Farghana Institute (Manchester chapter) hosted historic and prestigious conference in a grand hall of a local hotel in Manchester on August 31, 2008. In addition to Khateeb Jam-e-Mosque Damascus Fazeelat as-Shaykh Muhammad Saeed as-Sagharji, President Supreme Council MQI Sahibzada Hassan Mohi ud Din Qadri, as-Shaykh Sakhroof, As-Shaykh Abdur Rahman al-Hamami, Member European Parliament Sajjad Kareem, Counselors Muhammad Afzal Khan, M. Abid, Muhammad Naeem and other distinguished personalities, participated in the conference. Thousands of people especially youth came to attend the programme from across UK including Birmingham, Bradford, Halifax, Nelson and Scotland.

The proceedings of this historic conference got under way with the recitation of the Holy Quran by Hammad Mustafa al-Madani, the grandson of Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri. The principal of Farghana Institute and young scholar, Allama Muhammad Ramzan Qadri, conducted the proceedings of the programme.

Addressing the audience of the programme, Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri said that fifteen centuries have gone by with the result that vast changes have taken place in economic, social, political and sociological domains, also incorporating individual and family needs. The demands of the contemporary age have engulfed every walk of life. In these circumstances, the question arising in the minds of young people is that why are the teachings of the Holy Prophet (saw) the source of security, stability and direction? He said it is the perfect obedience of the Prophet of Islam (saw) that provides the only way to achieve success and can steer the Umma from its present state of decline.

Throwing light on the reservations and misgivings about Islam and Shariah, Shaykh-ul-Islam said the youth and modernist society are caught in the web of these reservations. These reservations owe itself to the misinterpretation and misconstruction of Islamic teachings in the Western society. This face of Islam has been presented by a group of people called Taliban. The reality is that these people are themselves unaware of real Islamic teachings.

He said the teachings and ideal conduct of the Last Prophet (saw) are the source of inspiration for the Muslims. He said that accepting the Prophetic guidance as final guidance is the preliminary condition of being a Muslim. It warrants a thorough study of the Holy Prophet’s (saw) life, his universal teachings, sayings and the circumstances in which he was raised as a Prophet.

He said the pre-Islamic Arab society was known for extremism, injustice, tribal arrogance, social and moral evils. It was a time when humanity used to be degraded and dishonoured. He said that the mention of Roman civilization can be found at that time along with Greek, Persian and Hindi civilizations but these societies were unaware of the meanings of human values, culture and morality. In these circumstances, the Holy Prophet (saw) was sent with Divine message and he introduced those principles of civilization, morality and tolerance whose source was the Holy Qur’an and Sunna, The touchstone of its authenticity was his own ideal conduct.

Shaykh-ul-Islam said that the Holy Prophet (saw) said while delivering his address to people after conquest of Makkah: none of you can enter paradise as long as he does not embrace faith and no one can be believer as long as he does not become paragon of good, virtue, peace for one another.

He said the so-called champions of modern-day world have come to know the meanings of extremism today but 15 centuries ago, while founding new civilization, the Holy Prophet (saw) eliminated terrorism, extremism and sectarianism by urging his companions to behave nicely with their neighbours with benevolence. The Companions were so led to feel by his insistence on this command as if the Holy Prophet (saw) eradicated the difference between Muslim and non-Muslim as a human being and neighbour.

Mentioning the rights of the downtrodden and less privileged sections of society, Shaykh-ul-Islam said that the Holy Prophet (saw) emphasized on his followers to worship their Lord, feed those of the needy whom they knew and also those whom they did not know.

He said that the Holy Prophet (saw) gave a special instruction to establish a charity for the poor, talk to them tenderly and not hurt their feelings. He said the instructions about prayer, Zakat and fasting came later on but teachings about individual and familial brotherhood and ideal code of conduct were put into practice first.

Shaykh-ul-Islam said that the Holy Prophet (saw) gave the first constitution of the world 15 centuries ago. Islam introduced the concept of federal, provincial and local governments at a time when word coming from the mouth of King was a law unto itself and its violation or disobedience invited punishment and even death at times. Islam presented the consultative system and endowed on women their legal and human rights, whereas the fact remains that the so-called torch-bearers gave women the right to vote in 1920s for the first time in history.

He said 15 centuries ago, the Muslim women were appointed on the positions of judge and sent to other countries as diplomats during the days of rightly guided Caliphs. He said the sister of Sultan Saluhuddin Ayubi was the governor of Halab. Whatever the champions of human rights may say today, they cannot present even a semblance of similar human values and rights, which the Holy Prophet (saw) presented while addressing his followers when he said that the protection of the Muslims and non-Muslims in man and material without discrimination, guarantee of freedoms of traditions and culture and their religious rights would be legal and constitutional responsibility of the Islamic state. Islam is a religion of peace and love and its message also denotes the same. No one can be allowed to pass religious edict at personal and sectarian levels in the name of Jihad and Caliphate. Labeling Muslims to be terrorists is nothing but injustice, pure and simple.

