to prophethood, they said: It is false that you are sent by Allah. How can you, being a human being like us, be sent by the Lord of the worlds? You are nothing but a madman. Magic has impaired and distorted your understanding and conscience.

“You are a bewitched man and nothing more than a human being like us. We consider you a liar.” (Shu‘ara 186)

There was nothing new in the way they rejected the fundamental points of the call or in the absurd arguments they presented. The people of Shu‘ayb did exactly what the slaves of Jahiliyyah and their desires had done with the calls of earlier prophets: they rejected them with the same lame excuses and objections. When the Prophet Shu‘ayb (peace be upon him) strongly criticized their corruption, fraud, and dishonesty in trade and commerce, a new perspective of Jahiliyyah emerged. Their argument was: What connection does morality have with earning a livelihood? They said to the prophet’s face: Are we to sacrifice our economic interests because of your foolish words? Are we to abandon the advantages we gain in business by tampering with measures because we might suffer loss in the Hereafter? And what is this Hereafter, anyway? We cannot understand it. Even if it ever comes to pass, are we to ruin our worldly lives for it? We consider it the height of foolishness to give up ready cash in hope of something deferred. Do whatever you like. Why are you imposing it on us?

The leaders of the nation spoke among themselves and warned one another.

“The chiefs who had refused to follow him began saying to one another, ‘If you follow Shu‘ayb, you will surely be ruined financially.’” (A‘raf 90)

This brief statement carries great significance. The leaders and chiefs of Midian were saying: How can we accept what Shu‘ayb (peace be upon him) says—the call to faithfulness and honesty, and the permanent moral principles by which he seeks to bind us? We control the two greatest commercial highways in the world. We live on the borders of two advanced states, Egypt and Iraq. If we do not exert our influence and pressure over the commercial caravans, and if we behave like honest and good people, all the advantages we enjoy because of our geographical position will be lost. Then our influence and prestige among the neighboring nations will also come to an end.

This fear of worldly loss was not limited to the leaders of the people of Shu‘ayb. In every age, people with corrupt minds and character have felt the same fear about behaving honestly and faithfully. In every age, those who caused ruin believed that trade, politics, and other worldly affairs could not function without lies, dishonesty, deceit, and fraud. In every age and place, one of the terrible objections raised against the call to truth was that accepting it and abandoning the established ways of the world would inevitably bring about the destruction of the nation. The advocates of Jahiliyyah in the present age hold the same belief.

The people of Midian not only rejected the prophet’s call; they also threatened to expel him and his followers from the country.

“The chiefs and leaders of his people, swollen with pride and arrogance, said, ‘O Shu‘ayb! We will surely drive you and those who believe with you out of our settlement, unless you return to our faith.’” (A‘raf 88)

When there was no longer any possibility of their returning to the right path, Allah Almighty destroyed them.

“Then a devastating calamity befell them. Thereafter they lay dead, overturned, in their own homes”—(Al-A‘raf: 91).

Their destruction has been described in these words—

“Those who rejected Shu‘ayb’s call as false were annihilated so completely that it was as though they had never lived in those places”—(Al-A‘raf: 92).

The destruction of the people of Midian remained for a long time a memorable lesson for the inhabitants of the surrounding regions. This is how the people of falsehood are destroyed.

The People of Pharaoh

The wheel of time keeps turning, and the conflict between Islam and jahiliyyah continues as well. Eventually, several hundred years after the passing of Allah’s beloved prophet, Joseph, in the land of Egypt, the Copts rose to the height of prosperity and the rule of the Pharaoh’s dynasty was established. During the Pharaoh’s rule, the entire nation was immersed in the darkness of jahiliyyah. Extreme persecution and oppression began against the Children of Israel, who believed in Islam. Under the influence of the Copts’ distorted civilization and culture, the Children of Israel also became victims of corruption. When Moses was sent to that land to reform, correct and guide them, and to free them from the octopus-like grip of Pharaoh’s rule, he was also entrusted with the duty of calling the Copts to Islam. In accordance with the method of the prophets’ preaching, Moses chose Pharaoh and his courtiers, as the rulers of the nation, as the first target of his call. This was the very command given to him by Allah.

“Go to Pharaoh. He has become rebellious. Tell him: Are you willing to purify yourself, and that I guide you to your Lord so that you may develop fear of Him?”—(Al-Nazi‘at: 17–19).

“Go to the wrongdoing people—to Pharaoh’s people. Do they not wish to save themselves from a terrible fate?”—(Al-Shu‘ara: 11).

The Holy Qur’an mentions Moses and Pharaoh in many places in passing. Compiled together, these references would form a long history. Instead of recounting that continuous history here, the fundamental aspects of jahiliyyah’s age-old sophistry, obstinacy, blind imitation and superstition are being highlighted. First, a brief discussion of their superstitions and blind beliefs is presented.

The Meaning of the Name Pharaoh

The word Pharaoh means son of the sun-god. The supreme deity of the ancient Egyptians was the sun, which they called Ra. Pharaoh referred to his children. The Egyptians believed that only one who assumed the form of the god Ra and came as his incarnation could obtain the power to rule the country. According to this belief, every dynasty established in Egypt was proclaimed to be descended from the sun-god. Whoever occupied the seat of ruling power called himself Pharaoh. In reality, this was not a personal name but merely a royal title. It also conveyed the notion that, since he was an incarnation of the god, he was the supreme lord or chief deity of the people of that land.

It should be noted that, in recounting the story of Moses, the Holy Qur’an mentions two Pharaohs. One was the Pharaoh during whose reign Moses was born and by whom he was raised. According to researchers, his name was Ramesses II. The Pharaoh to whom Moses was sent with the call to Islam and the demand for the liberation of the Children of Israel was the second Pharaoh, named ‘Merneptah’ or ‘Merenptah’.

Allah Almighty Himself called Pharaoh’s people a wrongdoing nation. The entire nation was wrongdoing, and Pharaoh was the chief of those wrongdoers. From this one can estimate how cruel, brutal and horrifying his oppression and persecution were. Therefore, in response to the Islamic call, they behaved just like the God-defying peoples of the past. They said—

“We have never heard of such things in the time of our forefathers”—(Al-Qasas: 36).

The argument behind rejecting the Prophet’s call was the same: blind imitation of their ancestors. Their basic position was: Our ancestors were certainly wise and virtuous. Since they did not accept God as One and without partners, had no concept of the Hereafter, and did not believe that an ordinary human being could be sent by God, how can this man’s words be believed?

The Qur’an speaks clearly about this mentality in every age—

“When they are told to follow the commands Allah has revealed, they reply, ‘Rather, we shall follow the ways in which we saw our forefathers following.’”

“What if their forefathers had no understanding of anything and had not found the straight, correct path? Will they still follow them?”—(Al-Baqarah: 170).

“The condition of those who refuse to follow Allah’s path is like that of a shepherd calling out to animals, which hear nothing but the sound of the call. They are deaf, dumb and blind; therefore, they understand nothing”—(Al-Baqarah: 171).

Fear of God and the Hereafter, righteousness and the conception of noble moral qualities are the desires of a sound conscience. Through them, the soul attains supreme peace. Yet most people reject them. The reasons for this foolish conduct are the same in every age. Human forgetfulness of self, forgetfulness of thought and mentality, worship of desires, blind devotion to imitating ancestors, and the pride and arrogance born of intoxication with power act like such an impenetrable curtain or iron wall that the light of guidance cannot cross it and enter the human heart. That is why they have been compared to the deaf, dumb and blind.

The same condition can be seen in every age, whether past or modern. It was seen among Pharaoh and his courtiers. Intoxicated with power, Pharaoh denied Allah Almighty’s oneness, lordship, authority, sovereignty and absolute dominion over the created world. Moses and his brother Aaron, following God’s command, declared before everyone at a meeting of Pharaoh’s cabinet in unequivocal language—

“Indeed, we have been sent by the Lord of the worlds”—(Al-Shu‘ara: 16).

“They immediately exclaimed, ‘And what is this Lord of the worlds?’”—(Al-Shu‘ara: 23).

Their question contained astonishment and also some mockery. It did not mean that they were outright atheists or deniers of God’s existence. Rather, they believed in Allah, the Creator of the universe, and even in the existence of His angels.

“One day Pharaoh called his people and said, ‘O my people! Is the kingdom of Egypt not mine? And do these rivers not flow beneath my authority? Do you not see? Am I not better than this man who is insignificant and humiliated, and can scarcely express himself clearly? Why have golden bracelets not been cast upon him? Or, if he were sent by Allah, why has no army of angels come before and behind him as guards?’”—(Al-Zukhruf: 51–53).

His mistaken, narrow conception and outlook were these: Allah is the Creator of the universe, and His authority and command rule over the vast realm of nature—let that be so. But since I am the king of Egypt and the owner of this country’s mountains, rivers, trees, people and living creatures, no one’s rule or command can operate in my country except mine. He was extremely proud of his power. Consequently, he regarded the entire nation as his obedient slaves. He considered everyone contemptible, insignificant, despicable and humiliated. His power, dominance, pride and arrogance prevented him from accepting Moses’ prophethood. Moreover, he firmly believed that a human being could never be a messenger sent by Allah. If Allah wished to appoint someone as a messenger, it would be fitting to appoint someone who possessed wealth and power in society. Moses was not an established, influential or wealthy person in society; he had no golden bracelets, and if he were Allah’s appointed representative, he would certainly have vast armies of angels before and behind him and would move about with the grandeur of kings. Since none of these things was present, all his claims were false.

Even after presenting many irrefutable arguments, clear signs and miraculous acts, he did not abandon his blind obstinacy, arrogance and defiance; instead, he became harsher toward Allah’s Prophet. In a stern, reprimanding tone, he said to Moses—

“Pharaoh said, ‘If you accept anyone other than me as god, you will surely be among those who languish and die in the dark cells of prison’”—(Al-Shu‘ara: 29).

“We sent Moses to Pharaoh, Haman and Qarun with Our signs and clear authority confirming his appointment as a prophet. But they said, ‘He is a magician, a liar.’ Then, when he brought them the truth from Us, they said, ‘Kill him and also the sons of those who have believed with him, but spare the women alive.’ Yet their schemes failed. Pharaoh said, ‘Leave me; I will kill him. Let him call upon his Lord. I fear that he will change your religion or spread corruption in the land.’ Moses said, ‘I have sought refuge in my Lord and your Lord from every arrogant person who does not believe in the Day of Reckoning’”—(Al-Mu’min: 23–27).

In other words, the aim of the prophets’ call was to break all the chains of human obedience and servitude and submit exclusively to Allah’s servitude, command and rule. Tyrannical rulers of every age, like Pharaoh and Nimrod, want to remain the absolute masters of all the people in their countries. Their command alone will prevail over everyone, and the people must remain subject to their laws. As a result of Moses’ Islamic call, Pharaoh feared that his absolute lordship and dominance would no longer continue. Moses’ call would bring about such a mental revolution among the people that they would free themselves from servitude to human beings. Holding this fear, Pharaoh told his courtiers, ‘I fear that Moses will bring about a revolution.’ Even if he could not make a revolution, there was at least certainly the danger that his preaching and propaganda would create disorder and anarchy in the country and disturb the peace and security of the people. Therefore, even if he had committed no crime warranting execution, he should be killed purely for the sake of public security (Maintenance of Public Order).

Pharaoh used the word revolution to mean that Moses would change the established religion.

“I fear that he will change your religion.”

Here, religion means the system of governance. The system of religion, politics, economics and culture operating in Egypt on the basis of Pharaoh and his family’s sovereignty was that country’s ‘religion.’ As a result of Moses’ call, there arose a fear that this religion would be changed and that Pharaoh’s own kingship, lordship and authority would come to an end. Therefore, the one who changed the religion had to be killed. In every age, including the modern age, whenever tyrannical Pharaohs have realized that the Islamic movement has shaken the foundations of their autocratic rule, they have either fabricated false charges against the activists, staged mock trials and sentenced the movement’s leaders to death, imprisoned many, or subjected many to brutal persecution. Yet in the end, it is the God-defying tyrannical power that has been destroyed. Even after using all the power of the state, Pharaoh could not eradicate Moses, his Islamic movement or its strength. He himself was eradicated and obliterated from the face of the earth.

When Pharaoh made all preparations to kill Moses, a command came to him from Allah to leave the land of Egypt with the entire Islamic force.

“Set out during the night with My servants. You will certainly be pursued. Leave the sea in its natural flowing state. That entire army will be drowned. How many gardens, springs, fields and magnificent palaces they left behind! How many luxuries they had enjoyed remained behind. Such was their fate, and We made other people inherit these things. Neither heaven nor earth shed tears for them, nor were they given any respite”—(Al-Dukhan: 23–29).

At Allah Almighty’s command, as soon as Moses struck the Red Sea with his miraculous staff, a beautiful, dry highway formed from one shore to the other. The entire Islamic force crossed the sea safely. Then, when Pharaoh began proceeding along the highway with his huge army, the sea suddenly returned to its natural state, and the entire army was drowned and perished. However loudly such tyrannical rulers may sound the trumpets of victory, and however fulsome their flatterers may be in praising them, after their deaths no one mourns them or sheds tears for them. Rather, everyone breathes a sigh of relief.

In every chapter of history, we see this very conflict between Islam and jahiliyyah, truth and falsehood. Although the bearers of truth have been persecuted and oppressed by anti-Islamic, God-defying forces, in the end the forces of falsehood have been destroyed.

The Advent of the Prophet of the UniverseThe Advent of the Prophet of the Universe

At a stage in the conflict between Islam and jahiliyyah, at the beginning of the seventh century, the Prophet of the Universe, Muhammad Mustafa, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, appeared in the city of Makkah with the call to Islam. At that time, the entire world, including Arabia, was immersed in the dense darkness of jahiliyyah.

Allah Almighty sent the Prophet Mustafa, peace be upon him, as the final Prophet for humankind and sent through him His final guidance for humankind. The final Prophet and the final guidance prove that a complete religion or way of life was presented for the comprehensive welfare of humanity. For this reason, the religion was named al-Islam, one of whose important characteristics is the clear, easily understood style in which the call of the great Book revealed for it, the Qur’an, is presented.

Although the Qur’an uses an advisory rather than an imperative style in presenting its call, it also offers powerful arguments and proofs. To establish the truth of the belief it seeks to instill in people’s hearts, the Qur’an presents it in a moving style supported by strong arguments. These arguments and proofs are of various kinds—intellectual, natural, intuitive and historical. Presenting the call with powerful arguments and proofs demonstrates that the Qur’an appeals directly to human reason and conscience. For example—

“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and in the alternation of night and day are countless signs for people of understanding”—(Aal Imran: 190).

There are many such verses in the Holy Qur’an, making it clear that human beings are considered capable of accepting the call precisely because they possess reason and conscience. In other words, whoever uses their knowledge, intellect and conscience correctly will find the truth of this call clear. No one who reflects with a desire to seek truth and with sincerity can remain deprived of the light of this truth.

An Environment Enveloped in the Darkness of Jahiliyyah

Despite the Islamic call being presented in a moving style with arguments, historical testimony and various signs, the jahiliyyah of Arabia rejected it just as people had done in the past. The reason was the lack of knowledge, reason, conscience and insight in society. When the sun rises, its light spreads in every direction. Only those who possess sight can benefit from this light. For a blind person, or one who has lost the power of sight, everything appears enveloped in dense darkness. The same is true of inner insight. If the eye of the heart loses its sight, or if a thick veil like a cataract covers it, the person cannot see the truth. At the time of the final Prophet’s advent, society was full of such blind and deaf people. The Qur’an described the condition of that time in these words—

“They have hearts, but they do not use them to understand. They have eyes, but they do not see with them. They have ears, but they do not hear with them. They are like cattle—rather, even more astray and misguided. They are immersed in profound heedlessness”—(Al-A‘raf: 171).

This means that these people—before whom the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, presented the call to Islam—had lost the capacity to reflect on the call to truth. Allah had given them the means and faculties by which to discover the truth and the reality of every matter. They used them for everything else, but did not perform the real task they ought to have performed: recognizing the truth. They had been given eyes, or the power of sight, so that through them they could observe the realities of the universe. They had been given hearing so that they would listen attentively to the call to truth and reflect upon it. They had been given hearts, or understanding, so that they would correctly evaluate, with a sense of responsibility, what they observed with their eyes and heard with their ears and reach the right conclusion. But they played the role of quadruped animals. They did only what animals gain in knowledge through their eyes and ears. The condition of these animals is that when a shepherd or their owner shouts something to them, they cannot understand what is actually being said. They merely sense that someone is making a sound. The Arab polytheists and unbelievers were in exactly the same condition regarding the call to Islam. They had completely lost the ability to observe and reflect in its support. The caller’s words dissolved into the air. The Holy Qur’an portrayed their mental condition in these words—

“The condition of those who refuse to follow God’s path is this: a shepherd calls out to animals, but they hear nothing except the sound of the call. They are deaf, dumb and blind; therefore, they understand nothing”—(Al-Baqarah: 17).

It has been said elsewhere—

“Do they not reflect on the Qur’an? Or have locks been placed upon their hearts?”—(Muhammad: 24).

The meaning of the verse above is that they do not reflect on the Qur’an at all. And even if they sometimes do, its meaning and significance do not enter the depths of their hearts. The reason is that they do not want to accept the truth at all. The entrances to their hearts remain locked. Thereafter, they have no ability to distinguish good from evil. This is the blindness of the heart.

The Cause of Blindness

The first cause of this blindness is national and familial bigotry. Their position is that the religious beliefs, customs, practices and traditions handed down from their ancestors must be correct. It is impossible that their ancestors could have been mistaken. Therefore, if we reject the call to the new religion of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, that will be the cause of our good fortune, and by not abandoning our ancestors’ religion, we will also escape their curse.

“We found our forefathers following a certain way, and we are following in their footsteps”—(Al-Zukhruf: 23).

They have no divine authority in any scripture to support them. Their only proof is that all these practices have continued since the time of their forefathers. Therefore, whatever they did, we will do as well. It is noteworthy that in every age, why were the wealthy members of society the ones who raised the banner of blind imitation of their forefathers in opposition to the prophets? One reason was that they were so absorbed in worldly enjoyment that they were entirely unwilling to concern themselves with the debate between truth and falsehood, lest their luxurious way of life suffer any interruption. The second reason was that their interests were deeply bound up with the prevailing system of society. As soon as they saw the system presented by the prophets, they understood that under it their leadership, influence and prestige would end, and every avenue through which they enjoyed things unjustly would be closed.

It was not only blind obedience to their ancestors that prevented them from accepting the truth; tribal bigotry and tribal interests also obstructed them from accepting the Islamic call. The Prophet’s family was connected with the Banu Qusay branch of the Quraysh tribe. For this reason, others were incited against Banu Qusay. The others refused to accept the prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, because it would establish the supremacy of Banu Qusay.

During the Battle of Badr, one of Abu Jahl’s companions, Akhnas ibn Shurayq, asked Abu Jahl privately, “Tell me honestly: Do you consider Muhammad truthful or a liar?”

He replied plainly, “By God, Muhammad is a truthful man who has never lied in his life. But if the standard, the provision of water, the custodianship and prophethood all fall to Banu Qusay, then tell me, what remains for the other Quraysh?”

Even a man like Abu Talib, the uncle of the Prophet (peace be upon him), could not accept Islam only because his blind faith in the religion of his forefathers did not permit him to do so. Yet his affection and love for the Prophet were unparalleled. In confronting the enemies, he was like a shield. But despite the repeated requests of the Holy Prophet, he did not pronounce the Kalimah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to him with profound reverence and tenderness, “Dear uncle, just say once, ‘There is no god but Allah.’ Then, on the Day of Resurrection, I will testify for you and plead for your forgiveness.”

Abu Jahl and the other polytheist leaders were present there. They said, “Abu Talib, will you abandon the religion of your venerable father, Abd al-Muttalib, out of fear of death?”

The arrow of their jahiliyyah reached its target. A powerful feeling of ancestor-worship was awakened in Abu Talib, and he said, “I am dying upon the religion of Abd al-Muttalib.” Ibn Hisham has related this incident in his history.

The foregoing two incidents make it perfectly clear how intense national, partisan, tribal, and family bigotry and blind imitation were in Arab society, and how readily they rejected the truth, the Prophet’s call, and the path of welfare for the sake of vested interests.

The second cause was intellectual blindness and the worship of desires. The tendency to worship their desires pervaded their very veins. To satisfy their desires and passions, they invented various methods, practices, and customs, and clothed them in an attractive guise. Arguments and proofs were supplied to make them lawful. Drinking, gambling, usury, nudity, obscenity, dancing and singing, sexual anarchy, murder, and killing children were at times dressed in the garb of natural demands, at times of economic welfare, at times of fine art, and at times of religious sanctity. Thus, under the burden of satanic desires and vile deeds, human nature had become so crushed that it could not utter even a word against them. Since Islam could not license these things, but rather stood against them, they regarded it as a danger to themselves. They considered it a terrible oppression and injustice inflicted upon them. For in reality, they had made their own desires their god. When the Prophet of mercy began to feel pain in his heart at this mentality and conduct of theirs, Allah Most High said:

“Have you ever considered the condition of the one who has taken his own desire as his god? Can you take responsibility for guiding such a person?” — (Al-Furqan: 43).

To make one’s desire a god means to serve and submit to it; in practical terms, this too is shirk, just like idol worship. In a hadith narrated by Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Of all the objects worshiped besides Allah beneath this sky, the worst deity is the desire whose command is obeyed — (al-Tabarani).

If a person keeps his desire subject to his conscience and makes conscientious decisions, then even if he becomes involved in some form of shirk or kufr, he can be brought to the right path through explanation and counsel. But the slave of desire is like an unbridled camel and cannot be corrected in any way. He goes wherever his desire directs him.

The third is the customary practices inherited from the past. They were unwilling to hear any criticism of these practices, nor were they prepared even to consider abandoning the customs that had continued for so long.

The three things mentioned above had afflicted their minds and hearts like incurable diseases. They did not merely reject the call of truth; rather, the voice of truth increased their anger.

“We have explained the essential message of the religion in this Qur’an in various ways so that they may understand and take heed, yet they are only fleeing farther from the actual truth.” — (Bani Isra’il: 41).

People of this kind, the offspring of jahiliyyah, will be found in every age.

The Reaction of the Followers of Jahiliyyah

As soon as Prophet Muhammad’s announcement of prophethood was made, the reaction of the polytheists and unbelievers of Makkah grew progressively more intense. At first, this announcement seemed to them utterly astonishing. In their view, the man who was the finest person in society—truthful, supremely trustworthy and reliable, and of unmatched character—why was he uttering such unrealistic and absurd words?

“Has Allah sent a human being as His Messenger?” — (Bani Isra’il: 14).

“It was astonishing to them that a warner from among themselves, from among human beings, had come to them. So the unbelievers said, ‘This is a most extraordinary thing.’” — (Qaf: 2).

