Social System of Islam 4 – Brotherhood Of Faith

The name of God the benevolent the Merciful, the creator and Sustainer of the universe, peace and blessings upon his servant and messenger Muhammad forever. I mean, I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship except the one true God. And I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger and servant of God, I greet you with our usual greetings on our program, the universal greetings of peace, a greeting that has been used by all of the profits from Abraham through to Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon them all. Assalamu alaikum, which means peace beyond you. I'm your host, Ahmed Rashid. Today we continue with our series dealing with the social system of Islam. We're

having our fourth program in the series, and the topic for today's program will be brotherhood of faith. I have joining me on the program as usual, Dr. Jamal better we have St. Mary's University, brother Jamal Assalamu alaikum Ani.

Before we continue with today's program, could I have you to just take a few moments perhaps is is our fashion to go back and to summarize the main points that we talked about in our last program. Okay. In the last program, we just continue the discussion of human equality and brotherhood and we continue citing some of the sayings and deeds of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him to make it clear, in our minds, the same principles that has been already enunciated in the Quran, the Word of God itself, indicating that the only way or the only criterion for superiority between human beings is nothing but piety, let's face righteous deeds, and that God does not look into people's bodies,

wealth, or nobility of descent, but he looks into their heart that we are all children of Adam and Adams created from the same element found in clay or invest. We take the point out also that this

basic equality, and human Brotherhood is not a matter that would be extended only among the believers. But we indicated also the Quran, and the saying of the Prophet shows that the same courtesy should be extended to non Muslims as well who are not fighting with Muslims. And we cited the saying of Prophet Mohammed that whoever hurts a non Muslim living under Muslim protection, he is hurting me personally, that's hurting the Prophet.

We said also, that within this basic human equality, and brotherhood, there is nothing wrong also of having another fellowship of faith or brotherhood of faith, not as an exclusive, it's substitution of the broader human equality, but something within the boundaries of human equality and supporting of that human, broader human equality that entails other people.

And then we started just with one basic point in analyst and analyzing the nature of the Brotherhood faith, indicating that in Islam, there is no distinction between somebody who came or was born to parents who are both Muslims, or one of them is a Muslim, or a person who is I prefer a reverse rather than convert revert to Islam. It doesn't make any difference. It's not a matter of just claiming the center, but rather, what the person really is.

Well, now,

there's another area that I'd like to get some clarification from you on and that has to do with the question of

the Muslims who speak in the tongue of the Quran, who are who speak Arabic? Is there any special superiority or any privilege that is given to them by virtue of them?

having the capacity to speak in Arabic? And what about the the case of Muslims who reside near the Muslim Holly places like Mecca, Medina and so on? Is there any distinction that was made between these two categories? No, not really. I should say first that definitely it's a blessing of course for any person to either know how to speak Arabic or learn it is not. Arabic is not his mother tongue. It definitely it's a blessing. It's a good thing to help the person understand the Quran correctly and avoid some of the problems arise in translation the Quran

An act of worship when you recited again can be effected only in its original language. But this does not necessarily mean that a person, for example, who is more righteous, who does not speak Arabic, is less than someone who speaks Arabic regardless, indeed,

there is no language in itself that is regarded as a holy language, even if it's the language of the Scripture, the Quran itself is holy, because it's the Word of God. So the exact words of the Quran, in its original Arabic form, in which it was revealed, is holy, it's Divine Word. But the language itself is not necessarily wholly, indeed, in every language, including Arabic, there are profanities even, we can say that language by itself is holy. But the revelation of God in itself is

indeed, something that would be quite interesting hear about how Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him defined even language and linguistic aspects. He said, a lot of media to listen.

For Harvey, how come? That is, he said, Arabic is a tank. And whoever is able to speak it is an Arab. So he says, in other words, that the ethnic aspect is not really that significant. Yes, if you can speak the Arabic. It's not just a matter of exclusivist type of club. You can imagine today, when you tell somebody, you will be fully accepted by Germans when you speak German fluently, or by Italians, or

Spanish. So he said, Let's go beyond this kind of limited ethnic type of things. But like I said, there is knowledge of the language itself does not make for a person to be more superior to others, not at all.

Another aspect, of course, that you are raising is the question of residing or living near the holy places. Again, it's a blessing to be near those places, and to get inspiration from being too close. But it doesn't mean at all that you have any inherent superiority at all, regardless of your on behavior and understanding and practice of Islam itself. Indeed, you will find many infractions done by people who are living even in Mecca, Medina.

