MERCY FOR THE WORLD

Shaikh Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi

(Part-II & Final Part)

The second great favor conferred by Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa)’s Messenger (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) on human beings was the concept of equality and brotherhood of mankind. The world before him was divided by manifold divisions of castes and creeds, tribes and nations, some claiming ranks of nobility for themselves and condemning others to the position of serfs and chattels. It was for the first time that the world heard the revolutionary message of human equality from the Prophet of Islam (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam).

“O Mankind! Your God is one and you have but one father. You are all progeny of Adam, and Adam was made of clay. Lo! The noblest among you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. No Arab has any preference over a non-Arab save by his piety.” (Kanz-ul-Ummaal)

The Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) made this declaration on the occasion of his last Hajj (Pilgrimage) before a congregation of one hundred and twenty four thousand persons. His announcement put the seal on the twin principles of the Unity of God and the Unity of mankind. These are the two natural foundations for raising any edifice of peace and progress, friendship and cooperation between different peoples and nations. They create a twin relationship between human beings, that of One Lord and one father for all of them. Oneness of God is the spiritual principle of human equality just as common lineage of the high and the low, the white and the colored places them on the same plane of humanity.

The world was not in a frame of mind to give ears to the message of equality of human beings when it was first announced by the Prophet of Islam (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam). It was then a radical call, making a clean sweep of the then social relationships and economic and political orders. So striking and revolutionary was this call that it had sent the world into jitters. Today we find the principle of human equality everywhere in the documents if not in practice. It was all due to the pioneering efforts of the followers of Muhammad, Muslim missionaries and reformers, who made indefatigable efforts to establish a truly egalitarian Muslim society. It was this model established through their toil and tears that later on came to be accepted as the standard for human existence in this world. There was a time when numerous clans and families claimed their descent from the sun or moon. Quraan quotes the belief then held by the Jews and the Christians in these words:

“The Jews and the Christians say: We are the children of Allah and those whom He loves.” (V: 18)

The Pharaohs of Egypt claimed themselves to be the incarnation of Sun-god while India had several ruling families which arrogated themselves as the progeny of sun and moon. The Emperors of Iran called themselves Kesra or Chosroes which meant that Divine blood flowed in their veins. The last Iranian Emperor was known as Yazdgard chiefly owing to the Divine respects paid to him by his subjects. 

The Chinese rulers deemed themselves to be the sons of Heaven. They believed that the Heaven was their god, who, with his spouse, the goddess earth, has given birth to the human beings and P’au Ku, the Chinese Emperor, was the first-born son of Heaven enjoying supernatural powers. The Arabs were so proud of their language that every other nation besides their own was an Ajami or dumb to them. Likewise, the Quraish of Makkah al Mukarramah, being extremely conscious of maintaining their superiority, claimed a position of privilege even in the performance of HajSj. This was the shape of things, all over the world, when the Quraan heralded that all human beings were equal. 

“O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. Lo! the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Lo! Allah is Knower, Aware.” (XLIX:13)

In another Surah, which is the opening chapter of the Quraan, it was declared that: “Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.” (I:1)

The third great gift and a boon to the humanity bestowed by the Prophet of Islam (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) is the Islamic concept of human dignity. During the Age of Darkness when Islam made its appearance none was so ignoble and humiliated as man. Without any worth, he bad absolutely no sense of human dignity. Oftentimes trees and animals regarded as sacred owing to religious beliefs or traditions enjoyed a more coveted place than man himself. Human sacrifices at the altar of deities were a common spectacle. It was solely due to Muhammad, the Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam), that man came to appropriate the fact that human beings, the glorious creation of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa), were entitled to much more loving regard, respect and honor than any other creature. The rank holy Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) accorded to man was next only to Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa), for Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) had Himself heralded the purpose of man’s creation in these words of lasting beauty:

“He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth.” (II. 29)

Man was declared as the best of creations, the ruler of the world and all that exists in it.

“Verily We have honored the children of Adam. We carry them on the land and the sea, and have made provision of good thing for them, and have preferred them above many of those whom We created with a marked preferment.” (XVII: 70)

Man had been accustomed to associate nobility with those who claimed themselves to be the progeny of gods and demi-gods. In order that the honor of the common man was not usurped again by the selected few, the Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) announced:

“The whole of mankind is the family of Allah and he amongst His family is dearest to Him, who does good to others.” (Mishkaat ul Masaabeeh)

A celestial Tradition of the Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sall-am) alludes to the deep concern of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) for the welfare of human beings. It says:

“Allah would ask (someone) on the Day of Judgment:
“I was ill but you did not pay a visit to Me.”

The man would reply:
“How could have I paid a visit to Thee. Thou art the Lord of the worlds.”

But Allah would say:
“Do you not recollect that one of My slaves was ill. Had you gone to see him, you would have found Me by his side.”

