By S.
Arshad, New Age Islam
18
September 2021
Despite Clear
Guidance on Every Issue, Muslims Are Sharply Divided On Collective and
Individual Issue
Main
Points:
1. Quran
condemns sectarianism but Muslims are divided in 72 sects
2. Quran
encourages science but Muslims are divided on inclusion of science in syllabus
of madrasas.
3. Quran has
clear guidance on purdah but Muslims are divided on the issue.
4. Quran has
clear guidelines on Talaq but Muslims are divided on the process of Talaq.
5. Quran
condemns terrorism but Muslims are divided on support to terrorist
organizations.
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The holy
Quran is called Kitab-e-Mubeen, a clear book. It is called a book in
which there is no room for doubt and confusion. God says that He will protect
it from corruption till the Day of Judgment. The book exists today in exactly
the same condition in which it was revealed fourteen hundred years ago. It
consists of 114 short and long surahs (chapters) which cover all the issues and
affairs that concern the individual and collective life of not only Muslims but
also of the larger society.
Muslims
take pride in the fact that the Quran, unlike all the other divine and revealed
books, is present in its original form since it revelation and is unchanged and
uncorrupted and so it provides clear guidance to them in every matter of
importance in their social and personal life.
They also say that since all the earlier divine books have become
corrupted and omissions and commissions have been made in them by later day
clerics, their followers are divided and confused over God’s ordainments in
communal and social affairs. On the other hand they claim that the Quran has
clear guidelines and so Muslims do not face any problems in the fulfilment of
their religious duties. They claim that Muslims have a great advantage with the
Quran.
But in
reality the case is not so simple. In practice, Muslims have turned this advantage
into a great disadvantage. Despite clear guidance and ordainments on almost
every issue facing Muslims, they are sharply divided and have sharp differences
on almost every social and individual issue. In fact, in some cases Muslims go
against the ordainments of the Quran and the spirit of Islam. For example, the
Quran condemns groupism and sectarianism but the Muslims are divided in 72
sectts. These differences are not theoretical but lead to Takfeer which further
leads to violence and bloodshed among themselves. The Quran condemns violence and bloodshed
without a just cause (in defence or as act of providing justice) but Muslims
indulge in violence and killing of innocent people due to misinterpretation of
verses.
The Quran
has clear guidelines on the issue of divorce but Muslims are sharply divided on
the issue of the process of proclaiming Talaq.
In a recently conducted survey by PEW Research Centre, about 50% Muslims
believe that the instant Triple Talaq is not valid while the other 50% Muslims
say instant Triple Talaq should be followed. About 64% Muslim women say instant
Triple Talaq should be banned. The Quran says At Talaqo Marratan (Divorce is
twice) and the third should be pronounced after much thought because the third
Talaq will permanently annual the marriage.
But in contravention to this Quranic injunction, our ulema say Divorce
is Thrice and instant leaving no room for thought or arbitration.
Another
issue is the issue of Abrogation of Verses. This theory was conjured up two
centuries after the demise of the prophet of Islam pbuh and has no basis in the
Quran or Hadith but Islamic scholars are deeply divided on the issue. A section
of Islamic scholars do not believe in the Theory of Abrogation while the other
section believes that Abrogation Theory has basis in the Quran. Interestingly,
this group also is divided on the number of verses that are believed to have
been abrogated. Some believe that one hundred verses are abrogated while some
believe that only five verses are abrogated.
Muslims are
also divided on the issue of saying Ameen and Raf-e-Yadain. They are also divided on whether Salam should
be recited while standing or while sitting.
Muslims are
also divided on the use of microphone for Azan. The orthodox section of Muslims
believe that Azan can only be called on microphone while the other section is
of the opinion that microphone is not mandatory for Azan. This difference of
opinion on Azan creates a lot of violence and bad blood in a multicultural
society especially during the month of Ramadhan.
Science is
the Achilles’ Heel for a large section of the religious section. While a
section of Islamic scholars are of the opinion that the Quran encourages the
study of science and so it should be included in the syllabus of madrasas, a
majority of Islamic scholars are of the opinion that Islam does not encourage
learning of science as it leads to materialism and takes Muslims away for
spiritualism. Many scientists and philosophers were killed in the past. That’s
why science has been kept away from madrasas.
The most
important issue which has claimed much of the time of Islamic scholars (I fear
using the word ulema for fear of backlash from their followers) is the issue of
purdah. Many ulema, oops … Islamic
scholars and researchers have spent tons of papers and days of reckoning to
reach a consensus on this important issue but in vain. Some scholars believe that Muslim women
should be given some freedom in terms of purdah while some scholars believe
that women must wear full covering veil and the veil should have a small hole
in front of only one eye. The Urdu poet
Iqbal had said about them
Aah,
becharon ke aasab pe aurat hai sawar
(Poor fellows
are so much obsessed with women)
All this
despite the fact that the holy Quran is a Kitab-e-Mubeen, a clear book which
covers every issue big or small; everything wet or dry. All the Islamic
scholars have not been able to reach a consensus on all these and many more
issues like jihad and terrorism.
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S.
Arshad is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-society/followers-quran-disadvantage/d/125387