Our Prophet (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam)
declared: “Everychild comes to the world with a pure soul suitable for
becoming a Muslim. Later their parents make them irreligious.” This implies that it is necessary to teach Islam to children.
Their pure souls are suitable for Islam. A child who has not learned Islam will
misunderstand Islam by falling for the lies and slanders of the enemies of
religion. He will think that it is retrogressive or vicious. If a person who is
religiously unlearned and who has never received any religious instruction or
notion of Islam falls into the traps of the enemies of Islam, he will learn
quite a different, altogether contrary system instead of Islam. He will fall
victim to the poisonous inoculations and shamelessly fabled writings directed
to him. He will not find peace in this world. And he will be drifted towards
endless calamities and tortures in the next world.
Every Muslim, even every person,
must know how low, how base the slanders which are fabled by the enemies of
Islam in order to deceive the youth are. And in order not to drift into
perdition by believing these lies, we should comprehend the sublimity of Islam,
realize that it supports knowledge, science, morals and health, and that it
commands working, advancement, cooperation and mutual love. A wise, vigilant
and cultured person, who has understood Islam correctly and well, will not
believe in the lies of the enemies of Islam. Seeing that they are religiously
ignorant, uneducated, deceived and wretched people, he will pity them. He will
wish that they could get rid of that disastrous state and come round to the
right course.
We have come across a pamphlet of several
pages scribbled shamelessly by such a deceived and religiously ignorant person
with a view to spreading the poisonous slanders he had been taught in order to
infect healthy souls with the spiritual disease that drags him to endless
calamity; he
wants
to corrupt and degenerate good people. Confusing a writer’s title with
competence, those who see its content, which slanders truth, goodness and
virtue, may think that it is based upon observation on knowledge and that it
contains value. To diminish the sorrow it causes, it has been deemed necessary
to write the truth as an answer to the squalid slanders quoted in the following
12 paragraphs. The innocent youth, seeing these basely fibbed lies and the
truth of the matter, will see clearly the tactics and tricks of the enemies of
Islam and will easily identify those block-headed, corrupt-souled disbelievers,
who claim to be progressive:
1 — “The religious thought and
method that have interfered in social life are like chains restricting progress
in society,” he says.
Answer: Rasűlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi
wa sallam) declared: “Work for your wordly advantages as if you would never die!” A hadîth quoted by al-Imâm al-Manâwî says, “Al-hikmatu dâllat
al-mu’min.” (Scientific knowledge is the lost propertyof the Believer. He
should get it wherever he finds it!). All men of
science, enemies and friends alike, unanimously state that the Islamic religion
supports social progress and sheds light on the way to civilization. For
example. British Lord John Davenport stated, “No people have ever appeared who
respect knowledge and culture more deeply than Muslims do,”[1] and explained with
detailed examples and documents that Islam guided societies to progress and
prosperity.
In a speech to an enormous
audience in 1972 Dr. Kris Traglor, an American professor of history at the
Tehcnical University of Texas, stated that the source of inspiration and
development for the European Renaissance was Islam; that Muslims, coming to
Spain and Sicily, had laid the foundations for modern techniques and
developments and had taught that scientific progress would be possible only
through improvement in chemistry, medicine, astronomy, navigation, geography,
cartography and mathematics; and that these branches of knowledge had been
brought to Europe from North Africa and Spain by Muslims. He also stressed the
contribution of written Islamic knowledge on valuable parchments and papyri as
an
---------------------------------
[1] Hadrat Muhammad and the Qur'ân, Part 2, Chapter 2; London.
important link in the development of the modern press.[1] The lies of an immoral,
vicious enemy of Islam, who has no share in knowledge except a title, certainly
cannot cover up this fact. The sun cannot be plastered with sticky mud.
2 — “It is necessary,” he says,
“to rescue the State from the fetter of religion. To catch up with contemporary
Western civilization, establishment of a real secular system is required.”
Answer: In Islam, completely liberal,
democratic States based upon knowledge, morals, righteousness and justice have
been established. It protects the State against being a plaything in the hands
of political swindlers. Capitalists, dictators and servants of communism deem
such a free regime as a chain, a fetter impeding their own acts of cruelty,
torture and immorality. Murderers, thieves and dishonest people see justice and
criminal codes as chains put on themselves. There is no need to describe the
ignorance and idiocy of a disbeliever who uses secularism as a means for
expressing his enmity against the religion and who tries to demolish Islam
under the camouflage of secularism. What this man wants is not the separation
of the religion from the State, but the destruction of the religion. It is
obvious that a blockhead who expects the nations’ or the States’ progress not
from knowledge, science, hard work and morals, but instead from the destruction
of Islam, which represents all these virtues, and who longs for the West’s
immorality, obscenity and egoism, is devoid of not only wisdom and knowledge
but also of morals.
3 — He says, “By anaesthetizing
people with Islam’s philosophy of contentment, they expect to turn individuals
into a passive state of not demanding their own rights. With the pretext that
they will prevent communism, they defend the concepts of slavery and the next
world believed in by the people. Contentment is a euphemism for exploitation.
Followers of Islam propagate this exploitation.”
Answer: There could be few phrases as
absurd as the phrase “Islam’s philosophy of contentment.” We have explained
what philosophy means in Endless Bliss and
clarified that there is no philosophy in Islam. Such an incorrect phrase shows
that the person who uses it knows nothing of Islam or philosophy and that he,
by memorizing a number of phrases
---------------------------------
[1] Weekly periodical, The Muslim World, Pakistan, August 26, 1972.
without being aware of their meanings, makes up many words in
order to spread his enmity towards Islam. For centuries the enemies of Islam
have been disguising themselves as religious men and have been perpetrating
their attacks behind such a mask. But today they attack under the guise of
being the master of a profession or art after obtaining a title of position.
