Month: June 2019

इस्लाम आ चुका है आपके जीवन में Islam means
एक हिंदू भाई ने घोषित कर दिया कि इस्लाम हिंदू धर्म की छाया प्रति है। (मतलब हिंदू धर्म की छाया) 
आज कहना सबके लिए आसान हो गया है। इसीलिए कोई कुछ भी कह सकता है।
अगर कुछ साधारण सी बातों पर भी विचार कर लिया जाए तो उन्हें अपनी ग़लती आसानी से समझ में आ सकती है और अगर वे न समझें तब भी कम से कम दूसरों की समझ में तो आ ही जाएगी।

1. हिंदू धर्म की कोई एक सर्वमान्य परिभाषा आज तक तय नहीं है जबकि इस्लाम की परिभाषा तय है।
2. हिंदू भाई बहनों के लिए कर्तव्य और अकर्तव्य कुछ भी निश्चित नहीं है। एक आदमी अंडा तक नहीं छूता और अघोरी इंसान की लाश खाते हैं जबकि दोनों ही हिंदू हैं।
जबकि एक मुसलमान के लिए भोजन में हलाल हराम निश्चित है।

3. हिंदू मर्द औरत के लिए यह निश्चित नहीं है कि वे अपने शरीर को कितना ढकें ?, एक अपना शरीर ढकता है और दूसरा पूरा नंगा ही घूमता है।
जबकि मुस्लिम मर्द औरत के लिए यह निश्चित है कि वे अपने शरीर का कितना अंग ढकें ?
4. हिंदू के लिए उपासना करना अनिवार्य नहीं है बल्कि ईश्वर के अस्तित्व को नकारने के बाद भी लोग हिंदू कहलाते हैं।
जबकि मुसलमान के लिए इबादत करना अनिवार्य है और ईश्वर का इन्कार करने के बाद उसे वह मुस्लिम नहीं रह जाता।

5. केरल के हिंदू मंदिरों में आज भी देवदासियां रखी जाती हैं और औरतों द्वारा नाच गाना तो ख़ैर देश भर के हिंदू मंदिरों में होता है। इसे ईश्वर का समीप पहुंचने का माध्यम माना जाता है।
जबकि मस्जिदों में औरतों का तो क्या मर्दों का भी नाचना गाना गुनाह और हराम है और इसे ईश्वर से दूर करने वाला माना जाता है।
6. हिंदू धर्म ब्याज लेने से नहीं रोकता जिसकी वजह से आज ग़रीब किसान मज़दूर लाखों की तादाद में मर रहे हैं।
जबकि इस्लाम में ब्याज लेना हराम है।

7. हिंदू धर्म में दान देना अनिवार्य नहीं है। जो देना चाहे, दे और जो न देना चाहे तो वह न दे और कोई चाहे तो दान में विश्वास ही न रखे।
जबकि इस्लाम में धनवान पर अनिवार्य है कि वह हर साल ज़रूरतमंद ग़रीबों को अपने माल में से 2.5 प्रतिशत ज़कात अनिवार्य रूप से दे। इसके अलावा फ़ितरा आदि देने के लिए भी इस्लाम में व्यवस्था की गई है।
8. हिंदू धर्म में ‘ब्राह्मणों को दान‘ देने की ज़बर्दस्त प्रेरणा दी गई है।
जबकि पैग़म्बर हज़रत मुहम्मद साहब सल्लल्लाहु अलैहि वसल्लम ने यह व्यवस्था दी है कि हमारी नस्ल में से किसी को भी सदक़ा-ज़कात मत देना। दूसरे ग़रीबों को देना। हमारे लिए सदक़ा-ज़कात लेना हराम है।

9. सनातनी हिंदू हों या आर्य समाजी, दोनों ही मानते हैं कि वेद के अनुसार पति की मौत के बाद विधवा अपना दूसरा विवाह नहीं कर सकती।
जबकि इस्लाम में विधवा को अपना दूसरा विवाह करने का अधिकार है बल्कि इसे अच्छा समझा गया है कि वह दोबारा विवाह कर ले।
10. सनातनी हिंदू हों या आर्य समाजी, दोनों ही यज्ञ करने को बहुत बड़ा पुण्य मानते हैं।
जबकि इस्लाम में यह पाप माना गया है कि आग में खाने पीने की चीज़ें जला दी जाएं। खाने पीने की चीज़ें या तो ख़ुद खाओ या फिर दूसरे ज़रूरतमंदों को दे दो। ऐसा कहा गया है।

11. सनातनी हिंदू और आर्य समाजी, दोनों ही वर्ण व्यवस्था को मानते हैं और वर्णों की ऊंच नीच और छूत छात को भी मानते हैं।
जबकि इस्लाम में न वर्ण व्यवस्था है और न ही छूत छात। इस्लाम सब इंसानों को बराबर मानता है और आजकल हिंदुस्तानी क़ानून भी यही कहता है और हिंदू भाई भी इसी इस्लामी विचार को अपनाने की कोशिश कर रहे हैं।
12. सनातनी हिंदू और आर्य समाजी, दोनों ही वैदिक धर्म की परंपरा का पालन करते हुए चोटी रखते हैं और जनेऊ पहनते हैं।
जबकि इस्लाम में न तो चोटी है और न ही जनेऊ।