Urging all participants especially the youth to carve out their position in their societies and live amicably and peacefully along with other communities, Shaykh-ul-Islam said that Islam does not preach isolation.

Referring to the reconstructive work of Shaykh-ul-Islam, Sheikh Ahmad Dervaish of Egypt said that Shaykh-ul-Islam does full justice to a topic to which he commits his pen. He urged the youth and people living in UK and Europe to join his caravan practically. He also requested all religious scholars to spread the reconstructive and research work of Shaykh-ul-Islam throughout the world. He also appreciated the services of the Principal of Farghana Institute.

Great religious scholar and Hadith-narrator, Shaykh as-Saad Muhammad Saeed as-Sagharji, said in his speech that the meanings of the Holy Quran and Hadith of the Holy Prophet (saw) are revealed upon the heart of Shaykh-ul-Islam like en enlightening light of Allah. That is why his research-based and scholarly speeches compel everyone to ponder and act. He said the passion to learn Hadith and love of Shaykh-ul-Islam attract him to attend such conferences each year. He said he considers his knowledge to be just a particle in comparison to knowledge of Shaykh-ul-Islam. Shaykh Asad Muhammad Saeed said he is a ray of hope in this age of mischief and disorder.

Counselor Afzal Khan said in his talk that it was a matter of fortune for people of Manchester that Shaykh-ul-Islam came here whom we hold in high esteem from the core of our hearts.

Play this video here : http://www.islamtune.com/play-video-670.html

COVENTRY, England – By Luke Baker

Like any rousing Islamic preacher, Muhammed Tahir ul-Qadri’s voice rises to a shout and his index finger jabs as he hammers home a point.

But rather than angry calls for jihad (holy war) or a vitriolic denunciation of the West and its aggressions against Islam, Qadri’s message, equally forcefully delivered, is about moderation, peace, inclusion and understanding.

Addressing a packed auditorium from a raised platform, his words beamed on to large screen behind him, more than 1,000 young followers hang on his every word, even as his lecture moves into its fourth uninterrupted hour.

“Islam is not a religion of seclusion, it is not a religion of detachment,” he thunders from the dais, occasionally pausing to wipe the sweat from his brow or adjust his spectacles.

“Any killer of a non-Muslim citizen, he will go to hell. Those who are committing terroristic acts from Pakistan and Afghanistan and claiming it is jihad — they do not know what jihad is. It is forbidden. There will not be janna (paradise) for them,” he hollers, to shouts of approval from his listeners.

Qadri, 58, who was born in Pakistan but now lives in Canada, is a renowned scholar of Sufism, a long tradition within Islam that focuses on spirituality, emphasizing peace and moderation.

The author of more than 400 books on Islamic scholarship and law, Qadri travels the world delivering sermons to Sufis, while his organization, called Minhaj ul-Quran, has spread to 80 countries, from Greece to Fiji, since its founding in 1981.

In Britain, he is the main draw at a three-day retreat for young Muslims called “Al Hidayah” (Guidance), which over the past five years has grown into the biggest spiritual camp of its kind, with more than 1,200 attendees from a dozen countries.

Qadri believes camps like his, which attract teenagers — girls and boys wearing traditional dress who sit separately in the auditorium — as well as their parents and children as young as six, can play a part in combating extremism within Islam.

For Britain, that has been particularly important since 2003, when the country joined the invasion of Iraq, and 2005, when four young British Muslims carried out suicide bombings on the London transport network, killing 52 people.

“I feel it is my duty to save the younger generation from radicalization,” Qadri said quietly over lunch on Sunday, shortly after finishing the second of several lectures and question-and-answer sessions, which concluded on Monday.

“We need to prepare them mentally and academically, intellectually and spiritually, against extremist tendencies and radical and terrorist attitudes. We need to provide them with an awakening of the true picture of Islam,” he said.

TACKLING EXTREMISM

Around the world, and particularly in the United States, there has been a steady increase in adherence to Sufism in the past decade. Governments keen to tackle the spread of more radical branches of Islam in their countries have worked with Sufi scholars and tried to emphasize their teachings.

In Britain, home to around 1.7 million Muslims, the bulk from Pakistan, the government at first worked to promote Sufism, supporting the creation in 2006 of the Sufi Muslim Council, a group that took a strong stand against Islamist extremism.

But since then, it has moved away from explicit support, saying that working via the Sufi community — whose exact number in Britain is not known — is just one element of a wider approach to countering Islamic radicalism.

“It’s part of a broader engagement. We don’t want to isolate any one group over another,” a government spokeswoman said.

Supporters of Qadri, though, are adamant about the benefits of his teachings, with students coming from as far as Denmark and Canada to hear him speak during the three-day retreat. Women in particular like his emphasis on female equality within Islam, an element not always touched on by other Islamic scholars.

“What he says is mind-opening, it makes you feel good as a woman,” said Sofia Saeed, 27, a legal assistant who traveled from Manchester to attend the retreat with a friend.

