Whose hearts are as warm as the corona of the sun

Pained and worried are they for the destiny of the nation

Yet lovely as Paradise are they and as deep as eternity

Moths fly round the light of the inspired ones

On their faces radiant as mirrors

Shines the light from beyond this world…

Winds blow in their afterglow scattering a thousand kinds of fragrances

People find infinite peace in their presence,

And also on their faces radiant as mirrors

They inject a new life wherever they pass;

Soils turns to gold in their palms

Even poison changes to something sweet on their tongues…

Souls open to them one after another

They inject a new life wherever they pass

Their words, like the lamps of the Infinite, diffuse light;

Always ready to pour themselves out like rain-bearing clouds.

They boil inwardly, like volcanoes with desires of serving the nation.

Words, as precious as jewels, flow from their mouths,

And, like the lamps of the Infinite, they diffuse light.

Time is pregnant, through their enchanting ‘breaths’,

Writhing with pains of giving birth to a sacred future.

I have come to understand it will be springtime for my nation

Whose light and colour come from the other world…

Time is pregnant, through their enchanting ‘breaths’.

***

‘He died so young’ they said, and added: He had so many things to do’.

It was true, that I had left a great deal of work half done; I had not set up a good business for my son, completed the payment of the instalment of the car and TV. Winter was around the corner, I had not prepared the leaking roof or bought the fuel. Now the dream to establish a big firm and employ my friends had dispersed to nothing.

Suddenly, I was irritated by a noise, as if coming through a microphone echoed in every remote cell of my brain:

‘It is all over!’

I wished it had not been all over, I did not know why the accident happened. I was a good driver.

As I was trying to recall the events that had taken place, I realized that my friends surrounding the coffin were covering it by putting the lid over me. No matter how much I wanted to shout, I could neither move nor speak. I was in complete darkness and turned my eyes towards the light coming from the gaps in the coffin.

I said to myself in horror:

‘Oh my God! What am I going to do now?’

Seized with fear, I could think of nothing. Later, I was lifted on to their shoulders as they began to carry the coffin. Hearing the noise coming from outside understood that it was raining. The noise of the raindrops mingled with the creaking of the coffin. We must have gone to the mosque for the funeral prayer.

I remembered that although the mosque was so close to my home, I had never paid it a visit. I had planned to start prayers after the age of fifty and I would quit the bad habits everyone complained about. If the accident had not occurred, I would have been a good fellow.

The voice that I heard before repeated, ‘It is all over!’ A little later my funeral prayer was completed. The Imam was asking people’s opinion, as to ‘what kind of character I was’. I knew that among them were some eight or ten persons did not give an opinion. I accepted that I had given them some evil and harm, but if the accident had not occurred, I would have been pleased to make amends and duly compensate them for the equivalent of any harm done. After the prayer in the mosque was completed, I was lifted on to the shoulders again. Due the inclination of the coffin, I understood that we were on the road uphill to the grave. I was aware that it was pouring rain and the rain was seeping through the cracks in the coffin on to the shroud, making it damp. Nevertheless, I tried to listen to the conversations coming from outside. Some of my friends were talking about the stagnation of the market, some were commentating on a Western film they had seen the previous evening on the TV. Another, carrying my coffin whispered:

‘What a bad day the deceased chose to die, we have got wet through and through’.

I could not believe what I heard and I thought that I must have misunderstood. Were they not the ones for whom I had sacrificed my wealth and my health?

A little later my journey finished and my coffin was put down on the ground. The lid was removed again. The arms holding my weak and lifeless flesh put it into the hole where a little water had collected. Lying on the ground, I looked around:

‘Oh my God, was it a grave?’ I did not know why I had not thought until then that I would be buried in a grave. No one heard my silent cries and my best friends seemed to be competing each other to cover my body with thick boards.

I was in complete dark once more, I began to pray with all my cells;

‘Oh my merciful God’ I said, ‘Is there another chance to be a real servant of Yours?’

The same voice repeated,

‘It is all over, everything has finished.’

I was shaken by the noise of the earth, which clammered like thunder as it was been thrown on the boards. With a final effort to get up, I opened my eyes. I was lying on my comfortable bed and it was all a nightmare. One of my neighbours, a doctor, was standing at the bedside.

‘It is all over,’ he repeated, ‘You are all right’.

I sat up slowly from the bed, I was dripping with perspiration, feeling I had lost twenty kilos weights. It was raining heavy in the outside and the whole house was shaken by thunder.

While I was trying to recover myself in front of the bewildered eyes of the others, I whispered:

‘Oh my Lord, a thousand thanks to You. What would I do, if You had not given me another chance to be an obedient servant to You?’

‘Yes,’ they replied. ‘Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah emerged alleging that he is a Prophet and lbn Abu Quhafah (Abu Bakr) has followed him.’

‘I used to know Abu Bakr,’ said Talha. ‘He is an easy-going, amiable, gentle man. He was an honest and upright trader. We were quite fond of him and loved sitting in his company because of his knowledge of Quraysh history and genealogy.’

Later, Talha went to Abu Bakr and asked:

‘Is it true what they say – that Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah has appeared as a Prophet and that you follow him?’

‘Yes,’ replied Abu Bakr and went on to tell Talha about Muhammad and what a good thing it would be if he too followed him. Talha in turn told Abu Bakr the story of his strange recent encounter with an ascetic in the marketplace of Busra in Syria. The ascetic is said to have told Talha that someone called ‘Ahmad’ would appear in Mecca about that time and that he would be the last of the Prophets. He also told Talha, so the story goes, that the Prophet would leave the sacred precincts of Mecca and migrate to a land of black soil, water and palm trees…

Abu Bakr was astonished by the story and took Talha to Muhammad. The Prophet, peace be upon him, explained Islam to Talha and recited some portions of the Qur’an to him. Talha was enthusiastic. He related to the Prophet his conversation with the ascetic of Busra. There and then, Talha pronounced the Shahadah – that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God. He was the fourth person who had been introduced to Islam by Abu Bakr.

The Quraysh were astounded by the young Talha’s acceptance of Islam. The one who was most dismayed and unhappy was his mother. She had hoped that he would one day be a leader in his community because of his noble character and his outstanding virtues. Some of the Quraysh, anxious and worried, went to Talha as soon as they could to wean him away from his new religion but found him firm and unshakeable as a rock. When they despaired of using gentle persuasion to achieve their aim, they resorted to persecution and violence. The following story is related by Mas’ud ibn Kharash:

‘While I was making sa’y between al-Safa and al Marwa, there appeared a crowd of people pushing a young man whose hands were tied behind his back. As they rushed behind him, they rained down blows on his head. In the crowd was an old woman who lashed him repeatedly and shouted abuses at him.

I asked:

‘What’s the matter with this young man?’

‘This is Talha ibn ‘Ubaydullah. He gave up his religion and now follows the Ban-u Hashim man.’

‘And who is the woman behind him?’ I asked.

‘She is Sa’bah bint al-Hadrami, the young man’s mother,’ they said.

The Quraysh did not stop there. Nawfal ibn Khuwaylid, nicknamed the ‘lion of the Quraysh’ bound Talha with a rope and with the same rope he tied up Abu Bakr and then handed them over to the mindless and violent mob of Mecca to be beaten and tortured. The shared experience no doubt drew Talha and Abu Bakr closer together!

