“This is not Islam. They have hijacked Islam”, declared the former US President, George Bush. It was the evening of September 11, 2001. The statement gave hope to the liberal Muslims worldwide who had been sick of seeing the US support the Taliban. Thousands had already immigrated to the US because Pakistan had become an unlivable country, thanks to the US.
Sir Mohammed Iqbal, Poet & Philospher
“They have hijacked Islam!” These could have been the words of Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, had he been alive; or the words of Sir Mohammed Iqbal, the greatest Islamic thinker of the 20th century, the man who gave the Pakistan idea. Such were the liberal and progressive founders of Pakistan. Jinnah and Iqbal, in their times, had been declared heretics by the Mullahs. The Mullahs had hijacked Islam through US support and now the US policy was taking a U turn.
“We will eradicate them,” declared the US President. The change in US policy towards the Taliban, heralds a new era for Islam and the Muslims. Will this ever happen? Can this become the slogan for Muslims in the new millennium? How shall we eradicate them? This is what we Muslims wondered.
I have read the Quran. I know well that the Taliban Faith is not based on the Quran, but on ‘Traditions of the Prophet’ that were concocted by the ancestors of the Taliban, some centuries ago. This is how the liberal ideology of the Quran was shackled. The Taliban are the epitome of this is the Anti-Islam that has plagued the world for centuries, transforming Muslims into a nation of helpless lepers. I have pledged allegiance to the flag of the United States. It is because the American dream of equal rights to life, liberty and pursuits of happiness is in absolute harmony with my faith. Indeed denouncing hero worship and establishing the law of God as the law of the State was the vision of the last Messenger of God. Muhammad achieved it through the power of the pen and the written word. The Messenger was the greatest human being in history who fought a crusade against the religious fundamentalists of his time. He gloriously defeated them. He abolished priesthood and established a system of social justice and equality. He set up a stateless and classless society. He gave equal rights to women. The law of God is the law of sciences. It is the law of the physiology of human need. It is the only law that guarantees to deliver equally, to everybody, food, wealth and comforts of life. Islam proclaimed the law of God as “The Accepted Order”. Islam is indeed a system of State that guarantees Peace. Islam was not a religion but Anti-Religion. The hybrid of Judeo-Christian and Zoroastrian faith is the Anti-Islam. That is religion. The Kings ostracized the liberal ideology of The Quran through ‘Traditions of the Prophet’. The classic Islam, is an ideology well preserved in the original text of The Quran. This tells us a different history of the times of Mohammed. It promises to end all forms of human misery and exploitation by establishing a system of distribution of wealth based on the law of God. The American system of government with its liberal ideals of equal rights to life liberty and pursuits of happiness are, to me, the closest the human mind can get to Mohammed’s vision. I am a Muslim and an American.
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”