Those liars who, in order to deceive Muslims, disguise themselves as scientists
and present their non-scientific statements as facts are called “impostors of science.”
Not only Islam, but also the ethical books possessed
by every nation praise contentment. Contrary to what this impostor of science
fables, contentment does not mean giving up one’s rights and being idle.
Contentment means being content with one’s rights, with what one earns, and not
violating others’ rights. Moreover, this does not make people idle, but encourages
them to work and make progress. Islam, contrary to this impostor’s
falsification, does not defend slavery but commands the emancipation of slaves.
Slavery exists not in Islam, but in the regime of a dictatorship and in
communism. Heavenly books and Prophets (’alaihimu ’ssalâm), whose miracles
were seen, reported the existence of the next world and wisdom; knowledge and
science cannot deny it. The words of this deviated ignoramus, however, is
merely emotional and obstinate sophistry. He provides neither a reference nor a
scientific basis. Belief in the next world causes order, justice, mutual love
and unity in societies and countries. Disbelief in it leads to vagabondage,
inactivity, loss of the feeling of responsibility, egoism, discord and hostility.
It is certainly good to believe in something useful. It is reasonable and
necessary to avoid something unsubstantiated, baseless and vain. Islam rejects
exploitation and negligence of human rights. Just as exploitation is a sin, so
it is not permissible to connive at being harmed. In Islam, ignorance,
laziness, neglecting one’s rights and being deceived are not excuses; they are
crimes. There is a famous saying that goes, “He who gives consent to being harmed
does not deserve mercy.”
How can exploitation ever exist
in Islam? How can a person with knowledge and reason ever say so? Hasn’t the
ignorant person who said so ever heard about the âyats and the various hadîths
defending human rights? Not knowing or not having heard of them is not an
excuse for him!
4 — “The East, absorbed in and
intoxicated with religion,
has become ill. Having îmân means slavery,” he says.
Answer: Any reader of history will
clearly see the superiorities of the Sabâhat al-kirâm (’alahimu ’r-ridwân) and
the fact that Islam has formed active, studious, equitable and courageous
nations. Thousands of examples and millions of books exposing this fact are
available. It is a shame that a blind person does not see the sun. Is it the
sun’s fault that he does not see it? What is the value of an ignorant, deceived
person’s calumniation of this exalted religion, this source of happiness and
civilaziton, which is admired by all wise and cultured men whether friends or
enemies? Something said or written reflects its owner. Many people, when they
get angry with their enemies, impute their own evil behavior to them. Every
container leaks what it contains. So the words of a base person represent him.
The object to which these abhorrent imputations are directed is like a diamond
that has fallen into the dirt. An evil person’s attacking Islam is not
surprising. What is surprising is that some people take these groundless,
absurd vilifications as true, believe them and fall into calamity. These
slanders are not worth answering. It is useless to try to tell a blind person
about the sun’s existence or to tell a person with a sick bile or liver how
sweet sugar is. Perfection and superior things cannot be described to sick,
dirty souls. Answering them is intended to prevent others from believing them.
Medicine is for protecting the patient against death, not for enlivening the
dead.
Let us quote two of the millions
of passages praising how Islam illuminated the way of civilization. We will
select them not from the East, which he slanders and detests, but from the
West, which he admires. Mocheim[1] said, “It is an absolute fact that scientific knowledge, physics,
chemistry, astronomy and mathematics that has spread over Europe since the
tenth century was adopted from Islamic schools, especially from Muslims in
Andalusia (Spain), who were Europe’s masters. The Romans and the Goths had
struggled for two hundred years in order to capture Andalusia; on the other
hand, the Muslims conquered the peninsula in twenty years. Going beyond the
Pyrenees, they advanced up into France. Muslims’ superiority with respect to
knowledge, wisdom and morals was no less
---------------------------------
[1] Jean Mocheim, German theologian and historian, died in 1169 (1755)
effective than their arms.” Lord Davenport said, “Europe is
indebted to Muslims today, too. Hadrat Muhammad (’alaihi ’ssalâm) said, “Dignity, honour and
superiority are measured not by property, but by knowledge and wisdom.’ Islamic States have been administered by the most powerful hands
for centuries. Muslims’ spreading over three continents has become the most
honourable victory in history.”
While an ignorant psychopath
writes in his pamphlet that the East was absorbed in and intoxicated with
religion, these non-Muslim but impartial writers, such as John Davenport, the
British Lord, wrote with their reason: “As the Muslims in Andalusia were sowing
seeds of knowledge and science in the West, Mahműd al-Ghaznawî was spreading
knowledge and wisdom in the East, and his country had become a center for
scientists. The Islamic Ruler increased production, and the wealth he had
gathered from his resources was used for doing good deeds and for developing
the country. As prosperity and civilization made progress in the East, Louis
VII of France captured the town of Vitri, set it on fire and burned thirteen
hundred people. In those days, civil wars sprinkled death in England, where the
land was not cultivated, and everything was destroyed. In the fourteenth
century, Anglo-French wars were so tragic, so destructive that history has not
seen its like. But in the East, in Muslim countries, Firűz Shâh Tughluq III,
who became the Emperor of Delhi in 752 A.H. (1351), built fifty barrages and
canals, forty mosques, thirty schools, a hundred public lodgings, a hundred
hospitals, a hundred public baths, and a hundred and fifty bridges until his
death in 790. In India, prosperity and happiness reigned in the country of Shâh
Jihân. He had ’Alî Murâd Khan, an engineer, build the Delhi Canal. Marble
fountains with water jets and public marble baths were built in every part of
the city. Each house was supplied with water. The entire country enjoyed
security.”