Years passed and events of great significance took place. Talha grew in stature as he bore the pain and suffering of being tested in the path of God and His Prophet. He gained the unique reputation among Muslims of being called the ‘living martyr’. The Prophet, peace be upon him, also called him ‘Talha the Good’ and ‘Talha the Generous’.

The name of the ‘living martyr’ was earned during the Battle of Uhud. Talha had missed the Battle of Badr. He and Sa’id ibn Zayd had been sent outside Medina on a mission by the Prophet and when they returned, the Prophet and his companions were already on the way back from Badr. They were both sad at having missed the opportunity of taking part in the first campaign with the Prophet but were tremendously pleased when he told them they would get the same reward as those who actually fought.

At the Battle of Uhud, when the Muslims fell into disarray at the beginning of hostilities, the Prophet became dangerously exposed. There were about eleven men of the Ansar at his side and one Muhajir – Talha ibn ‘Ubaydullah. The Prophet clambered up the mountain hotly pursued by some mushrikin. The Prophet, peace be upon him, shouted:

‘The one who repulses these people from us will be my companion in Paradise.’

‘I, O Messenger of God,’ shouted Talha.

‘No, stick to your position,’ replied the Prophet. A man from the Ansar volunteered and the Prophet agreed. He fought until he was killed. The Prophet went further up the mountain with the mushrikin still in close pursuit.

‘Isn’t there someone to combat these?’

Talha again volunteered but the Prophet ordered him to maintain his position. Another person immediately came forward, fought and was killed. This happened until all who stood by the Prophet were martyred except Talha.

‘Now, yes, ‘ signalled the Prophet and Talha went into battle. By this time, the Prophet’s teeth had been broken, his forehead had been slashed, his lips had been wounded and blood was streaming down his face. He was drained of energy. Talha plunged into the enemy and pushed them away from the Prophet. He turned back to the Prophet and helped him a little further up the mountain and put him to lie on the ground. He then renewed his attack and successfully repulsed the enemy.

About this occasion Abu Bakr said:

‘At that moment, Abu ‘Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah and I were far from the Prophet. When we came close to him to render assistance to him, the Prophet said:

‘Leave me and go to your companion (meaning Talha).’

There was Talha, bleeding profusely. He had numerous wounds, from sword, spear and arrow. His foot had been cut and he had fallen into a hollow where he lay unconscious.

Thereafter, the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:

‘Whoever is pleased to see a man still walking on earth who had completed his span (of life), let him look at Talha ibn ‘Ubaydullah.’

And, whenever Uhud was recalled, As-Siddiq, may God be pleased with him, would say:

‘That day, that entire day, belonged to Talha.’

That was the story of how Talha became to be called the ‘living martyr’.

There were innumerable incidents which led to him being called ‘Talha the Good’ and ‘Talha the Generous’.

Talha was an astute and successful merchant who travelled widely to the north and south of the Arabian peninsula. It is said that after one of his trips to Hadramawt, he had profits amounting to some seven hundred thousand dirhams. His nights would be anxious and worried on account of this vast wealth. On one such night, his wife, Ummu Kulthum the daughter of Abu Bakr said to him:

What’s wrong with you, O Abu Muhammad? Perhaps I have done something to hurt you?’

‘No,’ replied Talha. ‘You are a wonderful wife for a Muslim man. But I have been thinking since last night:How can a man think of his Lord and Sustainer when he goes to sleep with this wealth in his house?’

Why should it bother you so much?’ remarked Ummu Kulthum. ‘What about all the needy ones in your community and all your friends? When you get up in the morning share it out among them.’

‘God bless you. You are really marvellous, the daughter of a marvellous man,’ said Talha to his wife.

In the morning, Talha gathered up the money in bags and distributed it among the poor Muhajirin and Ansar.

It is related that a man came up to Talha requesting help and also mentioning some common family connection between them.

‘This family connection someone has mentioned to me before,’ said Talha who was in fact known for his generosity to all members of his clan. Talha told the man that he had just sold a piece of land to ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan for several thousand dirhams. The man could have the money or the land which could be re-purchased from ‘Uthman. The man opted for the money and Talha gave it all to him.

Talha was well-known for helping persons who had debt problems, heads of families who experienced hardship, and widows. One of his friends, Sa’id ibn Zayd, said of him:

‘I accompanied Talha ibn ‘Ubaydullah on journeys and I stayed with him at home and I have not found anyone who was more generous with money, with clothes and with food than Talha.’

No wonder he was called ‘Talha the Good’ and ‘Talha the Generous’.

The name Talha is also connected with the first fitnah or civil war among Muslims after the death of the Prophet, peace be upon him.

The seeds of trouble were sown during the caliphate of ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan. There were many complaints and accusations against him. Some mischief-makers were not content with accusations only but were determined to finish him off. In the year 35 AH (656 CE) a group of insurgents stormed ‘Uthman’s house and murdered him while he was reading the Qur’an. It was one of the most shocking events in the early history of Islam.

‘Ali was persuaded to accept the responsibility of the Caliphate and all Muslims swore allegiance to him, including Talha and Zubayr ibn al-Awwam. Talha and Zubayr were deeply shocked by the murder of ‘Uthman. They were horrified and felt strongly that the murderers should be punished and that justice should be done. But the punishment of the murderers was not an easy task in as much as the crime was not just the work of a few individuals but involved a large number of persons.

Talha and Zubayr sought ‘Ali’s permission to go to Mecca to perform Umrah. They met ‘A’ishah the wife of the Prophet. She was greatly shocked when she heard of the assassination of ‘Uthman. From Mecca, Talha Zubayr and ‘A’ishah set off for Basra where large numbers were gathering to seek revenge for the death of ‘Uthman.

The forces gathered at Basra seemed to present an open challenge to ‘Ali. As the caliph of the Muslims and the head of the entire Muslim State, he could not tolerate any insurrection or armed revolt against the State. But what a difficult and awesome task he faced! To deal with the revolt, he had to confront his brothers, his companions and his friends – followers of the Prophet and his religion, those who often fought side by side with him against the forces of shirk, those whom he respected and loved.

The forces clamouring for vengeance for ‘Uthman and those supporting ‘Ali met at a place called Kuraybah, near Basra. ‘Ali desired to avoid war and settle matters by peaceful means. He used every means at his disposal to achieve peace. He clung to every hope of avoiding confrontation. But the dark forces at work against Islam – and how numerous were these – were determined that matters should come to a terrible and bloody end.

‘Ali wept. He wept bitterly when he saw ‘A’ishah, the ‘Mother of the Believers’ in her hawdaj or palanquin astride a camel at the head of the army which now emerged to fight him. And when he saw Talha and Zubayr, two close companions of the Prophet, in the midst of the army, he shouted to them to come out to him. They did and ‘Ali said to Talha:

‘O Talha, have you come with the wife of the Messenger of God to fight along with her…?’

And to Zubayr he said:

‘O Zubayr, I implore you, by God, do you remember the day when the Prophet, peace be upon him, passed by you and we were in such and such a place and he asked you:

‘Do you love ‘Ali?’ and you said:

‘Why shouldn’t love my cousin and one who follows my religion…?’