“There’s no discrimination here. It makes you feel like a stronger believer, a stronger person,” she said, comfortably mixing designer sunglasses with her full hijab head covering.

Qadri, a former minister in Pakistan and close associate of Benazir Bhutto, the assassinated former prime minister, does not believe his teachings can change radical minds overnight, but he is a believer that intellect can ultimately defeat extremism.

“If the terrorists are 10 people and the peaceful are 1,000, then they are more powerful than us with their arms, even if we are 5,000,” he said. “But the point is that we have to make the 5,000 more powerful not with arms, but by the communication of the right message of Islam.”

Copyright 2009 Reuters.

The second volume that encompasses the remaining five aims namely recourse to the Holy Quran, promotion of knowledge & awareness, unity & brotherhood of Umma, organization into a coherent grouping and establishment of religion will be published later on.

In addition to hadith, each chapter of this book contains the Quranic verses that deal with the subject, and sayings of the holy Companions and saints along with Urdu translation and detailed references.

In the quest of knowledge, the modern man has also discovered that the centuries old concepts about religion are contrary to the scientific thought and, therefore, need to be either discarded or made compatible with the scientific method. This is the challenge that the religious scholars and theologians have failed to face. Instead of analyzing the problem on scientific basis, they have adhered to their timeworn ideologies with a practical surrender to the materialistic values in vogue. Even the torchbearers, the so-called intellectuals and modern scholars of Islam who pretend to be abreast with the modern scientific thought have given in to the onslaught of modern sciences and in secret depths of their hearts feel nervous how to defend their position. They are doing more harms than good by defending their post with archaic weapons.

However, towards the dawn of new millennium, there has risen one guiding star on the intellectual horizon that has showered rays of his effulgent wisdom on the modern mind fallen prey to stray ideologies. Equipped adequately with the scientific and religious knowledge, he has given the call to modern man that Islam is the religion that, ever since its revelation, has the scientific bases which the modern scientific thought is now claiming to discover and further needs to explore in its totality. What Descartes and his successors (Locke, Barkeley, Hume, Kant and Hobbes, Montesquieu, Mill and Benthem and others) did to promote scientific method and rational thought in Europe, has been accomplished in the world of theology, single-handedly by Prof. Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri. The world has already recognized him as ‘outstanding man of the century’ and ‘leading intellectual of the world.’

This is not in our purview here to reckon the contributions made by Prof. Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri to the modern Islamic thought and its reconstruction. Nor can we measure his achievements in clearing and purifying Islamic ideology from muddling of various ‘isms’ wrought over centuries. But the aspect of his intellectual ventures focussed here relates to a sensitive issue that has disintegrated the intellectual unity of Muslim thinkers and their followers.

Who is ‘Wali’ and what role he plays in spreading light of divine guidance among the believers is a question that has been answered divergently under the reflective influences alien to Islam. A huge reservoir of literature exists on Mysticism, Islamic Mysticism, Pantheism and Transcendentalism, nature of Mystic Experience, its variety, allied philosophies and schools of thought. The antagonists too have generated colossal works proving it contrary to the ‘true Islam’ and labeling it as an impious innovation in the approved Islamic code of life. This controversy has inflicted serious damage to the modern Muslim mind leading the young educated Muslims all over the world to desperation and abhorrence from Islam. They are confused and blatantly question the intellectual validity and logical wellbeing of Islamic thought. The Muslim scholars engaged in this unfortunate controversy, however, ill afford any attempt to recover from the ‘spin’. They drastically lack in advanced knowledge and are unaware of the ‘phenomena’ of modern scientific mind. Being the odd ones, they now stay out of this war of wits, which has spread over East and West. How to satisfy the modern scientific mind on the question of Islamic Spiritualism, its nature and significance; the ‘Friends of Allah’- Auliya, their role and task, status and dignity and the phenomenology of spiritual experience is an uphill task which Prof. Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri, however, has performed with tantamount facility, authority and command.

Without entangling himself in sterile controversy on mysticism and its various ‘schools’ and types, he has taken the Holy Qur’an as the basic and exclusive source of his logic. He triumphantly convinces the reader that a Wali Allah (a friend of Allah), whether a mystic or a saint (whatever term one may use to describe him), is a spiritually privileged Muslim. He acquires heavenly acquaintance and proximity to Allah through absolute obedience to and an overpowering love and adoration for the Holy Prophet (A). He then himself becomes a source of spiritual bliss and inspiration for those who stand fast in his company.

Simultaneously, endowed with a vividly historic insight, he educates the modern Muslim mind how, centuries ago, the Muslim scholars defeated their rival thinkers employing the then contemporary logic against them. He emphatically exhorts all educated Muslims of the world to acquire perfect knowledge of modern logic and defeat the antagonists of Islam who have joined hands against the ‘Ummah’ with an intention to shake the solid spiritual realities which are the bases of Islamic thought and ideology. Prof. Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, the intellectual spirit of our age, the divine genius of the new millennium and a ‘Friend of Allah’ has a sagacious eye on rise and fall of the Muslim and non-Muslim empires. He possesses a vision that penetrates into future and clearly discerns the impending dangers and their remedies.