13. सनातनी हिंदू और आर्य समाजी, दोनों ही वेद के अनुसार 16 संस्कार को मानते हैं, जिनमें एक विवाह भी है। इस संस्कार के अनुसार पत्नी अपने पति के मरने के बाद भी उसी की पत्नी रहती है और उससे बंधी रहती है। पति तो पत्नी का परित्याग कर सकता है लेकिन पत्नी उसे त्याग नहीं सकती।
जबकि इस्लाम में निकाह एक क़रार है जो पति की मौत से या तलाक़ से टूट जाता है और इसके बाद औरत उस मर्द की पत्नी नहीं रह जाती। वह अपनी मर्ज़ी से अपना विवाह फिर से कर सकती है। इस्लाम में पति तलाक़ दे सकता है तो पत्नी के लिए भी पति से मुक्ति के लिए ख़ुलअ की व्यवस्था की गई है।
अब हो यह रहा है कि सनातनी और आर्य समाजी, दोनों ही ख़ुद वेद की व्यवस्था से हटकर इस्लामी व्यवस्था को फ़ोलो कर रहे हैं। विधवाओं के पुनर्विवाह वे धड़ल्ले से कर रहे हैं। जब मुसलमानों ने अपने निकाह को विवाह की तरह संस्कार नहीं बनाया तो फिर हिंदू भाई अपने संस्कार को इस्लामी निकाह की तरह क़रार क्यों और किस आधार पर बना रहे हैं ?
जिस व्यवस्था पर विश्वास है, उस पर चलने के बजाय वे इस्लामी व्यवस्था का अनुकरण क्यों कर रहे हैं ?

14. विवाह को संस्कार मानने का नतीजा यह हुआ कि विधवा औरतों को हज़ारों साल तक बड़ी बेरहमी से जलाया जाता रहा। यहां तक कि इस देश में मुसलमान और ईसाई आए और उनके प्रभाव और हस्तक्षेप से हिंदुओं की चेतना जागी कि सती प्रथा के नाम पर विधवा को जलाना धर्म नहीं बल्कि अधर्म है और तब उन्होंने अपने धर्म को उनकी छाया प्रति बना लिया और लगातार बनाते जा रहे हैं।

15. विवाह की तरह ही गर्भाधान भी एक हिंदू संस्कार है। जब किसी पति को गर्भाधान करना होता है या अपनी पत्नि से किसी अन्य पुरूष का नियोग करवाना होता है तो वह 4 पंडितों को बुलवाता है और वे चारों पंडित पूरे दिन बैठकर वेदमंत्र पढ़ते हैं। उसके घर में खाते पीते हैं। उसके घर में यज्ञ करते हैं। उस यज्ञ से बचे हुए घी को मलकर औरत नहाती है और फिर पूरी बस्ती में घूम घूम कर बड़े बूढ़ों को बताती है कि आज उसके साथ क्या होने वाला है ?
बड़े बूढ़े अपनी अनुमति और आशीर्वाद देते हैं, तब जाकर पति महाशय या कोई अन्य पुरूष उस औरत के साथ वेद के अनुसार सहवास करता है।
जबकि इस्लाम में गर्भाधान संस्कार ही नहीं है और पत्नि को किसी ग़ैर मर्द के साथ सोने के लिए बाध्य करना बहुत बड़ा जुर्म और गुनाह है।
मुसलमान पति पत्नी जब चाहे सहवास कर सकते हैं। शोर पुकार मचाकर लोगों को इसकी इत्तिला देना इस्लाम में असभ्यता और पाप है।
आजकल हिंदू भाई भी इसी रीति से अपनी पत्नियों को गर्भवती कर रहे हैं क्योंकि यही रीति नेचुरल और आसान है।
धर्म सदा ही नेचुरल और आसान होता है।
मुश्किल में डालने वाली चीज़ें ख़ुद ही फ़ेल हो जाती हैं। लोग उनका पालन करना चाहें तो भी नहीं कर पाते। शायद ही आजकल कोई गर्भाधान संस्कार करता हो। इस्लामी रीति से पैदा होने के बावजूद इस्लाम पर नुक्ताचीनी करना केवल अहसानफ़रामोशी है। जिसका कारण अज्ञानता है।

16.

18. शंकराचार्य जी के अनुसार हरेक वर्ण और लिंग के लिए वेद को पढ़ने और पढ़ाने की आज़ादी नहीं है।
जबकि क़ुरआन सबके लिए है। किसी भी रंगो-नस्ल के नर नारी इसे जब चाहंे तब पढ़ सकते हैं।