‘Ali continued talking to them reminding them of the bonds of brotherhood and faith. In the end both Talha and Zubayr withdrew from participation in this civil war. They withdrew immediately when they saw the situation in a different light. But they paid for that withdrawal with their lives.

As they withdrew, a man named ‘Amr ibn Jurmouz followed Zubayr and cowardly murdered him while he performed Salat. Talha was killed by an arrow allegedly shot by Marwan – a cousin of ‘Uthman who was too blinded by rage and the desire to seek revenge for his kinsman to respond to the possibility of avoiding war and bloodshed among Muslims.

The murder of ‘Uthman had become Talha’s tryst with destiny. He did not participate in the fighting and killing that followed that came to be known in history as the ‘Battle of the Camel’. Indeed, if he had known that the fitnah would have degenerated into such insane hatred and bitterness and resulted in such a bloody outcome, he would have resisted it. He was not keen to fight ‘Ali. He was simply appalled by the murder of ‘Uthman and wanted to see justice done. Before the beginning of the battle he had said in a voice choked with emotion:

‘O Lord, for the sake of ‘Uthman, take from me this day until You are pleased.’

Then when ‘Ali faced him and Zubayr, they saw the correctness of his position and withdrew from the field of battle .Yet, in these difficult circumstances, martyrdom was reserved for them.

The Battle of the Camel came to an end. ‘A’ishah, the Mother of the Believers, realized that she had precipitated matters and left Basra for the Sacred Mosque and then to Madina distancing herself from the conflict. ‘Ali provided well for her journey giving her all the comfort and honour due to her.

When the numerous deads from the battle were brought together, ‘Ali led the funeral prayer for them all, those who were with him and those who were against him. And when he had finished burying Talha and Zubayr he bade farewell to them with a heavy heart, a heart filled with tenderness and love.

‘I really hope,’ he said in simple and sublime words, ‘that Talha, Zubayr, ‘Uthman and I will be among those of whom God has said:

And We shall remove from their hearts any lurking sense of injury and rancour; they will be brothers joyfully facing each other on thrones of dignity. (al-Hijr, 15:47)

Then he looked tenderly and sorrowfully on the graves of his brothers in faith and said:

‘I have heard with these two ears of mine the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, saying:

‘Talha and Zubayr are my companions in Paradise!’

English converts have been the topic of a recent research. The research was based on formal interviews with 70 converts; 50 males and 20 females. Their ages range from 17 to 66 years. The major objective of this research was to observe and record the conversion phenomenon of English converts to Islam and to provide the reasons underlying them. The research endeavoured to understand the psychological and sociological roots of conversion, to find out converts’ background, and the conversion processes they went through. For this end the whole lifespan of the converts was examined.

Religion of Upbringing

English converts seem to have come from families where there was no strong identification with any religion. They mostly come from families that did not belong to a church, or, were not active participants in a church. Most describe their parents’ connection with the church in terms of ceremonial attendance like weddings and funerals. When classified according to religion of upbringing 51(73%) of the 70 were Church of England; 12 (17%) were Catholics; 3 (4%) were Methodists; 4 (6%) were Jews. Significantly, 17 (24.3%) had parents religiously heterogeneous such as mother being Church of England and father Agnostic, or mother being Catholic and father Church of England. And 5 (7%) described one parent being atheist or agnostic. 36 (51.4%) said that they had ‘no’ or ‘weak’ religious upbringing. 20 (28.6%) answered ‘normal’ while only 14 (20%) described it as ‘strong’.

Religious Affiliation Prior to Conversion

Converts were quite explicit concerning their general dissatisfaction with their previous religious beliefs. Only 8 (11%) mentioned that they were practising their religion of origin prior to conversion. 32 (46%) reported being nominal, weak or disillusioned with their old religion. 16 (23%) had no religion or were not interested in religion at all. And 14 (20%) were involved with a religious movement, such as Hare Krishna and Divine Light Mission, prior to conversion. As for ‘belief in God’, 58 (83%) reported that they believed in God, 9 (13%) lost their belief in God, while 3 (4%) were not sure if they believed or not.

As the above figures illustrate, it is interesting that for a significant number of converts’ rejection of the faith of their parents or culture did not imply a rejection of religion in general or loss of belief in God. 14 (20%) proceeded to explore other religious alternatives following their initial rejection of a particular faith. As for religious affiliations and belief in God prior to conversion, and what conversion meant for these people in terms of these areas, they may be classified into three groups:

1) Those who had no religious commitment for a long time or described themselves as nominal in their religion of origin. People who fall into this group form the vast majority (75%). For them conversion meant a religious intensification, not through the religion of childhood, but through a different religion.

2) Those who described themselves as religious for a long period of time, but became disillusioned later on and were on the brink of losing their belief in their religion prior to conversion. Around 12% fall into this group.

3) Those who lost belief in God after rejecting their religion. For them, conversion meant rediscovering belief in God and returning to the way of God. Around 13% fall into this category.

Wilson (1976: 19-21), in discussing the effects of secularization on modern society illustrates how moral control by religion gave way to modern society’s mechanical and bureaucratic devices, and how everyday life has been demoralized as human involvement in many areas of activity was replaced by technical controls. Arguing the decreasing role of the church in England, Wilson asserts that ‘people have what might be called an ‘office’ conception of the Church, a service facility that is well distributed over the land area of the country to be available when needed.’ The converts’ accounts confirm that over-secularization led them to seek an alternative way of life. They believe that Islam gave them a practical means of getting closer to God living a good life, and getting peace in ‘this secular environment’. They became interested in Islam in the first place because they felt that Islam has strong clear values on things they feel concerned about, not just the abuse of environment, but even things like homosexuality. Their revolt is not always directed against religious beliefs but against certain practices legitimized by Christianity and its Church. While giving their accounts on their previous life, the converts emphasized that they felt a need for a religion whereby they could orient their everyday life and they preferred Islam because it is a complete way of life not a compartmentalized religion confined to certain areas, as Sarah pointed out: ‘As an ex-Christian I now see Christianity as just a religion, but Islam, as I understand, is the way you live. It is a different approach. For instance, you can be a Christian and you can do almost everything, and you can say you are a Christian happily. But if you are Muslim, it is different, you are restricted in that matter.’

They felt that something was missing, and that was the influence of religion in their lives. Before coming to Islam they started criticising the existing religion and its culture and began having certain affinities and world views closer to that of Islam which eventually made a possible correlation between their views and Islam.

Some of those who were involved or became interested in new religions were in search of an alternative to the secular way of life with a strong reaction to the materialistic and secular perspective of the society. Garry, for example, became a Zen-Buddhist in a university when he came to believe that spirituality was lacking in the teaching system. Yet Garry found Zen-Buddhism monastic, not encompassing the social dimension of life. He said: ‘It could answer personal questions, but it couldn’t answer global questions.’

Socio-demographic Factors

Contrary to the assumption that most of the people who join an alien religion or so-called new religious movement are dropouts from society, converts to Islam can in no way be seen as such. On the contrary, their educational and work careers are quite normal. They achieved significantly higher levels of education than those typical for their population as a whole. 60 percent had at least a bachelor’s degree. Indeed, 20 percent had advanced graduate degrees. Converts to Islam tend to come from the middle class section of the society. 46 (66%) associated themselves with the middle class, while 24 (34%) identified with the working class. They seem to have a wide range of occupations which vary from taxi drivers to university lecturers. As for marital status, 40 people were single at the time of conversion. 23 were married or engaged (14 to Muslims, and 9 to non-Muslims), and 7 were divorcees.