While handling this most difficult and controversial subject of Islamic spiritual philosophy, disseminating it to the modern inquisitive mind, he has adopted an easy and logical style to communicate the ideas with the help of similitudes and parables and enviably sublime and inspiring expression. This is exactly the style of exposition and elucidation manifest in the Holy Quran where the divine principles and the spiritual realities of life are made home to man loud and clear through parables and similitudes. While explaining the nature of friendship with Almighty Allah he has based his arguments on the verses of the Holy Qur’an and has taken similitude from modern scientific subjects specially ‘Magnetism’ and ‘Electric Charge’. The concept of ‘Spiritual Magnetism’ and ‘Spiritual Charge’ enabling Auliya Allah to get into the ‘spiritual channel’ which originates from the Holy Messenger (A) is a dazzlingly unique and exceptional addition to the existing literature on Islamic Spiritualism. It attracts and convinces the modern educated reader and deletes his disbelief in spiritual values. It irrefutably proves that the phenomenology of Islamic Spiritualism is compatible with the modern scientific method. This dissertation in this way is, by any standard, a classic piece of literature produced on the subject.

            This work, besides spiritualism, also enlightens the reader on ventures of modern science especially in the field of parapsychology. An account of scientific research into finding the underlying reality of psychic experiences and supplying empirical interpretations to extra-sensory perception (ESP) and out-of-body-experience (OBE) has added substantial value to intellectual status of this exposition. The glimpses from spiritual life of Auliya, of their divine experiences in comparison to ESPs, OBEs and the concept of an infinite power within man, highlighting the real significance of Islamic Spiritualism, invite the scientific mind to struggle if it can and belie the spiritual reality. When they decline to disbelieve in psychic reality and its wonders on electromagnetic ground, how can they decline to believe in spirituality of real self of man, its special link with Allah and its acquired infinite spiritual competence towards conquering the universe, demonstrated by Auliya Allah. Studying spiritualism in the perspective of most modern scientific investigation in the field of parapsychology is an amazingly emphatic maiden attempt in the field. It has indeed opened the doors, to embrace Islamic Faith, on those who have been enabled by this study to develop their belief in Islamic Spiritualism on rational scientific grounds. We the believers, welcome this courage to convert to Islam on this rational basis.

The Holy Quran confirms that “Ashab-e-Kahf” spent three centuries like a few hours. When they inquired after waking up as to how long they had slept, one of them retorted, “a day or a little more”. The time they had actually spent according to the Holy Quran was three centuries, hence undeniable. Nonetheless, their clothes had not worn and the physical well being was intact, as if they had a nap, which restored their strength and vitality.

Then, one of them was assigned to take coins they possessed and go to bazaar to make some purchases. When he paid the coins the shopkeeper felt bewildered and gazed at his customer in astonishment as to wherefrom he had brought centuries-old coins. He refused to accept the payment in the out-dated and antiquated coins. The customer, one of the Ashab-e-Kahf, said, “We took these coins with us a day before.” The shopkeeper replied, “how is it possible? I don’t understand wherefrom have you brought these centuries-old coins.” On that the customer looked curiously at every thing around and felt puzzled to find them changed altogether. Such ‘Auliya Allah blessed with vision’ stay in caves for centuries but their physical conditions remain unchanged, natural and normal. Similarly, such people with vision, in-transit, spend thousands of years in graves and this period passes like a few hours. It is not a contrived parable. The Holy Qur’an has revealed it. Auliya Allah even after their physical transfer from this world, live with an intuition of Allah. What to talk of the Holy Messenger (A) who came to distribute the boon of life among the lifeless! And this holy distribution is continuously on even today!

There was also a pet dog in the ‘companionship’ of the Kahf Companions. It remained sprawling on the cave entrance for 309 years to guard The Ashab. The Holy Qur’an also mentions this dog:

 And their dog is sprawling on (their) threshold.[1]

The dog was blessed with that status owing to its companionship of Allah’s Friends. The commentators on the Holy Qur’an observe that the dog too used to take sides when the Ashab turned their sides while asleep. This resulted out of the perpetual company and association which is emphasized in the Holy Qur’an, “perpetuate their companionship”. Another account of the episode holds that the Ashab made efforts to send the dog away as it could bark and thus alarm and rouse the cruel king’s men to reach them in the cave. They endeavored to drive it away forcefully but the fortunate dog remained tenaciously stuck, received bounties for 309 years and became a significant part of the story.

The impeccable emblem of adoration and sincerity, our Holy Prophet (A) is the immaculate symbol of benevolence and the embodiment of bliss and kindness for all the worlds and also the Super Magnet of the Spiritual Universe, who received the spiritual charge through both Electric Charge and Contact Methods.