Like people devoid of knowledge and reason, they began spreading everywhere the sensational claim that God would never send a human being as His Messenger. They said: When such absurd words are being heard from the mouth of our universally beloved, truthful, and trustworthy man, his mind must certainly have become deranged. Or perhaps he has been possessed by a jinn. Thus began a campaign to turn people against the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Then came the talk of life after death, the talk of the Hereafter. This was even more laughable and unbelievable to them.

Their statement was as follows: “Shall we tell you about a man who claims that when you have disintegrated completely after death, you will supposedly be created anew?” — (Saba: 7).

Thus, with mockery, ridicule, and derision, the standard-bearers of jahiliyyah first rejected Islam’s call. Later they rejected tawhid and the Hereafter as absurd, because they had never heard such unrealistic ideas from their forefathers. Then opposition to the Prophet began, gradually taking the form of persecution and oppression. As soon as anyone accepted Islam, a mountain of calamities would collapse upon him. When the lives of the Muslims became unbearable during their stay in Makkah, Allah warned the enemies of the Prophet and Islam, saying: Do those who commit evil think that they can escape Me? What a grievous misjudgment they have made — (Al-‘Ankabut: 4).

This may have two meanings. First, they thought that the Islamic movement, which Allah wished to make successful, would not succeed. Rather, what would happen was that they would succeed in wiping it out. Second, they thought they would escape the grasp of Allah, who wished to seize them for their excesses.

The enemies of Islam have always held the notion that they will erase the Islamic movement and its activists from the face of the earth. They do not believe at all that the Almighty Allah can punish them appropriately for opposing Islam and persecuting and oppressing its followers.

Yet despite all their opposition, oppression, and persecution, the number of Muslims continued to grow. The principal reason was the Word of Allah, the Qur’an, revealed in the Arabic language. The Qur’an possesses several general qualities. First, it is literature of the highest order, such that composing even a couple of lines comparable to it is beyond human ability. Second, its language is clear, comprehensible, highly appealing, and moving. It exerts a tremendous influence on the listener’s mind. Its meaning and inner message enter the depths of the listener’s heart and create a revolution in thought. Every statement of the Qur’an is not only exceedingly true but also irrefutably logical. Truth has a distinct flavor that readily attracts and enchants seekers of truth. The Qur’an’s teachings are compatible and consistent with human nature, human intelligence, the natural world, and its systems. Therefore, those who listen attentively to the Qur’an and reflect upon it experience a revolution in their inner world and respond spontaneously to its call.

Obstructing the Hearing of the Qur’an

When the bearers of jahiliyyah, that is, the enemies of Islam, realized that people were hearing from the mouth of one of society’s finest and most respected men words that were influencing them to abandon the religion of their forefathers and become disillusioned with the existing society and its leadership, they became bewildered and united against the Word of Allah, the Qur’an. Then they imposed a prohibition against listening to the Qur’an. Concerning them, the Qur’an says:

“The unbelievers say, ‘Do not listen to this Qur’an, and make noise when it is recited, so that you may prevail.’”

Allah says:

“We shall make these deniers of the truth taste a severe punishment, and We shall recompense them fully for the worst of what they used to do. The recompense of Allah’s enemies is Hell. They will remain there forever. That is the punishment because they denied My signs.

These unbelievers who denied the truth will say in Hell, ‘Our Lord, show us the jinn and human beings who led us astray. We shall trample them beneath our feet so that they may be thoroughly disgraced and humiliated.’” — (Surah Ha-Mim al-Sajdah: 27–29).

Just as the bearers of ancient jahiliyyah could not tolerate the propagation and spread of the Qur’an and left no effort or intrigue untried to stop it, so too the bearers of modern jahiliyyah, the enemies of Islam, could not view the Qur’an favorably at all. But attempts to stop the propagation of the Qur’an have never succeeded; rather, the opposite result has occurred. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), once a bitter enemy of Islam, set out with a drawn sword intending to kill Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). By chance, he read several verses of the Qur’an on the way and became attracted to it; the truth was unveiled within his heart. Thus the Prophet’s enemy became passionately devoted to the Prophet. The Christian ruler of Abyssinia could not restrain his tears of joy upon hearing the Qur’an recited. The Christian delegation from Najran, enchanted after hearing the Qur’an recited by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself, sought refuge under Islam’s cool shade. The British government threatened to stop the propagation and spread of the Qur’an. But the result was the opposite. English translations of the Holy Qur’an spread throughout the world in countless numbers, and many distinguished people in England itself accepted Islam after reading the Qur’an, and continue to do so. The same situation is visible everywhere in the world. An attempt was also made in India to declare the Qur’an prohibited, but that effort failed. The Qur’an has been translated into several Indian languages. Interest in reading the Qur’an continues to grow even among non-Muslims. Many highly educated and scholarly people in India are abandoning Hinduism and accepting Islam. Fake Muslims who bear Muslim names have also continued, in imitation of the unbelievers, to try to stop the propagation and spread of the Qur’an. This work first began in Turkey during the rule of Kemal Pasha. The Arabic alphabet was banned in Turkey. Its purpose was to stop the propagation of the Qur’an revealed in Arabic. But that purpose was not achieved.

After taking a Muslim name, if someone becomes a fake Muslim, he becomes more vocal against Islam than a non-Muslim unbeliever. Thus, when history is examined, it becomes clear that fake Muslims and fake scholars have caused Islam far greater harm than non-Muslim unbelievers have.

Whether they are unbelievers who reject Islam or fake Muslims who are mentally enslaved to unbelievers, they should know that the Qur’an is the eternal Word of Allah, and Allah Himself has undertaken to preserve it in its original form forever. No one can stop its propagation and spread or distort it in the slightest. I wish to remind those who order the propagation of the Qur’an to be stopped, and those who blindly carry out this order by dancing in the streets, speaking in a fascist manner, and creating resistance, of the Qur’anic verses mentioned above. It will be beneficial for these fascist fake Muslim leaders and their blind followers to learn from their fate in the Hereafter and sincerely return to the Qur’an.

Waysof ConfrontingJahiliyyahwith Steadfastness:Means

Below are mentioned some of the most important means and methods that the Prophet of the Universe, Muhammad Mustafa (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), prescribed for remaining steadfast upon the path of Islam in confronting jahiliyyah.

One: True Intelligence

Intelligence is indispensable for fulfilling the correct role, from Islam’s perspective, in every sphere of human life and for achieving success in life. This intelligence must arise from sound and correct thought. In Islam, true intelligence means that a person’s attention remains focused at every moment on attaining the pleasure of God. A person must not behave in any way that makes him heedless and averse to seeking Allah’s pleasure or that causes His displeasure. For this reason, Allah Most High repeatedly draws people’s attention, saying:

“O people of understanding, fear Me.” — (Al-Baqarah: 197).

He is to be feared so that He does not become displeased. To remember constantly that He must never become displeased, and to keep Him pleased through one’s conduct—this is true intelligence.

“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day are countless signs for people of understanding, those who remember Allah while standing, sitting, and lying down.” — (Al ‘Imran: 190).

When a person rightly reflects, with reason and conscience, upon the mysteries of the creation of the heavens and the earth, while the remembrance of God remains alive in his heart, he does not view the signs of creation like an animal. Rather, he studies and observes them thoughtfully, and spontaneously declares that this entire universe is subject to a wise system of governance.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) described this manner of thought and action in his own words: “The intelligent person is one who keeps his desires under control and works for the life after death.” — (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah).

If the intense awareness that one must answer to Allah Most High in the Hereafter for every deed remains continually alive in the heart, one can avoid actions and conduct that earn Allah’s displeasure. This is what has been called intelligence. The Prophet Mustafa (peace be upon him) made the complete concept of intelligence clear. Working for the life after death means that if the demands of religion and faith require rejecting the immediate gains, interests, and comforts of this world, then that demand must certainly be fulfilled; and if attaining God’s pleasure requires sacrificing one’s life, wealth, and comforts, it must be done wholeheartedly and without hesitation.

Two: The Correct View of Wealth and Status

Islam teaches that possessing wealth, attaining rank, and being beloved by God are not the same thing. It is not correct to say that Allah is pleased with those who possess these two things. Allah’s pleasure depends entirely upon faith and deeds. A person may be deprived of wealth and status yet, through faith and good deeds, be honored in God’s sight and become beloved to Him. Conversely, a person may acquire abundant wealth and high status and still become accursed by Him. This is because the world is a field of action for human beings, not a field of reward. Here one must continue to work; the full reward will be received in the Hereafter. Someone’s prosperity here does not prove that Allah is pleased with his deeds and that he is therefore beloved by Him. Nor does someone’s suffering and poverty prove that God is displeased with him. Whether it is abundance or poverty, political and social distinction or humiliation and disgrace, these two conditions are connected with the divine law of testing people for a particular purpose. The primary purpose of human creation is to test people in various ways during worldly life. The entire system of creation bears witness to this truth. Since this was the most important and fundamental matter in human life, the Wise Qur’an repeatedly reminded people of it. The purpose of human creation and the divine law of testing human beings have been explained in detail and in various ways. But the mentality produced by jahiliyyah could not accept this. The mentality underlying the jahiliyyah outlook remains fixed in the belief that wealth and rank are inseparably connected with God’s favor and love. The greater a person’s wealth and status, the more beloved he must be to God. Poverty and lack of status are regarded as signs of being deprived of God’s grace. On the basis of this outlook, a person judges truth not by the standard of truth but by the standards of wealth and status. When Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) announced his prophethood, the offspring of jahiliyyah expressed astonishment, saying that his status did not conform to their self-made standards. They repeatedly made the following claims. First, God’s Messenger must surely be an angel. And if a human being must be a messenger, he could in no way be an ordinary person. Rather, he would have to possess such extraordinary status as to be compatible with his exalted relationship with Allah Most High. For example, if a human being were the messenger, an angel would visibly descend upon him (Surah al-An‘am: 8); at the very least, a treasure would be sent down to him from heaven, or he would have a garden from which he could obtain abundant sustenance (Al-Furqan: 8). And if he were not such an extraordinary person, then at least he would have to be a wealthy man, the chief of a people, the leader of a famous tribe, and the possessor of wealth and status. But the situation here was different. A very ordinary man claimed that he was sent by the Possessor of Majesty and Honor, although he possessed none of the qualities required to make such a claim. On the one hand, he claimed to be a mercy to all the worlds; on the other, he himself went to the market to buy provisions. He had no servants, so he had to do everything himself.

They also said, “Why was this Qur’an not revealed to some prominent leader of either of the two famous towns, Makkah and Ta’if?” — (Al-Zukhruf: 31).

They continued making many such absurd statements about Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Their deeply rooted notion was that, to be beloved by Allah, a person must necessarily possess all the means of comfortable living, wealth, and status. Then the glorious day of the conquest of Makkah brought about a revolution that removed the error from their thinking and outlook.

Three: Following Islam Throughout Life

Islam reminded the world that the Creator of the universe did not create human beings without purpose. Rather, He created them solely to serve and obey Him, which in Islamic terminology is called ibadah and worship. This servitude means conducting one’s entire life according to the guidance and will of Allah Most High. Servitude does not mean merely performing some worship and religious rituals in a place of worship and then spending the rest of one’s life however one pleases. Such partial servitude is not consistent with the essence of being subject to Allah Most High’s comprehensive and absolute obedience. Nor is it compatible with the religion and guidance He revealed. When Islam therefore demanded the practical manifestation of devotion to God in every sphere of life and began to impose the bonds of truth and honesty upon all human thought and action, the bearers of jahiliyyah began expressing astonishment and hurling taunts. When, in contrast to the jahiliyyah concept of religion that had clouded their minds and hearts, and their view of religion as an additional part of life, they saw that this new religion was appointing a guard at the crossroads of freedom of thought, promising reward and peace at every step, binding life’s various problems within an orderly and firm system, and seeking to control every sphere of life, all this seemed barbaric to them. For ages, their religious practice had consisted of occasionally prostrating before idols they had fashioned with their own hands, sacrificing camels and sheep-goats to them, smearing the blood of the sacrificed animals on the walls of their temples, going beside the Ka‘bah to whistle and clap, and engaging in religious fairs, festivals, and amusements. All this constituted their religious ceremonies. During the remaining part of life, they would engage in such reprehensible acts as plunder, murder, adultery, drinking, and usurious dealings.

This was the prevailing conception of the religion of Jahiliyyah: a few religious rituals within the extremely narrow sphere of life (although they were neither sound nor based on refined thought and reason), and, in the broader sphere of life, irreligion and unrestricted freedom for wrongdoing and sin. In modern terminology, this is called secularism, or the doctrine of secularism. This mode of thought and philosophy belongs to Jahiliyyah, not Islam. The revolutionary proclamation of Muhammad Mustafa (peace be upon him), the final Prophet in the line of prophets and the Prophet for all the worlds, was that Islam is a complete way of life for humankind. That is, at every moment and in every sphere of life, people must place themselves under obedience to Allah. Society, the state, education, civilization and culture, the arts, and everything else would be developed under absolute obedience to Allah Almighty, the Creator and Lord of humanity. The blind worshippers of Jahiliyyah could not accept this. Nor could Iblis, the Satan, be pleased with it, because although he may not seek human obedience in every sphere of life, he does seek it in some spheres. In every sphere where obedience to Allah is rejected, there will be no alternative to obeying Satan, or else someone other than Allah must be obeyed in His place. Obedience to anyone other than Allah has been called the greatest sin (shirk). Jahiliyyah does not allow people to keep away from shirk.

Four: The Unity of Humankind

Islam teaches that all people are the children of the same parents. Allah says: “O humankind! Fear your Lord, Who created you from a single soul, created its mate from it, and from the two spread throughout the world countless men and women”—(Surah al-Nisa: 3).

Since all people have the same origin and are like members of one family, no one among them can be high or low, noble or ignoble, on the basis of lineage, tribe, race, or language. Since this is the actual reality, no one can be superior to another on the basis of race, ancestry, country, or nationality. None of these can be a cause for pride or arrogance. Refuting this false notion, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) declared: All people are the children of Adam, and Adam was created from earth—(Tirmidhi).

He also said: “O humankind! Your Lord is One. No Arab is superior to a non-Arab, nor is a non-Arab superior to an Arab, except through God-consciousness. Neither is a black person superior to a white person, nor a white person superior to a black person”—(Bayhaqi).

This revolutionary proclamation of the Prophet was not a fanciful doctrine or the product of opportunism. Rather, it was a bold proclamation of faith and creed. It was proclaimed at a time when people, Arabs and non-Arabs alike, had been divided into various classes on the basis of race, lineage, and tribe. Many considered themselves vastly superior and nobler than others, and placed no value whatsoever on the lives or property of others. How could those who took pride in their ancestral nobility, and who built their own fortunes by enslaving others and benefiting from their labor, which exhausted them to the point of shedding blood, accept this revolutionary proclamation? But those who were not constantly misled by the blind passions of Jahiliyyah, and who possessed even a little conscience and intelligence, perceived in this proclamation the unity of humankind and the true dignity of humanity. Islam alone is the bearer and upholder of this dignity of humanity.

Bilal of Abyssinia was bound in the chains of slavery to a certain Quraysh unbeliever. He accepted Islam’s revolutionary declaration of faith with all his heart and became a Muslim. His master, Umayyah, subjected him to inhuman and horrifying torture day after day. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), a nobleman of the Quraysh, bought Bilal for an unexpectedly high price and set him free. A man without noble lineage, a slave, and a person regarded as an outcast attained the great dignity of humanity; he broke through the wall of inequality built over many years and gained equal status with everyone else. Hazrat Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) was not merely a pillar of strength for Islam; rather, he has been and will forever remain one of the most memorable and honored figures of the Muslim ummah. Many others similarly broke through the chains of slavery and attained equal status with others in the presence of the Pure Prophet (peace be upon him).

Five: All Are Equal Before the Law

The natural demand of the unity and equality of humankind is that all people should also have equal legal status. In the eyes of the law, no one is great and no one small. Islam declares that everyone’s life, property, honor, and dignity are equally worthy of respect. God’s law applies equally to all. This law removes the cries and lamentations of oppressed humanity accumulated over many years and guarantees their human rights. But the children of Jahiliyyah became bewildered by this revolutionary system, because their vested interests were harmed and the palace of their false pride in nobility and arrogance was shattered. The practice followed for many centuries was that a person’s status would be measured by lineage, tribe, wealth, and rank. The life of a person from a noble tribe was considered equal to the lives of twenty people from an inferior tribe. If a noble person was killed, the killer’s entire family would be killed in retaliation along with him. This unjust system was not practiced only in the societies of unbelievers and polytheists; it was also generally practiced among the People of the Book, who claimed to follow God’s Shariah. One of their rules was that if a noble person stole, he would be released. But if an ordinary person stole, the ruling of the Shariah would be enforced upon him—(Bukhari, volume two; Kitab al-Hudud).

Similarly, if an influential and powerful person committed adultery, he would be punished by flogging and having his face blackened. But if an ordinary person committed this offense, he would be stoned to death in accordance with the ruling of the Shariah. (Tafsir al-Qurtubi)

No one could place himself above the rule of law established by Islam. A qadi (judge) did not hesitate even to rule against the caliph himself. The equality and justice of this law could not be accepted by the unbelievers and polytheists who followed Jahiliyyah, by the People of the Book, or by many new Muslims who had been unable to free themselves from the influence of Jahiliyyah. Their pride and arrogance in their nobility did not allow them to bow before this just divine law. During the reign of the second caliph, a wealthy and influential new Muslim named Jabalah ibn al-Ayham al-Ghassani came for Hajj. During the tawaf, a man from Taif stepped on his cloak. In anger, he slapped the man so hard that his nose was cut and began to bleed. The unfortunate man from Taif complained to Caliph Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). Addressing Jabalah, the caliph said, “Beg that oppressed man’s forgiveness. Otherwise, prepare yourself for retaliation.” Jabalah was utterly astonished. His aristocratic arrogance would not allow him to accept Islam’s equality and justice. He thought that a law which made no distinction between the noble and the ignoble insulted reason, conscience, and humanity. He then abandoned Islam and became an apostate.

Six: The Purpose of Jihad Is to Raise High the Word of Allah

The world had never known the noble purpose of warfare described by Islam. Everywhere, among Arabs and non-Arabs alike, people held the view that the purpose of war was to establish and expand kingdoms and acquire spoils. But when Islam came, it completely changed this purpose of warfare. War must not be waged for personal or national interests; it must be waged for the welfare of humanity, and in this way war would rise from the reprehensible act of unjust bloodshed to the status of worship. Islam declared that using the sword to conquer lands and acquire wealth is oppression, corruption, and a grave sin. It is poison for character and humanity. Instead of using the sword for such reprehensible acts, it must be used for the welfare of humanity, for its protection and advancement. The aim of the bearer of the sword must be to attain the pleasure of God, Who does not like evil and wrongdoing. He wishes that discord, corruption, wrongdoing, and unrest be eradicated from the face of the earth. Only for this purpose is the use of the sword justified. Its use for any worldly interest is not justified. It is right and just when it is not undertaken to achieve worldly interests, but rather for the welfare of the Hereafter. Although precious lives may be seen to perish in war, the war fought to establish truth gives life to humanity. In keeping with this noble and beneficial purpose of war described by Islam, it has been named ‘jihad fi sabilillah’.

The noble Companions entered Islam’s ideal environment from an environment in which they had come to understand this great purpose of war through a revolutionary transformation in their thoughts and consciousness. This can easily be understood from an example. Once, while Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was confronting an enemy of Islam, he threw him to the ground, sat on his chest, and was about to strike him with his sword. At that very moment, the man spat in Hazrat Ali’s face. Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) restrained his hand and rose from his chest. When the man, astonished, asked the reason for this conduct, he said, “I wanted to kill you for the sake of truth. But when you spat in my face, you provoked my personal interest in taking revenge. Had I killed you in that state, it would have been not for the sake of truth but for my personal interest, and it would have brought an evil consequence upon me. Therefore, I have set you free.” This single incident makes the Islamic concept of warfare clear, and from the perspective of human psychology, the mentality of the ordinary noble Companions can also easily be understood. This group of noble Companions was adorned with the highest human qualities, and every one of their actions was above personal interest and intended to attain Allah’s pleasure. They were living embodiments of selflessness and devotion to Allah. These qualities had developed in them through their constant training in the company of the Pure Prophet. The Pure Prophet repeatedly told them that if anyone joined a battle hoping to gain spoils, there would be no reward for him from Allah. So how could these lovers of God deprive themselves of His pleasure for the sake of personal interest or the hope of spoils?

Has any war, in any country or any age, past or present, ever been fought for a noble purpose other than personal, group, or national interests? Islam alone has presented humankind with the noble purpose and concept of warfare described above.

Loss of Life and Property in the Path of Allah Is True Gain

According to the outlook and ideas of Jahiliyyah, the loss of life and property in war was regarded in the true sense as loss and damage. Islam presents an opposing concept on this matter, which astonishes and stuns the bearers of Jahiliyyah. Those who give their lives in war or struggle in the path of Allah do not perish. Rather, after their souls depart from their bodies, they attain a new and everlasting life. The wealth spent in war, although it may appear to be lost from a superficial perspective, remains preserved for the life after death.

Since this matter was not easy to understand, it was unclear even to some of the Companions. Because many Companions were martyred in the Battle of Uhud, a lament of grief began among the Muslims. To console them, it was said:

“Do not consider those who have been killed in the path of Allah dead. Rather, they are alive, receiving provision from Allah”—(Al Imran: 169).

The length of life cannot be measured by any earthly measuring tape. Life has no endpoint. What is called death is not, in reality, the end of life; rather, it is a process of transfer from one stage of life to another. Believers should understand that if this process of transfer takes place on the field of jihad rather than on one’s own bed, it does not bring destruction; instead, it grants an everlasting, indescribably beautiful life. Thereafter, one becomes the possessor of a great and blissful life and sustenance beyond imagination.

The matter has been beautifully analyzed in one of the Prophet’s hadiths. The hadith is narrated in Musnad Ahmad. Its substance is that a person who leaves the world with righteous deeds is granted the opportunity to enjoy such a joyful life that he will have no desire to return to the world. Martyrs, however, are an exception. They wish to be sent back to the world so that they may experience the supreme joy of giving their lives in the path of God. After realizing this great truth with his heart, a true believer regards giving his life in the path of Allah as the highest and most desirable goal. Those who do not believe in the Hereafter, whose life’s aim is worldly pleasure and luxury, and who believe in the philosophy of “EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY,” fear death the most. Conversely, believers devoted to Allah are always eager to give their lives willingly and gladly in Allah’s path and drink the water of life of martyrdom. Jahiliyyah and Islam have presented these two opposing concepts of life. The noble Companions personally trained by the Pure Prophet held this Islamic concept of life and death. Except for a small number of hypocrites, all the Companions yearned to drink the nectar of martyrdom. Evidence of their wholehearted desire can be found in an example.