Then Allah would again ask:
“O Son of Adam! I asked you to feed Me, but you refused it to Me.”

The man would submit:
“How could have I fed Thee, Thou art the Lord of the Worlds”.

But the reply of Allah would be:
“Do you not remember that one of My slaves had asked you for food. Didn’t you know that if you had given him food, you would have found it with Me!”

Allah would again ask, “O son of Adam! I asked you water to drink but you refused it to Me.”

The man would say in reply, “O Lord! How could have I given water to Thee. Thou art the Lord of the worlds.”

But the reply given by Allah would be: “Do you not recollect that one of My slaves asked you for water, but you refused. Did you not know that if you had given him water, you would have found it with Me.” (Saheeh Muslim)

Islam preaches unalloyed and absolute unity of God and rejects every form of anthropomorphism. Still, it employs this similitude to drive home the rank and dignity of man in the eyes of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa). Has any other religion or philosophical thought accorded a nobler place to human beings than Islam?

The Prophet of Islam, Mohammad (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) taught that the surest way to attract blessings of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) was to be kind and considerate to others.

“The Most Compassionate (Allah) is kind on those who are kind to others. If you would show kindness to those who live on the earth, He who lives in the Heaven, shall shower His blessings on you.” (Abu Dawood)

You can very well imagine the pitiable condition of man in the days when this powerful voice of human dignity had not been raised in the world. A mere whim of a king or emperor could then cost the life of a thousand men. It was then not unusual for an ambitious adventurer to put to sword the entire population of a conquered land. Alexander converted all the countries from Greece to India into a vast battlefield. Caesar played with the lives of human beings as if they were wild beasts. The two World Wars fought only recently had cost the lives of millions merely for securing markets for the industrial produce of advanced nations or to establish national or political ascendancy of certain nations over all others.

At the time when Prophet Muhammad (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) was invested with the mantle of prophethood, a general sense of pessimism springing from the worthlessness of human nature and hopelessness of Divine succor filled the air. The ancient religions of the East and the mutilated Christianity, especially in the West, had an equal share in producing that mental climate. The philosophy of re-birth, preached by the religions of ancient India, which assigned no place to the will and decision of man, meant that the present life was but a form of retribution for one’s actions during his previous life with which the Christian doctrine of Original Sin and Atonement had joined hands to shake the confidence of millions, all over the world, in the respondence and amenability of human actions. Mankind had lost faith in the mercy of God whose eternal and immutable decree seemed to have condemned man to a pre-determined destiny without reference to his evil or virtuous behavior. But Prophet Muhammad (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) affirmed that man was born with a clean slate and perfect freedom of action. He was, declared the Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam), the author of his actions, both good and evil, and deserved reward or punishment in accordance with his own decision to shape the course of his actions. Discarding the theory of vicarious Atonement, the Quraan established once for all that every man was his own redeemer.

“And that for man shall be naught, Save that wherefor he maketh effort, And that his endeavor shall be presently observed.” (LIII : 39-40)

This was a message of salvation to man which gave him a new confidence in himself and in his ability to chart out his destiny. He applied himself with a renewed vigor, confidence and determination to shape up his own life and brighten the future of humanity.

The Prophet of Islam, Mohammad (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) also declared that sins were but temporary deviations from the right path, inherent in the nature of man, and were brought about by ignorance, mistake and the promptings of the devil or man’s own sensual desires. But the innate desire of man was to regret his mistakes and seek pardon of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) with a contrite heart. To be broken in spirit by a sense of the guilt and to seek the forgiveness from Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) showed the goodness of human feature and attracted mercy of the Lord. This gospel of hope and good tidings was a revolutionary message to the despondent humanity condemned for ever by the guilt of Original Sin and his past misdoings. What a great change it meant in the prevailing atmosphere of gloom and depression of spirits is illustrated by the fact that the Prophet came to be known as “Apostle of Repentance”. Repentance, he said, did not involve faintheartedness, nor did it arise from fear of disapprobation, but was a bold and a daring step of the first man, Adam, who had thus shown the nobility of his innate nature. The Prophet of Islam, Mohammad (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) endued repentance with the sacredness attached to the acts of devotion to Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa). He preached the virtues of seeking pardon so forcefully that even the irredeemable sinners, who had lost all hope of forgiveness, resolved to turn away from the sinful ways and to begin a new life of virtue and uprightness, and many of them attained a sublimity of spirit that was envied by others.