19. इसी के साथ हिंदू धर्म अर्थात वैदिक धर्म में चार आश्रम भी पाए जाते हैं।
ब्रह्मचर्य आश्रम, गृहस्थ आश्रम, वानप्रस्थ आश्रम, सन्यास आश्रम
अति संक्षेप में 8वें वर्ष बच्चे का उपनयन संस्कार करके उसे वेद पढ़ने के लिए गुरूकुल भेज दिया जाए और बच्चा 25 वर्ष तक वीर्य की रक्षा करे। इसे ब्रह्मचर्य आश्रम कहते हैं। लेकिन हमारे शहर का संस्कृत महाविद्यालय ख़ाली पड़ा है। शहर के हिंदू उसमें अपने बच्चों को पढ़ने के लिए भेजते ही नहीं जबकि शहर के कॉन्वेंट स्कूल हिंदू बच्चों से भरे हुए हैं। जहां सह शिक्षा होती है और जहां वीर्य रक्षा संभव ही नहीं है, जहां वेद पढ़ाए ही नहीं जाते,
जहां धर्म नष्ट होता है, हिंदू भाई अपने बच्चों को वहां क्यों भेजते हैं ?
ख़ैर हमारा कहना यह है कि आजकल हिंदू भाई ब्रह्मचर्य आश्रम का पालन नहीं करते और न ही वे 50 वर्ष का होने पर वानप्रस्थ आश्रम का पालन करते हुए जंगल जाते हैं और सन्यास आश्रम भी नष्ट हो चुका है।
आज हिंदू धर्म के चारों आश्रम नष्ट हो चुके हैं और हिंदू भाई अब अपने घरों में आश्रम विहीन वैसे ही रहते हैं जैसे कि मुसलमान रहते हैं क्योंकि इस्लाम में तो ये चारों आश्रम होते ही नहीं।

ज़रा सोचिए कि अगर इस्लाम हिंदू धर्म की छाया प्रति होता तो उसमें भी वही सब होता जो कि हिंदू धर्म में हज़ारों साल से चला आ रहा है और उन बातों से आज तक हिंदू जनमानस पूरी तरह मुक्ति न पा सका।
चार आश्रम, 16 संस्कार, विधवा विवाह निषेध, नियोग, वर्ण-व्यवस्था, छूत छात, ब्याज, शूद्र तिरस्कार, देवदासी प्रथा, ईश्वर के मंदिर में नाच गाना, चोटी, जनेऊ और ब्राह्मण को दान आदि जैसी बातें जो कि हिंदू धर्म अर्थात वैदिक धर्म में पाई जाती हैं, उन सबसे इस्लाम आखि़र कैसे बच गया ?
इन बातों के बिना इस्लाम को हिंदू धर्म की छाया प्रति कैसे कहा जा सकता है ?

हक़ीक़त यह है कि इस्लाम किसी अन्य धर्म की छाया प्रति नहीं है बल्कि ख़ुद ही मूल धर्म है और पहले से मौजूद ग्रंथों में धर्म के नाम पर जो भी अच्छी बातें मिलती हैं वे उसके अवषेश और यादगार हैं, जिन्हें देखकर लोग यह पहचान सकते हैं कि इस्लाम सनातन काल है, हमेशा से यही मानव जाति का धर्म है।
ईश्वर के बहुत से नाम हैं। हरेक ज़बान में उसके नाम बहुत से हैं। उसके बहुत से नामों में से एक नाम ‘अल्लाह‘ है। यह नाम क़ुरआन में भी है और बाइबिल में भी और संस्कृत ग्रंथों में भी। ईश्वर का निज नाम यही है लेकिन उसके निज नाम को ही भुला दिया गया। ईष्वर के नाम को ही नहीं बल्कि यह भी भुला दिया गया कि सब एक ही पिता की संतान हैं। सब बराबर हैं। जन्म से कोई नीच और अछूत है ही नहीं। ऐसा तब हुआ जब आदम और नूह (अ.) को भुला दिया गया जिनका नाम संस्कृत ग्रंथों में जगह जगह आया है। इन्हें यहूदी, ईसाई और मुसलमान सभी पहचानते हैं। हिंदू भाई इन्हें ऋषि कहते हैं और मुसलमान इन्हें नबी कहते हैं। इनके अलावा भी हज़ारों ऋषि-नबी आए और हर ज़माने में आए और हर क़ौम में आए। सबने लोगों को यही बताया कि जिसने तुम्हें पैदा किया है तुम्हारा भला बुरा बस उसी एक के हाथ में है, तुम सब उसी की आज्ञा का पालन करो। ऋषियों और नबियों ने मानव जाति को हरेक काल में एक ही धर्म की शिक्षा दी। । वे सिखाते रहे और लोग भूलते रहे। आखि़रकार पैग़म्बर हज़रत मुहम्मद सल्लल्लाहु अलैहि वसल्लम इस दुनिया में आए और फिर उसी भूले हुए धर्म को याद दिलाया और ऐसे याद दिलाया कि अब किसी के लिए भूलना मुमकिन ही न रहा।
जब दबंग लोगों ने कमज़ोरों का शोषण करने के लिए धर्म में बहुत सी अन्यायपूर्ण बातें निकाल लीं, तब ईश्वर ने क़ुरआन के रूप में अपनी वाणी का अवतरण पैग़म्बर हज़रत मुहम्मद साहब सल्लल्लाहु अलैहि वसल्लम के अन्तःकरण पर किया और पैग़म्बर साहब ने धर्म को उसके वास्तविक रूप में स्थापित कर दिया। जिसे देखकर लोगों ने ऊंच नीच, छूतछात और सती प्रथा जैसी रूढ़ियों को छोड़ दिया। बहुतों ने इस्लाम कहकर इस्लाम का पालन करना आरंभ कर दिया और उनसे भी ज़्यादा वे लोग हैं जिन्होंने इस्लाम के रीति रिवाज तो अपना लिए लेकिन इस्लाम का नाम लिए बग़ैर। इन्होंने इस्लामी उसूलों को अपनाने का एक और तरीक़ा निकाला। इन्होंने यह किया कि इस्लामी उसूलों को इन्होंने अपने ग्रंथों में ढूंढना शुरू किया जो कि मिलने ही थे। अब इन्होंने उन्हें मानना शुरू कर दिया और दिल को समझाया कि हम तो अपने ही धर्म पर चल रहे हैं।
ये लोग हिंदू धर्म के प्रवक्ता बनकर घूमते हैं। ऐसे लोगों को आप आराम से पहचान सकते हैं। ये वे लोग हैं जिनके सिरों पर आपको न तो चोटी नज़र आएगी और न ही इनके बदन पर जनेऊ और धोती। न तो ये बचपन में ये गुरूकुल गए थे और न ही 50 वर्ष का होने पर ये जंगल जाते हैं। हरेक जाति के आदमी से ये हाथ मिलाते हैं। फिर भी ये ख़ुद को वैदिक धर्म का पालनकर्ता बताते हैं।
ख़ुद मुसलमान की छाया प्रति बनने की कोशिश कर रहे हैं और कोई इनकी चालाकी को न भांप ले, इसके लिए ये एक इल्ज़ाम इस्लाम पर ही लगा देते हैं कि ‘इस्लाम तो हिंदू धर्म की छायाप्रति है‘
ये लोग समय के साथ अपने संस्कार और अपने सिद्धांत बदलने लगातार बदलते जा रहे हैं और वह समय अब क़रीब ही है जब ये लोग इस्लाम को मानेंगे और तब उसे इस्लाम कहकर ही मानेंगे।
तब तक ये लोग यह भी जान चुके होंगे कि ईश्वर का धर्म सदा से एक ही रहा है। ‘
एक ईश्वर की आज्ञा का पालन करना‘ ही मनुष्य का सनातन धर्म है। अरबी में इसी को इस्लाम कहते हैं। इस्लाम का अर्थ है ‘ईश्वर का आज्ञापालन।‘
इसके अलावा मनुष्य का धर्म कुछ और हो भी कैसे सकता है ?
वर्ण व्यवस्था जा चुकी है और इस्लाम आ चुका है। 
जिसे जानना हो, वह जान ले !