After the conquest of Makkah, an uneducated Bedouin boy from a remote village became attracted to Islam and abandoned the great wealth given to him by his uncle. Then, cutting a blanket given by his mother into two pieces and covering his private parts and body as best he could, he set out for Madinah, longing to meet the Prophet of Islam. After traveling all night along unknown and unfamiliar roads, he reached the Prophet’s Mosque at dawn. Exhausted, with his entire body covered in dust, he looked like a bewildered madman. Indeed, he was mad—mad for Islam and the Prophet of Islam, having renounced the world and arrived in Madinah. Across the plains and wilderness, through the hills and deserts, and in the sky and air, the sweet sound of Islam had poured honey into his ears, and he had become restless upon hearing the name of Muhammad. But he had never seen the beloved he loved so dearly. Thus, after crossing the desert roads all night, he had come to behold his beloved.

Bilal’s powerful voice—‘As-salatu khayrun minan-nawm’—echoed and reverberated through the houses, trees, hills, and mountains of Madinah. It also reverberated in the innermost chamber of the visitor’s heart.

A little later, the Prophet of Mercy came out and saw a visitor standing there. He was yearning intensely in the hope of receiving something. His face and eyes seemed full of endless questions, and his heart was suffering from a thirst for truth.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said in a language filled with affection and compassion, ‘Who are you, and where have you come from?’

The visitor: My name is Abd al-Uzza. I heard that a new prophet had appeared. I have come this far, mad with love for him. Then he described his entire family and material circumstances.

The Pure Prophet said, ‘That is very good. From now on, you are my special guest. You are one of the People of Suffah. However, from today your name is Abdullah.’

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to the noble Companions with special emphasis, ‘I will take responsibility for his maintenance. Teach him the Qur’an and provide him with instruction and training in Islam.’

Once, while some people were praying in the mosque, Abdullah was learning to recite the Qur’an aloud. Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) sternly rebuked him, saying, ‘Recite quietly; can’t you see that prayer is taking place?’

Hearing Hazrat Umar’s voice, the Prophet of Mercy (peace be upon him) quickly came out of the house and said, ‘Umar! Do not say anything to him. He has sacrificed everything for Allah and His Messenger.’

Not long afterward, preparations began for the expedition to Tabuk. At the Prophet’s call, a competition in giving for the sake of Allah began among the noble Companions. Hazrat Siddiq-i-Akbar (may Allah be pleased with him) appeared before the Prophet with all his possessions.

Abdullah watched this competition in giving. But he was saddened that he could not participate, because he was destitute and dependent on the Prophet for his support.

Abdullah could not remain silent. He said to the Prophet, “O Messenger of Allah! You know that I have nothing to give. I possess only this body and life. I have surrendered them for Allah. Pray that I may become a martyr.”

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) set out for Tabuk with an army of thirty thousand mujahideen. Abdullah was also with him. But he had become so restless and eager, driven by the desire for martyrdom, that at one point along the way he appeared before the Prophet and said, “O Messenger of Allah! Please raise your hands and pray that I may be martyred in this battle.”

Understanding his sincere fervor, the Prophet said, “See if you can bring some tree bark from somewhere nearby.”

Abdullah collected some tree bark and brought it. The Prophet (peace be upon him) tied it around Abdullah’s hand and prayed, “O Allah! Make Abdullah’s blood forbidden to the unbelievers.”

Hearing this prayer, Abdullah said in an anguished voice, “O Messenger of Allah! I want to be martyred; why did you pray this?”

The Prophet said, “Abdullah! If you die of fever after this, you will be a true martyr.”

The mujahid army reached a place called Tabuk and set up camp. Suddenly, after evening, word spread that Abdullah had died of fever. As soon as the news reached the Prophet, he ordered arrangements to be made for the burial.

The field of Tabuk. A dark night. A grave has been prepared for Hazrat Abdullah. Hazrat Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) stands holding a torch, illuminating the grave and its surroundings. One man has descended into the grave to take hold of the deceased and lay him down. Two men are lowering the deceased into the grave. The man standing inside the grave says sternly to the two men, “Adaban ila akhikum—lower your brother into the grave with reverence and respect.”

The two greatest men of the ummah after the Prophet, Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), were lowering the deceased into the grave. Standing inside the grave and speaking sternly was the Prophet of Mercy himself, the affectionate guardian of the martyred Companion Hazrat Abdullah, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him.

After laying the deceased down properly, the Pure Prophet (peace be upon him) came up and said to everyone, “Move away, all of you.”

The Companions, frightened and alarmed, moved away and stood around. With his own blessed hands, the Pure Prophet covered the grave from all sides with sand, stones, and earth. Then he raised his hands and prayed, “O Lord! I was pleased with Abdullah until this evening. Be pleased with him as well.”

The narrator of the hadith, Abdullah ibn Masud (may Allah be pleased with him), said, “These words spontaneously came from my mouth: ‘If only I, rather than Abdullah, were in that grave.’”

This is how the Companions realized the honor of martyrdom with their hearts. This honor has never faded. Throughout the ages, this inspiration of martyrdom has urged the soldiers of Allah to give their lives freely for Allah. There are countless examples of this in Islamic history.

Even in the modern era, during the period of the Muslims’ deepest decline, the mujahideen of the religion of Islam regard freely giving their lives in the path of Allah as their highest and greatest achievement. In the face of the advanced weapons of the great superpower Russia, the Afghan mujahideen are giving their lives willingly and contentedly, hoping to drink the nectar of martyrdom. It is generally believed that they will receive the reward for this martyrdom not only in the life after death, but that their prospects of victory here as well are bright.

Islam and Jahiliyyah also differ completely in their concepts regarding the spending of money and wealth. The thoughts, outlook, efforts, aspirations, and hopes of Jahiliyyah revolve solely around worldly life. Jahiliyyah does not acknowledge that there is another life after worldly life. Therefore, Jahiliyyah keeps people constantly active in order to make worldly life happy and beautiful, enjoy life to the full, and attain honor, fame, power, rank, authority, and dominion. Naturally, there is no doubt that these are objects of human desire. Yet there are things greater than these which people should desire. As the Qur’an says:

“Beautified for people is the love of that which they desire: women, children, heaps of gold and silver, fine horses, livestock, and fields. But all of that is merely the provision of the temporary and fleeting life of this world”—(Al Imran: 14).

Because of their excessive attachment to these objects of worldly desire, the standard-bearers of Jahiliyyah and their followers forget the eternal life after death.

Allah says: “Indeed, Allah’s promise concerning the Hereafter is true. So do not let the life of this world deceive you, nor let the Deceiver (Satan) deceive you about Allah”—(Luqman: 33).

The objects of desire mentioned above in verse 14 of Surah Al Imran have all been given as a test for people. They are merely means of deception. These things plunge people with superficial vision into various delusions. As a result of this delusion, some think that there is no life after this worldly life. Therefore, enjoy the world as much and in whatever way you can. You will not have to answer to anyone anywhere for it. Some, intoxicated by power, think that their power, dominion, authority, luxurious lifestyle, and unrestricted enjoyment will never end. Others ignore the moral and spiritual dimensions and make merely material conveniences and a cheerful life their goal. Life has no purpose beyond improving its standard of living. As a result, no matter how low and detestable the standard of humanity becomes, they do not care. Some think that the comfort and ease of life are the true criterion of truth and falsehood, right and wrong. Whatever principle, method, or procedure enables one to obtain the desired object is true; everything contrary to it is false. Others consider comfort, ease, and a happy life to be signs of being beloved by God. They believe that whoever has the happier life, regardless of whether it is obtained through unlawful earnings, is beloved by God. As for the person whose worldly life is full of suffering—even if this is because he remains on the path of justice and truth—they believe that Allah is displeased with him and that his end must also be bad. Allah has identified all such false notions as the deception of material life.

It should be noted that, in the aforementioned verse of Surah Luqman, the deception from which people are instructed to protect themselves comes from the glittering life of this world and from Satan. In the second instance, the Qur’an uses the word “ghurur.” By “ghurur,” not only Iblis Satan is meant, but also the jinn and human followers of Iblis. It refers to the individuals, parties, groups, and tribes that uphold and propagate jahiliyyah; to the educational system, society, arts, culture, and environment of jahiliyyah. All these things drag people from Islam into the darkness of jahiliyyah. The various false doctrines and philosophies devised by people mislead them. They erase belief in God and the Hereafter from their hearts. Justice, honesty, truthfulness, compassion, affection, love, mutual sympathy and empathy, fairness, and respect and reverence for life, property, honor, and dignity disappear from society. Then human society no longer remains a human society; it turns into a society of predatory animals.

The aforementioned false notions and outlooks concerning the world and life keep people engaged in the competition to increase their wealth and improve their standard of living. Their principle regarding spending money becomes that they will spend it only on those activities and through those channels that can yield an immediate profit. They do not like spending in the way of Allah for two reasons. The first is that such spending provides no assurance of any immediate or instant profit. Second, they do not believe in the Hereafter at all. Therefore, they consider spending money for that unbelievable and unrealistic Hereafter foolishness and waste. This notion and belief is entirely a product of jahiliyyah thought. Of course, even after embracing faith in Islam, those whose faith has not become strong enough or who have not completely freed themselves from the influence of jahiliyyah thought also show reluctance to spend in the way of Allah. Allah says concerning them, “Continue spending your wealth in the way of God, and do not throw yourselves into destruction with your own hands”—(Baqarah: 195).

The meaning of this is that if you do not spend your wealth for the victory of Allah’s religion and instead hoard it, considering it the dearest possession of your life, then it will become a cause of ruin for you both in this world and in the Hereafter. In this world you will live a life of slavery, and in the Hereafter you will suffer the painful punishment of Hell.

Seven: Spending in the Way of Allah

Allah the Exalted has repeatedly called upon people to spend money and wealth in the way of Allah—that is, to establish Allah’s religion as a victorious power. Not only that, a new concept has been given regarding this spending. It is that the wealth spent in His way for the sake of Allah’s pleasure, although apparently expended, is in reality neither spent nor diminished. Rather, it is deposited in the spender’s savings account for the life to come and will be returned multiplied several times—in other words, he will be rewarded in proportion to it. This very point has been stated in many places in the Holy Qur’an.

“And establish prayer, give zakat, and lend Allah a good loan. Whatever good you send ahead for yourselves, you will find it stored with Allah. That is far better, and its reward is far greater”—(Muzzammil: 20).

“And fight in the way of God, and know well that Allah hears everything and knows everything. Who among you is willing to give Allah a qard hasanah (good loan)? Then He will return it to him many times over”—(Baqarah: 244–245).

In the verses above, the meaning of giving a qard hasanah, or good loan, is to spend money and wealth in His way solely to attain Allah’s pleasure. Before this, fighting in the way of God was also mentioned. The necessary funds must certainly be raised for the struggle essential to establishing Allah’s religion. Allah accepts the spending of those who spend their wealth for this purpose as a qard hasanah to Him and also promises to return it many times over. It is true that Allah the Exalted has no need whatsoever of money. He is dependent on no one for anything. Rather, every creature depends on His mercy at every moment. The purpose of establishing Allah’s religion is to promote human welfare. Spending wealth for this great purpose is in reality being done for the welfare of humanity. It is precisely to accord this act the highest honor that Allah has called it a qard hasanah to Him.

It is further stated in the Holy Qur’an—

“Who is it that will give Allah a loan—a qard hasanah? He may multiply it many times over and for him—for the lender—there is an excellent reward”—(Hadid: 11).

Regarding this loan, Allah the Exalted has made two promises. One is that He will return it multiplied several times. The second is that He will also grant an additional excellent reward from His own side.

How moving and attractive is this promise of Allah the Exalted. Every believer certainly holds the firm conviction that He will fulfill His promise completely.

In this connection, a hadith has been narrated from Hazrat Abdullah ibn Masud (RA). After the aforementioned verse was revealed, when the Companions heard it from the blessed lips of the Holy Prophet (SA), the Companion Hazrat Abu Dahdah Ansari (RA) said, “O Messenger of Allah! Does Allah ask a loan from us?”

The Prophet (SA) replied, “O Abu Dahdah! Yes, He asks for a loan.”

Abu Dahdah said, “Please show me your hand for a moment.”

The Holy Prophet extended his hand toward that Companion. Taking the Prophet’s blessed hand in his own, the Companion said, “I have lent my garden to my Lord.” Hazrat Abdullah ibn Masud (RA) said that the garden had six hundred excellent date palms. The Companion’s house stood within that garden, where he lived with his family. After speaking these words to the Prophet, Hazrat Abu Dahdah (RA) went straight home. Calling his wife, he said, “Mother of Dahdah! Come out of the house. I have lent this garden to my Lord.”

His wife said, “Father of Dahdah! You have made a very profitable bargain by doing this.” Then they left the garden with all their belongings, baggage, and children—(Ibn Abi Hatim).

Can any example of giving everything one owns in the way of Allah be found anywhere other than Islam? Jahiliyyah holds precisely the opposite outlook. Iblis Satan, the principal advocate and supreme commander of jahiliyyah, and his followers call this kind of giving foolishness and a cause of poverty, and urge people to refrain from it.

When Allah the Exalted encourages believing servants to make such sacrifices, Satan and his followers say, “Do not waste your wealth on unrealistic and false hopes and bring upon yourselves the curse of poverty. Rather, spend your wealth to enjoy life, because after death there will be no opportunity to enjoy it.”

“Satan threatens you with poverty and tempts you to engage in obscene acts, whereas Allah promises you forgiveness and bounty”—(Baqarah: 268).

When financial assistance is sought from those who possess abundant wealth through lawful or unlawful means for any noble cause, for the elevation of Islam, for religious preaching gatherings, Seerah gatherings, Islamic conferences, or stopping sinful and corrupt practices, they plead inability. Yet they do not hesitate to spend millions on their children’s weddings, the promotion and spread of dancing, singing, and various forms of corrupt culture, or obscene and sexually stimulating films that destroy the moral backbone. All this is the product of jahiliyyah thought and mentality. All their efforts and desires revolve around the life of this world. Allah grants them much, though not everything, of what they seek in this world. But they have no share at all awaiting them in the Hereafter. Allah Himself has declared this in the Qur’an.

On the other hand, in opposition to jahiliyyah, Islam completely transforms the concept and outlook on life. The life of this world and the life of the Hereafter together constitute the complete life of a human being. The life of this world is the field of action for the life of the Hereafter. People will experience in the Hereafter the results of their deeds in this world. Islam has presented a complete program for making the life of the Hereafter happy and beautiful, and the Hereafter must be given priority in every action. Whoever has this belief firmly established will devote his worldly life, his wealth, and everything he possesses to the Hereafter. This belief, and the mentality and character founded upon it, had developed among the noble Companions. Whenever any kind of sacrifice was needed for Islam, they willingly set an example of that sacrifice. In the ninth year after Hijrah, upon receiving news that more than one hundred thousand Roman soldiers were attacking the newly established Islamic state, the Prophet (SA) prepared for war. The decision was taken to confront the enemy at Tabuk.

A great deal of money was needed for the war. The Prophet called for it. Some portions of a surah of the Qur’an were revealed to intensify the incentive for jihad. A competition began among the Companions to provide money and supplies for the war. Hazrat Umar (RA) divided all his property into two and donated one half to the jihad fund. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (RA) brought forward everything he possessed. Seeing this, the Prophet (SA) said, “Ma abqayta li ahlika ya Aba Bakr?” “Abu Bakr, what have you left for your family?”

“For my family, I have left nothing except Allah and His Messenger,” Siddiq-e-Akbar (RA) replied with an untroubled face.

This is the magnificent teaching, character, and sacrifice of Islam. They devoted their worldly lives entirely to the life of the Hereafter.

The Singularity and Single-mindedness of Islam

The nature and temperament of Islam are entirely single-minded. Turning away from every direction, ideal, doctrine, and outlook and turning toward Allah alone is Islam’s demand. Islam wants to see the same color and harmony in the thoughts, consciousness, and actions of Islam and its followers, creating in them a distinctive identity and individuality. Islam tolerates not the slightest mixture of any external creed, belief, thought, or conception. It considers it necessary to exercise such caution that it does not permit the adoption or observance even of those customs and rituals of the people of jahiliyyah in which nothing of shirk, kufr, or sinfulness is apparent, and which merely follow a customary or conventional pattern. This caution is not adopted because something belongs to another nation or out of stubbornness. Rather, it becomes essential because of a particular significance, purpose, and foresight of the religion. Its significance is to preserve the tendency of Islam’s followers to turn toward Allah alone in thought and action. It must not happen that some small, harmless object of jahiliyyah is imitated and that, later, this fondness for imitation allows jahiliyyah thought to enter and paves the way to misguidance. This fear is not imaginary; it is real. Human psychology and experience have presented many examples of it in the past.

This is such a profound truth that people’s insight generally cannot reach it. Indeed, there are examples of even some of the noble Companions exercising caution in this matter. Hazrat Abu Waqid al-Laythi (RA) said that when the Noble Prophet (SA) was advancing through the valley of Hunayn, the Muslim army had to pass by a particular tree called “Dhat Anwat.” It was commonly believed that the polytheists hung their weapons on this tree. Seeing it, some Muslims said, “O Messenger of Allah! Just as the polytheists have a Dhat Anwat, designate a Dhat Anwat for us as well.”

Some of the noble Companions who accompanied the Prophet thought that if the Prophet (SA) designated any tree for them, they would hang their military equipment and weapons on it. They did not consider this objectionable. Nor was there any trace of shirk or kufr in the act. It was with these thoughts that they made the request mentioned above to the Prophet. Their thinking in this matter could not even be considered erroneous. But the Prophet’s subtle insight perceived the possibility that this could create such a mentality among Muslims that they would no longer remain as free from the erroneous ideas of jahiliyyah as they needed to be. Such a request was incompatible with the Allah-oriented nature and temperament of the religion. For this reason, in response to their request, the Holy Prophet (SA) said, “Subhanallah! These are exactly the kind of words that the people of Moses (AS) said to him: Make a god for us, just as they have many gods.” This incident is recorded in Tirmidhi Sharif.

There is certainly a fundamental difference between the request of the Children of Israel mentioned above and the request of the Prophet’s Companions. Nevertheless, there was no reason to regard their request as similar to that one other than that the mentality behind this request could gradually produce doctrinal and practical harmful consequences, and that following an apparently harmless and simple custom of the people of jahiliyyah could create a tendency to follow the thought and practices of jahiliyyah. Therefore, after making the statement above, the farsighted and perceptive Prophet also made a prediction out of fear of this possibility. He said—

“By the One in whose hand is my life, you will follow the ways of those who came before you”—(Tirmidhi).

In this prophecy of the Prophet, “you” did not refer to the noble Companions; it referred to Muslims of later times. “Those who came before” refers to the Jews and Christians. The Holy Prophet (SA) intended to say: Today I will protect you from the error of this way of thinking and its terrible consequences. But in the future, when the faith-consciousness of Muslims becomes weak, the influence of jahiliyyah will continue to grow. Consequently, just as the Jews and Christians continued to open the way for the intrusion of jahiliyyah, Muslims will do the same.

Unity of Muslims and Consultation-based Decision-making

Unity among Muslims is indispensable for protecting themselves from the attack of jahiliyyah and following the path of Islam completely. Jahiliyyah must be confronted collectively. For this very purpose, Muslims have been obligated to live as an organized community. Clear instructions concerning this have been given in the Qur’an and Hadith.

Allah says: “Hold fast, all together, to the rope of Allah, and do not be divided”—(Aal-e-Imran: 103).

Here, the rope refers to Allah’s religion. The religion has been described as a rope because, on the one hand, through the rope of this religion, believers are bound to Allah—that is, a deep and intimate relationship with Allah is created for them—and, on the other hand, it unites all believers with one another and binds them in deep bonds of brotherhood. It unites them and makes them one jamaat. Since the goal of Muslims’ lives is iqamat-e-deen—that is, to establish and maintain the religion—it can be achieved only through united effort and struggle. And to carry out this work, jahiliyyah must be confronted and expelled from every sphere of life. Therefore, united struggle as an organized community is indispensable.

Holding firmly to the religion, or to the rope of the religion, means that the religion must have true importance in the eyes of Muslims. Their utmost efforts must continue for its establishment and, after its establishment, for preserving it intact and unblemished. They will help one another in this work. But if Muslims turn away from the fundamental teachings of the religion and the objective of establishing it, and create disagreements over trivial and unnecessary matters, then, like the earlier nations, they will split into parties and factions, stray from the fundamental goal of life, and suffer extreme humiliation in this world and the Hereafter. When unity is destroyed and people divide into groups and factions, jahiliyyah—that is, the forces of falsehood—becomes able to extend its influence and authority. Therefore, Allah has commanded united struggle against falsehood.

Although the state edifice of Islam was firmly established through united struggle under the leadership of the Prophet Muhammad (SA), it was later shattered because of mutual differences and disagreements among Muslims—a discussion of this will be presented later.

The Hadith contains detailed descriptions concerning the formation of the Islamic jamaat, its purpose and objectives, and the terrible consequences of leaving the jamaat.

Alongside many other qualities of faith, special importance has been given to consultation-based decision-making in order to protect the Islamic jamaat, society, and state from collapse. Clear instructions concerning this have been given in the Holy Qur’an.

If decisions concerning the jamaat, society, and state are not made through consultation, distrust of the leadership arises, and the way is opened for disunity and factionalism. For this reason, special importance has been given to consultation-based decision-making.

The Qur’an says: “O Prophet! Overlook their faults and shortcomings, pray for their forgiveness, and consult them in matters of the religion”—(Aal-e-Imran: 189).

Elsewhere the Qur’an says: “And those who respond to the call of their Lord—obeying every command of their Lord—establish prayer, and conduct their affairs through mutual consultation”—(Shura: 38).

Here, conducting affairs through mutual discussion and consultation has been included among the finest qualities of faith. The Surah Aal-e-Imran mentioned above also gives this instruction. For this reason, consultation-based decision-making has been described as an important pillar of the Islamic way of life. Acting without consultation according to the whim and will of one person or of a particular party or group is not merely the practice of jahiliyyah; it is also completely contrary to the system prescribed by Allah the Exalted.

Deep reflection on why such importance has been placed on consultation-based action makes three matters clear.

The first is that, when the interests of two or more people are involved in a matter, deciding it according to one person’s whim and will while disregarding the other persons concerned is undoubtedly unjust and excessive. In collective activities involving many people, no one can have the right to act arbitrarily. When the interests of many people are involved in a matter, it is desirable to obtain the independent opinions of all of them, and justice demands this. If the number of people concerned is very large, then their trusted representatives should be included in the consultation.