Describing the clemency of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) which is ever willing to forgive the sinners, the Quraan employs a diction so alluringly charming that one wonder whether Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) loves them more who seek His forgiveness after deviating from the path of virtue. The Quraanic verse quoted here shows how forbearing, how tolerant and how magnanimous Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) is to the man who cares to turn towards Him for exoneration of the sins. Says the Quraan:

“Say thou: O my bondman who have committed extravagance against themselves, despair not of the mercy of Allah; verily Allah will forgive their sins altogether. Verily He! He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.” ( XXXIX: 53)

Some other verses of the Quraan exhorting the believers to acquire positive merits and to win their way to the everlasting Bliss, address them in these words:

“And vie one with another for forgiveness from your Lord, and toward the Garden as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for those who ward off (evil) : “And those who spend (of that which Allah hath given them) in ease and in adversity, those who -control their wrath and are forgiving toward mankind;. Allah loveth the good - And those who, when they do an evil thing or wrong themselves remember Allah and implore forgiveness for their sins. Who forgiveth sins save Allah only? - and will not knowingly repeat (the wrong) they did. The reward of such will be forgiveness from their Lord, and gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide for ever-a bountiful reward for workers!” (III: 133-36)

Among the characteristics of the true believers, enumerated in another verse, repentance takes precedence of all others.

“They are those who repent, who worship, who praise, who fast constantly, who bow down, who prostrate themselves, who command the reputable and restrain from the disreputable and who keep the ordinances of Allah: and bear thou glad tidings to the believers!” (IX: 112)

The place of honor accorded to those who repent of their sins is illustrated by the verses of the Quraan revealed on the occasion of the forgiveness of three Sahabah (Companions) of the holy Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam), who had been excluded from other followers for their failure to accompany the Prophet in the expedition of Tabuk. The Sahabah were Hadhrat Ka’ab bin Malik, Hadhrat Hilaal bin Umayyah and Hadhrat Maraarah bin Rabee’ who merely out of lethargy failed to join the group of Muslims for preaching and propagation of Islamic and was led by the Prophet Mohammad (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam), himself. They confessed their weakness openly. Before the verse alludes to the mistake of these Sahabah being condoned by Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa), it mentions the Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) and the Ansars and Muhajireen in order that no stigma wag attached to them after their mistakes had been pardoned. The Quraan, in this way, teaches all believers, who take the companions of the Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) as models of virtue, that no ignominy attaches to a man after a genuine change of heart. The way these verses explain the consequences of blotting out of the sins and elation of the repentant sinners can hardly be found in the scriptures of other religions or treatises on ethics. These verses read as:

“Allah hath turned in mercy to the Prophet, and to the Muhajireen and the Ansar who followed him in the hour of hardship. After the hearts of a party of then!**************** had almost swerved aside, then turned He unto them in mercy. Lo! He is Full of pity, Merciful for them.

“And to the three also (did He turn in mercy) who were left behind, when the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for them, and their own souls were straitened for them till they be thought them that there is no refuge from Allah save toward Him. Then turned He unto them in mercy that they (too) might turn (repentant unto Him). Lo! Allah! He is the Relenting, the Merciful.” (IX: 117-118)

Remission of sin leads us to one of the chief attributes of the Divine Being, that is, His mercy and compassion. The bounty of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa)’s mercy is the constant theme of the Quraan. Says Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa):

“My mercy embraceth all things” (VII: 156)

While a celestial Tradition of the Prophet Mohammad (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) tells us:

“Verily my Mercy overcomes My anger.” (XII: 37)

To despair of the Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa)’s mercy was made a cardinal sin. Quoting Jacob and Abraham, two great Prophets of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa), the Quraan announces:

“Verily none despaireth of the comfort of Allah except a people disbelieving” (XII: 37)

And further it is asid:
“who despireth of the mercy of his Lord save those who are astray ?” (XV: 56)

The misery and suffering the human race endured upon earth was, according to the Jewish and Christian doctrines, but a feeble image of the never-ending agony which awaited man in the future world. The monastic orders of the Medieval Ages had taken up this doctrine, which, in itself, was sufficiently revolting, but they had developed it with an appalling vividness and minuteness. The humanity scared by these ghastly visions and glimpses of eternal suffering, was relieved by the Prophet Mohammad (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam)’s emphasis on Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa)’s all embracing mercy and the efficacy of repentance which could wipe the slate clean of even the most vicious among the castaways of society.

And now we come to yet another gift of the prophethood of Muhammad (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) which is still more far-reaching, more beneficial to the humanity at large. This was the concept of the unity of spirit and matter, the harmony of the sacred and the mundane. He taught that the distinction made between, the two was superficial and formal for every action of man, his behavior and moral, was guided by his motive or mental attitude which, in the terminology of religion, was known as Niyyah (Intention). For no religious belief is entirely divorced from the realities of human experience in its manifold practical aspects, the intention or purpose with which any act is done sets the test of its being good or bad. It does not recognize the division between the temporal and ecclesiastical since man’s desire to propitiate Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) and to follow His commands sincerely permeates into every fiber of human activity, no matter whether it is the art of government or war, availing oneself of one’s earthly possessions or satisfaction of one’s natural desires or earning one’s living or leading a married life. With a noble intention every mundane act is turned into a virtuous deed and a means to attaining propinquity to Allh (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa). On the contrary, no merit whatsoever attaches to acts like devotion to Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) or fighting in the path of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) if the sincere desire to attain the will and pleasure of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) were absent.