So the criteria in Islam is not

particularly privileged by virtue of language or living in a particular place, but face sincerity and good deeds.

Because indeed, when you look at it, this whole variations really

are based on the modern concept of nationalism or procreate type of things. Whereas in Islam, on Muslims are regarded really not as a nation, but as an unmapped, which is much wider.

And I'd like to have you perhaps expand a bit on the use the word oma at one or perhaps you could explain a little more about the the meaning of this word, and how it differs from the term nation which I noticed that you avoided using Yeah, I avoided using it because when you say nation,

that term usually is used to refer to a group of people,

either who shared one particular language, who resides in a given piece of land or geographic within some geographic boundaries, a group of people who share a particular history, or even a group of people who have some common interests, combining them usually materialistic benefits or interests, or competition, these factors and similar factors. Now when we talk about the Brotherhood of faith as viewed by Islam, this is not regarded really as a in itself as a valid or as the only true

criterion for distinction between people.

The term on that is that stomach term actually appears in the Quran itself, on my expense, like you, mmm, ah, oma, indeed, if you try and translate it in the closest possible words, means a community of believers, or a fellowship of faith, if you will.

And when we say community, we're not talking about community in a sense that some sociologists might say, you know, a group of people who are interacting face to face or living close to each other. But you're talking about

our community of believers that transcends the boundaries of place and the boundaries of time.

It transcends the boundaries of place, or geography, because Islam does not believe in this narrow nationalism. When you talk about nationalism the way most people seem to think about it, you think about a very narrow, parochial type of attitude.

Typically

expressed in the motto, my country, right or wrong glory of my country, Glory of my region or my ethnic group or whatever. This is not accepted in Islam. Indeed.

It appears that one of the major reasons of the suffering of the world in the past and today are this basic fanatic internationalism, the suffering that was inflicted on humanity and the world wars, for example, in First and Second World War. If you trace it back, you might find that it is ingrained, at least partly, in this national glory, my country right or wrong, my race is superior to all others, I have the right to subjugate everybody else because I am superior.

Indeed, hundreds of years before the world suffered a great deal or more explicitly through this kind of nationalism. The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said something very eloquent and very concise about this attitude of nationalism. He said last time in Nam, and that last year, when Mr. katella Allah subhanho wa Taala sabi hokum occurred, which means, he is none of us that is not one of us as believers, he who proclaims or calls for the term is a Serbia, which translated closely as

parochialism, fanatical, sticking to one group of people, regardless whether they are right or wrong. It is not one of us he continues, someone who fights for a cause of just parochialism,

or partisanship, it is not one of us one who dies for such kind, of course, send a companion asked him, What do you mean by a Serbian that term I was trying to translate. What do you mean by a surveyor? He said, By helping your folks or people, whether

by helping them in committing acts of oppression, or injustice, is very, very revealing, and simply says acts of injustice, which given a clear indication that the major problem facing the world today is or one of the major problems, at least to be more cautious about

is to support your own folks, whether they are ethnic group, a majority, even though they have more power in a given country or place or organization, whatever, even though they are committing some acts of oppression, which could be either oppression in a form of aggression. Outside, they say, We are the best, let's subjugate everybody else, you know, bring them under our control, or by supporting

the tyranny of the majority,

by majority people siding with each other, because they come from a certain ethnic group, for the purpose of suppressing or committing injustice to other helpless minorities. So both internal problems and external problems may lie into this basic partisanship and feeling of closeness, not on the basis of any objective faith reasons, but simply on this, you know, superficial foundations. And I think it's quite a call that was made by the prophet, the one, he did that call,

or hits it now even, you can see the great results that would come out.

Now you've just been discussing, that the ballot of faith supersedes the limits of of place.

You've already you've explained the how the saw one or perhaps I can get you to comment about the question of superseding the time limits.

What does this mean to say supersedes time limits, that means it's not time bound.

That goes back to the term that the Quran uses that believers are one brotherhood, one nation, that not only does it go across places, or ethnic groups and all these barriers, but it's also a fellowship, or brotherhood and faith that extends also vertically, not only horizontally in places but vertically in history. So that the believer does not only feel his parts of a given community of believers in his age, but he's also part of a whole caravan of believers throughout history. Maybe I can clarify that best by referring to the terms used in the Quran. For example, in in chapter 14, verse 10, in the Quran, it says in them and mimouna.