The second is that the only person who wants to exercise his own arbitrariness in collective matters without consulting others is one who seeks only to achieve his own interests. Behind his refusal to consult is the mentality that he considers himself greater and more intelligent than everyone else and regards others as insignificant and unworthy of consultation. This is a mentality created by jahiliyyah—in other words, an Iblis-like mentality. A believing person cannot be so selfish as to achieve his own interests by interfering with the rights of others, nor can he be so proud and arrogant as to think that he alone is intelligent and all-knowing. As for all those witless fools and blockheads—a believer cannot even entertain such thoughts.

The third is that deciding matters connected with the rights and interests of others is a tremendous responsibility. Islam clearly declares that whoever is entrusted with a responsibility must answer before God in the Hereafter as to whether he fulfilled that responsibility properly. Therefore, a person who fears God and truly believes how difficult his accountability before God will be cannot dare willingly to take such a heavy burden upon himself. Only someone who neither fears God nor cares about accountability in the Hereafter can do such a thing. A person who has fear of God and awareness of accountability in the Hereafter will certainly try to include in the deliberations those concerned with deciding a matter—all the people whose interests are involved, or their chosen representatives—so that a correct and just decision may be reached.

Reflecting deeply on the three matters discussed above makes it clear that, for the kind of people Islam seeks to develop and the justice it seeks to establish in society through them, decision-making based on mutual consultation is absolutely essential. Failing to fulfill this demand is characteristic of jahiliyyah. The very demand of the Islamic way of life is that every matter, large or small, individual or collective, must be resolved through mutual discussion. This principle must be observed at every level of society. In family matters, husband and wife should discuss matters and reach decisions together; when their sons come of age, they too should be included in the discussions. In tribal or neighborhood matters, if collective discussion is not possible, the issue should be resolved through a trustworthy panchayat or body of representatives elected by a collectively agreed and acceptable method. If it concerns a community, responsibility for managing it should be entrusted to someone on the basis of the free opinions of all members of the community or of its leading persons. That person should then make decisions through consultation with everyone, or, if that is not possible, with their elected representatives. His leadership or entrusted responsibility should continue only so long as the people retain confidence in him. If their confidence is lost, they may remove him from leadership. A believer cannot become, or try to remain, a leader by force. Nor can he perpetrate such a deception as seizing leadership of the nation by force and extracting its support through oppression. Nor can he resort to such a stratagem that the people are unable to freely elect members of the consultative council (shura or parliament) according to their own wishes, but instead elect them according to the preference of the person who seized power. Only a person devoid of fear of God and any sense of accountability in the Hereafter can abandon Islam’s prescribed methods and resort to force, deceit, and fraud.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) himself observed this principle. Clear instructions came to him through Allah’s revelation. Allah’s clear instruction is beyond question; no consultation or discussion concerning it is necessary. However, discussion and consultation may be needed regarding how, by what method, and in what circumstances an instruction should be implemented, and the Prophet Mustafa did so in such cases. After the Prophet, this principle was fully observed during the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs as well.

The Resurgence ofJahiliyyah

Since the conflict and confrontation between Islam and jahiliyyah are perpetual and eternal, after being defeated and overcome by Islam, jahiliyyah continually strives to raise its head again, gradually. Allah has sent prophets and messengers throughout the ages to free people from the influence of jahiliyyah and guide them along the right path of life. They purify people’s thoughts, beliefs, faith, character, and conduct from the influence of jahiliyyah, guide them along the path chosen by Allah, and make life happy and beautiful. Under their leadership, people continue to live purified lives. But after their departure, people gradually begin to distance themselves from their ideals and teachings, giving jahiliyyah the opportunity to confine them in various webs of error and lead them astray. Then the whole of human society becomes trapped in the octopus of jahiliyyah. As long as people hold fast to the ideals and principles of the prophets, jahiliyyah remains concealed, waiting for an opportunity, repeatedly creating waswasah (incitement) in the minds of the truthful and those who follow the truth. The source of this incitement is Iblis the Satan himself, his countless followers among the jinn and human beings, and people’s own nafs, or evil impulses. The arrows of this incitement continue to be shot again and again; after missing their mark several times, they eventually reach the right spot, and the resurgence of jahiliyyah begins.

Indeed, Allah has instructed people to seek refuge with Him from the incitement of these inciters. By ignoring this instruction and because of various worldly interests, people fall victim to incitement. Thus jahiliyyah advances with all the weapons of its misguidance.

History bears witness that Islam’s first comprehensive victory did not begin only in the first half of the seventh century. Rather, Islam’s golden age had come repeatedly before that as well. For it is an historical fact that the prophets and messengers repeatedly came into the world to show Allah’s servants the true path. They left the world when jahiliyyah had bowed its head before the truth. But after some time jahiliyyah began its evil activities, and people gradually became confused and misguided, falling into shirk and kufr. An example of this is also found in the history of the Children of Israel. After Moses, peace be upon him, during the lifetime of his capable and truthful successor Joshua son of Nun, and for some time afterward, Allah’s religion remained established in every sphere of people’s lives. As a result, they held superiority over the peoples of the world. Referring to this, the Qur’an says: “O Children of Israel! Remember the blessing We bestowed upon you, and remember that I gave you superiority over the peoples of the world” (Surah al-Baqarah 2:47, 122).

But later, when their religious vitality became enfeebled and corruption began to appear in their thought, character, and conduct, jahiliyyah attacked them with all its strength. The situation then became such that the Children of Israel were wholly absorbed into jahiliyyah. It cannot be denied that even when jahiliyyah adopts silence in response to circumstances, this is temporary; it does not leave the battlefield—it merely waits for an opportunity. Since the source of jahiliyyah is Iblis the Satan himself, and by the special wisdom and will of Allah, the Creator of the universe, it has been decreed that Satan will remain alive until the Day of Resurrection, the conflict between truth and falsehood, good and evil, will continue forever. This conflict is in reality for the testing of humanity, and for this very purpose humanity was created.

Therefore, since Iblis the Satan will remain alive until the Day of Resurrection, it is entirely natural that his conduct toward Islam and the Muslim ummah in later times should be the same as his conduct toward the ummahs of all earlier prophets.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also foretold this. He said: “You will follow and imitate those who came before you step by step. Even if they enter the hole of a lizard, you will enter it too.” The Companions asked, “O Messenger of Allah! Do you mean the Jews and Christians by those who came before?” He said, “Who else?” (Bukhari).

The meaning of the Prophet’s aforementioned prophecy was that you would naturally establish connections and relations with the nations prominent on the world’s religious and cultural stage. Then, as long as the strength of your faith remained undiminished, instead of being influenced by them, you would influence them. But eventually Muslims would begin following them at every step. You would adopt their customs, ways of thinking, and rituals. You would feel no hesitation in obeying misguided nations and sinful communities. Once this happened, they would naturally be unable to preserve their distinctiveness, individuality, and religious self-awareness. Thereafter, the impregnable wall erected between Islam and jahiliyyah in thought, conduct, and all activities—a wall whose preservation was as essential as preserving religion and faith—would begin to collapse in places, and Muslims would lose their national distinctiveness and identity.

Jahiliyyah’s Four-Sided Assault

Jahiliyyah wiped away the humiliation of its defeat and raised its head again. Not only that, it launched a four-sided assault on Islam with all its strength. Its assault was directed against religious beliefs, Islamic Shariah, Islam’s principles and concepts, and the national unity of Muslims. Its first target was Islam’s fundamental beliefs. If the foundation on which the entire religious edifice rests could be destroyed, its other ideas, guidance, and commandments could easily be eliminated. It intensified its attacks on Islam’s fundamental matters one by one.

Belief in Prophethood

Belief in tawhid was utterly intolerable to jahiliyyah. But it had no way to attack it directly at the outset. Therefore, its attack began with the belief in the prophethood of Muhammad. That is, if belief in the prophethood of Muhammad could be shaken or destroyed, it would become easy to erase Islam’s other fundamental beliefs from people’s minds. For this purpose, jahiliyyah created several battlefronts.

The first battlefront was the fabrication of false prophets. In other words, claimants to false prophethood would continue to appear even after the final Prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him). Although preparations for this had begun during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the activity intensified after his death, and two men named Musaylimah and Aswad al-Ansi were presented as claimants to prophethood. Some people, including members of the Banu Hanifa tribe, supported Musaylimah, while the people of Yemen supported Aswad al-Ansi. But the first Caliph, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), eradicated this fitnah with all his strength.

Thereafter, toward the end of the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphate, the Shi‘a sect emerged, and when it later split into many groups and subgroups, false prophets began to appear among them. For example, Abu Mansur, the founder of their Mansuriyya sect, declared: “Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was Allah’s Messenger and a prophet. Then Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him), Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him), Ali ibn Husayn, and Muhammad ibn Ali were all messengers and prophets. I too am a messenger and prophet, and the line of prophethood will continue for six generations after me.”

He further said that the line of prophethood would never end (al-Milal wa al-Nihal, al-Shahrastani).

Abu Khattab, the founder of the Khattabiyya sect, said that all the Shi‘a imams were prophets. Mughirah, the founder of the Mughiriyya sect, himself claimed prophethood. Muhammad ibn Nusayr al-Nusayri, the leader of the Nusayriyya sect, also claimed prophethood (the aforementioned work). There is no argument, proof, or divinely granted warrant supporting these claims. Why would there be any need? Raising the question of argument and proof would only create trouble and ruin everything. All that is needed is to create religious hysteria among Muslims of weak faith and distorted minds. Behind it all would be Satan’s powerful incitement and deception.

Although these claimants to false prophethood were generally rejected, a small number of people were certainly misled. They were deceived and led astray after falling into the trap laid by jahiliyyah.

This is the story of jahiliyyah’s new campaign during a period of one hundred or one hundred and fifty years. Perhaps similar incidents occurred in other parts of the Muslim world as well. Such incidents are especially natural during the period of Muslim decline, and they did occur. When Muslims move somewhat away from the fundamental beliefs in tawhid, risalah, and the Hereafter, abandon obedience to Allah and the leadership of the Messenger in every sphere of life, and bow their heads before taghuti powers, jahiliyyah attacks the beliefs of Muslims with all its strength and achieves at least a partial victory, even if not a complete one.

Introducing a New Religion

Akbar, the emperor of India, attempted to introduce an absurd religion called Din-i Ilahi with the aim of eradicating Islam. Akbar intended to establish this new religion as an alternative to Islam. The mindset behind its introduction was that, in order to make his rule permanent and secure over a vast land like India, he had to win the hearts of the Hindu majority and other communities of the country. He considered it appropriate to win their hearts through the instrument of religion. Therefore, he sought to introduce a new religion combining all religions. The fundamentals of Islam were discarded in this new religion, and many Hindu rituals and practices were made obligatory for Muslims. For example, Muslims could not retain their traditional Muslim names, circumcise their sons, keep beards, or eat beef. Muslims and non-Muslims could freely marry one another, and the non-Muslim would not have to accept Islam for this purpose.

The remarkable thing was that, under this religion, Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and followers of other religions could properly observe their respective faiths. Only many injunctions of Islamic Shariah were abrogated. It is perfectly clear that this religion was invented with the aim of abolishing Islam.

The non-Muslim population was indeed extremely pleased with Akbar, but they too were unwilling to accept this religion. A small number of opportunistic and misguided Muslims, however, were attracted to it. The larger Muslim population rejected it. The renowned scholar and ascetic of that time, Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi Mujaddid Alf-e-Thani (may Allah have mercy on him), declared jihad against the propagation of this new religion. After Akbar’s death, his son Jahangir, posing as the bearer and propagator of Din-i Ilahi, made every effort to introduce it. Even after imprisoning Alf-e-Thani in Gwalior Fort and employing all his state power, he could not prevent the absurd religion’s demise. Finally, solely to preserve his throne, he released Alf-e-Thani, repented before him, and became a Muslim anew. The strategy Akbar adopted to make his own, and hence Mughal, rule permanent and secure planted the seeds of the fall of the Mughal Empire.

The Reappearance of a False Prophet

During British rule in India, a web of conspiracy was spread around Mirza Ghulam Ahmad’s false claim to prophethood. The British government provided comprehensive assistance to this conspiracy. The lure of high government posts, promotions, and various economic advantages deceived and led astray many Muslims ignorant of Islam. The extensive activities of Christian missionaries under state patronage succeeded in converting only a small number of Muslims to Christianity. But by establishing belief in false prophethood, a new prophet and a new Muslim community were invented; thereby, on the one hand, the truth of the Qur’an was denied, and whoever disbelieved in this new prophet was declared a kafir. There is no doubt that this was a temporary achievement of jahiliyyah. But although almost all Muslim countries of the world became colonies of foreign and non-Muslim powers, and although vast numbers of Muslims distanced themselves from Islamic practices, the Muslim ummah as a whole rejected with contempt Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani’s claim to false prophethood.

Since Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was born in a place called Qadian in eastern Punjab, his followers are called Qadianis. They are also called Ahmadis. In the first quarter of this century, the scholarly community of the world declared the Qadiani or Ahmadi community non-Muslim or kafir. Many authoritative books were also written proving this prophethood false and fraudulent. Then, after the independent state of Pakistan was established following the partition of India in 1947, a vigorous movement began against this false prophethood. Their propagation was banned in the Arab countries. Finally, in 1974, Pakistan’s National Assembly passed a law declaring the Qadiani community non-Muslim.

Shirk in Prophethood

Jahiliyyah’s first battlefront against Islam was created around the claim to false prophethood. This claim was made in various eras. Jahiliyyah’s second battlefront is shirk in prophethood—that is, the invention of an absurd belief in partnership within prophethood. For this purpose, the person of Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, was first used specifically as a covering. It was an extremely painful event in Islamic history that an undesirable dispute concerning the caliphate divided the Muslim ummah and led to the emergence of a permanent sect called the Shi‘a. Members of this sect accepted as part of their faith the belief that the Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (peace be upon him) designated Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) as his representative and caliph. More painful still is the fact that they believe their imams, including Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), to be sinless. Until then, the fundamental belief of Muslims had been that only the prophets among humankind are sinless, and that this sinlessness is not their own achievement. Rather, because Allah chose them from among humanity for the great task of prophethood, He kept them sinless through His special grace. If someone other than a prophet is now considered sinless, the fundamental distinction between a prophet and a non-prophet no longer remains.

This belief became firmly established among the Shi‘a: not only Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), but all the imams descended from him were sinless, just as Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), was sinless. This was a major achievement of jahiliyyah opposed to the Islamic belief concerning prophethood. The exaggeration of devotion and reverence toward Ahl al-Bayt, or the Prophet’s family, reached the level of shirk in prophethood. To regard a non-prophet as sinless means in reality to grant him equal status in the rank and authority of prophethood. Thereafter, belief in the messengership of Muhammad is no longer Islamic belief. Consequently, there can be no hope of achieving the great objective for which Allah, Lord of the worlds, established the status of this universal and eternal messengership and sent Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as the final prophet. For in that case he, the Prophet Mustafa, would no longer remain the sole source of guidance and the only acknowledged criterion of truth. Nor would the right to unconditional obedience remain exclusively his. Rather, those regarded as sinless would also attain equal status with the Prophet in these matters.

From the Caliphate to Monarchy

The establishment of monarchy after abolishing the Rightly Guided Caliphate was a great victory for jahiliyyah. After the martyrdom of the fourth Caliph, Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), the way was cleared for monarchy, and the Rightly Guided Caliphate fell as Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) seized control of the Islamic state.

The fall of the Rightly Guided Caliphate is called a great victory for jahiliyyah because it was not merely a political power or government; rather, it was the complete representation of the prophethood of Muhammad. Its task was not limited to administering law and order, establishing peace and security, and defending the borders. Rather, in the collective life of Muslims it performed the duties of teacher, mentor, and guide that the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) had performed during his lifetime. It was also the responsibility of the caliphate to keep the entire system of the religion of truth alive within Dar al-Islam, in its true form, character, and vitality, and to keep the collective strength of the world’s Muslims engaged in raising high the word of Allah. There is no opportunity here to recount the long history of how the process of the fall of the Rightly Guided Caliphate began during the caliphate of Uthman Dhu al-Nurayn, may Allah be pleased with him, and how, after the caliphate of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), it turned into monarchy. Every student of history ought to know it. However, after the end of the Rightly Guided Caliphate, it became easier for jahiliyyah to create further battlefronts against Islam.

After the Rightly Guided Caliphate

After the end of the Rightly Guided Caliphate, monarchy was established, although it continued to be called a caliphate, and Islamic ideals and principles were abandoned. The complete, justice-based social order established by Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (peace be upon him) remained unimpaired and intact during the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphate, but under monarchy it no longer had any existence. In place of Islam’s welfare-oriented governance, obedience was extracted by force. People were left with no opportunity to express independent opinions, and many even had to give their lives for expressing an independent opinion.

It is true that under monarchy, country after country was conquered and the state’s boundaries expanded. But because decisions made according to one person’s wishes replaced Islam’s consultative decision-making, unity of thought among Muslims was destroyed, and they began dividing into numerous groups and subgroups. Anti-Islamic ideals and ways of thinking continued to influence them.

After the rule of the Rightly Guided Caliphate—that is, the rule of the Qur’an and Sunnah—was abolished, corruption began in Muslim society and in people’s minds, thought, and character. Those who possessed Islamic knowledge and character showed reluctance to accept government responsibilities under monarchy and withdrew from the social scene.

It should be noted that, as soon as the complete Islamic state was established by the Prophet Mustafa, people came in groups to seek refuge beneath the banner of Islam. Thereafter, many of them did not even have the opportunity to purify their lives. Many were also not fortunate enough to meet the Noble Prophet.

After the death of the Noble Prophet, the Islamic call and conquests continued during the caliphates of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). During this period, countless people from different countries, regions, nations, and classes abandoned the religion of their forefathers and sought refuge in the cool shade of Islam. In general, they accepted Islam wholeheartedly as the true religion. But among them were also many who had no good intention behind accepting Islam. In their hearts they suffered anguish over Islam and harbored resentment and hostility toward it. They were opportunists seeking a chance to strike Islam a devastating blow. To fulfill this evil purpose, they joined the ranks of the Muslims. In reality, they were hypocrites. A Jewish scholar named Abdullah ibn Saba was particularly noteworthy among them. In the name of Islam, he succeeded in dividing the Muslim ummah and introducing among them a separate creed, way of thinking, and pattern of conduct.

After the establishment of monarchy, the keys to authority passed into the hands of jahiliyyah instead of Islam. And after losing state power, Islam no longer possessed the strength to restrain the advance of jahiliyyah. Moreover, it was extremely difficult for Islam to confront jahiliyyah because jahiliyyah did not enter the field in its true form; rather, it entered in the guise of a “Muslim.” Had jahiliyyah come to strike Islam in the form of an atheist, unbeliever, or polytheist—as Islam’s open enemy—the entire Muslim millah would have united to confront it. But jahiliyyah professed tawhid and risalah, and everything it did was done in the name of Islam. Under the cover of Islam, jahiliyyah continued to strengthen its roots.

Jahiliyyah seized the state and its wealth and called it the Caliphate. In reality, however, it was monarchy, whose abolition had been Islam’s objective. Under the protection of this monarchy, the ideas and outlook of jahiliyyah spread through the lives of the ruling class, their subordinate amirs and nobles, governors, armies, and influential members of society. At the same time, the philosophy, literature, and arts of jahiliyyah also continued to spread.

Since jahiliyyah came to possess state power, it also exerted influence over the ulama, Sufis, and God-fearing people. As a result, Plato’s philosophy, ascetic ideals of character, and a pessimistic outlook in every sphere of life spread through Muslim society.

In the name of piety and scrupulousness, it removed people of upright character from authority and leadership in society and handed power over to the standard-bearers of jahiliyyah.

Un-Islamic Tasawwuf

It has been stated above that the first and second battlefronts of jahiliyyah against Islam were formed around claims of false prophethood and partnership in prophethood. Although jahiliyyah could not prevail on the first of these two fronts, on the second it expanded its dominance, destroyed the unity of the Muslim millah, and shattered the edifice of the Islamic Caliphate. Thereafter, under the shelter of the established monarchy, jahiliyyah continued to extend its black hand. The righteous and God-fearing people who, under pressure from circumstances, withdrew from the political arena and devoted themselves to Tasawwuf—that is, spiritual purification, remembrance and litanies, and the study and teaching of religious knowledge—found jahiliyyah extending its influence there as well. Thus, in opposition to Islam-based Tasawwuf, jahili Tasawwuf emerged. This was jahiliyyah’s third WAR FRONT, or battlefront, against Islam.

This jahili Tasawwuf sought to erase from people’s hearts the very belief in prophethood. Its basic idea was that, for worship whose aim is to reach God, there is no need for the mediation of any prophet, nor for obedience to him. A person can reach this desired destination by other means as well. These proponents of false Tasawwuf probably adopted this idea from a Shiite sect. Ahmad ibn al-Qayyal, founder of the Shiite sect known as the Qayyaliyah, held that only those lacking inner insight become blind followers of the prophets.

This line of thought is presented in a slightly polished form as follows: just as the mediation of a lawyer is essential for presenting one’s petition at a ruler’s court, so the mediation of a pir is essential for presenting anything on behalf of a servant at God’s court. In this way, the prophet’s mediation between the servant and God—that is, obedience to God through obedience to the prophet—and the easy, straightforward highway to attaining God that the prophet showed are abandoned; obedience to the pir is instead regarded as the sole means of attaining God. But in reality, all the servant’s obedience remains confined to the pir, and the concept of obedience cannot rise above him. Consequently, the pir alone becomes the standard for halal and haram, good and evil, worship and disobedience. Thus the servant’s relationship with God and the Prophet is severed.

If this line of thought and philosophy is accepted, then why would “Muhammadan prophethood,” or even “faith in the messengership,” not become unnecessary? Can anyone who believes in Islam, the Qur’an, and the Prophet entertain such ideas? Yet the extremely tragic fact is that jahiliyyah has infected a section of Muslims with the deadly disease of this erroneous way of thinking, and, in the name of Islam itself, a group of people has assumed the role of its bearers and propagators.

It should be noted that although Islamically valid Tasawwuf and its adherents continue to exist in society, their number is extremely small. Since those following false Tasawwuf are not required to observe any injunctions of the Shariah, opportunists incline toward it in greater numbers. The propaganda of jahiliyyah is also especially vigorous in its support.

TheDeadlyWeapons of Jahiliyyah

There is no doubt that jahili Tasawwuf misled some Muslims and diverted them from Islam’s true, correct, easy, and straightforward highway—the Sirat al-Mustaqim. But later, three extremely deadly weapons of jahiliyyah shook the very foundations of Islam. They are: (1) a Godless or God-defying way of life (SECULARISM), (2) worship of the nation, or nationalism (NATIONALISM), and (3) democracy claiming sovereignty (DEMOCRACY). A discussion of these three deadly weapons will show how deeply they have influenced Islamic beliefs and consciousness, and how firmly philosophies and ideologies opposed to Islam have been established.