सलाउद्दीन अय्यूबी
/Salahddin Ayyub
मिस्त्र तथा सीरिया के
सूल्तान
शासनकाल
1174 – 4 मार्च 1193
पूरा नाम
अल नासिर सलाउद्दीन यूसूफ इब्ने अय्यूब
पिता
नजमउद्दीन अय्यूब
जन्म
1137 ईस्वी
तिकरीत उच्च मेसोपोटामिया, अब्बासी ख़िलाफ़त
मृत्यु
4 मार्च 1193 ईस्वी
दमिश्क, सीरिया
धर्म
इस्लाम

सलाउद्दीन अय्यूबी र० अ०: अंग्रेजी An-Nasir Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub सलाउद्दीन युसुफ इब्न अय्युब का जन्म 1138, निधन 4 मार्च में हुआ। वह 1193 बारहवीं शताब्दी के एक मुस्लिम योद्धा थे। जो समकालीन उतरी इराक का रहने वाले थे। उस समय के देश (शाम) सीरिया और मिस्त्र के शासक थे। सीरिया और मिस्त्र के सुल्तान नुरुद्दीन जंगी की मृत्यु के बाद उनके दो भाई शासन करने लगे ,लेकिन जब एक के बाद दोनों भाइयो की मृत्यु हो गई तो अब नुरुद्दीन जंगी के सबसे बफादार और करीबी सलाउद्दीन को शासक बनाया गया। सलाउद्दीन ने 1187 में जब येरुशलम पर विजय प्राप्त करी तो पोप के आह्वाहन पर इंग्लैंड का बादशाह रिचर्ड दा लाइन हार्ट (Richard the Lionheart) फ्रांस का बादशाह और जर्मनी का बादशाह फेडरिक (Frederick Barbarossa) की सेना ने हमला किया लेकिन सलुद्दीन ने अलग अलग युध्दो में फेडरिक की सेनाओ को पराजित किया। सलाहुद्दीन जितने बढ़े योद्धा थे, उतने ही बड़े और कुशल शासक थे। इसके साथ ही न्यायप्रिय और रहम दिल भी थे। यही कारण है कि यूरोप के इतिहासकार भी उनके सम्मान और महानता में प्रसंशा करते हैं। एक बार जब इंग्लैंड के शासक रिचर्ड ने मुसलमानों से अकरा का किला जीत लिया और मुस्लिम सेना ने किले को घेर लिया और युद्ध आरंभ हो गया ,उसी समय रिचर्ड बीमार पड़ गया और कोई अच्छा हकीम (वेध)नहीं मिल रहा था ,तब सलाउद्दीन ने अपना हकीम को दवाइयों के साथ रिचर्ड के पास भेजा और उसका इलाज करवाया। इस्लामी इतिहासकार तो यह तक कह देते हैं कि इस्लामी रशीदुन खलीफाओँ के बाद इतना कुशल शासक चरित्रवान और योद्धा कोई नहीं हूआ। बारहवीं सदी के अंत में उनके अभियानों के बाद ईसाई-मुस्लिम द्वंद्व में एक निर्णायक मोड़ आया और जेरुशलम के आसपास कब्जा करने आए यूरोपी ईसाईयों का सफाया हो गया। क्रूसेड युध्दो में ईसाईयों को हराने के बावजूद उसकी यूरोप में छवि एक कुशल योद्धा तथा विनम्र सैनिक की तरह है। सन् 1898 में जर्मनी के राजा विलहेल्म द्वितीय ने सलाउद्दीन की कब्र को सजाने के लिए पैसे भी दिए थे। उनकी मृत्यु के समय उनके पास कुछ दिरहम मात्र ही थे ,क्योंकि वह अपनी आय को लोगो की भलाई के लिए खर्च कर देते थे। उनकी मृत्यु के समय क्रिया-कर्म भी उनके मित्रो ने मिलके करबाया। सलाउद्दीन की प्रसिद्धी इस बात से की जा सकती है कि फिलिस्तीन में बच्चे उसके शोर्य का गान करते हूए कहते हैं –