The Indeed, the believers or believers are but one single brotherhood and it doesn't specify time either other. You know, all believers throughout history are part of that brotherhood. That indicates that

it's not only even history in a sense of

Being part of a given community of believers after the first or coming of a given profits are a great religious teacher. But throughout history, total history from Adam, to the last prophet, Muhammad peace be upon him. All of these people who followed their prophets and messengers sincerely followed the true path of God, are all brothers. So all those who believed in God and tried to pursue his pleasure, into obedience throughout history, are all part of this community over here. And this is a beautiful sense that you can get that, in that way Islam does not accept the narrow, exclusivist type of approach that only those who are following this or those who are in this area

that are on the true path, but all prophets are worth following the basic truth as it's their people after them who might have changed or tampered with the teacher. But otherwise, the initial message of all the prophets has been basically the same.

To give you a clearer documentation, even from the Quran, for example, in chapter 59, verses 1010 and 11, let's say,

the prophets are addressed, or a person is induced

to express how he feels toward other believers before him and it says, and those who came after them, that's after the previous believers, say Our Lord, forgive us, and our brethren who came before us into the face, and leave not into our hearts any rancor or sense of injury against those who have believed our Lord, You are indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful. So it's not only that you feel part of the existing community of believers, but you belong also all the caravan of believers throughout history in two other citations in the Quran, and just mentioned the numbers for brevity. For example, in chapter 23, verses 5152 and similarly,

in chapter 21, verse 92,

the messengers and their followers, by consequence, are addressed in the Quran, one has to match Oh, come on, man, haha. This is your nation, or not exactly. Again, this is your own man, this is your community. We're always tempted to use the content. This is your own now your community of believers, one community throughout history, and I am your Lord. So worship me. The very interesting thing is that in one of those verses, that the one in chapter 21, it comes after a dimension of at least 15 prophets, including Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, loot zaccaria, john the baptist, Jesus, Noah, well, known in English, usually as Ezekiel, Jonah, Ishmael, jock, Idris, David, Solomon, and after

the Quran talks about all of those prophets who came in different places different times. Still, it says, this is your own community of believers, one single brotherhood, and I am your Lord. So serve me alone.

So I think this is quite important because

it shows that the question of deliverance or salvation is not a method that is restricted to people who came after a certain person or believed after a particular prophet. But it is a universal grace of God that has been granted to own prophets and all of their sincere followers. Now, what about the question of

bad relationships? How does it relate to the question of brotherhood of faith? Is there

is a one that takes precedence over over the other one?

Yes, the Brotherhood, the fifth, take precedence over all barriers, including, you might be surprised, including even blood relationship. Indeed.

The Brotherhood of fists has its foundation, from believing in God and the love of God.

Now, so basically, it is relationship in God and for God.

And the Quran indeed warns us, again is taking blood relationship or making it supersedes

the relationship of faith because this is the normal human tendency, you know, always have a soft heart just because of relatives. For example, in chapter nine, verse 24, in the Quran, it makes it clear that one should not make his his parents his children, his wife,

his brothers,

his Ken's people,

his property, home, or commerce or whatever, that all of these factors should

Never be above the love of Allah or the love of God. So in that sense, then it shows that yes, you may have good relationship with with those relatives. But the Brotherhood of faith even is relatively more significant more. But like I said, it does not necessarily mean at all, that the relatives have no claim on you in the previous series on moral teaching, which then we talked about the rights and claims of relatives.

But one should not put, for example, an unbeliever, among his relatives, or disbeliever, above his brotherhood or relationship to another person who is a believer in God because beliefs take precedence over blood relations. In fact, the Quran gives us a clear indication about how to arrive at dependence between this consideration of faith and kindness to relatives. And it talks about parents and particularly in chapter 31, verse 15,

it says that we have commented on mankind, to be kind to his parents. And then it continues, it says if those parents strive or try to,

to make you joy, and others with God to this, to associate others with God in worship, that is to take you away from the true monotheistic faiths of all the prophets. It says don't obey them. But it says in the meantime, and give them a considerate and kind on just company in this life. So even for example, if once on parents are not believers, one still should be kind to them, but you would not put his relationship with them across as it may be about relationship with with believers. In fact, in the Quran, we find several examples of mismatches. Among very, very close relatives, one would be a believer, one would be a non believer, and still, the believer cannot help

in the salvation and deliverance of his very, very close relatives, because in Islam, as it has been indicated, in different occasions,

grace of God is very essential. It's an important element and salvation. But above all, this is not a substitute for individual responsibility is true faith and practice.