Secularism

Let us first discuss SECULARISM. Its essence is to reject the laws and guidance of the Creator of the universe in every sphere of life and to live according to laws and guidance devised by human beings. Yet it is stated with great cleverness that if someone’s conscience testifies that there is a God and that He should be praised and worshipped, that person may do so in private life. But God and religion have no connection with the world, society, or anything related to them. Within the system of life built upon this theory, every level of the relationship between human beings and between human beings and the world is completely independent of God and religion. The entire social system is independent of religion; the educational system is independent; laws are independent; the country’s parliament is independent; politics, economics, all the country’s administration, and international relations are all independent of God and religion. In every decision made in these various spheres of human life, it is considered irrelevant—indeed meaningless and the product of blind, superstitious thinking—to ask whether God has laid down any principles or guidance for us in these matters. And even if He has, it is supposedly impossible to follow them in view of circumstances and conditions. What remains is private life. But under the influence of an irreligious educational and social system, private life too has become, and is becoming, devoid of religion in most cases. For now only a very small number of people feel in their hearts that there is a God and that His commands must be obeyed. In particular, for those who lead the society and civilization built on the foundation of secularism, religion is no longer even a matter of private life. Their personal relationship with God has also been severed.

This secularism, that is, irreligion or defiance of God, originated in Europe, and it also has a background. Even a brief discussion of that background seems necessary, since without it the subject would be difficult to understand.

On the basis of a distorted Christianity, Christian priests devised religious laws and regulations according to their own fancies and continued to rule in the name of religion. The Torah contained laws suitable for governing society. Although Jewish scholars distorted the Torah as much as possible, the Christians rejected the original Torah itself. No new Shariah was revealed through the Bible. Consequently, Christian priests distorted religion for their own interests and continued to conduct government in the name of religion. It was utterly impossible to establish peace, security, and justice in society through man-made laws in place of laws sent by God. Although wrongdoing, injustice, oppression, and persecution continued under this rule, ordinary people were compelled to accept them silently because they bore the stamp of religion. Throughout Europe there were many small and large states governed by priests, which were called PAPAL STATES. A Christian empire was established over them, called the HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE.

It should be noted that Muslim rule was established in Spain at the beginning of the eighth century and continued for several hundred years (711–1492 CE). During Muslim rule, the two largest universities were established in Cordova and Granada, and knowledge-seeking people from various parts of Europe flocked in groups to these lofty institutions of learning. Through higher education, these institutions kindled the torch of knowledge and science in Europe. In the world of that time, Baghdad, Cordova, and Constantinople (CONSTANTINOPLE) were centers of education, civilization, and culture for the entire world. But Cordova stood above them all. Cordova’s fame in the pursuit of knowledge and science was world-renowned. As a result of extensive study of knowledge and science, free and independent thought began to emerge among the educated classes. At the same time, new scientific discoveries continued to be made. A fierce conflict began between scientific thought and the worn-out, ancient, superstitious ideas of the priests. New laws were enacted to halt scientific thought and discoveries. Severe and terrifying punishments were prescribed for those who violated the laws. Since all this was being done in the name of religion, the educated classes increasingly became alienated from religion itself.

The Christian scholars and philosophers of ancient times had built the entire edifice of their religious beliefs and their ideas concerning humanity and the natural world upon the concepts, doctrines, arguments, proofs, and data of Greek philosophy and science. They also believed that if any one of the foundations upon which their doctrinal edifice had been built were attacked, the entire edifice would crumble. Christianity too would then come to an end. They were unwilling under any circumstances to tolerate criticism or research that cast doubt upon the universally accepted truths of Greek philosophy and science. Nor were they prepared to accept any philosophical line of thought that, abandoning these universally accepted truths, presented an alternative view that would compel the priests to reconsider their philosophy. No research could be permitted if it might prove any part of the ideas about humanity and the natural world presented in the Bible, or of the doctrines accepted by the philosophers, to be erroneous. They regarded each such matter as a direct danger to religion and to the entire cultural, political, and economic system founded upon it. On the other hand, at every step taken by those pursuing criticism, research, and the investigation of facts in accordance with the Renaissance movement and its demands, the weaknesses of the philosophies and sciences upon which the entire edifice of religious belief had been built became plainly evident. Yet the further these people advanced in research, the more the priests or Christian authorities, using their religious or political power, tried with increasing severity to block their path. Many things contrary to previously accepted truths became as clear as daylight. The priests said that instead of reconsidering universally accepted truths, the eyes of the critics should be put out. Researchers felt that the doctrines regarded as irrefutable evidence for religious belief contained serious flaws. The priests said that the brains of those whose minds gave rise to such thoughts should themselves be crushed. The result of this conflict and confrontation was that, at the very first dawn of intellectual and scientific renaissance, a stubborn hostility arose against religion and religious people, and an attitude of aversion to God and irreligion spread through the veins and arteries of the new civilization. Thereafter, it could not be expected that the advocates of such free thought would distinguish other religions from the Christianity of the Church. Naturally, therefore, their obstinacy did not remain confined to Christianity and its Church. Rather, everything understood by the term religion became a victim of their obstinacy. When this psychological state of hostility toward religion, together with this conflict, moved from the realm of knowledge into politics, economics, and various areas of social organization, then, after the defeat of the Church authorities, the leaders of the new civilization built a new religious edifice of life, with a permanent philosophy of life, called “secularism.” Its principle was that religion would have no right to intervene in any sphere of politics, economics, morality, law, or, in short, social life. Religion was merely a private matter. Anyone who wished to believe in God and the prophets in his private life could do so. But in framing the entire system of social life, it was irrelevant to ask what guidance God had given concerning it.

The primary foundation of the intellectual, social, political, and economic system of the modern world’s new civilization is secularism (SECULARISM). Fascism, capitalism, Nazism, socialism, communism, nationalism, democracy claiming sovereignty, hedonism (EPICURIANISM), utilitarianism (UTILITARIANISM), atheism, Darwinism (DARWINISM), and similar ideologies are merely branches of secularism, whose life-force permeates them all.

The cornerstone of this way of life is irreligion, rebellion against God, or sheer worldliness. The doctrine that God and religion are relevant only to a person’s private life is a meaningless and irrelevant doctrine, with not even the remotest connection to knowledge and conscience. The truth is that, concerning God and humanity, one of two things must necessarily be the case. Either God is the Creator, Lord, Ruler, and Lawgiver of humanity and this universe, or He is none of these. If He is not the Creator, Lord, and Ruler, then there is no need to maintain a personal relationship with Him. And worshipping a being with whom one has no relationship is entirely meaningless. It is even a sign of lack of reason to think that God is indeed the Creator, but that He has not told human beings how to live in the world or what their political, economic, cultural, and social systems should be—or, God forbid, that He is unable to tell them. Is there any need to believe in such a God? But if He is our Creator, Lord, and Ruler and the Creator, Lord, and Ruler of the universe, then to think that His rule will be confined to private life, or that it will be limited not to governance but merely to worship, is nothing but extreme folly. Once one person becomes connected with another and social relations begin, to say that the Creator’s rule and control no longer apply there can only be the statement of a senseless person. If, in social life, human beings become free and arbitrary instead of dependent upon the Creator, this is outright rebellion against their Creator, Lord, and Ruler. After such rebellion, anyone who says, “I obey God in my private life,” must be said to have become mentally deranged. Nothing can remain in this relationship with the Creator except deception, fraud, and hypocrisy.

Is it not the statement of someone devoid of reason that each individual, separately, is God’s servant and obliged to obey His commands, but when these separate individuals come together to form a society, they are no longer God’s servants? Each part is a servant, but the sum of the parts is not a servant. This can only be the statement of a madman devoid of reason and intelligence. How can it be accepted that if we do not need God and His guidance in our family life, in our slums and cities, in our educational institutions, in our marketplaces, in our parliaments and government houses, in administration, in the High Courts, in military cantonments, in police lines, in war and peace treaties, then where do we need Him? If God is so helpless and incapable—God forbid—that He cannot guide us in any sphere of life, cannot tell us what is beneficial or harmful for us, and cannot provide solutions to our problems, then what benefit is there in believing in such a God? But if He is truly qualified to govern all these matters and has given us a code of life, then rejecting it means declaring rebellion against Him. For this reason, the only accurate Bengali translation of the English word SECULARISM is defiance of God. In practical life, the consequences of this doctrine are extremely serious. If any sphere or aspect of life is deprived of God or religion, it must come under the influence of Satan. There is no such thing as a private life for human beings. From the moment a human child is born from its mother’s womb, its social life begins. All around it are its mother, father, siblings, grandparents, maternal uncles, maternal aunts, paternal aunts, and many other relatives. Once its eyes of understanding open, it becomes connected with a society, a kinship group, a neighborhood, a nation, and a cultural, economic, and political system. Many such relationships connect it with other people and other people with it. The welfare and prosperity of each individual and of humanity as a whole are possible only when these relationships are sound, beautiful, and just. In this regard, Allah alone is the All-Wise Being who has given human beings just and enduring principles and boundaries for these relationships. If, in any sphere or area of life, people reject Allah’s guidance and direction and act according to their own wishes and independently, then there is no place for any enduring principle, justice, or honesty. Thus, after being deprived of God’s guidance, nothing remains to which people can turn for guidance except their desires, superstitions, defective and incomplete knowledge, and experience. The consequences can be seen in every society governed according to the principles of irreligion or sheer worldliness (SECULARISM). In such places, new principles are formulated and repealed every day to satisfy the desires of the self. It is clear to the world how deeply every aspect and sphere of human relations has been tainted by injustice, oppression, persecution, and mutual distrust. Personal, group, national, and tribal selfishness exerts a powerful influence over all human affairs. Every nation and country has developed principles, laws, regulations, and procedures under its own authority, with as much selfishness as possible, to satisfy its own desires. They do not care what effect this may have on other individuals, groups, and nations. Therefore, it may be said without hesitation that the consequence of secularism—that is, defiance of God or worldliness—is simply that whoever adopts this doctrine as the basis of his conduct becomes unrestrained, irresponsible, and a slave to his desires, whether that person is an individual, a group, a country, a nation, or a community of nations.

The discussion above has shown that secularism was born in Europe during the period of the greatest decline of Judaism and Christianity, and that it expelled God and religion from every sphere of human life, permitting religion to be followed only within the extremely narrow confines of private life. In short, secularism means deciding all matters of human life while ignoring God’s sovereignty and guidance, and adopting worldly life and its success as life’s goal instead of success in the Hereafter (the life after death). With this meaning and interpretation, “secularism” has extended its arms over the entire world like an octopus. Although people who believe in God and religion still constitute the largest number in the world, this religiosity is confined to the extremely narrow sphere of private life, cut off from society; and even within this sphere, most of those who identify themselves as believers in religion are not devoted to religiosity. Influenced by their external environment, they are gradually losing trust in religion and in God. In Europe and America, churches and synagogues are being abandoned. Jewish and Christian youth are turning toward atheism. Outside the extremely narrow sphere of private life, secularism’s domination and authority prevail over the whole of life instead of God; indeed, it may be said that secularism, not religion, rules over the entire human world. The other ideologies that have emerged from it, such as fascism, socialism, Nazism, communism, and nationalism, which were mentioned earlier, all share as a universal value the fact that they are founded not upon the pleasure of Allah, but upon human desires. None of these ideologies and systems has been adopted on the basis of Allah’s guidance; rather, they are the products of God-defying thought and outlook. Therefore, it may be said without hesitation that the other name for irreligion and defiance of God is “secularism.”

“Secularism” has been called jahiliyyah’s deadly weapon against Islam because even the Muslim nation that believes in tawhid, risalah, and the Hereafter has adopted “secularism” without hesitation as the doctrine determining its social and state life. This doctrine originated when modern thinkers and scientists declared a revolt against the arbitrary rule and superstition practiced in the name of religion by Christian religious scholars. The Torah and the Gospel (the Bible) have been so distorted and altered that only a very small portion of the original message revealed by God can be found in them. Moreover, the Bible declared no principles concerning politics, economics, the judiciary, war and peace, or similar matters. As a result, it was impossible to adopt a balanced and just policy in governing the country and conducting all political and economic activities. Religious scholars, namely the priests, had established and maintained an irreligious and exploitative rule in the name of religion for their own interests, and secularism arose as a reaction to it. But the case of Muslims is entirely different. The Qur’an and Sunnah were, and still are, before them. They also have before them the example of an unprecedented Islamic welfare state that existed intact for nearly half a century. Despite this, bowing their heads before human-made ideologies and laws after rejecting Allah’s sovereignty—that is, His lordship and authority in every sphere of life—must be regarded as a great achievement of jahiliyyah.

It is true, however, that after Muslims were removed from political power because of their moral decline and began living a life of slavery, they were influenced by the ideas, philosophies of life, and values of the victorious power. Eventually, they became such mental slaves of the victorious power that they began to think about everything with its mind and see everything through its eyes.

Secularism under European Colonial Rule

In the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent—namely Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa—the colonial rule of the English began in 1757 CE. Through deceit, treachery, bribery, and betrayal, Siraj-ud-Daulah, the independent ruler of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa, was defeated and killed without a battle; English rule was established in this region and, within the following hundred years, throughout the entire subcontinent. Before English rule, Muslim rule had prevailed across the whole subcontinent for several hundred years. It should be noted that during Muslim rule Islamic law was in force throughout the country, and complete justice was established among people of all nations and religions. After removing the Muslims from power, the English became the rulers, and then they abolished the Islamic law in force in the country and implemented man-made laws in its place.

Muslim rule came to an end because of the extreme moral degeneration, indulgence in luxury, and irresponsibility of the Muslim rulers. But Muslims could not accept the rule of foreigners and people of other faiths for two reasons. First, having been the ruling nation, they had to wear the chains of subjugation—in other words, slavery—which was utterly shameful and unbearable for them. Second, godless, man-made, or secular laws were imposed upon them instead of Islamic law. This was contrary to their faith and creed.

According to Islam’s fundamental beliefs, Allah is not only the Creator of the universe, including humankind; rather, He is the Provider, Sustainer, Lord, King, and Lawgiver of all living beings. In the Qur’an’s Surah An-Nas, Allah is described as the King of humankind, and people are instructed to seek refuge in Him. Allah is the King of humankind, and people are His subjects. The King must necessarily establish the laws and regulations required for his subjects, and those laws must be obeyed by them. Otherwise, they must surely be liable to punishment for the crime of violating the law.

This question became starkly evident to the Muslims of the subcontinent: how could man-made laws be accepted in place of Allah’s law? Those who abolish Allah’s rule of law and seek to enforce their own rule of law in human society are false powers claiming divinity; in the language of the Qur’an, they are called taghut. Faith in Allah must be embraced by rejecting the commands, rule, lordship, and authority of the taghut. Obedience to Allah and the taghut simultaneously is irrational and contrary to Islam’s fundamental beliefs. It is true, of course, that during its nearly two-hundred-year rule of the subcontinent, the British government did not obstruct Muslims in religious practices such as prayer, fasting, Hajj, and zakat. Its position was that everyone would enjoy complete freedom to perform the rites of his own religion. But religion would have no authority over the country’s laws, judicial system, politics, economy, civilization and culture, education, and other affairs. In modern terminology, this is called secularism. Through it, Allah’s laws, lordship, and authority are completely denied in all spheres of life outside the individual’s personal life. What else can this be called except outright rebellion against Allah?

The Muslims could not accept this philosophy and social system opposed to Islam. Therefore, Sayyid Ahmad Shaheed Barelvi (رح) began a truly Islamic movement called the Tahreek-e-Mujahideen. Thousands of Muslims from all regions of the subcontinent spontaneously joined this movement. They then waged armed struggle in the path of Allah and established a pure Islamic state. Although it could not endure for various reasons, the true servants of Allah fulfilled their duty of faith by overthrowing the rule of taghuti law and establishing Allah’s rule of law, even if only for a short period.

It must be regarded as a great achievement of jahiliyyah, or Satan, that it succeeded in influencing and inspiring the Muslim nation as a whole toward this rebellious philosophy of secularism. Those who do not believe in God’s existence, or those who believe in three gods or many gods, have no difficulty accepting this philosophy. The religions other than Islam have not proclaimed any comprehensive way of life. Apart from some forms of worship and religious ceremonies, they have provided no guidance regarding the various aspects and spheres of life. Even the heavenly scripture, the Gospel, says nothing about social and state systems. In Allah’s final revealed Book, the Qur’an, a complete code has been given for the whole of human life. Whenever any matter is to be judged or decided in any sphere of life, it must be done according to the law and guidance revealed by Allah. Those who do not do so have been explicitly called kafirs, zalims, and fasiqs. Yet individuals known as Muslims continue to violate this clear command without hesitation. What other reason can there be except that these unfortunate Muslims live under the political enslavement of anti-Islamic forces and have accepted the education introduced by them? This is nothing but their utter inferiority and mental slavery.

It is deeply regrettable that, among the countries of the Muslim world, Turkey was the first to adopt secularism as the foundation for reconstructing society, the state, and civilization and culture. Mustafa Kemal Pasha was the architect of this godless state and social system.

Kemal Pasha was born in 1881 in a dilapidated cottage in Salonica. His father, Ali Riza, worked as a clerk in a government office. Unable to endure the oppression of poverty, he left his job and began a business in the hope of changing his fortunes. But he made no progress in business. Rather, he gradually faced even greater poverty. Finally, extreme despair about life made him addicted to drugs, and he died of tuberculosis. His wife, that is, Mustafa Kemal’s mother, was an extremely God-fearing and veiled Muslim woman. She wanted to make her son a religious scholar. But from childhood Kemal was unruly and undisciplined by nature. He habitually publicly insulted and abused his teachers. Consequently, he did not pursue his studies at school. Later, his uncle enrolled him in a military school. In this way, he obtained the opportunity to join the armed forces.

From childhood, Kemal Pasha was utterly averse to Islam and Islamic rites and ceremonies. In these matters, he not only rejected his mother’s advice and admonitions but also treated her very harshly. His disbelief in God, revelation, prophethood, the Hereafter, and similar matters continued to take root, and in adulthood he emerged as an atheist.

The First World War

In the First World War, Turkey, the “Sick Man of Europe,” fought on Germany’s side against the British. Until then, the Ottoman Empire of Turkey was regarded as the custodian of the Caliphate. To strike a devastating blow at its opponent and shatter Muslim unity, the British sent Lawrence of Arabia to the Arab lands as a propagandist for Arab nationalism. The then ruler of Mecca, Sharif Hussein Hashmi, became so influenced by this propaganda that, in mid-1915, he took up arms against the Muslims in the name of Arab national independence and stabbed Turkey in the back. In the First World War, the British, or the Allied Force, achieved victory. At the very beginning of the war, they had divided the Ottoman Empire among themselves through a secret agreement. After the war ended in 1919, the Turkish Empire was torn apart. Its European territories slipped from its hands. As a result of the poison of Arab nationalism, the Arab lands became separated from the Turkish Empire, but they were distributed among England, France, and Greece. In the end, the Ottoman Empire was confined to ancient Anatolia (Istanbul). In May 1919, only a nominal sultan remained in the Ottoman capital. But even there, his independence was imperiled.

Meanwhile, the Muslim leaders of British India, or the subcontinent, had instilled in Muslims the belief that the Khalifat al-Muslimeen and the institution of the Caliphate were integral parts of their true faith. Then, in view of the fall and dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire, the Muslims of the subcontinent began to suspect that the British might destroy the very center of the Caliphate, which Muslims regarded as their religious and spiritual center.

The Muslim leaders then met with the Viceroy of India and expressed their position. Their meeting was not satisfactory. Subsequently, a delegation led by leaders such as Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar and Maulana Sayyid Sulaiman Nadvi met with the British authorities in London and presented their case. In response, they were told that territories other than the original territory of Turkey could not be given to them.

The Muslims of the subcontinent became extremely enraged by this anti-Muslim conduct of the British government, and a powerful Khilafat Movement began in India to preserve the Caliphate. On August 10 of that year (1919), Khilafat Day was observed throughout the subcontinent. From that time, strikes began to be held in various places. In short, a tremendous explosion against the British began in the subcontinent. Within one month, nearly twenty thousand Muslims voluntarily presented themselves for imprisonment. The movement continued until 1922. But, most regrettably, such a major movement and all the explosions of protest against the British ended in failure.

The reason was that Kemal Pasha took advantage of the Muslims of Turkey’s jihad-inspired spirit, conducted the war with extraordinary courage and wisdom, and recaptured many areas from the British. He united the people of Turkey and succeeded in restoring their lost honor and glory. After thus acquiring absolute power, Kemal Pasha deposed Sultan Muhammad Hashim of the Ottoman Caliphate in November 1922, and in March 1924 he expelled the last, puppet-like sultan, Abdul Majid, from the country and abolished the Caliphate.

Immediately after assuming power, Kemal Pasha declared that he would erase all traces of Islam from the life of the Turkish nation. Only after eliminating Islam’s authority could the Turks progress and become a respected modern nation. He continued to deliver one public speech after another against Islam and every aspect of Islam.

On March 3, 1924, he introduced a bill in the assembly to establish a completely secular Turkish nation. He said that religion and the state must be separated. The Turkish Republic must be transformed into a genuinely secular state.

He declared opposition to the bill a serious crime and warned everyone of its terrible consequences. Subsequently, the bill was passed without any debate.

That the inherent meaning of the word secular is godlessness or rebellion against Allah was proven by state activity. In imitation of the godless, materialist Western civilization, food and drink, dress, conduct, obscene dancing and singing, drinking, and other anti-Islamic cultural practices were declared national symbols of Turkey. Islamic education was removed from Islamic educational institutions. As a result, many madrasas and maktabs were destroyed. The ancient script of Turkey’s own language was replaced with the Roman alphabet. The call to prayer in Arabic was prohibited. Through the sheer force of power, a Muslim nation was suddenly turned into a nation alienated from Islam.

Some time later, a Turkish delegation arrived in Delhi. They took pride in repeatedly identifying themselves as a European nation. The Muslims of Delhi invited them to perform the Friday prayer at the Delhi Jama Masjid. But they rejected the invitation. They also rejected the invitation from Aligarh Muslim University. Yet, although they had no prior program there, they gladly visited Banaras Hindu University. In other words, they were unwilling to identify themselves as Muslims. This is the practical consequence of secularism.

The standard-bearers of secularism say that secularism is not opposed to religion; it merely regards religion as separate from the state. This is nothing but a deceptive, soothing fraud. The architect of secularism in Turkey had no faith in religion, and his desire was to eradicate Islam. He used to say that Islam was a dead thing practiced by an Arab who lacked theological principles. There is no doubt that he was referring to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

He also said that it had perhaps been suitable for the tribes of the desert. It had little value for the modern and progressive state of the present day. Allah’s revelation? There is no Allah at all! These are chains by which mullahs and corrupt rulers force the people to remain bowing their heads.