5 — “Religion is an expression of fatalism
and contentment. It is an idea pertaining to the next world, which benumbed the
oppressed and the hungry. It teaches that, in order to attain the blessings of
the next world, it is necessary not to be very desirous of things in this
world. The joy and need to live have broken fatalism and contentment and
engendered a struggle to earn a better living. Religions are afraid of those
who are against the systems that are dependent upon frozen and
moulded
customs. The opium of religion renders a man insignificant, subordinate and
without a means to earn a living,” he says.
Answer: Such lies and abominable slanders
are not worth answering, for a wise person who knows the truth does not believe
them. Yet, though the enemies of Islam are not wise, they are cunning. In order
to deceive the youth, they busy them with vain and useless things, give them
the drugs that are pleasant for the nafs and suitable for their lust. In this
way, they prevent them form learning religious knowledge. To protect the
innocent youth, who are preoccupied and benumbed, from believing these lies and
from drifting into calamity, it has become necessary to briefly write the
truth. A fortunate young person who reads our book Endless Bliss well, will learn Islam correctly and precisely; he will not
believe falsifications. Our Prophet (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam), by stating, “He who has knowledge
becomes a Muslim. He who is igrorant will get deceived by the enemies of the
religion,” advises us to become
well-informed.
It is correct to say that
religion is the belief in fate and contentment. But fate, contrary to what this
poor ignoramus thinks, does not mean not to work or not to aspire. Qadar means that Allâhu ta’âlâ knows beforehand what people will do, Allâhu ta’âlâ commands men to work. He
praises those who work. He declares in the ninety-fourth âyat of the Sűrat
an-Nisâ: “Those who perform jihâd, work and struggle are higherand more
valuable than those who sit and worship insteadof performing jihâd.” Rasűlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) said, “Allâhu ta’âlâ likes those who earn a
living by working.” As it is understood well from
historical studies and from the chapter entitled Earning and Trade in the Turkish version of Endless Bliss, Islam is the religion of work and development. Rasűlullah
(sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) commanded daily progress and improvement, by
saying, “He
who has remained in the same grade on two [successive]
days or
has not made progress has deceived himself.” He
also declared, “Do not procrastinate until the next day, or else you will perish!”
and “Learn foreign languages. Thus you will be safe
against the malices of the enemy!”
It is very unfair and base to say that
thinking of the blessings of the next world prevents working. The hadîths, “He who
earns by working will
be shining like the full moon on theDay of Resurrection”; “The scholars’ sleep
is worship”; “Earn what is halâl and spend it for useful purposes”; “The sins
of the person who lends money to his brother-in-Islamwill be forgiven,” and
“Everything
has an access to it. Access to Paradise is knowledge,” commands
us to earn by working and states that those who earn a living by legitimate
methods and spend their earnings on useful things in the world will earn the
next world. “Religion prevents people from revolting. Therefore, it is opium,”
he says. This nonsense of the author very well explains his lack of
understanding concerning religion and civilization. It is obvious that these
words are not expressions of knowledge or research. They are nothing but a form
of exploitation which is intended to flatter communist leaders in order to
obtain a post by means of blind enmity against religion. Those who give their
faith away in order to obtain what is worldly are called “impostors of religion.”
They have always been wrong and drifted into calamity. Their
chiefs, with whom they have tried to ingratiate themselves, have fallen from
their positions. Like every mortal being, these chiefs, being judged in the
just presence of Allâhu ta’âlâ, whom they denied
and opposed obstinately, have rolled down into endless torture. Their
flatterers have forgotten about them and, transferring to other parties for
their personal advantages, they have begun to worship other mortals.
6 — “In Arab countries, where
the laws of the desert have been dominant, they have been attacking materialism
and materialistic philosophy,” he says.
Answer: Formerly, enemies of religion
used to memorize a few valuable words from the gerat men of tasawwuf, write and
say them recklessly without understanding their meanings, and pretend to be men
of tarîqa to entrap the youth. But now, by memorizing a few of the words of
Western men of science and ideas, by boot-licking and filling the wine glasses
of their masters, and by toadying, they get a diploma and seize a post. Playing
the part of cultured and learned men of knowledge, they outpour their enmity
against Islam by means of the words which they have memorized, present them to
the youth and attempt to deceive Muslim children by displaying them as the
attractive offerings of masons and communists.
Those ignoble people who lack scientific
knowledge but
have
obtained diplomas through unlawful means and who have attacked Islam under the
mask of a “scientist” are called “impostors of science.” At
one time, one such fake scientist became the authority of a district with the
help of his dubious diploma. Seeing that the people did not regard him as a
person of consequence, he held a meeting, gathered the villagers and the men of
religion, and spewed out such terms as ‘materialistic philosophy,’ ‘modern,’
and ‘illuminated men.’ Seeing that everybody respected men of religion but took
no notice of him, he fell into a fit. He uttered base terms exposing his dirty
character and evil thoughts. Meanwhile, alluding to men of religion, he said.