Theologically speaking, the universality of Prophet Muhammad’s message (peace and blessings be upon him) comes from the concept of Allah who is the God of all, not only the God of Muslims.

Allah describes Himself in the first chapter of the Qur’an -which is recited by all Muslims around the world in their five daily Prayers- as “Rabb al-`Alamin” i.e. the Allah of all creation. Whether humans are aware of this fact or not, Allah is the God of all mankind – Muslims, Christians, atheists, etc. – regardless of their differences. Allah is the Creator of everything, with no exception. The Qur’an declares that a gigantic star and an atom are shoulder to shoulder, worshipping Allah; flies and elephants are brothers and sisters; all of creation is here to help us understand the meaning and the mystery of the universe.

Arabia Before the Noble Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)

Before addressing the universality of Prophet Muhammad’s (peace and blessings be upon him) message, it is essential to focus our attention to the era when Muhammad’s (peace and blessings be upon him) message first emerged: fourteen hundred years ago in pre-Islamic Arabia. Although there were some positive characteristics of Arabs before Islam, such as generosity, courage, and dignity, the feudal system of society was so harsh that the marginalized almost did not have any rights. Slaves were persecuted, women were sold like property, and female infants in many cases were buried alive as part of traditional tribal honor. Wars between tribes broke out uncontrollably. People worshipped idols and made their own gods according to their own desires.

In the midst of such chaos, the holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was born in 571 CE. Throughout his adulthood he was not satisfied with the tribal traditions of his society. He (peace and blessings be upon him) would go into seclusion and meditate for a long time, particularly for the whole month of Ramadan. In the year 610 C.E., he (peace and blessings be upon him) experienced the first revelation which changed him and transformed the world forever. The revelation that came to Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) over a span of twenty-three years, constituted the Holy Scripture of Islam, the Qur’an, which literally means the recitation. In a very short period of time, despite hostile reaction to his message, the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) kindness and tenderness made an impact on the hearts of many in the city of Makkah. He (peace and blessings be upon him) did not consider himself a deity or a part of Allah, rather he (peace and blessings be upon him) saw himself as the servant and Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) who was to convey Allah’s message to the world.

The Holy Qur’an speaks of many prophets, like Abraham, Moses, John the Baptist, and Jesus (peace be upon them all). There are chapters in the Noble Qur’an named after some of these prophets. There are also particular verses about the personality of the Prophet of Islam. In one verse, the Qur’an speaks of him as “rahmatan lil al-`Amīn” i.e. “a mercy for realms and worlds”. In order to understand the meaning of being merciful to creation, Islamic scholars ask us to think of the oppression that was occurring in the world into which Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was born and the transformation that Muhammad’s (peace and blessings be upon him) message made.

Universal Message

Although Prophet Muhammad’s (peace and blessings be upon him) message addressed Arabs first, its nearest audience, it was not limited to a particular nation. Many Qur’anic verses transcend locality, region, ethnicity, and nationality by starting with the call, “O Human beings,” or “O People.”   The Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) message brings the idea that everything in creation is a living, chanting, obedient worshipper of Allah, regardless of whether they are humans, animals, or other creatures. In the Qur’an said,

(The seven heavens and the earth, and all beings therein, declare His glory: there is not a thing but celebrates His praise; And yet you understand not how they declare His glory) (Al-Israa’  17:44)

He invites the reader to enter the world in which the Qur’an was revealed and see the darkness that dominated it. In Arabia, before the Prophet, the meaning of creatures was not recognized. The Qur’anic revelation breathed life into the world of nature and taught that the creatures around us were not dead and meaningless matters. Instead, all of them were praising Allah with great joy through their own languages. The same Islamic scholar invites the audience to ride the vehicle of history and travel to the land of Arabia to see the situation there before and after the emergence of Islam. One should keep in mind that to change a little vice, such as a bad habit, is difficult enough, let alone changing the minds and the hearts of an entire society as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did. Even in our modern world, with a comparison made by this Islamic scholar, if one hundred philosophers with all their knowledge were to go to Arabia and work for one hundred years, they would not be able to make the changes that Muhammad made in twenty-three years. He successfully transformed this wild society into a civilized community and shaped leaders for a new civilization.