The character of one who disbelieves in God and religion also becomes like that. He becomes extremely tyrannical, cruel, immoral, and arrogant. Kemal Pasha was of that character. He married an educated and beautiful woman named Latifa. He encouraged her to wear men’s clothing and demand absolute equality for women. But when, as a woman possessing self-respect, she demanded to be treated like an honored wife, Kemal became angry and divorced her. After divorcing her, his shamelessness crossed all limits. He began drinking so heavily that he became a notorious drunkard and would often be nearly intoxicated. Handsome young men became the objects of his sexual desires. His conduct toward the wives and daughters of his political supporters became so indecent that they tried to keep their women as far away from him as possible. His health collapsed because of venereal disease.

He trusted no one. He paid no attention to any opinion opposed to his own. He judged everything by the measure of self-interest.

No autocratic ruler can tolerate a rival under any circumstances. Kemal Pasha likewise never missed an opportunity to eliminate his political opponents. An autocratic tribunal was established to try them. They were sentenced to death without any judicial procedure or evidence.

The Turkish people could not accept Kemal’s anti-Islamic reform campaign. Their protests continued to gather force. In 1926, the Kurdish tribes of the mountainous regions openly declared a revolt against the Kemal administration. Kemal Pasha began barbaric oppression in Turkish Kurdistan. He burned village after village. He destroyed livestock and crops. Women and children were raped and killed wholesale. Many Kurdish leaders were hanged in public. Amid cries, wailing, and mourning, Kemal consolidated his autocratic and anti-Islamic secular rule.

But Islam could not be eradicated from Turkey. The decline of Kemalism has begun, and so has the revival of Islam—in the youth, educational institutions, and military barracks. Kemalism, the weapon of jahiliyyah, is now decaying. It no longer has the power to prevent the revival of Islam.

The influence and prestige of the philosophy of life built on the foundation of secularism, the standards established for right and wrong, good and evil, profit and loss, victory and defeat, and sin and virtue, and the palace of civilization and culture constructed upon them gradually spread throughout the world. Through advances in science and technology, this new civilization created wonder and attraction in people’s minds. The new ideas of such thoughtful scholars as Francis Bacon, Voltaire, Darwin, Hegel, Karl Marx, and Freud made this civilization and culture standard-bearers of atheism and materialism. Muslim countries bowed one by one before this civilization and culture and its political domination. Living in bondage brought about a mental transformation in them. They lost Islamic beliefs and convictions, moral standards, and the indomitable courage, tremendous morale, and valor arising from faith in tawhid. The secular, or godless, education system under the victorious civilization made them completely alienated from God. In name they remained Muslims, but no sense of accountability before God in the Hereafter remained in their hearts.

But the condition of the entire Muslim society was not the same. Among the general population, the majority were people who, although somewhat distorted, still possessed Islamic consciousness and vitality. But they were not united, and there was also a great scarcity of people capable of leading them along the right path. The ulema did only this much to keep Islam alive: for Islamic education, they maintained madrasas, maktabs, and darul ulooms established through their own efforts, and preserved the study of Qur’an and Hadith. Khanqahs for teaching the knowledge of tasawwuf were also established in various places. But through these means they could not halt the advance of jahiliyyah. Jahiliyyah established its absolute authority and domination throughout human life—from educational institutions to government administration and courts; from various media to international communications, relations, and connections; in food and recreation, sports, entertainment, and hospitality; and in marriages, ceremonies, and festivals. The taghuti governments continued, through the educational systems they introduced, to produce people who would assist them in administration and, when the time came, receive the responsibility of governing the country. Devoid of Islamic knowledge and character, these people continued blindly imitating their Western masters to please them. In their hearts, they had already bid farewell to Islam, because they believed that Islam was a major obstacle to the progress and advancement of the Muslim nation.

At one point, the British government conveyed good news to these distorted and misguided offspring of Western civilization and culture. In his book History of Modern Egypt, Lord Cromer, speaking as a spokesman for the British government, said:

England is prepared to grant eventual political freedom to all of her colonial possessions as soon as a generation of intellectuals and politicians imbued through English education with our ideals & culture, is ready to take over. But we shall not tolerate for a single moment the establishment of an independent Islamic state anywhere in the world.

That is, England is prepared to grant final political independence to the countries under its colonial rule as soon as a generation of politicians and intellectuals, inspired through English education by our ideals and culture, is ready to assume power. But we will not tolerate an independent Islamic state anywhere in the world even for a moment.

Lord Cromer was not merely expressing the thoughts of the British rulers; these were the thoughts of all the imperialist powers of Europe. We see that after the Second World War, when independence movements began in Muslim countries, the Muslim masses, inspired by the Islamic spirit of jihad, threw themselves into the struggle for independence. But everywhere the same scene could be seen. After independence was achieved, a particular group—blind followers of Western civilization—seized power and, destroying the hopes and aspirations of the Muslims, established taghuti rule instead of Islamic rule. Thus jahiliyyah achieved victory. The same condition could be seen in almost every newly independent Muslim country.

The independence movement began in the subcontinent immediately after the First World War. It gained strength in the 1930s. Although two separate nations, Hindus and Muslims, had lived side by side in the subcontinent for several centuries, they had preserved their respective national distinctiveness and identity. Hindus were the majority nation there. They raised the claim of geographical nationalism, saying that in this country everyone, regardless of race or religion, constituted one nation, and that no separate nation called “Muslims” existed here. This claim was ridiculous, unrealistic, and contrary to the truth.

Rejecting the Hindus’ claim on behalf of the one hundred million Muslims of the subcontinent, it was declared that Muslims, on the basis of their religious beliefs, were a completely distinct nation. Muslims and non-Muslims had never constituted one nation, nor could they ever do so.

The demand of the Hindus’ political organization, the Indian National Congress, was to establish a secular state here on the basis of one nation.

The Muslims’ demand was this: since Muslims are a separate nation, and since their faith and creed require the complete rule of Islam—that is, the Qur’an—to be established, Muslims must necessarily have a distinct homeland for this Islamic rule. A separate state for Muslims would be formed from the Muslim-majority regions of the subcontinent, and its name would be Pakistan.

After nearly eight years of intense movements and struggle, a separate state for Muslims, called Pakistan, was born on August 14, 1947. Millions of people in the subcontinent willingly gave their lives for Pakistan and Islamic rule there. The earth was stained with the fresh blood of millions of women and children; after August 14, millions crossed rivers of blood and set foot on the soil of the newborn Pakistan.

Everyone’s heart was filled with hope: the long-desired Islamic state was about to be established. All injustice and oppression, cries, and lamentation would be requited. A society of perfect truth and justice would be established. The walls of inequality and division between people would be shattered, and looting, exploitation, and deprivation would end. Under the law of the Qur’an and Sunnah, a new heavenly society would be built in the world.

But the opposite happened. Lord Cromer’s words were fulfilled to the letter. In the first place, no people had been prepared to run an Islamic state, nor was there any plan for it. Many held the grave misconception that, to run an Islamic state, it was sufficient merely to be Muslim. No other qualities were necessary. This idea proved to be completely mistaken.

The reason is that the educational system introduced by the British in the subcontinent pushed Muslims completely in the opposite direction from Islam’s eternal commandments. A nation whose educational policy is simply to drift with the current can never possess a strong moral backbone. Islam teaches us that, regardless of the direction or course of the current, we must always proceed with great firmness only along the path prescribed by Allah. Even after gaining authority over an independent state, it is utterly impossible for leaders formed under a secular or godless educational system to govern it according to Islam’s ideals. This is because no arrangement was made to produce people with the mentality and moral strength needed to run the police, courts, army, administrative and educational departments, economy, and foreign policy of an Islamic state. It is true that the education provided under the prevailing system could supply responsible officials at every level, from head of state onward, for an un-Islamic or taghuti state. But it cannot produce even a peon for an Islamic state, or an ordinary constable for an Islamic police department.

It is unfortunate that countless madrasas, darul ulooms, and similar institutions existed in the subcontinent. But in the modern age, our traditional madrasa education system could not produce even one person of the kind required for an Islamic state—a judge, a secretary of one of its various departments, or an ambassador. In such circumstances, it became clear how mistaken were the ideas of those who thought that an Islamic state would be established as soon as state power came into the hands of people called “Muslims.”

No people were prepared in the subcontinent’s schools, colleges, and universities to administer Islamic rule, and the madrasas and darul ulooms did not do this either. As a result, the responsibility of governing the country fell into the hands of the people produced by the Cromers. With all their strength, they blocked every avenue for Islam to enter Pakistan, which had been created in the name of Islam.

Mr. Altaf Gauhar has given a fine account of how, after Pakistan was created, its administration came into the hands of the local, nominally Muslim people produced by the British. He joined government service during the British period and later held highly important positions in the Pakistan government until the 1960s. He says:

The British taught our ruling class the skills of preserving colonial interests and running special types of institutions. The indigenous rulers (Bureaucrats) had come to believe that their own existence was tied to the existence of the institutions of the preceding rulers. Independence elevated them from the status of indirect dominance to the position of direct rulers. In their view, no better arrangement than the former institutions and system (the British system of rule) could exist for safeguarding the interests of the country.

Altaf Gohar further says that at that time the judges and magistrates of our courts were Englishmen themselves. Consider the blind passion for imitation displayed by our new rulers: although they had no opportunity for marriages, funerals, and burials in the families of those judges, they blindly followed their customs and those of the Anglo-Saxons (Anglo-saxsons). Likewise, they were not prepared to move even an inch away from the British system of administration and economic system then in force.

The people willingly sacrificed everything to obtain Pakistan so that they could implement their own creed, beliefs, and way of life in their own homeland. But they became agitated, heartbroken, and despairing. Their morale was utterly shattered when they saw that Pakistan had become merely another name for the continuation of British rule.

We heard from Lord Cromer that the British, or Jahiliyyah, would not tolerate an independent Islamic state anywhere in the world even for a moment. All anti-Islamic forces in the world oppose Islamic rule, and those who came to power in the new Pakistan also opposed Islamic rule. But the people and the religious scholars continued their movement for framing an Islamic constitution and establishing Islamic rule. The Pakistan Jamaat-e-Islami, founded by Maulana Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi, led this movement. This Jamaat was formed in 1941. At that time, the Second World War was raging across Asia and Europe. In the Subcontinent, on the one hand, the Indian National Congress was struggling to seize power from the British with the aim of establishing a secular state based on one-nation theory; on the other hand, the Muslims were struggling to identify a separate homeland for themselves and establish there Hukumat-e Ilahiyyah, or an Islamic state. At such a time, many people wondered why it was necessary to form a party called Jamaat-e-Islami. To obtain the correct answer, one must gain a proper understanding of the Pakistan Movement, which was being conducted to establish Hukumat-e Ilahiyyah, or an Islamic state.

The entire structure of Hukumat-e Ilahiyyah, or the Islamic state, is founded upon Allah’s sovereignty and authority. Allah alone is the Creator, Lord, and King-Lawgiver of the universe. This is the fundamental concept of Islamic politics. No individual, family, group, or nation has any right to exercise lordship or rule over people. Since all creation belongs to Allah, the right to govern and rule it belongs solely to Him. Human beings will act as His khalifahs, or representatives. People must always remember that the responsibility of Allah’s khilafah, or representation, assigned to them is not so that they may become lords over other people, keep them as abject slaves, pose as their masters, and satisfy their own lusts and bestial impulses. Rather, the responsibility of khilafah has been entrusted to them so that, collectively, they may enforce Allah’s law upon Allah’s servants. They themselves must also fully obey that law. They must always maintain the belief that if they show any negligence or fail in enforcing Allah’s law upon others, or commit even a little selfishness, arbitrariness, malice, partiality, or treachery, then even if they are not judged for it in this worldly life, they will certainly be punished for it in Allah’s court in the Hereafter.

The system of government established on the basis of the ideals, beliefs, and outlook described above is called an Islamic state, and every one of its departments, from its foundations to its branches, is entirely different from a godless state (Secular State). It cannot be compared with any other system of government. Its army, police, courts, politics, economy, policies and activities relating to war and peace, and everything else are completely distinct from those of a godless state. The highest-ranking official of a secular state would not even be qualified to hold the lowest position in an Islamic state. Every department and post in an Islamic state requires selfless people who have no craving for wealth or desire for luxury and indulgence. They must be extremely trustworthy and honest. They will perform every task with a full sense of responsibility. Even after gaining possession of immense treasures, they will not embezzle a single penny. They constantly retain the awareness that they will have to answer before Allah in the Hereafter for whether they fulfilled their responsibilities correctly and honestly. No idea of Jahiliyyah can overwhelm their minds.

But has any such cadre been prepared for the proposed or desired Islamic state, or is there any plan to prepare one?

Before the formation of Jamaat-e-Islami, its founder, Maulana Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi, described the tragic moral and religious condition of Muslim society and said:

“All kinds of people, good and bad, are present in this society. In terms of character, every kind of person found among the non-Muslim nations of the world is present in equal measure among this nation that bears the name Muslim. A Muslim is no less capable than a non-Muslim of giving false testimony in court. Muslims commit usury and bribery, theft and robbery, adultery, lying, fraud and deceit, and every other kind of crime no less than non-Muslims do. Muslims do not hesitate to employ the same tactics that unbelievers use to gain special advantages and make money. A Muslim lawyer knowingly argues against the truth. At that moment, he is as forgetful of Allah as a non-Muslim. …If a large crowd of people of diverse opinions and dispositions from a nation of such low and degraded moral condition were assembled into an army, or if political education and training made them more cunning than foxes, or if military training instilled in them the ferocity of tigers, they might perhaps find it easy to dominate the jungle. But it would be utterly impossible to establish Islamic rule with their help. For in such circumstances no one would acknowledge their moral superiority, nor would anyone’s gaze lower itself respectfully before them. Seeing them would not awaken in anyone an impassioned feeling or inspiration for Islam, and for these reasons they would never have the good fortune to witness the enchanting sight of people throughout the world entering Islam in groups.”

The Maulana further said, “As a result of entrusting state power to such people, even after attaining an independent state we would be forced to live in exactly the same condition in which we lived before independence under a non-Muslim state. Indeed, an even worse and more dangerous situation could arise. For a state bearing the label ‘Islamic state’ would be bolder and more fearless than a non-Muslim state in blocking the path of an Islamic revolution. Indeed, whereas a non-Muslim state would imprison people for certain crimes, this ‘Muslim national state’ would impose the death penalty or exile for those same offenses.”

The prophecies of the far-sighted and farsighted Maulana have been seen to materialize in Pakistan word for word. From 1947 to the present, an intense conflict between Islam and Jahiliyyah has continued there. Islam has still not been established as the victorious force.

The answer to the question of why Jamaat-e-Islami was formed can now be found very easily. As a result of the movement, a country called Pakistan might perhaps be achieved. To protect that country from becoming a second Turkey, and to protect the forty or fifty million Muslims who would inevitably remain in India after the partition, it was essential to form a strong, ideological Islamic Jamaat. The party was formed for this purpose, and from 1941 to 1947 it turned away from all other activities and quietly trained its cadre so that it could confront every anti-Islamic activity and wage a life-and-death struggle to make the desired Pakistan a truly Islamic state.

The history of Pakistan over the past several decades bears witness that Jamaat-e-Islami has struggled, from Pakistan’s birth to the present, for the very purpose for which it was formed, and continues to do so.

After the birth of the state of Pakistan, Jahiliyyah began to reveal itself in its complete form and appearance. The work for which the Jamaat had trained during the preceding seven years, but which it had not needed to undertake, it now devoted itself to. Jamaat-e-Islami began the Islamic movement with all its strength, suppressing the raised hood of the serpent of Jahiliyyah and blocking its advance. Under the intense pressure of the Islamic movement, the standard-bearers of Jahiliyyah, who were determined to make Pakistan a secular or godless state like Turkey, were compelled on February 12, 1949, to adopt the historic Objectives Resolution as the foundational principle of Islamic rule. They did so against their will, under pressure from the popular movement. For this reason, Maulana Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi, the leader of the Islamic movement, became the target of all the ruling class’s anger and hostility. Through a conspiracy, baseless accusations were brought against him, a mock trial was held in a military court, and he was sentenced to death. Jahiliyyah believed that if the great leader of Islam could be removed from the face of the earth, no one else would be capable of blocking its path. But Jahiliyyah had to suffer defeat and humiliation. The Maulana’s death sentence could not be carried out. Rather, long before his natural death, the standard-bearers of Jahiliyyah had to meet a deeply humiliating end. Nevertheless, the conflict between Islam and Jahiliyyah, and the alternation of victory and defeat, continued and continues even now.

Another painful picture emerging from this conflict and struggle between Islam and Jahiliyyah is that some people known and acknowledged as eminent religious figures strengthened, through their conduct, the hand of Jahiliyyah instead of Islam. Various baseless and unfounded accusations began to be fabricated against the leader of the Islamic movement, and fatwas were repeatedly fired like shells from the machine gun of fatwa-mongering. Among the many accusations was the charge that the leader of the Islamic movement and his party did not believe in the knowledge of Tasawwuf. They possessed no such thing as spirituality, it was claimed, and had a dreadful lack of taqwa. The movement’s leader was even called misguided and worse than Jews and Qadianis. Yet not a single word against Jahiliyyah came from their mouths.

Many pro-Islamic people, especially Muslims inclined toward Tasawwuf, were misled by the foregoing propaganda and became disenchanted with the Islamic movement. Various circles engaged in all sorts of discussion and speculation about it. Many felt that an Islamically valid and intellectual explanation and analysis of the matter was necessary. It was hoped that the truth would then emerge and all confusion would be dispelled. Let us now see whether the leader of the Islamic movement shed any light on this matter.

Tazkiyah-e Nafs (Tasawwuf) and Spirituality

The learned opinion expressed by one of the century’s foremost Islamic thinkers and Mujahid, Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi, after a thorough examination of the matter, is undoubtedly worthy of careful attention. He says:

“As many changes have taken place among Muslims as a result of centuries of decline and distortion, so too their understanding of Tazkiyah-e Nafs (spiritual purification of the self) has become considerably different from the genuine Islamic concept. Their objective has changed, their perspective has narrowed, and the methods and procedures of Tazkiyah-e Nafs have also become different from those adopted in the time of the Prophet. The result is that, through the blessing of the great institutions and the chains of instruction and training of eminent religious figures that have endured for centuries, people of great personal stature have indeed been produced. But people of the kind who would stand against the great forces directing the world along the path of Jahiliyyah, confront them in a trial of strength, and strive to establish Islam in the world as the religion of leadership and authority have still not been produced. This is a tremendous task. Here, at the very least, not even one person has been produced who could have done enough to obstruct the advance of Jahiliyyah within the sphere under Islam’s influence. There have been, and still are, many great personalities of pure character. They certainly deserve praise for their knowledge and practice, piety, scrupulousness, and immaculate lives. Yet in the very presence of these great people, Jahiliyyah, through its sword, its pen, its knowledge, science and arts, and its civilization and culture, continued to conquer not only the world but also Muslim countries and nations, and continues to do so. There must certainly be a reason for this weakness. Whatever that reason may be, an inappropriate and irrational reverence for anyone should not prevent its identification.”

Among a certain group here, the purpose of Tazkiyah-e Nafs was that one might attain the fortune of directly observing the Truth in this very life. Having passed beyond the station of faith in the unseen, one might attain the blessing of faith in the witnessed. Apparently, this is a very lofty and most sacred objective. But nowhere has the Qur’an taught us to regard it as our objective and continue our efforts along this path. On the contrary, even if we regard it as our objective, the Qur’an assures us that in this life no one except a prophet can attain this treasure.

The Qur’an says:

He possesses knowledge of the unseen, and He does not disclose His unseen to anyone, except to a messenger whom He has chosen (for imparting some knowledge of the unseen). Then He appoints angels to guard him before and behind him, so that He may know that they have conveyed the messages of their Lord—(Surah al-Jinn: 26–28).

It is known from this that attempting to observe the realities concealed behind the veil of the unseen—in other words, supernatural realities—is both unnecessary and wrong. There is no possibility of success. Allah has granted, through His messengers, as much knowledge of these realities as human beings needed. It is a tremendous favor from Allah that He has thereby spared people the hardship of pursuing such investigations. The only task now incumbent upon people is to maintain faith in the unseen on the basis of the knowledge brought by the messengers and devote themselves wholeheartedly to fulfilling the responsibility placed upon them.

The purpose described as belonging to a lower level of Tazkiyah-e Nafs is ‘spiritual’ advancement. But this ‘spiritual advancement’ is so ambiguous and mysterious that, even after spending a lifetime chasing the will-o’-the-wisp, a person cannot know what station he has reached. Its terminology, stages, and results are all shrouded in mystery and incomprehensible to ordinary people like us. All we can see is that among the stages traversed along this path, the stage traversed by Bilal (RA), Ammar (RA), and Suhaib (RA) never appears. Nor can we hope that the stage traversed by Abu Bakr (RA) and Umar (RA) will ever appear.

Those who wish to attain taqwa through Tazkiyah-e Nafs have an objective closest to the objective of Islam. But the danger here is that people’s understanding of taqwa has generally remained very limited. To most eminent religious figures, taqwa means shaping one’s life according to an outward pattern in dress, its particular styles, social conduct, eating and drinking, and other matters whose details are described in the hadiths. Moreover, perfection in taqwa can be achieved by regularly performing certain sectarian practices and engaging in more worship and devotion than customary. As a result, those who adopt this outward form and appearance of taqwa are called and regarded as muttaqi. They too become reassured that they have developed taqwa within themselves. In reality, however, they have a great deficiency of taqwa, and in the various trials of practical life they often commit acts opposed to taqwa, thereby destroying even the dignity of its outward form and appearance. The higher and broader conception found among certain people is also no more than that a person should be God-fearing, devoted to worship, engaged in remembrance and gratitude in his personal life; be trustworthy and honest in his dealings and follow Allah’s limits; and, in society, observe proper conduct, sympathy, brotherhood, justice, and the methods of delivering people’s rights. But this limited conception offers no opportunity to understand broader social and collective problems. Consequently, the benefit of the Tazkiyah-e Nafs practiced even among our most pious people amounts to no more than supplying God-fearing subjects and religiously devout employees to God-defying governments. The subjects and employees supplied through the training of these governments themselves possess other abilities, but not faithfulness and honesty. As a result, they also cause great harm to the government. This deficiency is made up by the institutions of our Tazkiyah-e Nafs. These institutions produce sincere people to struggle for establishing the dominance of unbelieving forces and to administer unbelieving rule, and produce for unbelieving rule subjects who cause them very little concern. Even if someone among us openly devotes himself to establishing a godless system, he nevertheless remains exactly a muttaqi, provided that the detailed features of taqwa described above are found in his life. This is the inevitable result of the limited conception of taqwa and Tazkiyah-e Nafs spread throughout our religious circles among all, ordinary and eminent alike”—(Tarjuman al-Qur’an, July–August 1953).

