Muslims Resorting To Violence Is In Complete Contrast to Islamic Teachings
By
Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander, New Age Islam
15 July
2022
Islam Is
Not Being Followed In Spirit Rather It Is Being Utilized To Boost The Communal
Pride
Main
Points:
1. Nonviolence
and Peace are essential virtues of Islam, that have been retrograded by Muslims
due to their senseless violence
2. The ideas of
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan can be contested but not discarded without engagement
3. Maulana's
writings form a bedrock of Peace theology in Islam.
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Non-Violence
and Peace-Building in Islam
Author:
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Publisher:
Goodword Books, Noida, India
Pages:
127
Price: Not mentioned
ISBN:
9789351791584
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The
relationship between Islam and violence has been an intriguing one. The use of
violence by certain Muslim groups in the name of Islam, has constructed an
image of Islam, as a violent religion. The actions that these violent groups
attribute to Islam, has resulted in Islam being rendered as a violent religion
in the eyes of non-Muslims. Scholars and academics have been decrying through
various media that the actions of few Muslims should not be seen as a case of
Islam. But violent actions if justified in the name of Islam will certainly
lead to construction of negative image of Islam. Also Muslims do not have a
powerful media to ward off the negative portrayal of Islam. The common masses
form their opinions through this popular media and culture. If nonviolent image
of Islam has to be portrayed then the violence in the name of Islam needs to be
condemned vehemently. It is what Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, has been doing
throughout his life. His books testify the fact that he has been articulating
the true image of Islam and its stance about violence. Maulana in his
Introduction writes, “Contemporary instances of Muslims resorting to violence
in the name of their religion is, I stress, in complete contrast to Islamic
teachings.” (P-5). Then he goes on to deliberate about the concept of Peace and
war in Islam.
For
Maulana, this world is a place where humans are to be tested, and as a part of
this test they have been bestowed with the free will. Based on their
utilization of free will if it is synchronous with the tenets of Islam they
will be rewarded with paradise and if antagonistic they will be discarded to
hell. So violence is a deviation from the fundamentals of Islam, and
nonviolence is the spirit of Islam. In Maulana’s words, “Non-violence does not
mean remaining peaceful so long as no one is acting violently towards you.
Rather, it means to refrain from violence even in face of violence.” (P-14)
Maulana has
been criticized for his views about communal riots between Hindus and Muslims
in India. He believes that Muslims need to end communal violence, is a stance
that is problematic and unjustified. It is true and pragmatic that Maulana
wants Muslims not to get provoked at the insistence of fringe communal
elements, as they become the victims in any communal violence. The fringe
elements are joined by the state machinery and ultimately Muslims are
victimized in every communal violence. Hence, the best course for Muslims is to
opt for nonviolence, tolerance and patience despite the violent provocations.
The Muslims are not being oppressed but punished by God, is a new logic of
Maulana, something that can be debated. Who is being punished, who is being
tested is the domain of God that Maulana ventures to justify his logic,
although who are being oppressed can be understood very well. Holding only Muslims
responsible for communal violence is a position that does not stand the test of
times.
For Maulana
every situation can be addressed either through reaction or by patience. For
Maulana patience is one of the virtues of Islam, hence needs to be implemented.
“A person’s lack of patience and wisdom is his enemy’s deadliest weapon. The
most foolish person is one who hands over this weapon to his adversary himself.
The same holds true for entire communities.” (P-49)
Maulana
further writes, “In this regard, one must also add that Muslims must put an end
to all those factors that engender an atmosphere of conflict between them and
others-such as for instance, demanding their rights, engaging the politics of
protest, raking up disputes over mosques and temples, and so on.” (P-68)
Maulana wants Muslims not to get provoked in the face of grave provocations. He
also contrasts the case between North and South India, as in North the communal
violence is much more than in the South.
According
to Maulana, Islam is not being followed in spirit rather it is being utilized
to boost the communal pride. The communal pride is destroying the spirit of
Islam, as its message is universal and it confines it within the vestiges of Muslim
community only. Also this pride has rendered Muslims as the consumer community,
not as a people who contribute to the common welfare of humanity like
Christians. But instead of being concerned at this callousness of Muslims, they
raise false flags decrying about the discrimination they are facing. Similarly
in India, they have constructed Urdu as their communal language and are
protesting that this language is being discriminated by the government. But in
reality Urdu has failed to produce any high quality literature and research, so
people are not interested in studying it. Further, studying Urdu does not open
vistas for economic prosperity, hence few people and infact very few Muslims
are opting to study and make a career in Urdu.
While
condemning the psychology of pride among Muslims, Maulana writes, “Whenever Muslims
face decline, they develop a false sense of pride. The decline of Muslims
worldwide today is because for them religion is no longer linked to duty, but,
rather, to pride. The Quran (25:63) says: The true servants of the Gracious One
are those who walk upon the earth with humility and when they are addressed by
the ignorant ones, their response is, Peace…
But when
the Muslim community declines, a totally contradictory mentality develops. In
this stage, Muslims invoke the teachings of Islam in order to stress their
claims to superiority over others, not to mould their own lives according to
these teachings. And so, Muslims in this stage of decline of the community will
proudly declare, ‘Our religion is based on pure monotheism!’ and at the very
same time, they will worship dead and living personalities.
They will
proudly announce, ‘Islam stands for equality!’ But this claim will not be
reflected in their relationships and dealings. They will proudly claim, ‘Our
religion exhorts us to promote goodness and combat evil!’ But if you examine
their actual behavior in the light of this principle and critique them, you
will immediately become their most inveterate enemy.” (P-100-101)
This book
is an important read for anyone who is interested in understand the concept of
non violence in Islam and peace building in India between different
communities. Maulana’s many views can be contested, but certainly as a strong
advocate of peace and non violence, his views need to be engaged and cannot be
discarded right away.
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A New
Age Islam columnist, M.H.A. Sikander is Writer-Activist based in Srinagar,
Kashmir
URL: https://newageislam.com/books-documents/muslims-violence-islamic-teachings/d/127491
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