Criterion To Become A Momin Doesn't Hinge On One's Authority On Islam, Quran, Hadees And Takfirism; This Is The Sole Right Of Allah, Let Him Decide
By
Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
17 May 2024
Woh Musalamaan Nahin Jo Kisi Ko Murtad Kahe
Haq Ye Faqat Allah Ka Hai, Wahi Faisla Kare
Adeem Hashmi (1946-2001)
(He cannot be called a Muslim who calls another
Muslim an apostate/ This is the sole right of Allah, let Him decide)
So very
true to the last syllable! When some holier-than-thou Muslims call their fellow
Muslim an apostate, this act itself becomes apostasy. Insaan, Insaan Ka
Imtihaan Le Ye Toh Gustaakhi Hai (Humans putting humans on test is an
audacity). Hafeez Jalandhari's Misra also indicates that humans have no
right to declare someone an apostate or a non-believer.
Islam, like
all man-made faiths, has no dearth of self-glorifying spiritual snobs who seem
to have got a direct message from Allah to call anyone an apostate. "Zahid
Ko Gumaan Tha Ke Uss Se Badh Kar Nahin Koi Paak / Raah Chalte Muslaman Ne Use Momin
Bana Diya" (The wise and pious man was under the impression that none
was more pious than him until an ordinary Muslim elevated him to the level of a
Momin).
The
criterion to become a Momin doesn't hinge on one's authority on Islam, Quran,
Hadees and Takfirism (a "minority ideology" which "advocates the
killing of other Muslims declared to be unbelievers"). It depends upon
your inner piety and effulgence which's immanent. Didn't Shakeel Badayuni say, "Jahan-E-Rang-O-Boo
Mein Kyon Talaash-E-Husn Ho Mujh Ko/ Hazaron Jalwe Rakhshanda Hain Mere Dil Ke
Parde Mein ?" (Why should I look for beauty in this quotidian world ?/
Thousands of lights are effulgent within me).
When other
Muslims support a self-styled religious megalomaniac in this type of Takfirism,
they too along with their self-proclaimed spiritual 'guru' or 'Ustad'
relegate the status and intensity of their spirituality or religiosity. "My
faith has many flaws. How can I find fault with your way of worship?,"
aptly said Rabindranath Tagore who called himself a humanist, not a Hindu or
even a Brahmo (a monotheistic sect of Hinduism). Tagore belonged to Brahmo
sect. What you call a sacrilege is someone else's belief- Kufra Kahte Ho
Jise, Hai Aqeeda Kisi Aur Ka. Sacrilege, Apostasy or Blasphemy are relative
issues of Islamic religious perceptions. "Taang Dete Hain Saleeb Pe Mansoor
Or Isa Ko/ Wahi Log Jinhein Mazhab Ka Meem Bhi Nahin Maaloom" (Mansoor
Al-Hallaj and Jesus are hanged and excoriated by those who don't even know the
Meem-Arabic letter M-of Mazhab).
So, better
come out of the silly methodology of Quran and at least become an honest and
conscientious Muslim if you cannot become a humanist. Stop calling anyone an
apostate. It'll eventually boomerang on you.
----
A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul
is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He
has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several
languages including Persian.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/momin-quran-hadees-takfirism-allah/d/132333