The ancient world had divided life into two compartments, religious and the secular; and the result was that a wedge had been driven between those who selected one of these as the pursuit of their life. Oftentimes, the two groups were at loggerheads with one another, for, the “world” and “religion” were to them incompatible spheres of human life. Every man had to choose one of the two since nobody could be expected to travel in two boats simultaneously. The prevalent view was that the path of salvation may not through the rough and tumble of life, but away from the social, economic and political problems of worldly pursuits. No concept of religion which bars the gates to material progress and acquisition of power, riches and fame could be of interest to intelligent, capable and ambitious persons with the result that a great segment of humanity had delivered itself from the rigorous discipline of asceticism which had come to be associated with religion. By withdrawing themselves from the virtuous energies, these men had prevented the great importance of morals from appearing perceptibly in public affairs. The State had revolted against the Church and made itself free from all obligations to it. This hideous schizophrenia not only divested what was called worldly, from the gifts of spiritual beatitude, but also gave birth to the modern faithlessness and agnosticism of Europe which is now threatening to inundate the entire world, if only, because of its political and cultural supremacy. The present wave of crass materialism, loss of faith and moral debasement is but a direct consequence of the division between the spirit and matter invented by the old pagan civilizations.

The Prophet of Mercy (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam), who was sent to the humanity as a Warner as well as a Messenger of Glad tidings, converted the entire life of man into devotion to Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) by denying the existence of any cleavage between the spiritual and temporal spheres of human affairs. He demolished the wedge between the men of religion and those of the world and commended all of them to unite their efforts for attaining the pleasure of Allah and service of humanity. It was because of him that the world could see the ascetics who wore crowns on their heads and the warriors who spent their nights in devotions and prayers.

It would be difficult to conceive of a more complete transformation of life than the one brought about by the fusion of the secular and the sacred, which would require several volumes to be explained in detail.

Yet another radical change brought about by the Prophet of Islam, Mohammad (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) in the life of man was to make him conscious of the ultimate end of his life. Unaware of his goal and objective, man had his eyes fixed on profane and paltry objects. He directed his whole intelligence and labor to the acquisition of some more wealth or land or fame or power. Virtue having been associated with the pleasurable things, the main object of the vast majority of people was to sublimate their conceptions of happiness and longing with the satisfaction of carnal desires, song and color, merrymaking, fun and amusement. Revelry of the rich and powerful soon brought up a class of parasites whose whole business was to tickle the fancy of their patrons. But Prophet Muhammad (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) told man that the great business of mankind was to exert himself and strive to attain the perfect knowledge of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa); to contemplate on His nature and attributes and lead his wandering soul to divine propinquity through realization of the Unlimited; to search out the Unity of the Cause of all causes in the sterling diverse phenomena of nature; and to seek his pleasure through being kind and just and virtuous. He told man that these were the objectives whose achievement conferred a rank on him envied by the angels of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa).

Thus, the prophethood of Muhammad (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) made a clean sweep of the existing order of things in the world. The longing and desire of man was now centered on a new objective: love of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) took possession of his being; the pleasure of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) became the immortal thirst of human heart and mercy and kindness to Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa)’s creatures was recognized as the greatest virtue which became the sole object of his endeavor. It was then, after the advent of Islam that the leading feature of all the countries, Arabia and Iran, Syria and Egypt, Turkistan and Iraq, North Africa and Spain, became the search for higher and tender virtues, in the pursuit of which we find engaged thousands of souls. During this period we find innumerable men of Allh (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) preaching His love, kindness and compassion to every sentient being, merits of virtuous living, acquisition of knowledge for attaining the pleasure of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa), revulsion to cruelty and indecency and the grace of humility and modesty. They taught the lesson of human dignity and brotherhood of man and made this earth a kingdom of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa).

If you peep into the souls of these elevated souls, you would witness the unbelievable flights of their imagination, purity of their innermost feelings and nimbleness of their perceptions. You would see how they were ever willing to put their own life at stake for others, made their own children and family suffer for the good of all and sundry, compelled the autocratic kings and potentates to do justice to the weak and the poor and how rightfully just they were even to their enemies. Of a fact, it would have been difficult for us to believe today what a fine specimen of humanity, what a sublime soul, were these men of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) if the historians and biographers had not preserved a truthful record of their lives and doings.

The striking change in the manners and morals of the people was indeed a miracle worked by the holy Prophet of Islam Mohammad (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam). 

Verily, God saith in truth: “We have sent thee not save as a mercy for the peoples.”

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