He opted isolation in the solitude of Hira,

And created Ummah, Constitution, and the State.

                                                                               (Iqbal)

The solitude of Hira cave unveiled the Spiritual Sovereign of the universe as a paragon of wisdom and sagacity and the unparalleled precedent of love, kindness and mercy for the whole humanity; it fostered him into the peerless and the perfect leader. Owing to his compassion and kind attention, the East and the West became one Ummah with one state with one Qur’an as its supreme law.

Allah Almighty awarded our beloved Prophet the spiritual bliss for the whole universe through blessing him with His radiant sight on earth as well as in the divine solitude beyond the skies during the ascension night. Mentioning bounties of Allah, he (A) proclaimed, “Allah blessed me one night with His sight corresponding with His dignity and put His powerful hand in between my shoulders. Due to that I felt a chill in my chest. This lifted all veils from my vision and everything in the earth and the skies became discernible.”

This was one episode of the Holy Messenger’s vision of Allah on earth. His Ascension to the Divine Solitude beyond the skies during the Night of Ascension is both unimaginable and indescribable. He ascended as close to Allah as two ends of a bow or even less than that after which the distances of time and space were diminished to nil and the distance between the lover and the beloved was reduced to nothingness. Here we are required to keep our belief in oneness of Allah firm, accurate and pure. Allah is the Creator and the Only, ‘worth all worship’. The Messenger (A) though so close and so dear, is His servant. This difference has to be maintained as part of our faith.

Blessed in this way with all the extents of bliss and bounties the Holy Messenger (A)proclaimed:

The one who saw me, saw Allah  .[1]

The Prophet Mosses (D) implored Allah   for a glimpse of His sight. The request was accorded approval and when the ‘divine glimpse of Allah’ was awarded, Musa(D) could not bear it and fainted. He requested for Allah’s sight number of time even during the Night of Ascension (Shab-e-Mia’raj) but it was put off till the Muslim Ummah was assigned during the Ascension Night fifty prayers a day. Musa(D) on the sixth sky, repeatedly requested the Holy Prophet(A) to get the number of prayers decreased till they were reduced from 50 to 5.

When the Holy Prophet Muhammad (A) frequently returned from Allah   to Musa (D) after having rich views of the beloved Allah  , the Prophet Mosses (D) every time gazed at the Holy face of Muhammad (A). This way he derived divine pleasure from viewing his face radiant with Allah’s divine reflection. This is how divine riches of Allah’s sight were awarded to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (A). As regards Allah’s bounties awarded to our beloved Prophet (A) in terms of tangible physical world, they are beyond comprehension and imagination. The Holy Prophet (A) was awarded all the treasures of the Universe. He became the distributor of these treasures among the believers in the world till the Day of Judgement.

He is assigned to distribute Allah’s bliss. Similarly, Allah’s Friends are tasked to distribute the bounties of the Holy Prophet (A) among his followers. The Holy Quran confirms;

He, the one who was dead (i.e. deprived of faith) to whom We gave life (guided) and a light (of faith and awareness) whereby he can (now) walk among (rest of) men (to spread the same light of guidance).1

The object is that there were people whose hearts were lifeless. We enlivened them with the enlightenment of the Holy Prophet (A). Getting so revitalized and illumined they now distribute the same light among rest of the people. With this assignment to distribute light (noor) one was placed in Baghdad in the form of Ghaus-e-A‘zam, the other was positioned in Lahore as Data Gunj Bakhsh; some was Khawaja Ghareeb Nawaz in Ajmair and the other was Baha-ud-Din Zakaria in Multan to distribute light, guidance (NOOR). One was assigned the same distribution in Sarhand. This ‘noor’ (light) revitalized all dead hearts and now even death cannot conquer them; for them ‘death is mere a change of taste’:

Death is the renewal of lifestyle;

Awakening in the garb of sleep.

(Iqbal)

(ii) Ahmad bin Hambal in Musnad 3:55.

1              Qur’an (al-An‘am) 6:122.

In the 1920’s Edwin Hubble put forward the idea that the universe was not static and unchanging but continually expanding. Later in 1964 two American scientists, Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson said that the physical universe began from single entity, naming it the’ Cosmic Egg”, which in turn burst and resulted in the creation of different strata of the universe. The Quran, however, clearly stated fourteen hundred years ago:

“Why do not the unbelievers realize that the heavens and the earth were one piece, then we parted them and we made every- thing of water. Will they not believe?” (AI-Anbiya 21:30)

The two Arabic words used in the verse are Ratq and Fatq. Ratq means to bind and fuse together forming a homogenous mass. Fatq, the opposite of ratq means an action to break, diffuse or separate.

