Analysis

Views of Maulana Azad

Azad on Alhamd should be read by all. The emphasis is that Muslims should cultivate a mindset in which narrow mindedness is replaced with a broad outlook.


The world of late, seems to have produced a bumper harvest of people, who generally exude high degree of Puritanism, narrow-mindedeness and intolerance. They appears to be increasingly more bigoted and fanatical. This sort of behaviour is seen among the followers of diverse religions. The number of such people among Muslims is also not inconsiderable. Though this is an unpleasant fact, it is should not best be swept under the carpet, as is often the case.


Some of the issues raised by Maulana Azad, in the thirties and forties—a crises ridden period for Muslims in India are still relevant today. Though his Tafsir of the Quran remained incomplete, his discourse on Surah – Alhamd – remains an all time classic. It was ably condensed by A.A.A Fyzee in his. ‘A Modern approach to Islam’. (Asia publishing House, Sixty-three)


Here is a brief extract from Fyzee’s work.

‘According to the Quran, God has sent His guidance to all people: ‘And there is not a single people to whom a warner has not been sent” (35:24); and again.


‘And for every group of people there is a messenger. And when their messenger cometh (on the Day of Judgement), it will be judged between them fairly, and they will not be wronged (10:48).


All these messages being from God were true messages, and the religion they taught was essentially one. This may be termed the doctrine of the Unity of revelation.


Although all the prophets taught the one true religion (designated deen), their customs and rituals differed; these may in this context be considered as ‘rituals’. These differences could indeed be regarded as a test for men of good will, and they should realise that although God could have made them into one unified community, He did not do so. But His purpose in allowing various paths to exist simultaneously appears to be to see which of His believers were imbibed with sufficient tolerance to believe in their own faith and yet have regard for those who followed different paths. Thus the religion of Islam inculcates not only a firm belief in one’s own faith, but also a proper tolerance for all others: “Revile not those unto whom they pray beside Allah, lest they revile God wrongfully through ignorance. Thus unto every nation have we made their deed seem fair. Then unto their Lord is their return, and He will tell them what they used to do.” (10:109)


Azad says that salvation depends upon faith and action, not on the accident of belonging to a particular group. God’s true religion is one, and the basis of faith is the belief in one God:


‘Verily, those who have attained to faith (in this divine writ) as well as those who follow the Jewish faith and the Christians, and the Sabians – all who believe in God and the last day and do righteous deeds shall have their reward with their Sustainer, and no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve. (2:62 Muhammad Asad).


The real truth has come to all nations and all people. The true religion is based upon the belief in the unity of God and the brotherhood of man, and all tendencies towards separate groups and sects and castes and creeds are wrong and contrary to the religion of Islam.


An important factor which must be emphasised is that the Quran declares all teachers and messengers are equally entitled to veneration, ‘say (O Muslims): We believe in God and that which is revealed unto us and that which was revealed unto Abraham, and Ishmael and Isaac, and Jaob, and the tribes, and that which Moses and Jesus received, and that which the Prophets received from their Lord. We make not distinction between any of them and unto Him have we surrendered. (2:136). This is laid down again, virtually word for word at another place – (3:84)


This then is the Right Guidance of God and the True Path to be followed by, man. At the end of his commentary, Azad summarizes his main teaching as follows:


1.When the Quran was revealed, religion was regarded as a principle of group organisation in the same way as we conceive of social groups on the basis of races, classes or families. Every religion believed that it has the monopoly of the truth, every adherent was assured of salvation, and every non-adherent was doomed to damnation.

2.In every group, religion came to be regarded as a complex of practices and rituals. Salvation depended exclusively upon the strict observance of these forms and rituals.

3.Since these forms and rituals differed from group to group, every group considered the religion of another group as devoid of truth.

4.As every group considered its own religion to be true and the forms and practices of others as false, its attitude to other groups naturally led to bigotry, strife and bloodshed.