Transformation Embodied

If one would like to see the power of transformation that Noble Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) made, one needs only to look at `Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), the second caliph: `Umar before Islam and `Umar after Islam. `Umar himself said that he remembered two things from his pre-Islamic life: one, he would cry for, and the other he would laugh at. He cried that he buried his own daughter alive and he was still hearing her voice calling him. He laughed that he made god out of pressed dates which people ate when they were hungry. The new `Umar became a symbol of justice for the whole world. After Islam, during his caliphate, `Umar is known for the following statement: “If a lamb at the shore of the Euphrates was taken by a wolf, (I am afraid that) Allah would ask me about it.” Out of compassion, he would walk among houses at night and see if there was anyone who needed food and he would anonymously feed them. It was the universal message of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) that transformed `Umar into such a high persona of humanity.

Mercy and compassion constitute the foundation of the Prophet’s universal message. In Basmalah -the beginning statement that comes before 113 chapters of the Qur’an- Allah is described as having two attributes, the “Most Merciful and the Most Compassionate.” This very statement has become the symbol of Islam. The Qur’anic verse says,

(We sent you not, but as a Mercy for all creatures) (21:107)

Being merciful towards all creation, Muhammad’s personal life has become a reflection of this Qur’anic verse. In his relationships with people, he always smiled and no one ever heard a bad word from his mouth. In his family life, he showed the same mercy to his wives and children. His companion Anas ibn Malik, who faithfully served him for 13 years, witnessed this mercy, saying that he never received any reprimand for his service, despite his mistakes.

All People Are Equal

The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was also very sensitive towards human sufferings. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) heard of a slave being tortured, he (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded one of his Companions to buy that slave’s freedom. His famous hadith about the treatment of slaves is a great example of his universal teachings. He (peace and blessings be upon him)  used to say, “Your slaves are your brothers and Allah has put them under your command. So whoever has a brother under his command should feed him of what he eats and dress him of what he wears. Do not ask them (slaves) to do things beyond their capacity (power) and if you do so, then help them.” (Bukhari)

Slaves demonstrated great love toward Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). On one occasion, he (peace and blessings be upon him) asked Zayd ibn Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him), a slave he (peace and blessings be upon him) freed, if he would like to go back with his father who had come to take him, and Zayd refused, preferring to stay with the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

The Messenger’s (peace and blessings be upon him) Farewell Sermon on the plain of `Arafat also has remarkable aspects of the universality of his message. In this sermon, he (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke about women, the relationship between races, and slaves. In fact, because of Muhammad’s (peace and blessings be upon him) message, within the span of thirty years after his death it was difficult to find slaves in Arabia. The Qur’anic verse clearly says that,

(O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you)(Al-Hujurat 49:13)

In his Last Sermon, the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) emphasized this aspect of his message. He said that all humankind is from Adam and Eve: an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab and a non-Arab has no superiority over an Arab. Also, a white person has no superiority over a black one and a black person has no superiority over a white one. Furthermore, of women he stressed that it is true that husbands have certain rights in regard to their women, but their women also have rights over them. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) successfully established a sense of responsibility and conscience in the minds and hearts of his people.

Universal Mercy for Enemies and Animals

The Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) mercy even extended to his enemies—he (peace and blessings be upon him) never sought revenge.

It is reported that in one of the battles some of the Companions went to him, to find a bedouin sitting with him. “Allah’s Apostle (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “This (bedouin) took my sword out of its sheath while I was asleep. When I woke up, the naked sword was in his hand and he said to me, ‘Who can save you from me?’, I replied, ‘Allah.’ … (Now) here he is (sitting).” Allah’s Apostle (peace and blessings be upon him) did not punish him (for that)” (Bukhari). In another authentic narration, that Bedouin –called Ghawrath- was forgiven by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and allowed to return to his tribe. The man told his people, “I am now coming from the presence of the best of men.”

The Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) universal message of mercy did not include only human beings, but also animals. `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said “We were with the Apostle of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) during a journey. He went to ease himself. We saw a bird with her two young ones and we captured her young ones. The bird came and began to spread its wings. The Apostle of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came and said: “Who grieved this for its young ones? Return its young ones to it.” He (peace and blessings be upon him) also saw an ant village that we had burnt. He (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: “Who has burnt this?” We replied: “We did”. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “It is not proper to punish with fire except the Lord of fire.” (Abu Dawud). On another occasion, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) saw a donkey on the road with a brand on its face, and said, “Allah’s curse is on him who branded it.” (Muslim).