Emotional and Cognitive Concerns

A significant number of the testimonials covered accounts on troubled lives before entrance into Islam. The pre-conversion life of nearly half of the converts (48.6%) was judged to contain emotional distress. For them this period of their lives seems to have led them to look for something. For one fifth of the sample the emotional turmoil that characterized their descriptions of their childhood and adolescence was also apparent in the immediate antecedents to the conversion experience. Their unhappiness was, in most cases, caused by parental marriages which either ended up in divorce or nearly broke up, and they described it as the major trauma of their lives. 13 (18.6%) divorced or had a broken relationship before conversion and this caused long-term emotional turmoil and anxiety. Some converts said that they were grateful to God to have experienced such distressful incidents because it was these events that sparked them into thinking about religion.

The conversion experience may be related to emotional turmoil or personal distress experienced in the immediate preconversion period. However, the accounts of the converts to Islam suggest that conversions did not occur as a direct result of the emotional turmoil or personal distress, although 34 (48.6%) reported emotional distress prior to conversion. It may be associated with conversion, but it is not necessarily a predisposing condition. In the preconvert there may be an unconscious conflict, and a psychological set, but these factors, alone, in many cases, are not enough. There must be a current force which lights the fuse. That fuse took the form of cognitive and existential questions. The course that the pre-conversion period takes in many cases is that the emotional turmoil or personal distress of the individual leads him to a stage where he develops cognitive concerns.

Cognitive quest, for the converts to Islam, contained concerns or preoccupation with political, social, and moral issues, and religious doubts. Existential concerns cover questions like ‘What is the meaning and purpose of my life?’, ‘How does one deal with the fact that he is going to die?’, and ‘What should one do about his shortcomings?’. 33 (47.1%) reported preoccupation with cognitive concerns. They reported feelings of aimlessness, lack of purpose or direction and meaning, and of incompleteness, which mainly arose out of cognitive and existential concerns. These people believe that the cognitive problems that used to bother them are met by conversion to Islam because it offered them a complete philosophy of life; it proclaimed the responsibility of man, a future life, and a day of judgement. It answered their questions like ‘What is man’s place in the universe?’, and ‘What is his relationship with the world around him.’ Cognitive quests also revealed ambiguities in one’s belief system. These ambiguities were anchored during adolescence, but revived later in life when one became actively involved in life situations and felt an urge to have a faith, or a need to return to religion. Until this stage of their life these people seemed not to have bothered about religion, but at this stage when these needs became more manifest they re-questioned their previous beliefs and as a result they either felt confused or they decided to give them up entirely. The ambiguities with regard to their previous religious beliefs, namely Christianity, centred around some basic concepts of Christianity and its theological implications such as Trinity, Jesus being the Son of God, original sin, atonement theory, and the intercession of the clergy. Some criticisms also focused on perceived hypocrisy in mainstream churches and their incapacity to lead the people in moral issues.

(to be continued)

References

• BALL, H. (1987) Why British Women Embrace Islam?, Leicester: Muslim Youth Educational Council.
• JOHNSTONE, P. (1981) ‘Christians and Muslims in Britain’, Islamochristiana, No.7, pp.67-99.
• MCHUGH, F. (1990) ‘Allah’s English Daughters’, Telegraph Weekend Magazine, 31 March, pp.34-S.
• WILSON, B. (1976) Contemporary Transformation of Religion, Oxford: Clerandon.

It is really pleasing for us that,although THE FOUNTAIN is a new,humble voice among many of its counterparts,we had more entries than expected.

The topic we asked you to address was,we acknowledge,not a simple one. It required deep research ,scholarship,reflection and discernment.

The response showed how scholarly ,expressive and analyctical our readership . Almost all entries were informative,well written and thoroughly researched. It was clear that the writers came from a variety of backgrounds and academic fields. Each entry showing great individuality.

It was extremely difficult to make a preference between such thoughtful essays. We hope our readers and venerable participants will excuse us for having to make a choice from among so many exceptional pieces of work. it goes without saying that any evaluation depends upon the scope of the jury. We do not claim that our jury is infallible or even that they are the most authoritative people on the subject,but we can assure our readers that their judgements are fair and as reliable as possible.

The competitors were expected to compese their reflections into a concise,well-designed essay without going into great detail. They should have concentrated on the quality of science and scientific knowledge,offered a short historical analysis of Muslims`attitude toward science and critically assessed the Western approach to science including mechanistic,materialistic and the “most modern”trends which have been shaped by the latest developments in`Atomic or Quantum physics`. Any critical analysis should have been made from the Islamic perspective. Issues may have included the falsity of western scientism,the excessive role apportioned to science in shaping our minds,the true recognition and comprehension of things and events,and the restriction and inadequacy of human knowledge and efforts.

The Islamic perspective stresses the following points:

-The vicegerency of man on the earth;

-The factors which give man preference over the angels and the meaning of the “names” instructed man by God;

-The existence of two sets of Divine laws one governing the universe which, is the subject matter of sciences; and other governing man’s ‘religious’ life;

-Deductive and inductive reasoning and the fact that Islam lays emphasis on the truths beyond man’s limited senses-the invisible existence and realities-emanating from the principles of faith like belief in the Hereafter,angles and the Unseen World.

-The apparent law of ‘cause and effect’,which God has made a veil before His operations as a requirement of His Grandeur and Majesty;

-The nominal significance of causes and God’s direct disposal of the universe as a principle required by Divine Unity

-The apparent uniformity of the universe,which enables man to lead an earthly life; but ,by contrast,the ever-renewal of the universe by God’s ever-activity;

-Wholistic view of the universe and modern compertmantalization.

The jury,after a strict examination of the entries with respect to content,strength of argument,comprehensiveness,language and composition,declined to give a first rank to any of these essays and made the following graduation.

Second: Dr. Yamine Mermer, with her essay: An Islamic assessment of the modern approach to science.

Third: Abasi Kiyimba, with his essay titled, Modern Science: A Muslim Perspective

Fourth: Riffat Hassan, with his essay, The Islamic Approach To The Modern Sciences, Natural, Social and Applied

Fifth: Abdullatif Bello,with his essay,Islam and Modern Science: A Critique.

Upon all of us to be Gods peace,dear readers.

There are two religious festivals in Islam. ‘Id al-Fitr, the festival of the breaking of the fast, comes at the end of the month of Ramadan, during which Muslims fast from dawn until sunset. ‘Id al-Adha, the festival of sacrifice, comes on the tenth of Dhu’I-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic year in which the pilgrimage is performed. Both festivals enjoy a very special place in the life of Muslims and leave indelible impressions on the culture of Muslim people.

Religious festivals for Muslims are times of heightened Islamic thoughts and feelings when memories of a long and honourable past are revived, recalled and ‘lived’ afresh with all its joys and sorrows.

Religious festivals are, for Muslims, occasions of paradoxical feelings – pangs of separation and hopes of re-union, regrets and expectations, and joys and sorrows. While on the one hand, they feel sadness over losses in either individual or national spheres, on the other, they feel, paradoxically, the exhilarating pleasure of an expected revival, like the revival of nature in spring after a severe winter.