As to the words “We made everything from water,” these are consistent with our recent knowledge of biological science that all life began in water. Also with regard to the theory that the universe is continually expanding the Quranstated:

“And He keeps creating what you do not know” (An-NahI16:8)

“And He keeps expanding His creation as He wills.” (AI-Fatir 35:1)

Moreover in reference to the creation of the universe the Quran states:

“Allah is the one who made the skies and the earth and what is in between in six days.” (As-Sajidah 32:4)

The Arabic word for day is Yawm but that does not refer to the day as we know it to be since it refers to a time before the sun and earth were created. There are verses in the Quran (As- Sajidah 32:5, AI-Ma’arij 70:4) indicating that it means a long period of time, even up to millions and billions of years.

However this does not mean one should justify changing the meaning of the Quranic verses to bring them in line with scientific discoveries, nor regard scientific interpretation as final, because scientific knowledge is itself constantly changing and evolving. There is little which can be called final and absolute. However the biological and physical facts of the universe described by the Quran could not have been known before modem technology breakthroughs. As this is the case an unbiased person can have no doubt that the Quran is the word of the Creator and Islam, the universal truth.

For further reading see the book “Quran and The Creation of the Universe” by Shaykh-ul-Islam Professor Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri.

Thanks to some developments across the globe for last few years, the universal values of great religion, Islam, have come in for denunciation. By invoking the actions of a few individual Muslims to typify the character and conduct of millions of adherents of this divine faith, efforts have been made to equate Islam with bigotry and obscurantism. This is most unfortunate at a time when the need for inter-faith dialogue and harmony cannot be over-emphasized in order to bridge the gulf between Islam and West. The proponents of ‘clash of civilizations’ and their counterparts in the Islamic world are bent upon creating differences aimed at spreading confusion and misunderstanding about the teachings of Islam. In view of these circumstances, it is all the more necessary to bring the message of Islam in correct perspective to serve the cause of coexistence Islam so emphatically lays its stress on.

Let me state at the outset categorically and unambiguously that the message of Islam is peace, tranquility and unity. If one concentrates on the meanings of word ‘Islam’, it appears that this word takes its origin from saluma (safety) or silm (peace). Etymologically and literally the word ‘Islam’ means ‘peace, tranquility and harmony’. The word ‘Imaan‘ can be translated into or more clearly it means ‘faith’. Every religion is based on faith. Faith is known as Imaan in Islamic terminology. Imaan has its own root-word and that is amn. Amn again means ‘peace, tranquility and harmony’. The difference between Islam and Imaan can be explained in the sense that there is a faith to be believed in and there is practical order to be practised. The faith is known as Imaan and the practical order is known as Islam.

In Islam, the word Imaan is used in two dimensions. Firstly Imaan means to be in peace or to live in peace. Secondly, the other meaning is to live for peace and to be peaceful to others. According to Islam a man who does not maintain peace for mankind, cannot be regarded as a genuine Muslim or even a believer. The believer is the man who lives only peacefully for mankind. When he lives for the sake of others, only then he would be blessed by Divine peace from Allah Almighty. The Holy Prophet (saw) was sent not only for the Arabs or a specific tribe or territory but his raising was for the whole of mankind. As declared by the Holy Qur’an:

“O men! I am sent to you all as the Apostle of Allah.” (7:158)

In the tradition of the Holy Prophet (saw), it has been mentioned: “I have been raised (as messenger) for the whole creation.” Here lies the main point. Since the raising of the Holy Prophet (saw) was for the whole mankind, his message of peace is also for the whole mankind. The Holy Qur’an gives the idea of peace and welfare for mankind on the basis of unity of mankind. The Holy Quran says:

“O mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord, Who created you from a single person.” (4:1)

The verse has two layers of interpretation namely historical interpretation and scientific interpretation. From the point of view of historical interpretation, the whole mankind has been created from a single father, Adam (as). He is the origin of the whole mankind. Everybody has been created from the same single unit. From the perspective of scientific interpretation, the verse shows that the whole mankind has been created from a single cell of life and that is zygote.

According to the historical and scientific approach, the origin of human life comes into the category of single unity. This unity (historically and scientifically) of the creation of mankind indicates that our destination is also the attainment of unity. We should work for uplift and unity of mankind. This uplift of mankind, its welfare and betterment is absolutely impossible without harmony, reconciliation and unity.

In his last sermon delivered to the believers, the Holy Prophet (saw) eliminated the unjust order imposed upon the mankind. That unjust order at that time was based on human degradation, social injustice, economic exploitation and political suppression. The Prophet of Islam (saw) inaugurated a new world order based upon four concepts namely respect for humanity, social equality, economic justice and political freedom.

The concept of human welfare is the basic target and we need to pool together all our resources for its attainment at personal, social and global levels. Any type of process of reform has to start from the personal level in Islamic scheme of things. Islam instructs and educates us that welfare should be achieved at every level by creating a balance and harmony between mundane and spiritual aspects of life. Human personality is a compact whole consisting of many parts, which are epitomized in the form of division of life between secular and spiritual aspects. Biological dimension of life is manifested in social, cultural, socio-cultural, psychological aspects and there is a need to take these factors into view too at the personal domain.