Jabir ibn `Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a camel came to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), prostrated itself as a sign of respect, and knelt beside him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked about its owner, so a group of young people from the Ansar said they are the owners. He (peace and blessings be upon him) asked them what is wrong with it, they said that they used it for twenty years till it became old, so they decided to slaughter it. He (peace and blessings be upon him) asked them to treat it well till it dies. Moreover, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)asked Muslims not to over-burden animals by riding on their backs during their talks.

To conclude, the famous Muslim poet, Rumi, wrote:

The light of Muhammad (pbuh) has become distributed in millions of pieces

And has encompassed the whole world.

The Prophet (pbuh) was like the lightening of that light.

When it strikes, all veils of disbelief are torn and

Thousands of monks are influenced by Muhammad (pbuh)and run toward him.

His Words are all pearls from the ocean of reality

Because his heart was united with the ocean of truth.

It is widely known that some important persons in any given land are given extraordinary privileges and immunity. They are not treated like the ordinary people and laymen.

In the matter of fact, the point of Islam can be reflected clearly in the following verse:

“ …Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you…”(Al-Hujurat 49:13)

He also says:

“O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah , even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both. So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.”(An-Nisaa’ 4:135)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“Allah, the Almighty, does not consider how your appearances or how rich you are, rather He looks to your hearts and your deeds”.(Ahmad)

It can be said after these proofs from the Qur’an and the Sunnah that there is no place in Islam for preference based upon wealth, power, or family.

These preferences will definitely hinder the way of achieving justice. Islam on the contrary, encourages achieving justice as soon as possible to the best of our ability. Neither wealth nor property or power can be taken into consideration when judging people. It rather depends upon how righteous one is. God says:

“And whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, while being a believer – those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged, [even as much as] the speck on a date seed.”(An-Nisaa’ 4:124)

There is no discrimination in Islam based on sex, racism, or nationality. Everyone is equal in the eyes of God and everyone deserves their rights equally. Islamic History is a witness to that fact in many instances. For example: `Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), the fourth Caliph (and the Prophet’s son in Law and cousin), commanding a Muslim state as big as China, misplaced his shield that he used in defending Islam and the Muslims years before when Muslims were persecuted in the days of the Prophet.

He found a Jewish man with his shield. And had the police confiscate it. The matter was taken to court and Ali’s only evidence that the shield was his, was his word. On the other hand the Jewish man described it and brought witnesses saying they knew it to be his and so forth. The judge ruled in favor of the Jewish man for the evidence provided. Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) accepted the court ruling to not be unjust as someone else who challenged the court wouldn’t be successful.

It should be noted that the reason we know this story is because that Jewish man later went to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and asked him why he didn’t kill him and take it back. Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) says the courts were made to uphold justice and he was lacking in evidence. The Jewish man handed him the shield and said ‘I bear witness that Allah is one and that Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is His messenger’.

This statement converted him from a Jew to a Muslim. `Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him: ‘What lead you to such a great decision?’ He replied: ‘We are told that Muhammad can’t be a Prophet because he wasn’t Jewish, but I know that it is only the Prophets who can leave a law which its adherents so sincerely apply it in Justice’. Ali (may Allah be pleased with him)then gave him back the shield and told him: ‘This is a gift for your having received guidance’.

The mosque of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) played the role of the seat of the first Islamic government. In the mosque, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to spend long hours on a daily basis discussing, deciding and executing many affairs related to administering the state. Jihad (striving in the way of Allah) and state defense strategies were also initiated and concluded in the realm of the mosque.

When returning from a journey, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to go to his mosque first. There he would perform a short prayer of two units (rak’ah). Then, he would sit in the mosque and attend to the people and their needs.

As he was the head of the Madinah government and the leader of the state, it was only appropriate for the Prophet’s houses to be built in the closest proximity to his mosque. Thus, against the outer side of the eastern wall of the mosque, the houses for the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his household were built. The eastern wall of the mosque was integrated into the configurations of the houses serving as their western wall. The doors of the houses opened into the mosque proper. In total, there were nine houses. The location of the Prophet’s houses (his official residences) vis-ˆ-vis his mosque implied convenience, accessibility, transparency and responsibility towards the people. Otherwise stated, it implied all the qualities needed for an excellent, competent, just and people-friendly government.

In his mosque, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) received foreign dignitaries. A tent was set up in the mosque where from time to time some of the Prophet’s guests would stay. Some guests would stay even in the suffah (a section in the mosque meant for the lodging of the poorest people in Madinah). However, more often than not, most of his guests would stay in some lofty houses which belonged to some companions and which had been appointed earlier for the purpose. When receiving foreign delegations, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to put on the most beautiful apparel he had. He would furthermore ask his nearest companions to do the same.

Some of the Prophet’s guests were non-Muslims or recent converts. As such, receiving them and making them stay in the mosque could soften their hearts, or could change for the better their stance on Islam and Muslims. The mosque was a center for promoting mutual understanding, tolerance and unity. It was the first active center in history for interfaith dialogue and cooperation. When a Christian delegation from Najran, a city in southwestern Arabian Peninsula, visited the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), he met them nowhere else but in the shades of his mosque. Their number was 60. They were led by a group of their priests. When the time of one of their prayers was due, they were allowed to pray right inside the mosque.