Muslims enjoy the pleasure of re-union and of a universal brotherhood on festival days. They smile at each other lovingly, greet each other respectfully, and pay visits to each other. Members of divided families whom modern, industrialized life has forced to live apart from each other in different towns, come together and feel the intoxicating pleasure of once more eating together and spending a few days together.

For Muslims, religious festivals are occasions for spiritual revival through seeking God’s forgiveness and praising and glorifying Him. They are enraptured by special supplications, odes and eulogies for the Prophet. Especially in traditional circles where the traces of the past are still alive, people experience the meaning of the festival in a more vivid, colourful fashion, on cushions or sofas, or around stoves or fire-places in their humble houses or cottages, or under the trees among the flowers in their gardens, or in the spacious halls of their homes. They feel the meaning of the festival in each morsel they eat, in each sip they drink and in each word they speak about their traditional and religious values.

Religious festivals are of a much greater significance for children. They feel a different joy and pleasure in the warm, embracing climate of the festivals, which they have been preparing to welcome a few days before. Like nightingales singing on branches of trees, they cause us to experience the festivals more deeply through their plays, songs, smiles and cheers.

Religious festivals provide the most practical means for improving human relationships. People experience a deep inward pleasure, they meet and exchange good wishes in a blessed atmosphere of spiritual harmony. It is especially when the festival permeates hearts with prayer and supplications performed consciously that souls are elevated to the realm of eternity. They then feel the urge to get rid of the clutches of worldly attachments and live in the depths of their spiritual being. In the atmosphere overflowing with love and mercy, a new hope is injected with life.

Believing souls welcome the religious festivals with wonder, expectations and otherworldly pleasures. It is, indeed, difficult to understand fully what believing souls feel during the religious festivals in the depths of their hearts. To perceive the feelings that the festivals arouse in pure souls who lead their life in ecstasies of otherworldly pleasures, it is necessary to experience such pleasures in the same degree.

Having reached the day of the festival after fulfilling their prescribed duty and responsibility, these souls display such a dignity and serenity, such a grace and spiritual excellence that those who see them think that they have all received a perfect religious and spiritual education. Some of them are so sincere and so devoted to God that each seems to represent the outcome of a long glorious history and to be the embodiment of centuries-old universal values. One may experience through their conduct and manners that taste of the fruits of Paradise, the peaceful atmosphere on the slopes of firdaws-the highest abode in Paradise-and the delight of being near to God.

Sura ‘Fussilat, which may be translated as the chapter of ‘Detailed Explanations’, is the second chapter in the Qur’an beginning with the letters ‘Haa’ and ‘Mim’ and was frequently recited by our beloved Prophet.

The eleventh verse quoted above follows a verse explaining the creation or genesis of the world. As with the other verses in the Qur’an, this verse has many profound meanings but I shall try to explain it from the point of view of geophysics.

On reading the verse several times over, we must note with care the subtle meanings which lie beyond the ordinary in the declarations of God Almighty. I would like to draw the attention of the reader to these points in what follows:

a) ‘Then He turned to the heaven which was yet but smoke.’

This expression discloses a special secret. For when God Almighty wishes something, He simply says ‘Be’ and it is. Why does the verse specifically indicate that ‘He turned to the sky’? It is drawing our attention to the fact that an important scientific insight is about to be revealed.

b) He sends out a call for cooperation to the earth and the heaven. He orders them to ‘come (and cooperate with each other) whether you like it or not. Again, in the power of God Almighty and the certainty of His commands, there can be no such thing as the insubordination of the created. The command ‘come, even if unwillingly indicates that there is difficulty in the cooperation of the earth and its heaven. Further, it is indicated that the heaven which harmonizes with the earth is the one closest to the earth.

Let us now investigate the relationship between the earth and its ‘closest heaven’ in terms of the precepts of contemporary geophysics. Until quite recently, it used to be assumed that life would originate on any planet having the proper temperature. In recent years, however, space explorations have revealed that the possession of an atmosphere is one of the most difficult things for a planet to achieve. In other words, there is a baffling opposition between a planet and its atmosphere (which might be called its ‘nearest heaven’). For the atmosphere consists of gaseous atoms in the ‘near sky’. In all large planets these atoms are assimilated to the surface of the planet, while in small planets the gravitational force is insufficient to bind the atoms. These gases then escape, leaving the planet barren.

Now let us reread the sacred verse in the light of this very brief information, and in particular the second sentence:

‘Come, both of you, (come together) willingly or unwillingly.’

The molecules and atoms in the atmosphere try to escape into space, while the earth tries to attract and captivate them. In other words, their partnership is unwilling; it is forced.

The scientific magnificence of this sacred verse consists in the fact that it is telling us this secret fourteen centuries ago. Fifty years ago no one was aware of this fact.

In order to ascertain the inner meaning of the sacred verse, let us expand our knowledge of geophysics a little further. What are the conditions for the formation of an atmosphere on a planet and so, by implication, on earth?

For the formation of an atmosphere, the motions leading to the escape of molecules have to be counterbalanced by the gravitational attraction of the earth. This is an almost impossibly difficult condition to fulfil. For all planets throughout the universe, the odds may be less than a billion to one. This is the fact that the chapter ‘Detailed Explanations’ expresses.

‘And then He turned to the heaven.’

This statement contains the secret of how God Almighty renders all things possible. From the standpoint of geophysics, these extremely difficult conditions require the preservation of three important balances:

1. Atmospheric temperature,

2. Proportionate gravitational attraction on the part of the earth,

3. The non-violation of this balance by various radiant energies arriving from space.

1. Atmospheric Heat

The ability of molecules to escape is dependent on heat. Environmental heat should obey the following characteristics:

a) The distance of the earth to the sun. If the earth were closer to the sun, the heat produced in the environment of the atmosphere would cause all the molecules to ‘boil off and escape. On the other hand, if the earth were farther away from the sun, the molecular movements would slow down, the molecules would condense and be assimilated by the earth.

b) The heat the earth receives from the sun must be evenly distributed over the earth’s atmosphere. For this the earth has to rotate on its axis with a definite velocity. If it rotated too slowly, sudden cooling would be absorbed by the surface in that region. If it were to rotate too fast, the various regions would not get the chance to be heated evenly.

The earth, therefore, must rotate at its present speed. However, this balanced rotation is likewise insufficient to dispose of the question of heating. For next the equator of the earth, which receives a larger portion of the sun’s energy, begins to heat up, while the Poles cool even further leading to the condensation and absorption of the atmosphere at the Poles. So the axis of the earth must remain tilted, balancing the heated regions by continually interchanging them. This is why the axis of the earth is slanted 23.5 degrees.

The declaration ‘They both responded, we come willingly’ at the end of the sacred verse gives expression to this inner meaning, God’s order, ‘come, (cooperate, come together)’ points simultaneously to the automatic inclination of the earth and its possession of a moderate rotation. For the earth, too, takes the appropriate physical measures demanded of it by the command.

c) The earth has to retain the heat it gains, to store it for a certain period. In other words, the earth needs a ‘blanket’. This blanket is provided by the gaseous carbon dioxide in the air. But before the atmosphere had formed, where was the carbon dioxide to regulate the heating process? We know from geophysics that the initial atmosphere of the earth was composed primarily of carbon dioxide.