“He who has not been to Europe is an ass.” The Muftî Effendi, running out of
patience, said, “Has your exalted father ever honoured Europe with his
presence?” When the other deigned to give the reply “No” with a coarse voice,
the Muftî Effendi concluded, “Then, your excellency must be of asinine
paternity,” thus making this authority figure fall into his own trap. The
“progressive” and “illuminated” but block-headed and ignorant people, who do
not know of the greatness of Islamic scholars or of the famous and honorued
superiority of the Islamic civilization that fills libraries worldwide, have
attacked Islam’s steel fortress with popguns, so to speak, and they have all
disgraced and routed themselves.
7 — “Those who caused the
decline in the economy took advantage of the circumstances by suggesting that
everyone be content with a fatalist morsel and only a coat. This demonstrates
the intoxicating affect of the religion. Civilization means to aspire for more
economic prosperity and to struggle for this. But religion broke and benumbed
these movements for the development of society with such expressions as
contentment with fate, the next world and spirituality,” he says.
Answer: Here is another live picture of toadying,
which we have portrayed in the preceding paragraph! What a great lie it is to
say that Islamic fighters, who immigrated over three continents in thirty
years, defeated the armies of Persia and Rome (the two greatest empires of that
time and especially brought the whole Persian Empire to an end), and who won
the love of every nation owing to their justice and beautiful morals, were
benumbed, drowsy people who were given opium! One who knows even a smattering
of history will only sneer and become disgusted at this ignoble, base slander.
Islam
commands
people to work and make progress and promises Paradise to those who become rich
and help the poor. If this writer had seen the works of Islamic art, which
Europeans and Americans marvel at, and their articles praising Muslim
accomplishments in knowledge and science, he would have perhaps been ashamed to
scribble these lines. We say ‘perhaps’ for it is a virtue to bear the feeling
of shame, and it is out of place to expect shamefulness from a non-virtuous
person.
Islam commands Muslims to work
and to develop. Contentment does not mean to be content with “only a coat” and
sit idly. Muslims are not this way at all. Contentment means to be content with
one’s own earnings and not to cast covetous eyes on others’ earnings. It was
Islam which brought civilization to Europe, for Islam shows the way to economic
prosperity and commands people to work to attain it. The following hadîths, as
well as many others, show that the abovequoted words are gross fabrications: “The benevolent, the
highest of peopleare those who are more useful to others”; “The best of favours
is to give alms”; “The most benevolent of you isthe one who supplies people
with much nourishment,” and “The most benevolent
among you is the one who does not expect anything from others but works and
earns his living.”
8 — “What has handicapped
efforts to cope up with the contemporary civilization in the course of history
is the imperative power of religion. The imperative authority of religion,
which hinders the purposes of revolutions, should be annihilated,” he says.
Answer: This sham scientist repeats “civilization”
and strives to hypnotize young brains with this magical word. He thinks it is
civilization to establish enormous, heavy industries and to make electronic
machines and nuclear-powered factories as a means to facilitate fornication and
using women as diversions. He also wants to become a boss by smuggling foreign
exchange, lying, deceit and speculation, or to satisfy bestial desires by
living at the expense of the working class. The civilization that the scholars
of Islam described and commanded Muslims to attain is “Ta’mîr-i bilâd wa tarfîh-i
’ibâd”, that is, it is to develop countries by
constructing buildings, machines and factories and to utilize technology and
all
kinds of revenues for the people’s freedom, welfare and peace. In the twentieth
century, only the first of these two aspects of civilization exists. Though the
improvements in technology are dazzling, economic and technical discoveries are
being used to enslave people, to perpetrate cruelty and torture. Communist
states and dictatorial regimes exemplify this. The twentieth century is a
century of technology. It is far from being a century of civilization.
This socialist writer is very
serious about his desire to annihilate the religion, for Islam prohibits
immorality, dishonesty, exploitation, hypocrisy, dictatorship, condemnation
and, in short, every kind of bad behavior that gnaws at humanity. A malicious
person with a corrupt character certainly does not wish for goodneess be done.
Lowlife defeatists certainly fear the constructiveness of Islam. This dishonest
unbeliever calls history to perjure itself in order to make it believable that
Islam has handicapped civilization. If he had a little knowledge of history,
perhaps he would refrain himself a little. Even non-Muslim historians admit the
fact that Islam has served civilization and has shed light upon modern
development in Europe and America.
It is clear that this ignorant
impostor of science is not so intelligent or literate as to fable these lies by
himself. He strives to belittle Islam by quoting the attacks that heve been
rightfully directed against Christianity in Europe. However, because he is
wrong and because his seeing and understanding as well as his knowledge are
inadequate, he makes a mess of it.
It will be pertinent here to
write about those who are hostile towards Christianity and why they attack it
and to explain that these attacks cannot be directed towards Islam.
Christianity, which lost its divine value
altogether during the time of Constantine the Great, became a means for
political advantages. The clergy opened bloody wars against non-Christians.
They forced everybody to become Christians blindly. Luther went to extremes in
these crazy attacks. He was furiously angry with any religion, any nation that
was not Protestant. Missionary organizations, on the other hand, tried to
confuse everyone, mislead everyone’s conscience and then propagandized
Christianity through new articles daily. Christian attacks, which were
compatible neither with knowledge nor with science and which were perpetrated
sometimes with bloodshed
and
sometimes through deceit, incurred great hatred towards Christianity in Europe
in the eighteenth century. It was being written that priests were deceiving the
people, forcing them to believe in superstitions and striving to enslave
everybody to their ideas. But this enmity did not remain directed against the
Christian religion only. There appeared those who attacked every religion.