In addition, since many Jews were residents of Madinah, their constant interactions with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and the Muslims at many levels, are well-documented. During the abovementioned visit by the Christians from Najran, a group of Jewish rabbis from Madinah likewise joined them and their discussion with the Prophet (pbuh). Such was truly an awesome sight, a dialogue between three Abrahamic monotheistic faiths and between some of their highest representatives, which was hosted by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) inside his mosque, one of the holiest places in Islam. This particular role of the Prophet’s mosque was a cause for revealing this Qur’anic verse: “Say: ‘O People of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Come to an agreement between us and you: that we shall worship none but Allah, and that we shall ascribe no partner unto Him, and that none of us shall take others for lords beside Allah.’ And if they turn away, then say: ‘Bear witness that we are they who have surrendered (unto Him)” (Alu ‘Imran, 3:64).

Allah also says, instructing Muslims, initiators and major stakeholders in interfaith dialogues, especially with Jews and Christians: “And do not dispute with the People of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) except by what is best, except those of them who act unjustly, and say: We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you, and our Allah and your Allah is One, and to Him do we submit” (al-‘Ankabut, 29:46).

The mosque every so often also served as a revenue distribution center. When some goods collected in Bahrain as land tax came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) – the biggest amount ever received during the Prophet’s time – he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gathered the people in his mosque where everything till the last coin was fairly distributed.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) acted in his mosque as a judge too. However, the execution of sentences took place outside the mosque proper. The necessary punishments were implemented outside the mosque because they entailed several elements, such as spilling blood, noisy commotions, uttering improper words, cursing, et cetera, which were grossly inappropriate inside mosques. This, however, by no means implies that the punishments were carried out in isolation away from the public eye. Quite the opposite, they were carried out in relatively public places, some of which even adjoined the Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) mosque, serving as a deterrent against future crimes and criminals. Implementing the punishments, especially those for serious crimes, in a public place witnessed by members of the public, was an integral part of the Prophet’s government’s system of practices which were aimed at upholding people’s moral and ethical behavior, as well as at deterring and mitigating crime. Hence, Allah says, for example, that when an adulterer and an adulteress are about to be flogged with a hundred stripes as a punishment for their shameful misdeed, a party of believers should witness the act (al-Nur, 24:2).

In view of the Prophet’s mosque having served as the seat of the Prophet’s government, some messengers representing some external tribes and communities would routinely upon entering Madinah go straight away to the mosque. In it, they were able to find either the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) or somebody else who would meet them and answer their queries. Some such messengers had acquaintance neither with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) nor with the city of Madinah and its residents. However, they had an idea as to the importance of the Prophet’s mosque, which posed a relief to them, as well as a springboard for discovering, knowing and experiencing everything that they had come for. An example of this is the arrival of a man called Dimam b. Tha’labah who was dispatched by his people to meet the Prophet (pbuh). Entering the mosque, he found the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) with a group of his companions. But so similar to others in both apparel and demeanor was the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that the man, just like most other strangers, found it as good as impossible to recognize him. So the man had to ask some companions who the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was.

However, at times there were some people who fell short of grasping the real meaning and sanctity of the mosque, needing some time to do so. At the same time, furthermore, they also failed to grasp the real meaning and sanctity of the house institution in Islam. Thus, because Prophet Muhammad’s houses abutted his mosque, their doors opening into it, the privacy and peace of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his household were occasionally seriously threatened by the misconduct of those people. The Prophet (pbuh), however, had no choice but to patiently put up with some considerable discomfort until Allah by means of revelation eventually intervened and as a form of education to the people concerned brought the said matter to an end. Allah thus says in the Qur’an: “(As for) those who call out to you from behind the private apartments, surely most of them do not understand. And if they wait patiently until you come out to them, it would certainly be better for them, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful” (al-Hujurat, 4-5). According to a number of accounts, some people used to call out impatiently and rudely to the Prophet (pbuh), most probably from inside his mosque, while he was spending some of his scarce free time inside his houses, without respecting his and his household’s peace and privacy, and without waiting patiently until he came out to them and attended to their needs.

By reason of the importance of the mentioned incidents and the lessons given as a consequence, the Qur’anic chapter which deals with them is called “al-Hujurat” which means “the private or inner (Prophet’s) apartments or houses”. Moreover, the al-Hujurat chapter was revealed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)in the ninth year following the hijrah (migration), during which a large number of deputations of all kinds thronged to Madinah to meet the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and offer their allegiance to Islam. That year in the history of Islam is thus called the “Year of Deputations.”The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to meet the delegates inside his mosque right in front of some of his houses. The pillar which stands today at that historic meeting place is called the “Pillar of Deputations” (Ustuwan al-Wufud).

Towards the same end are the following Allah’s instructions as well, also in the al-Hujurat chapter and just before the verses quoted above: “O you who believe, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet, and do not speak loud to him as you speak loud to one another, lest your deeds became null while you do not perceive. Surely those who lower their voices before Allah’s Messenger are they whose hearts Allah has proved for guarding (against evil); they shall have forgiveness and a great reward” (Al-Hujurat, 49:2-3).