5.The Quran therefore placed the universal truth of religion before mankind. The principles may be succinctly formulated as follows. (a) Islam declares that all religions are in essence true, not merely that they contain some truth. Religion is a common gift of God to man and it cannot be asserted that any one religion or group possesses the monopoly of the truth (b) it asserts that like the laws of nature, the law concerning spiritual enlightenment is one: and the greatest error into which mankind has fallen is to divide itself into usually hostile groups. (c) It proclaims that religion was intended to create unity among men, and not disunity (d) It makes a distinction between the essence of religion (deen) and its ritual. While true religion is one and the same for all mankind, customs and rituals differ, from country to country and from time to time. Man forgets the essential unity of religion and gives importance to the varying customs and forms of religions practices. (e) Outward forms and the formation of social groups have no real effect on men’s spiritual salvation. True faith consists of correct belief and righteous action (f) Islam maintains in the most unmistakable and unequivocal terms that all religions are true. The message of Islam is that they should follow the true faith which may be designated deen (religion), of Islam (submission to the will of god). It asserts that religion does not teach that man should hate man. The object of religion is to increase love and unity. It is opposed to all forms of grouping –racial, national, sectarian, or other. This then is the True Path, and for this we ask God’s grace.


In analysing the first chapter (Alhamd) of the Quran, Azad offers a basically simple definition of the faith of Islam. Islam asserts that there is but one God, creator of the universe. This God is a God of Providence, Mercy, Justice. An important aspect of his providence is that He offers guidance to man through His Messengers sent to all mankind. His mercy is shown by the fact that He gives opportunities even to sinful persons to correct themselves and His justice extends to every human being. Worship and adoration are due to Him alone, and to no-one else. All religions are equally true, but people differ in rituas and customs. All prophets and messengers of God are entitled to equal respect, and the best part of faith is to serve human beings and practice tolerance. Such a simple and logical concept of the basis of Islam seems to be singularly appropriate at a time when humanity is grappling with the forces of fear, jealousy, greed and hatred all over the world. It is a message of everlasting beauty, trust and justice.


So here you had a glimpse of what Azad thought about the message being conveyed in Alhamd. In the light of this introduction, you may like to read Azad on Alhamd either in English or in Urdu. The emphasis is that Muslims should cultivate a mindset in which narrow mindedness, puritanism, etc are replaced with a broad outlook and a rational appraisal of the present situation. There are several paths to salvation, ie there are several religions striving for salvation. Similarly there are several ways within one’s own religion. It is God’s sole prerogative to judge who is right and how far and who has gone astray. Let us not be busy in denouncing each other.


(The writer is a retired IAS Officer)

‘Steps’, the women’s activist group headed by Sharifa Khanam has brought out a quarterly magazine in Tamil titled ‘Pengal Jamaath’ (Women’s Jamaath). The book sized magazine deals with issues pertaining to Muslim women. Khanam who was in Bangalore recently, said the magazine will specially discuss the issues and problems that arise due to alienation of women from mainstream society and lack of consultation with women. Khanam who is constructing a mosque exclusively for women in Pudukottai in Tamil Nadu, said she had to take this measure as women were being denied a place in the Jamaath which were adjudicating in matters related to marriage, divorce, alimony, custody of children, dowry and domestic violence. She said the media had wrongly portrayed her as raising a banner of revolt against established Islamic principles. She said women used to pray and listen to sermons in the mosques during the life time of the holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and the rightly guided caliphate. They even questioned the imams who spoke from the pulpit. But the current society was denying the women a place and family disputes were being decided on the basis of male members who have access to mosques and jamaaths. Khanam said several male aalims have also approached ‘Steps’ for intervention in family disputes, but only when a fair deal was denied to their daughters in marital disputes.


‘Pengal Jamaath’ can be had from ‘Steps’ Women’s Association, Union Office, Pudukottai-622001, Phone: 04322-220583.