The sacred verse reveals this secret as well. What does ‘which was yet but smoke (dukhan) mean?’ It is known that in its initial period, the earth possessed an atmosphere consisting mostly of smoke (carbon dioxide). It was thanks to this primordial gas that the earth retained its heat and was able to form the atmosphere of today.

2. The Properly Proportioned Gravitation Of The Earth

Modern physics defines terrestrial gravitation as follows: The sum of the active gravitational forces of the atoms comprising the earth. This means that if the escape of the atmosphere is to be prevented by gravitation and its absorption avoided, the earth gas is to possess a definite volume and density. It can easily be seen that when the earth possesses a specific density and volume, the atmosphere can be constituted without difficulty. Unbelievable subtleties, however, underlie this event. We may list these as follows:

a) The earth has to contain certain materials in a definite proportion. It has to have sufficient metals in reserve to support the existence of life and civilization, and gas to comprise large amounts of non-metals. This means that the density of the earth is not a crude but rather a very difficult calculation, involving the simultaneous consideration of many essentials.

b) The gravitational balance of the earth has to be constituted in such a way that while the atmospheric molecules are being balanced physically, they must also be chemically inert. The surface of the earth’s crust, the soil, the mountains and oceans should not have a structure that would react with the atmospheric gases, which is equivalent to saying that it should not be absorptive of the atmosphere. For instance, if the earth, or more specifically the earth’s crust were made of carbon, it would both exhaust the oxygen through chemical reactions and would absorb the nitrogen, whereas in fact the earth’s crust is comprised of silicon compounds with structures that leave them inert when brought into contact with the inner shell of the atmosphere.

c) Two other significant points regarding the earth‘s gravity relate to mailers of physical structure. Firstly, within the material density of the earth, the balanced distribution of magnetic materials such as iron has to be achieved. Further, the molten core at the centre of the earth and the semimolten metals surrounding it must maintain equilibrium with the earth’s crust.

We thus see that the gravitational balance of the earth requires many calculations; calculations of such magnitude and finesse that they could only be evaluated by the vast program of a giant computer.

3. Immolability Of Atmospheric Equilibrium By Various Radiant Energies In Space

No matter how harmonized it may be, there is such a torrential rain of particles from space that can always after the atmospheric equilibrium. It imparts violent velocities to molecules, yet an equilibrium is upheld through the presence of:

a) A magnetic field (the ‘magnetosphere’) which surrounds the earth, with a diameter equal to a hundred earth diameters. This field acts as a vast screen towards all particles and energies coming from space. This insight will be explained in detail in the interpretation of a separate verse.

b) Black holes are thought to be located at various distances to the earth. All excess energies emitted from within the Milky Way galaxy are absorbed by these centres of intense gravitation.

c) Further, the atmosphere protects itself within its own structure from the upper regions towards the lower. The filtering of particles in this protective screen is performed by the ozone layer. Isotopes of nitrogen also contribute to this protection.

It will ready be conceded that there are many things about the atmosphere that we don’t yet know. What is important is that science discovers and bears witness to a fresh miracle of our great Creator each new day.

Such are the facts we find when we set out by interpretation the word ‘heaven’ in Verse 11 as the sky of the earth in Verse 12.

It is also possible to take the word ‘heaven’ in a general sense, and to approach its interpretation from a different angle. It is known that the Glorious Qur’an declares the existence of seven different heavens. We know very little about the spatial physics of these heavens; at present, we know nothing whatsoever about the dimensions and spaces involved.

As for the man characteristics of the atmosphere, the escape velocity for any object or molecule is 11.3 kilometres per second. Normal atmospheric conditions are balanced with care as outlined above, so that atmospheric molecules cannot attain this speed.

According to Prof. De Lymak Spitser, the earth absorbs part of the atmosphere it requires, especially nitrogen. The active and violent nature of the oxygen in the atmosphere is counterbalanced by nitrogen. Furthermore, the gases we call ‘noble gases’ (helium, argon, neon, krypton, xenon, radon), which prevent the combination of nitrogen and oxygen in the course of time and particularly during lightning strokes, are also present in the atmosphere in trace but optimal amounts. The atmosphere always maintains its nitrogen/oxygen balance in the proportion 5/1.

All these magnificent geophysical systems find their origin in the secrets revealed to us in this verse by God. If we now re-read the verse in the light of all these scientific facts, we are in a much better position to appreciate what a wonderful marvel of science it embodies.

All these brutalities may make us think that the strong and powerful always try to dominate and treat unjustly the less powerful. The fact is, however, that some societies have displayed great mercy and tolerance to the people under their rule regardless of their belief and race. This article tries to give some information about the tolerance of the Ottomans toward minorities, especially the Jews who were mistreated under the Byzantine dominion. They experienced expulsion from Spain after which they were accepted in the Ottoman lands and lived in peace and comfort.

Let us first look at the lives of the Jews during the Byzantines.

Jews of Byzantium

Jews were well-treated in Byzantium. The people of Byzantium did not like the Jews for religious reasons. They regarded them as damned by God since they denied the words of God and allegedly killed Jesus. They thus subjected the Jews to restriction and persecution:

Byzantine Jews were nominally free to follow their own faith, but the Byzantine Emperors excluded Jews from rights of full citizenship and restricted the locations of their settlement and synagogues as well as their rights to engage in trade and professions (Shaw, 1991, p.18).

After Christianity was declared to be the religion of the state by Theodosius 11(408 – 450), conditions for the Jews in Byzantine Empire became worse. Theodosius excluded the Jews from most of the privileges of citizenship while imposing all sorts of burdens on them. He prohibited them from building new synagogues. Soon afterwards, during the reign of Emperor Maurice, all synagogues were changed into churches and Jews were ordered to be forcibly converted to Christianity.

The situation became even worse for the Jews as the Byzantine Empire declined. In order to restore religious unity within the collapsing empire, rulers increased the pressure upon the Jews by reissuing the old legal restrictions and condemning anyone who happened to favour Jews by allowing them to live and work beside Christians (ibid., pp.2l-3).

Jews of the Ottoman State

The collapse of Byzantium was a fortunate event for the Jews under its dominion. Even before the Ottoman State was born, as Seljuk Turks established their state around central Anatolia in the twelfth century, Byzantine Jewry sprang rapidly to their assistance welcoming the tolerance and prosperity which the rule of Islam offered them. Thousands of Jews fled from Byzantine persecution to Seljuk protection. In the following century, Ottoman Turks established their principality in north-western Anatolia. Within two centuries Ottomans had taken over most of western Anatolia and gained control of Syria, Iraq and Egypt in the East. In the West they expanded through South-eastern Europe all the way to Vienna. Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent extended the Ottoman rule across North Africa almost to the Atlantic and controlled much of Caucasia.