Now,

are there any specific measures that are suggested for the

protection of

brotherhood? Well, there are several measures that the Islam provided. But perhaps if you allow me I'd like to

give an indication from the Quran itself, on this whole issue of mismatches, because that might again, put an accent on what is really meant by

you know, blood relationship being secondary, yes to, to fascination. For examples, at least come to mind. In the Quran, we find example of a case of, for example, a father was a believer, and a son was an unbeliever. A case of a son was a believer, and a father was an unbeliever. A case of a husband who is delivered. And a wife was not a believer. And a case of a wife was a believer, and her husband was not a believer. Would you like me to guess? What might be interesting? Okay. For example, the Quran when it speaks about the story of Prophet Noah,

you know, this no one the Ark is a story.

It says very clearly, it's especially in chapter 11, verse 46, that

Noah, when he built the ark, tried to invite his son, he says, according to my son, come with us, and don't be in the company of those unbelievers are disbelievers. And his son refused. And when the floods started, his son started going to on top of a mountain to just to avoid being drowned.

And then, when he drowned, he don't with the other unbelievers

know, as the Father, of course, was feeling a great deal of sympathy towards his son, and he was really feeling upset about it. And that's where God told him that this is not your family, even though he's your son. It's not your family having preferred unbelief, to face. That sense there was no help, even though the father was a prophet, one of the great prophets of God Himself, right. And the second example I mentioned was what son, Father, believing son, an unbelieving father. Yes, that's the case of Prophet Abraham. Yes, as you know, his father's known as a that

was an idol worship

and Abraham curse out of his love of his father, which is quite normal, instinctive. He tried to invite

him to the face of the Quran discusses a great deal about the dialogues that went between son and father's, you know, thanks to invite him to face and to try to show him the the futility of the practices that they had.

But after that, once Abraham realized that his father is just an enemy of God,

he simply disassociated himself with him. In fact, the Quran uses almost the same term, like in chapters, for example, nine verse 115. It says that when Abraham realized that his father is an enemy of God, he disassociated himself from him. So even that close relationship phase came first.

The third case was what was the

wife, unbelieving wife, or believing husband, and unbelieving wife. The Quran gives example, in chapter 66 of two cases,

the wife of Noah, and the wife of loot, Prophet loot, both of them did not join with their husbands in the passive throws. And it says that this did not help them. And it was set to them this intuitive judgment will be set to them enter into the Hellfire with those who are entering, so even wives of prophets could not save themselves

without really trying to believe and practice if

you find the opposite also a case of a wife who is a believer and husband was not a believer. Yes, the story quite the story appears in the Quran in the context of the pharaohs. And it says that one of the pharaohs had his wife, in Muslim tradition is known as sex.

And she became a believer.

Her husband, of course, was very furious, wanted to remain and wanted to force her away from the path of

deliverance, if you will.

And

in fact, the Quran describes the beautiful prayer that she used to say, to supplicate to God, particularly that chapter 66, specifically, in verse 11, it says, God has given similar to,

of the believers, the wife of the Pharaoh,

who said, Oh gods, bent for me, and abode for the house, in Paradise, and save me from Pharaoh, and saved me from the evil deeds of those people.

In fact, one of the interesting things that the, one of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, describing some of the women who achieved perfection. And he mentioned particularly four bright examples in history. One was sex, this woman, a wife of the Pharaoh, who some traditions say that she was killed as a result of her belief, because she refused to

go back to the idol practices, idolatry.

And the second was a DJ, the wife of the Prophet, the third was Fatima, the daughter of Prophet Muhammad, and the fourth was marry the son, my mother of Prophet Jesus, peace be upon. So these are varieties of example, that showed that even in the most intimate and close blood relationship, still, face came first. And no matter what the position of a prophet or a great spiritual teacher is, a person would have to stand on his own feet, try to work righteousness in order to deserve ultimately, the grace of God and achievement events here and in the rafters. Well, I don't think we have time to go on to the next area that I wanted to have you touch on. we've exhausted our time for

today. But I want to invite our viewers back next week when we'll continue with our discussion of brotherhood of faith and we'll talk about a bit about protection of brotherhood and some of the benefits that flow from brotherhood. Thank you for watching. That's our program for today. Assalamu alaikum peace be unto you