Instead of seeing that the priests’ evil deeds originated from the defilement
and interpolation of religion, they thought it originated from religion.
Without studying religions, they attributed the evils inherent in Christianity
to religion and attacked religions. One of those who went the furthest in his
enmity towards religion was Voltaire. Like Luther, he, too, slandered Islam
and, thinking that our Master Rasűlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) was as
Luther described him, he spoke ill of him. Without studying Islam, these too,
like Christians in general, attacked all religions.
For the first time in the nineteenth
century, Von Herder, a German, said that bearing enmity against religions
blindly was as wrong as Christianization by force. He put forward the necessity
to study religions, particularly Islam. Thus, people in Europe began to
understand Muhammad’s (’alaihi ’s-salâm) life and the astonishing superiorities
of the lightsome way shown by Islam for the administration of individuals,
families and societies. Carlyle, a British thinker, praised Muhammad’s (alaihi
’s-salâm) life, moral qualities and accomplishments under the heading A Hero Who is the Prophet in
his book The Heroes, which he wrote in 1841. In this book
he wrote, “An exalted person who administered hundreds of millions of people
for twelve centuries and who caused the establishment of civilized States in
the East and in the West could never be a counterfeiter as Luther and Voltaire
wrote. A low person cannot realize Hadrat Muhammad’s (alaihi ’s-salâm)
accomplishments. Only a perfect person who possesses faith and morals can give
faith to others. Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm) was born to exalt mankind. If it
had not been so, no one would have followed him. Muhammad’s (alaihi ’s-salâm)
words are true, for a liar cannot establish even a home, let alone a religion.”
During the time of Carlyle, there was no reliable Islamic books in Europe.
However, with the help of his keen insight and studying, which took many years,
he did not believe the lies of the Christians nor of the enemies of religion
and was able to see the historical
truth.
Today, many Islamic books are being translated into European languages, and the
misunderstandings, and uncertainties in Carlyle’s historical writings are being
clarified.
If Luther’s abominable articles
against the Qur’ân al-kerîm and the horrible story fabled by Voltaire about Muhammad (’alaihi
’s-salâm) are compared with the article A Hero Who is the Prophet by Carlyle, one will understand well how differently Islam is
viewed by fanatical Christians or ignorant enemies of religion and men of
knowledge and observation. After Carlyle, the British scholar Lord Davenport
detailedly explained the beauty of Muhammad’s (’alaihi ’s-salâm) life and moral
character and the fact that the Qur’ân
al-kerîm is a source of knowledge that guides people to
happiness. He gave responses that silenced those who slandered the Qur’ân alkerîm
and Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm).
As it is seen, today, enemies of
Islam, for kindling the fire of misrepresentation, acquire venom from three
sources: the Christian missionaries, those who attack religions blindly like
Voltaire, and communists who use people like animals and machines by
eliminating every kind of truth and goodness.
9 — “Religion means to put up
with what one has, to accept contentment, sufferings and inequalities. It is to
fix the existing limits on a society. It prevents the attainment of a better
life that decreases differences between [social] classes and hinders
exploitation. This oppression is accomplished with the fear of Hell. Those who
suffer are consoled with Paradise. It has killed the personalities of
individuals,” he says.
Answer: He wants to poison Muslim children with the
venom he has received from the above-mentioned three sources, but he cannot
manage it. Today, young people read Islamic books and learn their faith
correctly. Rasűlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) declared: “A person with equal
earnings on two [successive] days has suffered a
loss. AMuslim must make progress every day.” A wise youth who
has heard of this command and carefully reads the command “Forward!” by
Hadrat ’Umar, the Caliph of Rasűlullah (’alaihi ’s-salâm), will certainly not
believe the lies of this ignorant person, who passes himself for a
“progressive” man. Islam does not command the approval of inequalities, but
justice and their eradication. The hadîth ash-sherîf,
“I came
during the time of a just ruler,” praises even the justice
of disbelievers without
holy
books. The hadîth ash-sherîf written in Al-Manâwî and
Ad-Daîlamî
declares: “Those who will be the first to enter Paradise are the just
judges and the just statesmen.” Does this hadîth sherîf
command and promote suffering and inequalities or avoiding suffering and
inequalities? Our readers’ conscience will certainly answer this correctly, and
it will be understood very well how deviated the agnostic author is and whom he
is striving to serve.
Islam commands zakât, lending
and mutual help. It informs us that those who do these commands, which abolish
the differences between social classes, will go to Paradise. Not those who
suffer pain, but those who resign themselves to the Giver of pain, the Creator,
will enter Paradise. Islam is a progressive, dynamic religion that guides
everyone to the best life. Islam does not “fix existing limits” but gives
freedom to statesmen to keep in step with contemporary conditions of trade,
industry, agriculture and war technology, and in applying every kind of
scientific discovery for making progress. Allâhu ta’âlâ ordered even His Beloved Prophet (’alaihi ’s-salâm), the highest and wisest human being in every
respect, to “Consult with the Sahâbat al-kirâm! Hold counsel with them!” Each caliph of Islam had counsellors, councils and men of
knowledge. It was not permissible for them to do anything without consulting.
There should be no changes or reforms in ’ibâdât, but advancement and progress
in technology and worldly affairs are commanded. It was for this reason that
Islamic States, established anywhere in the East and West, became advanced in
every respect. Islam is a religion that facilitates individuality and freedom
of idea. Each Muslim is more valuable than the entire world.