Efforts should also be made for the achievement of human welfare at the social level; the level of collective environment of our society. We have to work for the elimination of economic exploitation so that human welfare is achieved socially. We have to fight against political oppression and for educational uplift. We have to campaign for economic, social, cultural and spiritual welfare. This is not possible without eradication of hatred. There is no place for hatred in communities. Ideas and philosophies can be different but we need to look at the singularity of origin in spite of differences and plurality of ideas. Allah Almighty has created balance between singularity and plurality. It is this diversity, which brings about perfection, balance, tolerance and moderation in society. Historically speaking, people belonging to various religions have lived in Islamic societies as equal partners in the business of state and this aspect of multiculturalism figures quite prominently in Islamic societies.

From Islamic point of view, peace and human welfare at the global level owes itself to the acknowledgement of the following principles:

Firstly the right of survival and existence should be accepted equally. This right should be given to each and every country, state and society without any difference and superiority. The Holy Prophet (saw) rightly declared this fact:

“An Arab is not superior to a non-Arab and non-Arab is not superior to an Arab. Neither a black anyway better than a red nor a red is better than a black. The criterion for the superiority is only the element of piety.”

Superiority does not lie in colours but in character, in conduct and in moral values. Whether one is living a human life or wild life, superiority rests in character only. So we need to work for peaceful coexistence, which is possible only when we recognize the right of others to live. Our motto should be “to live and let others live”.

The principle of non-interference is the basis upon which the edifice of global peace and welfare can be erected. If nations and societies respect the sanctities of national sovereignties of others and do not indulge in any type of adventurism, global peace stands ensured.

Islam does not approve of extremism of any kind. It is a religion of balance and moderation. So in true Islamic society, extremism is discouraged at every level because it has the potential of spoiling peace, calmness and order at every level of society.

Since Islamic state believes in equal rights, so it does not believe in any act of coercion. Islamic state disapproves hegemony. It has its faith in equality. Everyone has rights – some by birth and some given by state.

Islam is against terrorism and condemns all of its forms and manifestations. Terrorism negates all such values which Islam espouses. So by definition, Islamic state is a peaceful state where rights of all are secured constitutionally irrespective of one’s caste, creed, colour, race and religion. Islam holds that all members of Islamic society whether rulers or the ruled are equal in the eyes of law.

Given the enormous challenges posed to the peace of world, it is high time we made sincere efforts for peaceful coexistence among nations and religions. It is through joint struggle that we can defeat all such elements who want to create misunderstandings and confusions. We are all children of Adam (as) and have many similarities to share among us. Let our succeeding generations not say that we did not prove equal to the challenges.

By Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr. Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri

Thanks to some developments across the globe for last few years, the universal values of great religion, Islam, have come in for denunciation. By invoking the actions of a few individual Muslims to typify the character and conduct of millions of adherents of this divine faith, efforts have been made to equate Islam with bigotry and obscurantism. This is most unfortunate at a time when the need for inter-faith dialogue and harmony could not be over-emphasized in order to bridge the gulf between Islam and West. The proponents of ‘clash of civilizations’ and their counterparts in the Islamic world are bent upon creating differences aimed at spreading confusion and misunderstanding about the teachings of Islam. In view of these circumstances, it is all the more necessary to bring the Islamic teachings in correct perspective to serve the cause of co-existence Islam so emphatically lays its stress on.

Let me start with concept of human rights in Islam. At the outset, it is to be understood very clearly that the basic concept of Islam in regard to the human rights is based upon equality, dignity and respect for humankind. As is clear from the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty has endowed on human beings the status of being superior to all other creations. The holy Quran has described the position enjoyed by the human beings in a great detail that at the time of creation of Huzrat Adam (RA), Allah Almighty enjoined upon the angels to bow before Huzat Adam (RA).

It was for the first time in the history of mankind that Islam did away with all biases and discriminations on the basis of wealth, clan and tribe, language, sex, colour and caste etc and termed all human beings equal in status whether one is poor or rich, black or white, woman or man or does one belong to this or that region or race. What greater example of human equality can there be that the people belonging to various countries, languages and races gather at the precincts of the holy Kabaa for worship and wear the same dress.

After laying the foundation of respect and equality of man, Islam prescribed a complete charter of rights for humanity ranging from moral rights to religious, economic, social and political rights. Islamic concept of human rights and freedoms is uniform and of universal character, which is independent of historical and regional boundaries of time and space. The Islamic concept of human rights originates from the commandments of Allah Almighty, which were conveyed to the Ummah through the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

The rights given by Allah are in the form of blessings and there is no role of any human effort in their acquirement. Contrary to the violable nature of rights given by the earthly law-makers, these rights are permanent, unchangeable, inviolable and sacred. Since Divine intent underlines them, therefore, they can not be suspended, amended or changed. In a real Islamic state, these rights are to be enjoyed by every citizen. Neither can any state nor an individual violate them.

Another unique feature of Islamic concept is that here rights and duties are interdependent and complement each other. That is why obligations and duties have equally been stressed upon as rights.