The Impact of Secularism on Human Life

Although ‘secularism’ appears to be a simple concept or doctrine, it has now become a comprehensive philosophy of life that exerts far-reaching influence over human life and reshapes the whole of life in a new mold. Let us discuss some of its fundamental effects and consequences. The first inevitable evil of ‘secularism,’ or godlessness, is that it grants people unrestrained freedom and erases the feeling of accountability before any higher power. This mentality of irresponsibility applies equally to individuals and nations. If a powerful individual or nation creates oppression and disorder in human society and makes people’s lives unbearable, what force can restrain them? Some individuals and nations, intoxicated by power, are generally staining their hands with the blood of weak people and nations, because the notion is firmly rooted in their hearts that they will not have to answer to anyone for it. If one must acknowledge the existence of the Almighty God, who will take a full account of the actions of every person and nation and grant reward or punishment, then the very foundation of the philosophy of ‘secularism’ collapses. The task of ‘secularism’ is precisely to make people heedless of God and the Hereafter. Therefore, the essence of this philosophy is: (MIGHT IS RIGHT, SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST)—that might makes right. Seizing anything by force is justified. One need not answer to anyone for it. The question of right and wrong is irrelevant. The strongest will prevail, even if unjustly. And no matter how firmly the weak stand upon justice, they have no right to survive.

In the modern world, this philosophy of ‘secularism’ can be seen operating everywhere. Despite tremendous advances in knowledge, science, and civilization, the godless person (SECULAR MAN) has become power-hungry and bloodthirsty. As a result, the inextinguishable flames of war and conflict between people, nations, and countries have been kept burning, and the world has still not escaped them. Both the League of Nations and the UNO (United Nations) have completely failed to stop the madness of war, because the nations concerned, especially the powerful nations, are free from any sense of responsibility. They do not believe that they will have to answer to any powerful being. Consequently, the cries and lamentations of oppressed people and nations can never cease from the face of the earth.

The second evil of ‘secularism’ is enslavement to the passions. Servitude to the passions, or worship of the passions, is the foundation of lack of character and the root of every misdeed. The insatiable lusts and desires of the passions lead people astray when there is no restraining force on this path. Then various forms of unrest and wrongdoing take root in society.

These insatiable lusts and desires of the passions drive people down to the lowest level of animality, and in fulfilling them they stain their hands with the blood of individuals and nations, while the cries of children, women, and men rend the air. The only restraining force against the fulfillment of the passions is fear of God and the intense awareness of having to answer to Him in the Hereafter. This fear of God and awareness of accountability assume the role of an incorporeal police officer at every moment, restraining people from wrongdoing. But since ‘secularism’ has erased from people’s minds the belief that God is everywhere and at every moment ‘present and watching’ (existing as the All-Seeing One), directly aware of every secret and public act of human beings, as well as fear of Him and the awareness of accountability before Him, there is no other way to remove from human society such sins as disorder and injustice, corruption, nepotism, murder, plunder, and the like.

It should be noted that, as a result of establishing a secular educational system by excluding God and religion from every level of life, especially from the primary level through all levels of education, abnormal criminal tendencies have increased among the youth, and such crimes are being committed that merely recalling them makes one’s body shudder. Human society is terror-stricken. At an extremely young age, boys and girls, young men and young women become accustomed to sexual offenses and the murders resulting from them, theft, robbery, mugging, and plunder. For the same reason, the disease of cheating in examinations is becoming widespread among them. All of this is a grave evil of secularism.

The third evil of secularism is selfishness and opportunism. It is an undeniable truth that human labor, striving, and efforts, and life itself, must certainly have a purpose and goal. For those who believe in God and the Hereafter, the purpose of life is Allah’s pleasure, and the goal of all their striving and efforts is success and salvation in the Hereafter. All their attention is focused on these two things: Allah’s pleasure and success in the Hereafter. Instead of the insignificant and temporary interests of this world, they are attached to the immense and eternal success of the Hereafter. They maintain only such a relationship with this world as is conducive to success in the Hereafter. They keep away from every kind of conflict and struggle for worldly advantages and interests. They undertake activities to establish truthfulness, justice, peace, and security, and accept these as the main road to reaching their destination.

Quite the opposite, for those who have no firm conviction in God and the Hereafter, the aim of all their efforts in life is to gain the base interests of this world. Consequently, conflict, confrontation and warfare become inevitable for the sake of worldly interests. In the present world, which is in reality a secular world (SECULAR WORLD), the flames of war and conflict can be seen blazing between people, countries and nations. What else is this an expression of but selfishness and opportunism? Today, the ceaseless disputes and conflicts among the so-called intellectuals who seek opportunities and benefits and pursue their own interests have repeatedly pushed, and continue to push, humanity toward horrifying, blood-soaked wars. Who are these self-seeking intellectuals? They are the very bearers and carriers of secularism.

Opportunism is also corrupting politics and, in some countries, instead of establishing a beneficial and stable political system, is creating anarchy and disorder and providing looters with the opportunity to seize the nation’s wealth. It is destroying people’s respect for the law and blocking the way to establishing the rule of law in the country. By establishing opportunism in national life through buying and selling political leaders and workers in exchange for money and office, the ruling party is breaking the nation’s moral backbone to pieces. Self-interest and opportunism are two extremely attractive objects of secularism—objects from which it is very difficult to keep away without an elevated human character. Only those who strive to build their lives on the basis of Islamic teachings can reject both of them as untouchable.

The fourth evil of secularism is extreme moral degeneration. Since the foundation of moral values exists in human nature and disposition, knowing and understanding them is not difficult at all. Rather, actually following moral values and molding one’s life according to their prescribed pattern is certainly difficult. These values demand restrictions and prohibitions from people at every step. And there is nothing more difficult for human beings than these restrictions and prohibitions. Following these values becomes extremely difficult when they conflict with people’s unfulfilled lusts and desires and with the things they love. The very demand of moral values is that such lusts and desires of the instincts, base interests and worldly opportunities and benefits must be rejected with contempt. Therefore, to morally improve humanity, it is not enough merely to present moral values before them. Rather, what is most necessary is a powerful motivating process that can prepare people’s minds to accept moral restrictions and prohibitions. Secularism has not fulfilled this need. Instead of reducing the demands of instinctive desires, it has multiplied them and made people their slaves. As the natural and inevitable consequence of secularism, the emptiness of the sense of responsibility, slavery to the instincts, and conflict for the fulfillment of self-interest and the acquisition of opportunities and benefits have brought about humanity’s moral and spiritual decline. In view of the indescribably savage persecution of people, without distinction between men, women and children; years of imprisonment without trial, and in some cases imprisonment for most of a person’s life; massacres and the rape of women; and other inhuman acts such as forcing weak countries and nations to wear the chains of political and economic slavery through imperialism and colonialism, it seems as though humanity has died and a reign of savage beasts in human form is prevailing throughout the world. Humanity is suffering the consequences of the extreme decline that secularism has brought about in thought and consciousness and in the moral and spiritual spheres. There is only one solution: to uproot secularism from every field of the mind, intellect and life, to bow one’s head and accept the law given to humanity by the Merciful Creator of the universe, and to build one’s entire life on the basis of an intense awareness of accountability in the Hereafter. The national education system must be made the foundation for building this life.

Nationalism

After discussing secularism, the first weapon of Jahiliyyah, let us now discuss nationalism, its second weapon, and see how dangerous it is for all humanity.

Nationalism, or the worship of the nation, began with the explosion of reaction against the worldwide despotism of the Christian popes and Roman emperors. At its beginning, it meant only that different nations would possess absolute authority over their own politics and judgment. They would not be used as pawns by any universal spiritual or political power. But as this thought advanced from that innocent beginning, it reached a point where nationalism was installed in the very place from which the movement of irreligion, or secularism, had removed God. Gradually, a nation’s national interests, hopes, aspirations and ambitions became its highest moral values. A virtuous act came to mean whatever benefited the nation—whether it was a lie, betrayal, oppression and tyranny, or any other act, no matter how great a sin it might be in the eyes of ancient religion and morality. And a sinful act is considered to be whatever harms national interests—whether it is truthfulness, justice, fulfilling rights, or any act that was once regarded as moral beauty. The measure of the virtues, lives and activities of the members of a nation is that they must have no hesitation in making whatever sacrifice the national interest demands of them, whether the sacrifice of life and property or of morality, humanity and self-respect, and must remain united and determined to fulfill the nation’s ever-growing ambitions. The aim of all collective effort now is that every nation should create unity and discipline among its members so that it may raise its own national flag above those of other nations.

Of course, no one should have any objection to nationality (NATIONALITY), because it is a natural reality. Therefore, a nation’s well-being cannot be opposed if it contains no attitude of hatred, malice or hostility toward other nations. Love and affection for one’s nation can never be blameworthy, provided that this love and affection does not cause unjust partiality toward one’s own nation and hatred and hostility toward other nations. The independence of every nation must also be supported, because it is every nation’s right to settle its own affairs and matters by itself and to manage its internal affairs itself, and the domination of one nation over another can in no way be justifiable. What is unjust and must be avoided is nationalism (NATIONALISM), or the worship of the nation. Nationalism is simply another name for blind national selfishness. Its principle is that whatever accords with the national interest is true and right, and whatever does not accord with it is false and wrong. In the blind passion of national interest, drinking the blood of another nation, forcibly occupying another country, plundering the wealth and resources of another country and nation, and establishing unrestricted rights over all the resources and women of a conquered country are not considered wrong; rather, they are regarded as national glory. Conquering territory after territory to prove one’s nation superior to and more powerful than others is precisely what nationalism demands. That is why nationalism has been regarded as a tremendous curse for humanity in the world. If, within a society, the existence of an individual who has become a slave to his instincts and interests and is prepared to do anything for his own benefit is a curse; if, within a community, a family whose members become blind worshippers of family interest and are determined to obtain the family’s interests by any means, just or unjust, is a curse; if, within a country, a class that is a blind worshipper of class interest and pursues its own advantage without caring about the good or evil of others, engaging in antisocial activities such as theft, robbery, mugging, black-marketing and smuggling, is a curse—then why would a self-interest-blinded nation, on a vast and immense scale, not be a curse when it behaves as described above? The passion and devotion of this blind worship of the nation have kindled the flames of many small and great wars, including two world wars, laying waste to how many nations and countries, pushing how many millions of human beings toward death, and rendering how many millions of people crippled and disabled.

It was not nationalism but world brotherhood that could have saved humanity from destruction, and Islam issued the generous call to this world brotherhood. But, unfortunately, the Muslim nation that carried the message of Islam has now enthroned nationalism in the place of God. Today, throughout the world, nationalism—geographical nationalism, language-based nationalism, or nationalism based on lineage, tribe and race—has become a tremendous curse for humanity. The principle of nationalism, or the worship of the nation, is that whatever serves the national interest is true and right, while whatever does not serve it is false and wrong. Everyone’s conscience must testify that, like every form of self-interest and self-worship, this national selfishness and national worship are also a tremendous curse. Today the whole world is afflicted by this curse.

It is a matter of the deepest regret that the Muslims among whom the Holy Word of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger, peace be upon him, exist completely unaltered, and among whom the Islamic message of world brotherhood exists, are today afflicted by the curse of geographical and language-based nationalism—and this is the triumph, or achievement, of Jahiliyyah.

In the age of ancient Jahiliyyah, the mutual hostility, disputes and conflicts that had continued between lineages, tribes and regions for ages and centuries were brought to an end by Islam, which united everyone in the bond of brotherhood and made all groups and communities one and indivisible on the basis of the Islamic ideal. This Islamic nationality and world brotherhood created a glorious history for the Muslims and caused Islam’s victorious banner to fly over nearly half the earth. Then Jahiliyyah inspired them to worship the nation. The sole aim of a Muslim’s life is to attain the pleasure of Allah, and for this they dedicate all their efforts, striving and sacrifices of life and property. Now all their efforts and striving have become directed toward attaining the pleasure of the national deity. In seeking this pleasure, no injustice toward another nation—even aggression against a brotherly Muslim country—is considered objectionable in any way. Seizing any country, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, for the sake of national interest is regarded as a virtuous deed. Those who do not believe in God and the Hereafter can be initiated into the creed of nationalism, plunder the life, property, honor and dignity of other nations for national interest, and their national ambitions and lusts have caused two world wars. Since they have no sense of accountability before any Supreme and Powerful Being, they have adopted national interest as the aim of life. But bringing Muslims along this path must certainly be called an achievement of Jahiliyyah.

Democracy

The third deadly weapon discovered by Jahiliyyah is democracy, or the sovereignty of the people. The concept of democracy was introduced to end the absolute domination of kings and other despotic rulers who possessed unrestricted governing power. That is, the system of government would be run on the basis of the people’s opinions, taking into account their opportunities, benefits, needs and complaints. It is entirely just that no individual, family or group should have the right to impose its whims and will upon millions and millions of people and use them to fulfill its own interests and desires. But the positive aspect accompanying this negative one was that the inhabitants of each country and region would themselves be the rulers and owners. As democracy advanced on the basis of this positive aspect, it assumed the form that every nation became absolutely entitled to fulfill its will and desire. No one would have the power to suppress its collective will and desires or those of its majority. Whether in principles and morality, civilization and culture, social life or politics, the correct principle in every sphere would be whatever was determined on the basis of national aspirations. Any principle rejected by public opinion would be false and unjust. The law would depend on the will of the nation. If it wished, it would enact any law, and if it wished, it would repeal any law. The government would be formed according to the nation’s will and would be obliged to fulfill it. The government would devote all its power to fulfilling the nation’s will.

The three doctrines mentioned above, discovered by Jahiliyyah—secularism, or irreligion and rebellion against God; nationalism; and democracy—have rejected God’s lordship, authority and obedience in every department of life and every sphere of society and the state. They have enthroned the nation and the people in the place of God.

Islam’s clear declaration is that sovereignty belongs to Allah alone (SOVEREIGNTY BELONGS TO ALLAH ALONE). This is a matter of Islamic faith and creed. Allah alone is the Creator of the heavens, the earth and every living creature and animal, including human beings. He is the Lord and Sustainer of all. He is also the King of humanity. Human beings are His subjects. It is entirely natural and just that the law, rule and authority of the Creator and King should prevail over creation and subjects. This natural and just right of law and rule, called sovereignty, is being taken away from Allah and given to the people. The first and fundamental principle of democracy is—SOVEREIGNTY BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE—sovereignty belongs to the people. They will make laws for the country and nation as they please and repeal any law whenever they wish. When the people are given the right to make laws, it is seen that the same thing is sometimes declared lawful and at other times unlawful. In America, after the disastrous consequences of drinking alcohol were once observed, it was prohibited by law. But under pressure from the very people who possessed the right to make laws, drinking alcohol was again declared lawful. Abortion, or the killing of a fetus, is prohibited in every religion, and conscience also says so. But when, as a result of extreme moral degeneration and sexual misconduct, public opinion demands abortion, it is declared lawful by legislation. Homosexuality (HOMO SEXUALITY) is an extremely detestable and shameful act. When the disease of homosexuality spread among the people like an epidemic, this extremely reprehensible sinful act was declared lawful by legislation. If a human being, who can never be free from error and whose knowledge is extremely limited, is given complete freedom to make laws, human society can become filled only with disorder, injustice and sinfulness.

The real fact is that Allah alone possesses complete knowledge of what is good and what is evil, and what is beneficial and what is harmful. Therefore, the laws or fundamental principles He has declared, determining for human beings what is good and bad, lawful and unlawful, are infallible and the only ones beneficial to humanity. The One who created and manages the universe is above all error. Therefore, His law must also be flawless. No individual, group or parliament of any country has the right to change His law or His judgment on any matter. If anyone does so, it will be rebellion against God on the one hand and will bring harm upon humanity on the other.

“Allah says: No believing man or believing woman has the right, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, to claim any authority to decide that matter for themselves”—(Surah al-Ahzab: 36).

As the Creator, Lord and King of the entire universe and of human beings, Allah alone can formulate sound and beneficial laws for humanity, and His Messenger could also formulate laws by His command. But Jahiliyyah has handed the right to make laws over absolutely to the people, that is, to their representatives. This is contrary to Islamic faith and creed, contrary to conscience, and contrary to human welfare.

In response to the three deadly doctrines or principles of Jahiliyyah discussed above, Islam has presented three other principles. We must appeal to the conscience of humanity to examine and test these three and determine in which three true human welfare lies. These three principles of Islam are:

1. Servitude and obedience to God in every sphere of life, in opposition to secularism or irreligion.

2. Humanity, in opposition to the worship of the nation.

3. God’s sovereignty and the people’s caliphate, in opposition to the sovereignty of the people.

The essence of the first principle is that we will all accept as our Lord the God who is the Creator, Owner and Ruler of us and of the entire universe. We will live not as independent and reckless beings apart from Him, but in obedience to Him and by following His guidance. We will not merely worship Him; we will also obey and serve Him. We will not follow His commands and guidance only in our individual lives; rather, in every sphere and department of our collective and social life, we will remain obedient to Him alone. Our society, civilization and culture, politics, economy, educational system, systems of government and justice, our wars and truces, and our international relations—in short, everything—will remain within the principles and limits prescribed by God. We will not be completely free to determine worldly matters; rather, our freedom will remain restricted within the limits drawn by the principles prescribed by God. These principles and limits will in all circumstances lie beyond our authority.

The essence of the second principle is that in a system of life built upon devotion to God, there will be no place for any kind of partiality or selfishness based on differences of nation, lineage, homeland, race or language. Instead of being a national system, it should preferably be a principled system, whose doors will be open to every person who accepts its principles. Whoever accepts them will be able to participate in it on the basis of equal rights, without any discrimination. Under this system, citizenship (CITIZENSHIP) will not be confined merely within the geographical boundaries of a state; rather, it will be universal on the basis of principle. Those who do not agree with these principles or are unwilling for any reason to accept them may not be oppressed or exterminated. Rather, they will live safely under this system with specified rights, and they will always have the opportunity, whenever they acknowledge the truth of these principles and become convinced of them, to assume authority in this system according to their free will, with equal rights.

We call this the principle of humanity, and it is not opposed to nationality. Rather, we wish to keep nationality within its true, natural limits. It allows a place for national love, but not for national partiality. Goodwill toward one’s nation is permissible, but national selfishness is forbidden. National independence is universally acknowledged, and the domination of one nation over another cannot be accepted—such domination divides humanity within impassable boundaries. The principle of humanity requires that, although every nation will manage its own internal affairs and no nation, as a nation, will be subject to another, there will be full cooperation among nations that agree with the foundational principles of human civilization in the work of humanity’s welfare and progress. There will be cooperation instead of competition (COMPETETION). There will be no mutual differences, hatred or estrangement. Civilization, culture and the means of life will be exchanged freely. Every person in the world living under this civilized system will be a citizen not of one nation and one country, but of the entire world, so that he may say: Since all countries belong to my God, every country is mine as well. At present, an undesirable condition prevails in which an individual cannot be loyal to any nation or country other than his own nation and country, nor can any nation trust the people of another nation except its own. As soon as a person crosses his country’s border, he feels that everywhere in God’s world there are only obstacles for him. Everywhere he is viewed with suspicion, as though he were a thief or robber. Everywhere there are questioning and searches, and restrictions on speech and movement. Nowhere does he have either freedom or rights. In contrast, we wish to see a universal system in which a federation among nations is formed on the basis of unity of principle, and within this federation equal and universal citizenship (COMMON CITIZENSHIP) and freedom of movement prevail. May our eyes once again see the sight of some modern-day ‘Ibn Battuta’ traveling from the Atlantic coast to the coast of the Black Sea in such a way that he is nowhere regarded as a foreigner (FOREIGNER).

Now let us consider the third principle. Instead of the sovereignty or kingship of the people (SOVEREIGNTY), we want the people’s caliphate. We oppose personal monarchy or kingship (MONARCHY), the governing power of amirs and nobles, and the exclusive rights of classes just as strongly as an extreme democrat of the modern age would. Like the most enthusiastic supporters of Western democracy, we too demand equal rights and opportunities for all in social life. We also maintain that the administration of government and the selection of rulers must be based on the free opinion of the people. At the same time, we are completely opposed to a system of life in which there is no freedom of assembly and association or freedom to undertake movements and struggles, or in which special rights are reserved for certain people on the basis of birth, lineage or class while special obstacles are placed before others. This is the fundamental essence of democracy on which there is no difference of opinion between our democracy and Western democracy. Not a single element of it was taught to us by the West. We had been familiar with this democracy from that time and had presented its shining example before the world, many centuries before the emergence of modern Western democracy. In reality, the point on which we differ from this newborn democracy is that it presents the principle of the absolute sovereignty or kingship of the people, which is false in reality and extremely dangerous in its consequences. In reality, the right of sovereignty (SOVEREIGNTY) belongs only to Him who created humanity, provides the means for their nurture and development, by whose will humanity and the entire created world exist, and by whose powerful laws every object in creation is bound. Under His real and true sovereignty, any sovereignty that is claimed—whether the sovereignty of an individual or family, or that of a nation and its people—is in every case nothing but a delusion. The blow of this delusion will not strike the true Sovereign; rather, it will strike the foolish claimant to sovereignty, who is unaware of his own status. In light of this truth, the correct course is to acknowledge God as God and establish the system governing human life upon the concept and doctrine of the caliphate. This caliphate must undoubtedly be democratic. The head of government must be elected on the basis of the free opinion of the people. Members of parliament (shura) must be elected on the basis of the people’s opinion. All government administration must proceed according to their counsel. They must have the full right to criticize and question the government. But all this must be done with the awareness that the country belongs to God. We are not its owners; rather, we are His representatives. We must render an account of every action to the true Owner. The moral principles, legal commands and limits that Allah has prescribed for our lives must remain duly established and unwavering in their respective places. The fundamental outlook of our parliament must be that Allah’s Qur’an and the Sunnah of His Messenger, peace be upon him, are the source of all laws. In matters concerning which Allah and His Messenger have provided guidance and legal commands, no new laws should be enacted; detailed procedures should instead be adopted to implement their commands. Regarding matters about which they have given no guidance, we must understand that we have been granted freedom of action. Therefore, only in these matters may we formulate laws through consultation. But these laws must necessarily be consistent with the character and nature of the overall framework that God’s fundamental guidance has prepared for us.

Then what is most needed is that the responsibility for directing and managing all these political and cultural activities be entrusted to people who are always fearful of God, obey Him, and desire His pleasure in everything they do. Their lives testify that they firmly believe they will stand before God and be held accountable.