10 — “The religion resulted in
internal and external exploitation. Contentment and putting up with fate caused
indolence and exploitation. The resources of production were accumulated in
certain hands. The great masses were not considered deserving of worldly
happiness. The philosophy of ‘a morsel and only a coat’ did away with the
strength to live and struggle. Hope for the next world caused suffering and
inconvenience,” he says.
Answer: Talking about religion requires at least
having a little religious knowledge. By likening Islam to today’s capitalist
and communist exploiters, his attacks upon the religion indicate
his
enmity against Islam, an enmity which is so excessive that it blinds the eyes
and covers the intellect with anger. While saying nothing against Western
capitalists and cruel communists, who accumulate the means of production in
certain hands and exploit the people, his attacking Islam, which commands
social equality, is sheer hatred towards Islam and open servility to Russia.
Because he does not have any Islamic knowledge, time and again he attacks
contentment and belief in qadar. In the name of civilization he talks only
about economics and earning money. He does not understand that contentment is a
factor that prevents psychiatric diseases, removes incompatibility and
hostility, and maintains order in societies. Contentment has expedited Islam’s
spreading all over the world and the erecting of monuments of knowledge and
science. Do the âyats, “He who works will earn”, and,
“Everybody
will find [the recompense for] what he does,” and
also many hadîths, such as, “Allâhu ta’âlâ likes those who earn by working,” and
“Allâhu ta’âlâ absolutely dislikes
those young people whodo not work,” which are written in Al-Munâwî, command
Muslims to work and make progress or to be lazy? Are the Umayyad, Abbâsid,
Ghaznawî, Indian Tamburlains, Andalusian and Ottoman civilizations, which were
established by Muslims, indicators of studiousness or indolence? Can a
dervish’s uttering the words “a morsel and only a coat” change the commands of
the Qur’ân al-kerîm and the hadîths? The
utterance of a dervish in an ecstatic state is suitable and appropriate for his
own state, but it is not the whole of Islam. Belief in the next world engenders
not suffering but order and ease for individuals, families and society. History
shows clearly that this is so. Islam commands not self-infliction, but the
ending of material and spiritual sufferings and the avoiding of inconveniences
and sorrows.
11 — “These countries are still
being administered with the laws of the desert,” he says.
Answer: The commands and teachings that are stated
in the Qur’ân al-kerîm, which was revealed by Allâhu ta’âlâ and in hundreds of thousands of hadîths
arouse admiration within men of knowledge and wisdom from all over the world.
In order to explain the superiority and value of these teachings and commands,
scholars of Islam have written thousands of books, some of which are cited in
this book. Even non-Muslim men of
knowledge
readily express this truth. Goethe said, “He who reads the Qur’an al-kerîm for the first time does not derive
pleasure, but it attracts the reader to itself afterwards. Later on, it
conquers him with its beauty.” Gibbon said, “The Qur’ân alkerîm reveals not
only a belief in Allâhu ta’âlâ and in the next
world but also civil laws and criminal codes. It has brought the unchangeable
commands of Allâhu ta’âlâ and the laws that
govern all the affairs and states of human beings.”[1]
Davenport said, “The Qur’ân al-kerîm regulates religious
duties, daily affairs, spiritual purity, the physical health, men’s social and
civic duties and rights, the things that are useful to people and to societies,
and the knowledge of morals and punishment. The Qur’ân
al-kerîm is a political system. Every state of the living and
of the lifeless is regulated. On morals, it is very tidy and very strong. The Qur’ân al-kerîm commands to always be
helpful. It strengthens social equality. It exerts a favorable effect on
civilization. There can be no behavior as unfair and as ridiculous as to
confront, out of stubborness and hostility, the Qur’ân
al-kerîm with ignorant criticism; it is the most valuable
book sent by Allâhu ta’âlâ for the benefit and happiness of mankind.”
As it is seen, every wise and
reasonable person gets attached to the Qur’ân
al-kerîm and respects it as much as he understands it. No
immorality, baseness or idiocy can be worse than saying “the laws of the
desert” about this holy book.
12 — “Other Eastern countries
have been directing themselves towards a national, Western ideology by throwing
away the laws of the desert, and they are becoming conscientious by abandoning
the opium of religion,” he says.
Answer: Even non-Muslims express their
admiration for Islam, which this ignorant, eccentric writer calls opium.
Mocheim said, “No time can be thought to be worse than those black days which
obscured Europe during the tenth century. Even the Latin nations, the most
advanced of the age, had nothing other than logic in the name of knowledge and
science. Logic was thought to be superior to all other branches of knowledge.
At that time, Muslims built schools in Spain and Italy. Young European men
assembled at these places to learn
---------------------------------
[1] ‘The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire’, Edward Gibbon, edited by Dero A. Saunders, pp. 650-660.
knowledge. After learning the teaching methods of Islamic scholars,
they opened Christian schools.”
The dazzling Islamic civilization, which is
written and praised unanimously by the world’s history books, was established
by those who followed the Qur’ân al-kerîm.
