How, over the passage of time, Islam got transformed into a Religion is indeed a very painful but an interesting historical phenomenon. This involves the interplay of several forces of human history. Precisely how the radical teachings of Jesus were gradually transformed into a Religion is story well described in the Quran itself. Kings and Rulers out of their vested interests and the human mind with its tendencies to follow the path of least resistance lead to this transformation. Perhaps mankind was still too immature to adopt this highly transcendent ideology. The initial momentum from the period when Islam was a living ideology however provided a great impetus to The Believers. For over six centuries they were the masters of the World in culture and scientific learning. They were pioneers in the fields of Astronomy, Medicine, Algebra, Physics and Chemistry. Their children today spread over half of the globe, are trapped in the very shackles of Religious Fundamentalism from which Islam had once liberated the entire mankind. They can only talk with pride about their glorious past. Nothing but misery is their fate. Such are the rewards of Islamic fundamentalism. This is the fate of a Religious culture. The Quran calls this the Doom. It warns of such a miserable Doom for those that follow the Disbelievers. In contrast, the liberated western philosophers proclaim and propagate the very principles that shine through the verses of the Quran. Slavery is abolished. Democracies are established. A concept of separation of the Church and the State prevails. Fundamental rights of equality and social justice are recognized
and adopted. Freedom of speech and freedom to love and live happily is proclaimed. The United States of America is the most illuminating example of people that live in the liberty and freedom which the Quran proclaims. Americanism is Mohammed’s ideal. It is a society in which The Quran lives by night and by day. Liberty and Freedom and the pursuit of happiness. What else is the Quran about?
The turn of the last century heralded a very strong movement of Islamic reconstruction and the reestablishment of Mohammed’s Quranocracy. There was a very strong move towards revivalism of Mohammed’s ideology of human liberty and the creation of a free society where mankind could flourish fearlessly. Sir Syed Ahmed Khan ( 1898) , Iqbal (1936) and Jinnah ( 1948) were the stalwarts of this great movement. Not to forget Ayub Khan, the graduate from Aligarh who strived hard for the establishment of a society free from the shackles of religion. Indeed Pakistan was created in order to reestablish Mohammed’s Quranocracy and The System of Al Salat and Al Zakat. The religious fundamentalists opposed the creation of such a Pakistan tooth and nail. To them
Al Salat meant “prayers” and Al Zakat meant “alms and charity”. When nations decline, their language attains a new passivity of meaning for all phrases that represented alive and active institutions. A negation of self, an order of worship, rituals and prayers, a belief in miraculous happenings and superstition had become the hallmark of this pseudo-Islam of the miserable Muslims. A revival of Mohammed’s Quranocracy implied death to their established institutions of exploitation. The capitalists feared that Pakistan was going to be a harbinger of death to their system.
After Pakistan was established no effort was spared by the Mullahs in averting Quranocracy. Quranocracy meant liberty and freedom from the shackles of the Mullah. “Every person will be his own priest for there is no priesthood in Islam. There is no theocracy in Islam,” declared Jinnah the founder of Pakistan.
Dear Doctor Asarulislam Syed Sahib
As-salam-mu-laikum: You wrote: “Did you know that first Islamic State, founded by Muhammad, was based on the same ideals of equality and justice, on which a thousand years later, The United States of America was founded?”
And I completely endorse it, and the explanations you have given, to understand Quranic facts have given me great hope once again. I have only recently read your articles, and message, and endorse your approach and mission and say : Jazak Allah may Allah Bless you-Ameen
I too want to understand and become a part of the Muslim Renaissance today, by understanding the rise of Islam in the 7/8/9th centuries, it is one of the most important events in world history. As it led to the development of the modern day world.
Once Muslims scholars understood the value of research, and invented & understood the fundamentals of the universe. But perhaps most important of all they pursued the cause of knowledge, translating and preserving the works of the ancients and building the world’s largest libraries – their quest for knowledge by questioning known as the ‘houses of wisdom’ laid the foundation for Oxford and Cambridge Universities. I believe this started the Age of Christian or Western Renaissance.
ASARULISLAM’S COMMENT: Thanks Ms. Shahida Mazhar Sahiba.
Aik ik kar ke hua jaatey hain tarey Raushan
Teri Manzil ki taraf mere Qadam Aatey hein
Islam’s final message was the redemption of all earlier messages, through Muhammad [SAW]’s recorded in the Quran. But today the Muslims themselves have hijacked Muhammad [SAW]’s Islam, and made it into a priesthood.
I have been protesting against it, I read the Quran, and it reaffirms, the fact, that Muhammad [SAW]’s mission was to revolt against priesthood, of mecca, 14,00nyears ago.
It was a revolt against prevalent traditions, and liberated the human spirit, and addressed Men and Women simultaneously. The last sermon of Hajj further strengthens your topic ‘Liberating the Hijacked Islam’
ASARULISLAM’S COMMENT: Thanks Ms. Shahida Mazhar Sahiba.
Aik ik kar ke hua jaatey hain tarey Raushan
Teri Manzil ki taraf mere Qadam Aatey hein
Surah Ra’ad
“God will not change the condition of a people
until they first change what is wrong in their hearts”
Look at history, and learn from previous ideas even questioning them, if those ideas/theories were true than questioning them would not change anything as the truth can stand any questions.
For example Galileo came up with the truth, because he questioned the ideas of authority, but Newton a great scientist, questioned Galileo, but Newton’s ideas were questioned by Einstein.
Similarly all the Prophets questioned oppressive authority of their times. Quran is full of their examples; let’s take a look at how Abraham [pboh] questioned the prevalent ideas of his forefathers:
Al Quran: 6 -76 -79: “When the night covered him over, He saw a star: He said: ‘This is my Lord.’ But when it set, He said: ‘I love not those that set. ‘When he saw the moon rising in splendour, he said: ‘This is my Lord.’ But when the moon set, He said: ‘unless my Lord guides me, I shall surely be among those who go astray. ‘When he saw the sun set he said: O my people I am indeed free from your [guilt] of giving partners to Allah. For me, I have set my face firmly and truly, towards him, who created the heavens and the earth, and never shall I give partners to Allah”