In the preceding pages, three deadly doctrines and philosophies of Jahiliyyah have been discussed, along with the Islamic creed, doctrines, and perspective. Every conscientious person should ask whether the edifice of politics, economics, civilization, and culture built on the basis of these three doctrines of Jahiliyyah in almost every country of the world has been able to establish any happiness and peace, security of life and property, justice, or peace and order in human life. Have wars and conflicts between individuals and nations, irreparable losses of life and property, famine, starvation and poverty, epidemics, incurable sexual diseases, extreme moral degeneration, hatred and enmity, violence and jealousy—the root causes of unrest in human society—ceased, or is there any prospect that they will cease? If not, the time has come to decide whether we shall cling to the doctrine of Jahiliyyah and bring about our own destruction, or build our entire lives according to the law sent by Allah Ta’ala, the Creator of the world, and establish a haven of peace in this world, salvation in the Hereafter, and eternal happiness.

Jahiliyyah’s New Strategy

In the lengthy discussion entitled “The Eternal Conflict between Islam and Jahiliyyah,” it has, I believe, become clear that in every age the conflict has been Jahiliyyah’s conflict against Islam—that is, the conflict of anti-Islamic forces against the followers and standard-bearers of Islam. Islam and Jahiliyyah are opposing forces because the existence and dominance of one is intolerable to the other. Jahiliyyah has been unable to eradicate Islam despite employing all its strength, because Islam is the greatest truth and the greatest beauty. The human heart is naturally and instinctively attracted to truth and beauty. But since Islam’s revival is intolerable to Jahiliyyah, Jahiliyyah has achieved at least temporary success by adopting a new strategy. It has adopted this strategy in every age. History proves that when Muslims remain united and firmly hold fast to the rope of Islam, Jahiliyyah cannot come near them. Therefore, Jahiliyyah adopts the strategy of striking at Islam through Muslims themselves. If Jahiliyyah openly attacked Islam in its own name, Muslims might unite to repel the attack. But if a Muslim, in the name of Islam, seeks to harm Islam, a split in Muslim unity is inevitable. Jahiliyyah secretly created encouragement and inspiration behind the abolition of the Islamic Caliphate, while professed Muslims carried out the work openly. After the Caliphate was transformed into monarchy, those who held the reins of government failed to concentrate on establishing Islamic justice, principles of equity, and security of life and property. They did, however, try to keep Islam’s life-force alive and preserve its fundamental teachings.

In different ages, the followers of Jahiliyyah have enticed some Muslims with money and status and used them against Islam and Muslims. They have even managed to employ some people claiming to be ulama against the Muslim millat and Islam.

Jahiliyyah’s victory drums began to resound throughout the world when all but two or three Muslim countries submitted to European colonial powers. The rulers introduced the secular philosophy of life and educational system into the conquered Muslim countries, producing among Muslims a generation of politicians and intellectuals alienated from Islam. The Western rulers refrained from personally interfering with whatever Islamic customs and values remained. After they left, the Muslims who replaced them continued to stab Islam. Western colonial rule and the educational system it introduced produced many Kamal Atatürks, Colonel Nassers, Ayub Khans, and Sukarnos, great and small.

These confused politicians and intellectuals of the new generation undertook to reform Islam. Sheikh Muhammad Abduh, Sir Syed Ahmad, Ghulam Ahmad Parvez, and others campaigned to recast Islam in a new mold by reconciling it with Western thought. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad even went so far as to invent an entirely new Islam. Yet, abandoning Islam’s fundamental injunctions, mixed gatherings of men and women, coeducation, dancing and music, drinking, and the movement for women’s freedom attracted and influenced modern educated Muslims. Whenever the possibility of an Islamic revival appeared somewhere, or an Islamic movement was under way, Muslims of the aforementioned class created obstacles first of all. They not only used force and adopted fascist tactics, but even made every effort to eradicate Islamic movements through murder. That is why the movement to establish a genuine Islamic way of life has been unable to succeed anywhere in the world.

The establishment of a complete Islamic way of life in every sphere and department of life is most intolerable to Jahiliyyah, that is, Iblis. However, Iblis has no objection to some acts of worship and praise of God within the very narrow confines of particular aspects of life, such as prayer, fasting, remembrance of the Kalimah, and some charitable giving. He considers it sufficient if his dominance is accepted in the broader spheres of life—in society, the state and education, civilization and culture, economics, and politics. Just as Iblis is unwilling to tolerate Islam being established anywhere as a complete way of life, so too are the standard-bearers of Western civilization and culture, his devoted servants, unwilling to tolerate it. Jahiliyyah’s apparent success, however, is that it has managed to place certain so-called Muslims at the forefront of the open struggle against Islam. Anti-Islamic state powers are supplying money, means, resources, inspiration, and courage from behind the scenes. Despite all this, a powerful possibility of Islamic revival has emerged. Everywhere, educated and thoughtful people are realizing that only Islam contains the solution to all the problems afflicting human society. Apart from Islam, there is no other path to humanity’s comprehensive welfare and salvation.

At the same time, it is necessary to realize that anything accepted as the sole remedy for a disease must be pure and free of adulteration. Adulterated medicine does not relieve the disease even after repeated use; rather, it causes the disease to worsen. Therefore, it is necessary to choose the unadulterated Islam preached and established by the final Prophet. The slightest alteration or addition to its fundamental teachings cannot be accepted. In this matter, the Prophet of the worlds, Muhammad Mustafa (peace be upon him), must be followed and emulated completely.

The interesting thing is that Jahiliyyah and the opponents of Islam have no objection to adulterated Islam. Ignoring the explanation of Tawhid found in the Qur’an and Hadith, engaging in polytheistic practices such as grave worship, regarding human beings as possessing sovereign authority and power, imitating Western materialist civilization, indulging in usury and bribery, adultery, injustice, and wrongdoing, and clothing all these in Islamic garb are precisely what the opponents of Islam desire. Jahiliyyah’s work is to divide humanity into various groups and factions on the basis of regionalism, nepotism, partiality, language, race, tribe, and aristocracy. It is the attempt to build society on the basis of belief in Tawhid, Risalat, and the Hereafter, in opposition to all this, that most alarms the anti-Islamic forces. Jahiliyyah calls this fundamentalism and has declared war against it. The Muslim rulers and their favored groups who regard unadulterated Islam as contrary to their interests have declared solidarity with this war. The true soldiers of Islam are also on the battlefield and are giving their lives freely. This war is not new, because the conflict between Islam and Jahiliyyah is not new either. This conflict has continued for a long time, from Karbala to Balakot. It continued after Balakot and will continue until the complete victory of pure and unadulterated Islam is inaugurated.

What Is Needed for Final Victory

The first and foremost need is to establish unity among those who long to see the revival of Islam and want the complete rule of Allah’s law established over the earth created by Allah and in human society, solely for the purpose of attaining Allah’s pleasure. The source of unity will be the Qur’an and Sunnah, and the mutually fraternal relationship of the Companions will be the model and source of inspiration for this unity. Jahiliyyah must not be allowed to divide and scatter the supporters of Islam into hundreds of factions under labels such as Hanafi–Ahl al-Hadith, Shafi‘i–Hanbali, and Deobandi–Barelvi.

Second, Islam and its benefits must be presented clearly to people of every class in appealing language. The misconceptions about Islam created through the modern godless educational system must be removed. Islamic education must be widely propagated and spread.

Third, an all-out, united struggle must be conducted to remove the despotic regimes that are the principal obstacles to the establishment of Islam. In this matter, the program of the Prophets and Messengers must be followed.

Finally, since this work is entirely impossible without the help of Allah Ta’ala, an extremely deep and close relationship with Him must be established. The resolve to devote one’s entire life to seeking His pleasure must be cultivated. It was in this way that, under the leadership of the Prophet of the worlds, the foundation of the Islamic welfare state was laid in Madinah. If the program and methods adopted then are followed even now, it is entirely natural that the same beneficial results will be achieved.

Conclusion

This book has attempted to present the truth that Jahiliyyah’s objective is to eradicate Islam, distort it, or establish dominance over it. It has never deviated from this objective. Thus, from the very beginning of humanity, Jahiliyyah’s attack on Islam has continued in every age. Indeed, the entire history of humanity is the history of conflict, struggle, victory, and defeat between Islam and Jahiliyyah. At some times Islam has been victorious, and at others Jahiliyyah.

The question now is: Is Islam something that can be defeated? Certainly not. Islam is never something that can be defeated, obliterated, or eradicated. Islam is the eternal, beautiful, beneficial, and complete way of life given by Allah Ta’ala, the Creator of the world, for humanity. Those who believe in it are called Muslims. When a Muslim follows Islamic injunctions completely in every sphere and department of life, reflects Islamic ideals in the mind and intellect, thought, taste and reflection, character and conduct, civilization and culture, when people at every level continue to follow Islam’s commands and a pure, just, well-ordered social structure is established, this is called the victory of Muslims, that is, the victory of Islam. Conversely, when Muslims forget or abandon Islamic ideals and injunctions, or when the people of a country or region reject Islam, it is not Islam, truth, and beauty that are defeated; the defeated are the Muslims who forget Islam or the people who reject it. The question now is how Jahiliyyah gains access to Islam despite the strength of Islam’s bonds and structure. The book has offered some indications on this matter. Jahiliyyah is always lying in wait to strike Islam. Thus, when it finds an opportunity, even while Islam is victorious, it enters Islam’s sphere—sometimes as an apparently harmless custom or ritual, sometimes by assuming the form of Islam, and sometimes by creating excessive emotional devotion and reverence for a personality. It then gradually spreads its influence in people’s minds, slowly diverting them from Islam’s fundamental thought and consciousness, its principles, and the true and straight path (Sirat al-Mustaqim). Finally, pushing them far away from Islam, Jahiliyyah raises the cry of victory. This is how Jahiliyyah is seen infiltrating Islam’s sphere toward the end of the Rightly Guided Caliphate.

Later, Jahiliyyah was seen entering Islam’s body unnoticed by all as a cancerous growth. In the field of Tasawwuf, Sufi ascetics, with good intentions and seeking love of God, adopted certain additional practices (a’mal) which, although not performed by the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Companions, were not considered objectionable from Islam’s perspective. But with the passage of time, they became distorted and took the form of a cancerous growth in Islam’s bodily structure.

The commander of the first jihad movement of the subcontinent attained Paradise by immersing himself in the ocean of martyrdom at Balakot while striving to establish a genuine and pure Islamic society and state by removing all the refuse of Jahiliyyah.

It should be noted that Islam teaches people to love. Since Allah Ta’ala, the Creator, Himself loves human beings, His creation, people too should love one another. However, a limit has been set for human love and respect, and that limit may never be crossed. Allah Ta’ala Himself is the supreme object of love. People’s love for Him must regulate every other love. Allah must be loved more than one’s own life and property, and all others must be loved for the sake of His love. After love of Allah, the greatest object of love is Allah’s beloved Prophet, Muhammad Mustafa, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Love for Allah is without limit. But a limit has been set for love of the Prophet: it must not overstep the bounds by attributing to him Allah’s attributes, that is, by raising him to the status of divinity. Earlier nations went completely astray by making this mistake. No ordinary human being is worthy of receiving love like that due to the Prophet. Nor can anyone else receive the love that children owe their parents. Rather, the limits of love for all others must be determined by the touchstone of love for Allah.

When love and respect for a personality exceed their limits, they enter the realm of personality worship, which is precisely what Jahiliyyah desires. The commander of an Islamic movement must certainly be given the respect, love, and honor due to him. But excessive love for him is contrary to Islamic ideals and fundamental beliefs. Jihad, or an Islamic movement, is undoubtedly led by an amir or leader. Yet excessive respect and love for the leader can harm the movement, which is in no way desirable.

Although Hazrat Sayyid Ahmad Barelvi, the commander of the first jihad movement of the subcontinent, and all his fellow mujahids followed Tasawwuf, their conduct on the battlefield and in the war camps bore the mark of the conduct of the Companions. Yet among the Mujahideen there were a few whose reverence for the amir was excessive. For this reason, they could not believe in Sayyid Sahib’s martyrdom. They believed that he was hidden from public view and would certainly reveal himself at some time. Those who held such ideas and beliefs withdrew from jihad.

Some of the earlier pious Sufis introduced the practice of sama in their assemblies. Sama is an Arabic word meaning listening, or something worthy of being heard and contemplated. Poems praising Allah and His Messenger were composed on the basis of Tawhid and Risalat and sung in melodious voices in the Sufis’ assemblies. No boys, girls, or women were present in the assembly where it was sung. No musical instruments were used either. In an atmosphere of deep solemnity, sama, filled with the rapture of divine love, was sung in a sweet voice, and the listeners became absorbed in emotion. Although this sama was not apparently or in meaning opposed to Islam, many Sufis could not accept it because it had not been approved or practiced by Allah’s final Prophet. It seems that the distorted form of sama prevalent today is qawwali.

Qawwali is sung to musical accompaniment in mixed gatherings of men and women. A qawwali performance lasts throughout the night. The qawwali singer, or qawwal, is a professional performer. The qawwal and the listeners have little connection with Islam. The limits of Islam are also violated in the entertainment and hospitality provided to guests.

Many such customs and rituals put on the garb of Islam and become included among Islamic customs and rituals. All of these are the activities of Jahiliyyah. To keep Islam and Islamic culture unaltered and free of contamination, a strong wall must be maintained between Islam and Jahiliyyah, and constant vigilance must be exercised so that Jahiliyyah cannot enter through even the tiniest opening in that wall.

The following belong to Jahiliyyah: regionalism; anti-Islamic customs followed by one’s forefathers; interpreting the commands of Allah and His Messenger according to personal whim; grieving at the happy and prosperous lives of non-Muslims and considering Islam an obstacle to them; grave worship; making vows and offerings in the name of graves; keeping a picture of a pir or any person respectfully in one’s home; placing garlands on a grave or a pillar of brick or stone; giving non-Islamic names; regarding a place as sacred like the House of Allah; and relying on any human being for salvation in the Hereafter, among other things. These require no explanation.

Muslims of the Subcontinent

Except for an intervening period, Muslim rule continued in the subcontinent for eight or nine hundred years, from Muhammad bin Qasim’s conquest of Sindh in 711 CE until British rule was fully established in 1865. All those who came to the subcontinent as conquerors were outsiders. But they did not come intending to return from the subcontinent, nor in an imperialist passion for expansion or to establish colonial rule. They came to establish a sound and orderly system of government in the country and provide complete peace, order, and security. The countless others who came with them—military personnel, merchants, poets, artists, writers, and learned people—all came to love this land, regard it as their own, and breathe their last here. Their descendants followed in their footsteps. Although they were all Muslims and belonged to the ruling class, they made no attempt to forcibly convert the non-Muslim inhabitants of the country. Rather, through establishing cordial relations, they lived alongside them for hundreds of years. Even after living together for a long period, the Muslim and non-Muslim communities did not lose their respective national identities and merge into one.

But they certainly adopted influences from one another. Many lacked the Islamic knowledge and training required to live a fully Islamic life, and they had no program for forming Islamic minds, intellects, and character. Consequently, the indigenous cultural influence took effect on many of them, and numerous pagan customs and rituals, having donned Islamic garb, became part of Muslim culture. In this way, Jahiliyyah was able, at least partly, to establish its dominance over the body of Muslim society. As a result, many Muslims lived for several centuries a half-Muslim and half-Hindu way of life.

The Impact of European Rule in Muslim Countries

From the eighteenth century onward, European colonial rule began to be established over Muslim countries for various reasons. Jahiliyyah established its dominance over Muslims with the power of the state. European thought, perspectives on life, values, and philosophy of life all continued to influence Muslim minds. The educational system introduced by the victorious rulers continued to drive conquered Muslims away from Islam. Its foundation was materialism, atheism, irreligion (secularism), and nationalism. Western civilization was built on these foundations. Science and technology strengthened this civilization.

Science and technology can be used for any good or evil purpose. Had the Muslims of the world remained steadfast in Islamic ideals while pursuing science and technology, they could have devoted both to the welfare of humanity. But they moved away from Islam and also failed to devote themselves to science and technology. Taking advantage of this twofold weakness, the Western powers bearing the banner of Jahiliyyah became their political, economic, and cultural masters. Muslims fell victim to extreme inferiority complexes. Muslims accepted Western civilization, its education, and its political philosophy—secularism—as the key to progress and advancement.

After the Second World War, the Muslim countries began gaining independence one by one by breaking the chains of slavery. Unfortunately, after independence, governing power fell into the hands of those who regarded Islam as an obstacle to progress and advancement. As a result, the rule of Jahiliyyah was established with all its might. Yet the Muslim masses of no country could accept this rule. Apart from the ruling groups who were mentally enslaved to Western civilization, the overwhelming majority of the people demanded an Islamic way of life. Thus, conflict and struggle continued almost everywhere between rulers and ruled, and it has not yet ended.

Fortunately, a new wave of Islamic inspiration has begun everywhere among Muslims, especially among the educated youth. The movement to establish Islam as a complete way of life is also under way. The youthful tide of the Islamic jihadist inspiration of the younger generation has overwhelmed and sunk Russia’s military power in Afghanistan. In Palestine’s liberation movement, the Intifada has raised the jihadist banner. The freedom-loving Muslims of Kashmir are also struggling to free themselves from all the misrule and oppression of the Indian state. Jahiliyyah is not sitting idle. To sabotage these three struggles, Saddam Hussein of Iraq, acting as a puppet of India, Russia, and America, occupied the independent Muslim state of Kuwait, thereby destroying Muslim unity in the world on the one hand and stabbing the liberation movements of Palestine, Afghanistan, and Kashmir in the back on the other. In the eternal conflict between Islam and Jahiliyyah, the head of a Muslim state played the role of Jahiliyyah’s puppet. This is one of the most shameful events in the history of Islam.

It is a matter for reflection how the Muslim army of one Muslim country can forcibly occupy another innocent Muslim state; how it can kill countless innocent Muslim citizens and plunder their wealth; how it can perpetrate barbaric atrocities against veiled and devout Muslim women and loot their priceless possession— their honor and dignity! Though they bear the name Muslim, do these human beasts have any belief in God and the Hereafter? This is indeed a historic victory of jahiliyyah, or disbelief, over the Muslims. Will the followers of Islam learn a lesson from this? For jahiliyyah’s attacks against Islam will continue in this way.

The Light of Hope

In the Indian subcontinent, during the last century, the Tehrik-i Mujahideen of Sayyid Ahmad Shaheed Barelvi (RA) infused the Muslims with an irresistible spirit of jihad. The inhuman and horrifying persecution and oppression by the British rulers could not eradicate the spirit of jihad from the hearts of the Muslims. One hundred years after the martyrdom of Sayyid Ahmad Shaheed at Balakot in 1831, jihad fi سبيلillah—that is, the Islamic movement—was initiated anew. In 1941, this movement was transformed into a powerful organization called Jamaat-e-Islami. The founder and architect of this movement and organization was one of the foremost Islamic thinkers and religious scholars of the contemporary world, Maulana Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi (RA). Thirteen years earlier, in 1928, an Islamic movement known as the Ikhwanul Muslimun had begun in Egypt. Its founder was Shaikh Hasanul Banna Shaheed (RA). In the contemporary world, these two are the only powerful, disciplined, and well-organized movements that are genuinely striving to establish an Islamic society and state.

The anti-Islamic rulers of Egypt did not content themselves with hanging many leaders and workers of the Ikhwanul Muslimun on the gallows, forcing them to die slowly under physical and mental torture within prison walls, and compelling hundreds of leaders and workers to leave the country; rather, they also declared the organization illegal—a ban that remains in force to this day.

On the other hand, Jamaat-e-Islami has not limited its activities to Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Jammu and Kashmir. Many responsible workers of this movement have spread throughout the world, and everywhere they are conducting Islamic movements under various names.

The hopeful fact is that there is now no country in the world where an Islamic movement and Islamic organization are not operating in one form or another and under one name or another. Trained workers of the Ikhwanul Muslimun and Jamaat-e-Islami are leading these movements. A vast body of Islamic literature has developed in the world’s major languages, and Islamic knowledge is being imparted everywhere to all people, Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

Educated young people and scholars of various religions, particularly Christianity, Judaism, and Hinduism, are being drawn to Islam and taking shelter beneath its cool shade.

It may be said that an Islamic revival has begun throughout the world. Change is also noticeable in the materialist society of the West. Unrestrained indulgence, immersing oneself day and night in oceans of alcohol and passion for women, and sexual immorality—there is no satisfaction, joy, or peace of mind in these things. The insatiable craving for pleasure makes a person restless and agitated for still greater indulgence. Intoxicated by pleasure, one forgets the aim and purpose of life. Instead of clinging to anything lasting and stable, one clings to what is fleeting. Eventually, life becomes a huge liability in one’s own eyes. The blazing fire of momentary lust for pleasure turns into a blazing fire of despair and frustrated hopes. Even the family system intended to secure happiness and peace in life is shattered to pieces. In search of mental peace, one then runs about in every direction. After many tests and investigations, one’s awakened conscience chooses Islam as the final refuge. One realizes that faith in Islam means grasping a firm rope that can never be severed—a rope in which there is no failure and no despair, but complete success and solutions to all the problems of life. Islam’s unequivocal proclamation is that everything does not end with death; rather, it opens the door to a new life of eternal joy and happiness or of suffering and anguish.

Those whose minds are deeply rooted in long-accumulated hostility and misconceptions about Islam have nothing but despair. But those who, with impartial and sound minds, make some effort to learn about Islam are themselves becoming attracted to its universal ideals and teachings. They have no hesitation in accepting Islam as a dynamic, eternal, and all-encompassing way of life of perfect beauty. This is a clear sign of Islam’s bright future.

The fact that, in recent times, a great superpower like Russia has been forced to turn its back after suffering a crushing defeat at the hands of a small number of mujahideen in Afghanistan proclaims the victory of Islam itself. Under the tremendous waves of Islamic consciousness and inspiration, Russia’s iron wall is becoming shaky. Today, Islam’s revival is what frightens Russia most.

The work of the Islamic movement has begun in almost every city in the countries of the West. The Islamic revival has begun even in Spain, from which Muslims were once eradicated. Islamic organizations have been active for quite some time in the European countries, the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, and Taiwan. Recently, proper Islamic organizations have been established in Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and the Caribbean islands. Islamic centers are being established everywhere, and the work of Islamic da’wah is being spread widely. Alhamdulillah. The initiators of these movements are workers of the Ikhwan and Jamaat-e-Islami in various countries. Everywhere, these movements point to Islam’s bright future.

Jahiliyyah is trying to halt Islam’s progress with all its strength and weapons. The victory of Islam now depends on the Muslims’ steadfastness toward Islam; on continuous struggle with unity, sacrifice, dedication, and patience. No victory is possible without Allah’s help. Therefore, if His pleasure can be attained through complete obedience at every moment, His help will certainly come, and victory will be very near.

May Allah awaken the faith and conscience of the Muslims, protect their faith, and grant them the ability to repel jahiliyyah’s counterattack, so that Islam may be reestablished in the world as a victorious power.

।।The End।।