Today, science has progressed and gigantic industries have been established in
Europe, America and Russia. Space travel has begun, but in none of these
countries has mental peace been attained. Employers’ prodigality and
dissipation and workers’ poverty have not been brought to an end. In communism,
the State exploits the people; millions of people work for their food only,
hungry and naked as they are; and a cruel, blood-shedding minority live at
their expense. They lead a pleasurable life in palaces and commit every
atrocity. Since they do not obey the Qur’ân al-kerîm,
they cannot attain comfort and peace. To be civilized, it is necessary to
imitate them in science and technology, to work and accomplish things as they
do, since the Qur’ân al-kerîm and hadîths
command us to make progress in science and arts. For example, the hadîth
reported by Ibn Adî and al-Munâwî (rahmatullâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihimâ) declares: “Allâhu
ta’âlâ certainly likes His slave who makes progress and hasa craft,” and
the hadîth written in Hakîm at-Tirmidî and al-Munâwî declares:
“Allâhu ta’âlâ certainly likes to see
thatHis slave has a craft.” Accomplishing solely
this, however, does not suffice for being civilized. The blessings that are
earned should be shared equitably, and the worker should get the equivalent of
his labour. And this justice can be obtained only by following the Qur’ân al-kerîm. Today, Europe, America and Russia are
succesful in those areas wherein they work in conformity with Islam. However,
since the advantages are not distributed in accordance with the principles of
justice in the Qur’ân al-kerîm, the people
cannot attain comfort and peace, and class conflicts cannot be avoided. Those
who do not obey the Qur’ân al-kerîm can never
become happy. Those who obey it with or without belief in it, that is, whether
they are Muslims or not, get as much benefit from it in this world as the
extent of their obedience to it. Those who believe in and obey it get benefit
from it both in this world and the next; they live in comfort and prosperity in
this world and will attain endless felicity, infinite blessings in the next.
Both history and daily events show clearly that this word is true. As for those
who do
not
follow the way shown by the Qur’ân al-kerîm, no
matter whether they are Muslims or not; the farther away they get from the way
it prescribes the worse harm they will suffer and the more disastrous their
future will be.
Sâkýp Sabancý, a well-known Turkish
businessman, has revealed that when he was in America for an important heart
operation, a Protestant priest employed in that hospital visited him before the
operation and said, “Tomorrow you will have an important operation. You do not
belong to my religion; you are a Muslim. But all of us believe in the same
Creator. All of us are His human slaves. It is a duty for all of His slaves to
take refuge in Him at such a delicate time as this. Therefore, I will pray for
you tonight.” Sâkýp
Sabancý’s impression is: “I
cannot express how much these words of the priest’s moved me and encouraged
me.” The following is his article published in a daily on March 8, 1981, with
the caption “Turning Towards Spiritual Values”.
“It is seen that there are no
limits for improvement in science and technology. However, another apparent
reality is that improvements in science and technology, increases in material
power, and the daily improvements in the standards of living are not sufficient
to provide men with happiness.
“And above all, after a certain
stage is reached, improvements in science and technology and the success in
increasing material wealth are perfected by ‘gaining spiritual and moral virtues.’
“Now the development called the ‘Japanese Model’ is an open example of this. The aspiration of ‘the Japanese type of
export’ and ‘the Japenese type of
industry’ is frequently repeated in
everyday life in Turkey nowadays.
“The Japanese learned how to
manufacture cars at giant establishments in the United States of America. In a
short time, however, they were able to compete with these establishments in
international, and even American markets. They could manage to sell products in
a more successful way.
“To my belief, there are three
reasons for this achievement:
“1. Technology;
“2. Working in a disciplined
manner;
“3. Adherence to traditions and
spiritual values.
“The transfer of technology from one country
to another is
possible
despite its certain costs or hardships.
“But disciplined work, adherence
to traditions and spiritual values can never be transferred as soon as they are
paid for. Unfortunately, these factors have fallen into a situation of being
neglected and slighted in our country.
“When we attentively observe our
past and compare it with Japan, we see that the Turks have been one of the rare
nations of the world in respect to adhering to traditions, maintaining
discipline while working and observing spiritual values.
“There exists a strong family
structure. The members gather around the old one in the family. There is high
regard for him, and he is responsible for protecting the young.
“The Turk is in a struggle for
the sake of his country, flag, religion and chastity. This is a holy fight for
him.
“In war, he fights ‘in the Name of Allah.’
When starting a new job, he begins with His Name. He
entrusts his beloved ones to Allah.
“There is a system of manners
and traditions regulating the crafts and trades among Turks. Old societies of
tradesmen, the guilds, the protecting masters of every craft and
master-assistant master-apprentice relations are the examples of discipline
established by Turks in the field of trades and crafts.
“And for centuries the religion
of Islam has been one of the fundamental spiritual values facilitating an
attachment among millions of Turks scattered throughout every corner of the
world.
“While evaluating a profile of
our Turkey towards the second half of 1981, there are many advantages in
remembering these ‘spiritual values’ we possessed
in the past but have neglected in recent times.
“We cannot attribute our serious
social and political disorder, which we are now trying to get out of, solely to
economic reasons.
“For our population, which
exceeds 50 million and increases by a million every year, we are obliged to
provide a country ‘developed according to contemporary civilization’ and ‘a quality of life conformable with human honour.’ However successful we will become, it is apparent that it will be hard to keep
the 50 million people happy all the time by
only increasing the material means.
“It is our most important duty to seek and
to put forth
spiritual values common
to all, values which will bring 50 million together
and give a greater sense of determination to work more peacefully, together. To
realize unity among 50 million we must apply this training.
“Belief in Allah, fearing Him
and the religion of Islam are the essentials that will give hope and
determination to work for those who have remained helpless concerning material
problems.
“It has been understood that
spiritual development is needed in order for economic development to be useful.
“Please remember that the astronaut who
landed on the moon had a book of his religion in his pocket.