It is regrettable that while terming West torch-bearer of human rights, the contribution of Islam in ordaining these rights is ignored. The fact remains that the concept of human rights in the Western world in its present shape is not an old phenomenon. It dates back only to 16^th and 17^th centuries when political thinkers and legal experts presented the concepts of basic rights and civil freedoms.

The thoughts of these thinkers and philosophers in the West created unending conflict between the rulers and the ruled that led to struggle and clash between the imperialist forces and common people for achieving these freedoms and rights. A great advance was made in the realm of human rights when people of Great Britain got their rights through a series of legal documents namely Magna Carta (1215), Petition of Rights (1628) and Bill of Rights (1689). The people of France won their freedoms through Declaration of Rights right after the French Revolution in 1789. The USA got its freedom through war of independence in 1776. Its people achieved basic rights in 1791 in the form of Bill of Rights, which laid the foundation of first ten amendments in the American constitution. The modern nation-states have made the basic human rights the part of their respective constitutions under the influence of various UN conventions and Declarations.

Islam teaches moderation and balance in life. The teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) provide a guarantee to create balance in life. This basic principle of Islam characterizes all of its teachings and commandments. The human rights granted by Islam bear the same stamp. No other social and political system can match that of Islam in its practicality, moral outlook and result-orientedness. The Islamic concept of rights is different from the philosophies of other systems in the following ways:

• Islam preaches fulfillment of rights rather than demand of rights. The basic teaching of Islam is that every person is under obligation to realize the rights of others in every possible way. The society will become an ideal society where duty of one individual is the right of other. When people are engaged in the fulfillment of their rights with this consciousness, such societies become the paragon of respect for rule of law and human rights.
• The Holy Prophet (PBUH) has presented such a system of human rights, which has reciprocal relationship and proportionality between rights and duties. That means that no person will be justified in demanding his rights unless he performs his obligations. Since the main stress is laid on the performance of duties, therefore, no individual can raise his voice for rights as long as he does not perform his duties. Thus the rights stand fulfilled automatically in the process of performance of duties.
• The Islamic concept of human rights is comprehensive and compact in that it has proportion and balance between rights and duties. The lack of understanding of this basic concept has given rise to many confusions and misunderstandings.
• Islam has termed some matters to be duties not rights keeping in view their legal and social importance whose non-performance has been held as punishable act. For example bearing witness is obligatory on males. The transparent and effective system of evidence is a necessary element for the establishment of the rule of law in society. That is why our religion has held men responsible for bearing witness, while the women have been absolved of this responsibility owing to their natural biological difference. Now it is their right not duty.

There is no doubt about the fact that Islam and West attach great importance to basic freedoms and human rights but their perspectives are basically different on the issue of human rights. The difference is explained in terms of their basic varying outlooks. Islam looks at human rights in the perspective of man’s total obedience to Allah Almighty whereas the Western concept of human rights is totally secular, which is based on man’s relations with the state as a citizen.

If analyzed broadly, the real difference is that in Islam, source of all powers is Allah Almighty, Who is the founder of all worlds. His commandments are the supreme law. Man is vicegerent of Allah on this earth. People are not repository of absolute powers. Rather they exercise these powers through their elected representatives within the limits set by Allah. The exercise of these powers is regarded as trust. Contrary to this, people are considered as source of all powers in secular, democratic societies of the West. The constitutions so framed by the representatives of people are accepted as supreme law of the land.

It is on the basis of this difference on the source of absolute powers that there are different perspectives of Islam and West on human rights. Islam makes a clear and comprehensive statement of civil freedoms and rights, which are inviolable and sacred. However law-making institutions of the Islamic state enjoy the rights of making amendments in these rights keeping in view the demands of the changing social, political and economic circumstances provided these modifications are in consonance with the spirit of the holy Quran, Sunnah and the Islamic law. Another important feature of these rights is that they have universal character and can be enjoyed both by Muslim and non-Muslim citizens.

On the other hand, the people in West have been able to achieve these rights after undertaking great protracted struggles. Moreover their successes on this front are a recent phenomenon and stand the chance of being reversed on this or that reason. In the third world countries, these rights do not enjoy any respect as they are only found in the statute books and not implemented. Here in these modern democratic countries, the scope of basic rights is limited not universal. The Vienna Declaration adopted at the International Conference on Human Rights in June 1993 stated:

“All human rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent and interrelated.”

In spite of adopting this concept of human rights constitutionally, Article 10 of Human Rights Charter (2000) of European Union stated:

“Certain rights shall be reserved for citizens of the European Union.”

The point being contended here is that certain rights are reserved for its citizens in West, which can by enjoyed neither by expatriates nor minorities. Various Declarations and Conventions adopted by the United Nations are no doubt universal but their implementation is not bound by any legal sanction.

To conclude it can be said that it is wrong to pick isolated example and incidents to typify the character of Islam. Islamic teachings and values are universal without any discrimination and biases of caste, creed, colour and religion.