This Ottoman expansion marked a very substantial change for the Jews of the Middle East and Europe. In complete contrast to their situation under the Byzantines, Jews entering the Ottoman dominions were allowed to practice whatever profession they wished, to engage in trade and commerce without restriction and to possess landed property and buildings in town and country (ibid., p.26). After Sultan Mehmed II conquered Istanbul in 1453, he allowed Jews to settle in Istanbul and carry out their commerce. From the start, Sultan Mehmed II encouraged the emigration of Jews from Europe even more than the Jews already living in the expanding Ottoman Empire itself. Just as the Jews of England, France, Germany, Spain, and even Poland and Lithuania were being subjected to increasing persecution, blood libels, massacres, and deportations, the Turkish rulers of the expanding Ottoman state actively encouraged them to come and live under conditions of tolerance and freedom. Mehmed II himself is said to have issued a proclamation to all Jews:

“Who among you of all my people that is with me, may his God he with him, let him ascend to Istanbul, the site of my imperial throne. Let him dwell in the best of the land, each beneath his vine and beneath his fig tree, with silver and with gold, with wealth and with cattle. Let him dwell in the land, trade in it, and take possession of it.’’

As a result of these efforts, during the three decades following the Ottoman conquest, according to a Turkish register, Istanbul’s population increased to 16,326 households including 1,647 Jewish households. By the mid-l6th century, according to a similar census in 1535, 8,070 Jewish households were listed in the capital city. The city’s Jews numbered some 40,000 – a tenth of the population. Salonica, which had no Jewish population represented in the census of 1478, had 2,645 Jewish households by 1535. (Kedourie, 1992, p.165).

Similar increases were to be found in many Ottoman centres in the Balkans and Asia Minor because the Turks trusted them. They preceded the Greeks and Armenians as bankers, physicians and interpreters, and eventually gathered most of the empire’s trade into their hands (Thubron, 1978, p.189).

The following quotes provide clear evidence that Jews of that time were happy with the Ottoman Empire as well. Rabbi Isaac Tzarfati invited the Jews who were suffering in Germany to the Turkish state:

“…Listen my brethren, to the counsel I will give you. I, too, was born in Germany and studied Torah with the German rabbis. I was driven out of my native country and came into the Turkish land, which is blessed by God and filled with all good things. Here I found rest and happiness. Turkey can also become for you the land of peace. ..If you who live in Germany knew even a tenth of what God has blessed us with in this land, you would not consider any difficulties, you would set out to come to us…Here in the land of the Turks we have nothing to complain of. We possess great fortunes; much gold and silver are in our hands. We are not oppressed with heavy taxes, and our commerce is free and unhindered. Rich are the fruits of the earth. Everything is cheap, and everyone of us lives in peace and freedom. Here the Jew is not compelled to wear a yellow hat as a badge of shame, as is the case in Germany…Arise my brethren, give up your lands, collect your forces, and come to us. Here you will be free of your enemies, here you will find rest…(Shaw, 1991, p.32).”

The most significant example of tolerance Ottomans displayed for the minorities, especially the Jews, is that they opened their land to those who were expelled from Portugal and Spain.

Jews found refuge in Ottoman lands

During the 15th century in Europe, slavery, race discrimination, religious intolerance and the cruelties and atrocities of the inquisition resulted in the expulsion of the Jews from Spain. Christians were becoming more powerful and grew confident in the wake of victories over Muslims. The defeat of the Muslims in Spain made things difficult for the Jews who had been living in peace under the rule of Andalusian Muslims. They now faced restrictions and difficulties. As Christian rule solidified, there was less need for Jews, and since they were accused of the death of Jesus, Spanish Jews were subjected to the same persecutions by Christians as had taken place elsewhere in Western Europe. These persecutions and restrictions culminated in a decree of expulsion. After Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain had accepted the capitulation of the city of Granada, they decreed the expulsion of the Jewish population from their united realms.

Since the Jews in Western Europe were already under pressure, the neighboring states of Spain did not seem to be happy about large-scale immigration of Jews. Sultan Bayezid, the ruler of the Ottomans at that time, heard of the evil nature of the king of Spain and the inflictions on the Jews who were seeking refuge and a resting place. He took pity on them, wrote letters and proclaimed that the Jews were to be given a gracious welcome. Despite considerable religious conservatism of his own, Bayezid went on to decree that all Jews fleeing from Spain should be admitted to his dominions without restriction, and with the same inducements that had been offered during the reign of his predecessor. Ottoman officers were ordered to do everything they could to facilitate the entry of Iberian Jews into Ottoman territory, and strict punishments were provided against all those who mistreated the immigrants or caused them any sort of damage (ibid., p.33).

It is estimated that 250,000 Jews came from the Iberian peninsula to the Ottoman realms and settled in all parts of the Sultans territory including modern Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, Egypt, and in Anatolia at Bursa, Gallipoli, Manisa, Izmir (Smyrna), Tokat and Amasya. But most commonly they settled in places that became the centres of Jewish life in the Ottoman State in the capital, Istanbul, in Eastern Thrace at Edirne (Adrenapolis), along the shores of the Aegean at Salonica. This made the Ottoman Jewish community not only the largest but also the most prosperous Jewish community in the world, during the sixteenth and early seventieth centuries, a period which constituted the golden age of Ottoman Jewry.

The Ottoman Jews did indeed live in great relief and comfort. They were allowed to follow their religious requirements and build their own synagogues as well as being free to deal in commerce. There is no evidence that shows Jews were forced to change their religion. However, a considerable number of them willingly converted to Islam.

Conclusion

The reason why the Ottomans displayed such tolerance to all minorities under their dominion and why they allowed Jews to enter their territory and live peacefully though they gained no benefit from doing so originates from their religious values.

Islam takes into consideration that Jews, like Muslims and Christians, were a people to whom a Divine Book was sent, although they corrupted it in the course of time. Great figures of the old Testament, like Aron, David, Solomon and Job, are all prophets and, like Jesus Christ, are mentioned in the Qur’an. God chose Moses as the Messenger for the Children of Israel. Jews, like Christians, are considered to be a people of the book, ahl al-kitab, and enjoy special religious tolerance and autonomy.

All ‘people of the book’ were allowed to preserve their religions and recognized as religiously- based communities. They paid a special ‘poll tax’ called harac or cizye. The poor, the sick and the clergy were exempt. All minorities were exempt from military service and they were admitted the right to maintain their own forms of government within their communities. While they lived in great comfort and prosperity, there were some limitations. For example, they could not marry Muslim women or bear arms. Compared to the active persecution to which Jews were subjected in the Christian lands of Europe, the world of Islam was indeed paradise for them (Shaw, 1991, ph).

The modern world may be depressing with its catalogue of holocausts and massacres which continue up until today. However, we can learn from the tolerant attitude shown by the Ottomans towards their Jewish minority that co-existence in peace is possible through the observation of Divine principles. It should give us hope. Our real hope is that all tyrants will give up their cruelty and treat others as fellow human beings.

References 

• BACON, 1. (1990) Atlas of Jewish Civilization, Andr Deutsch, London, p.144.
• KEDOURIE, 5. (1992) Spain and the Jews, Thomas and Hudson, London, p.165.
• SHAW, S.J. (1991) The Jews of the Ottoman Empire and The Turkish Republic, Macmillan, pp.11-33.
• THUBRON, C. (1978) The Great Cities: Istanbul, Time-Life International, Netherlands, pp.189-90.U

In April 1989, Kelly Lynch, an eleven year-old girl, out one morning to visit her friend in Dunoon, West Scotland, was attacked by two Rottweilers which two girls had decided to take for a walk along the shore. Kelly was so ferociously attacked and her injuries so serious that she died very soon afterwards. In early June, this time in England, a Rotweiler type of dog attacked four people. This particular breed has not suddenly become dangerously aggressive beasts However, perhaps as a result of such incidents, the image of them in the public mind has changed dramatically.