“THIS IS WHAT OUR OBJECTIVE
SHOULD BE: To possess technology and the ability to travel to the moon... but,
if we do possess this technology and means, we must continue to seek Allah’s Power and
Support...
“We must maintain our search to
make use of the great strength of the Islamic religion by encouraging our new
generations to have spiritual values. We are obliged to lay stress on religious
education as a spiritual support in schools. Before much more time is lost, we
should start a sufficient religious educational program in our schools.
“Adherence to traditions will
result in greater mutual tolerance about thoughts and actions and produce
greater mutual love and respect, which we greatly need. It will minimize and
calm mutual opposition and help in the establishment of internal peace. Thus, a
more authentic and stronger social establishment will result.
“Otherwise, it is very hard to
make happy and govern masses of men who are devoid of spiritual values and
traditions. Social order will not be easily established in such a society.
“In the Qur’ân al-kerîm, it is stated: ‘Do not get slack;
donot worry. If your belief is firm, you will certainly succeed.’
“Today
we hear and read that people all over the world are trying to know one another
more closely and now look from a different point of view at many of the things
they used to refuse. Let me give you a simple example: Americans used to claim
that there were many cruel rules in Islam and put forth the thief’s hands being
cut off as the principal one from among
them. We were astonished and could
not help smiling at the recent proposal of Douglas Huff, an American Senator
from the State of Illinois, who, upon the rapid increase in cases of robbery in
his State, said that it shall be passed as a law that the hands of the thieves
should be cut off as it is done in Muslim countries. The Senator wrote in his
proposal, ‘This might strike you as cruel. But I cannot think of another
solution. I think God imposes upon His slaves a from of punishment that is
appropriate. Those who commit a crime should fear Him.’ As you see, men get
closer to the rules of Islam day by day. There is every reason for the Islamic
religion, the latest from of the religions calling upon One Creator, to be the
world religion.
“We repeat that religion is a
treasure of energy that protects us from doing harmful and evil actions, blocks
our ambitions, nourishes and purifies our souls, makes us -by disclosing our
good habits- kind and helpful human beings who obey our elders, prohibits us
from rebelling and disobeying the laws, gives hope and encouragement to us to
achieve our goals, consoles us when we fail, lessens our sufferings, fills us
with strength and hope to live, opens and leads us to the way of Allah by
making us exact and perfect men, in summary, enables us to attain peace in this
world and endless bliss in the next.
“We must embrace our religion,
obey its commands and prohibitions, and realize its value. But we must strictly
avoid using it in simple, worldly affairs or for base, personal advantages.
This blessed country and this holy religion were harmed much on account of
impostors who deceived the people for the sake of their personal ambitions and
ugly purposes by saying. ‘The religion is being lost.’ They farced everyone to
rebel.
“Religious and scientific impostors have
caused much damage to the happiness of this country, of our nation. Impostors
of religion, using the religion as a means for their personal benefits and
political purposes, pushed forward nonreligious things as if they belonged to
the religion. At the same time, impostors of science, again for their personal
and political purposes, endeavoured to destroy the youth’s belief in the
religion and, to this end, put forth their non-scientific, destructive and
divisive words to be accepted as scientific knowledge by the youth. Impostors
of religion, pretending to be religious men, exploited the people’s adherence
to their religion,
while
impostors of science, pretending to be scientists and showing off their
diplomas in science, exploited the people’s confidence in scientific knowledge.
We must be fully aware of the tricks of these impostors of religion and
science.
“In recent times, too, there
have appeared some hypocrites who want to use the religion and science as a
tool for politics. It has been discovered that most of the anarchists and
bandits, who have been caught with their bombs, telescopic guns, antitank
rockets and transmitting and receiving radio-sets have turned out to be the
impostors of science at universities. The rest are workers, male or female
students deceived by them. As we read in newspapers about the treacheries and
murders put into practice or will be practised by these tens of thousands of
impostors of science, we understand in horror and consternation what a terrible
calamity or doom they were leading our country towards. We do not know how to
thank the commanders who, responding to the nation’s call for help, stopped
this terrible course and rescued us from this catastrophe. Day and night we
pray for the good of the Pashas who protected us. We will not have expressed
thanks enough for the great blessing we have attained, even if for every moment
we performed a prostration of thanksgiving towards our Rabb, who sent them to
preside over us! May endless gratitude be expressed to our Rabb for this very
great blessing!
“The religion and science are
two very necessary, very useful aids for men. Scientific knowledge prepares the
means and causes that are necessary for peace, prosperity and civilization. The
religion facilitates the usage of these means for peace, prosperity and
civilization. Communists have founded giant industries, enormous factories,
dazzling rockets, and satellites with the help of the scientific knowledge they
stole from Germany and America. Yet, only science exists in them; there is no
religious component. That is why they use scientific products to torture their
people, to attack others, and to raise rebellions and revolutions in other
parts of the world. They are turning every place into dungeons. Their advancement
in science results not in civilization but in savagery. Peace, prosperity and
human rights are violated. Millions of people are put into destitution for the
sake of a minority’s pleasure. For this reason, we must endeavour to learn the
real religion and to be true Muslims.
“See what the Qur’ân al-kerîm says about true
Muslims:
“ ‘Know well! There is no
fear for the friends of Allâhu ta’âlâ. They will not be troubled!’ (Sűra Yűnus, 62nd âyat)
“Let us believe in the rules of Islam, that is, the commandments and prohibitions of Allâhu ta’âlâ. By obeying these rules, our dear readers, we shall be able to help one another, help our country attain peace, prosperity and happiness.”