The fact is that attacks on people by pet dogs are not rare, nor are they a new phenomenon. However, many people in Western societies, unable to find the true love the hoped for from other human beings and who do not understand true love, have become so very attached to dogs, and dogs have become so much a part of the pattern of social life, that nobody wants to see their aggressive and dangerous side. Peter Barchlet, an American specialist and consultant on animal behaviour, states that the most typical complaint of those who come to him for help relates to the aggressiveness of their pet dogs. However, it is something of a consolation that, at least, we know (more or less) the reasons for this aggressiveness.

One of these is the dog’s natural drive to defend vigorously whatever it thinks belongs to it or use of which it enjoys. A good example is the incident which happened in June 1989 in London. A fourteen-month old baby put its hand into the dog’s bowl. The dog, instinctively protective of its food, attacked the baby, causing serious injuries to the baby’s head and ears. In a similar incident a ten-year old boy approached the family’s own dog to find out what the dog had caught but the dog became tense and angry, brought the boy down to the ground and bit him.

The popular wisdom about attacks by dogs, that they usually happen outside the home – in parks or streets or dark alleyways – is far from the truth. In fact, a quarter of the victims of such attacks are family members and take place inside the pet-owners’ own homes. In general, 65-95% of attacks take place inside or near the home. Attacks by unaccompanied or stray dogs account for only 10% of incidents.

The second reason for dogs becoming aggressive is their suffering, or fear of suffering and ill-treatment. Under threat (whether real or so perceived by the animal), a dog is by nature tense and violent. For instance a little child playfully throwing toys at a dog may suddenly be subject to a cruel aggression. A one-year old did no more than throw a roll of paper at the family pet, but was nevertheless attacked and injured.

Another factor provoking aggressive behaviour in dogs is their need or desire to dominate over a member of the family whom it sees almost as a rival. An important reason why dogs can live amidst human beings is that they appear to regard themselves as full members of the family. That is, the way the dogs see themselves in the family is very different from the way the people see them. By natural instinct, therefore, in the absence of authority in the house, the dog tries to assert and establish its authority.

Finally, dogs can also be provoked to aggression if a situation occurs that arouses their hunting instinct. Actions normally perceived as innocent by people may not be perceived in the same way by dogs. In May 1989, James Walker, a five-year old boy who happened to be cycling by was attacked by three Rottweilers, is a good example of this. Evidently, the boy’s riding past them excited the dogs’ instinct to chase and bring down.

An incident in France on 8th December 1989 is particularly interesting for the manner in which it was presented on radio news. It illustrates very well how far this social sickness has gone in the West: A sixty-five-year year old woman was savaged. The sight when her neighbours found her body upon entering the house three weeks later was gruesome. However, in order not to frighten French people, more than 65% of whom might be presumed to be feeding their own pet dog in their homes, claimed that the cause of the woman’s death was unknown, that there was no certain explanation for why the dogs attacked as they did. However, the explanation is not at all difficult to find – it should be admitted and warning duly taken.

Many more such examples could be cited. A sturbing aspect of them is the deep scars left on the minds of children and other members of the family. Seeking a remedy this problem, which is worsening and becoming more threatening every day, the Western societies offer only piecemeal advice, a list of precautionary Do’s and Don’ts. But in fact, it is impossible for this unnatural tradition not to hurt social structures and relationships. Who can be certain how an infant, at its most impressionable age, will be affected in later years by the trauma of being attacked by the family pet, one supposed to be reliable like a friend?

Of course, it would be most unjust to lay the blame on dogs for following their instincts of being dogs. What is necessary is that human beings should relearn how to give priority to human love for other human beings, and not divert the need to give and receive affection into artificial and unsatisfactory channels. In spite of the danger and harm that so often results, why do so many people in Western societies display love for an animal which they withhold from their neighbours, their relatives, in some cases even from their children? It is obvious that they, too, are looking for the true ethos of loving kindness. They may find it in the sane and balanced compassion of the Prophet, upon him be peace, who commanded kindness to animals, and who also said: ‘If dogs were not a nation, I would command you to kill them.’

The first and foremost quality of the heir is perfect faith. The Qur’an determines the purpose of man’s creation to be belief in God, which is woven from the threads of the knowledge of God, love, enthusiasm and spiritual fulfilment.

Indeed, it is only in the light of faith that man, by realizing his essential nature with all its dimensions and the existential aims of creation, can penetrate the inner reality. Contrary to this, lack of belief is a suffocating dungeon. In the view of an unbeliever, existence began with chaos, developed in the frightening uncertainties of coincidences, and is speeding towards a terrible end. In this uncertain movement of existence there is neither a breath of compassion to relieve us, nor a place of security to embrace us in our human desires nor even a piece of ground to step on.

A believer, who knows from where he came and the destination of his life, together with his responsibilities, sees everything as clearly as ‘daylight’ and, because of this, he travels to his destination in utmost security.

During his sojourn, he carefully studies existence and what lies behind existence. He examines things and events over and over again and tries to establish a connection with everything around him. He never refrains from making use of the studies of others and, where he lacks in sufficient knowledge and experience, he goes on with his researches, without tiring and losing hope.

There is an inexhaustible source of power on which a believer relies during his travel – the realization that there is no strength and power save with God. This off-repeated phrase is a source of power which a person who has obtained it, feels no need for another. A believer who has equipped himself with this source of power aims for none but God. He leads his life to secure His approval. He has an abiding optimism with which to overcome every obstacle and challenge all kinds of worldly opposition.

The second quality of the heir is to become overflowing with love. A person with a heart content with belief in and knowledge of God feels, in proportion to the degree of his belief and knowledge, a deep love for all human beings and even the whole creation. It is this person who spends his whole life-span in the colourful fluctuations of universal ecstasies, raptures and spiritual pleasure.

Today, as in every era, there is need for hearts to be enraptured with love and overflow with zeal so that a new revival could be realized. Without love, it is impossible to accomplish any permanent movement, especially if the movement is related to the Hereafter. The Divine love which we feel in order to gain God’s approval is a boundless and mysterious source of power. The ‘heirs to the earth’ should never be heedless of this source and should make as much use of it as possible.

We need to look into the origin of existence from the perspective of the Qur’an and the Example, Sunna, of the noble Prophet. The origin of man, his place in the universe, the Divine purpose for his creation, and the way he should conduct in his life as well as his final destination are in such a harmony in these two sources – the Book and the Sunna – with human thoughts and feelings and aspirations that we cannot help but be filled with wonder and admiration. These two pure sources are, for men of understanding, a spring of love and enthusiasm, and a means to ecstasy. Those who have recourse to them with pure intention and with petitions of needs are not refused, and those who take refuge in them gain immortality. They need to do so, however, with the sincerity of people like Imam Ghazali, Imam Rabbani, Shah Waliullah and Bediuzzaman. They need to approach these sources with the excitement of Ghalib and Mehmed Akif, and turn to them with the conviction and activity of Khalid, Salah al-din, Mehmed the Conqueror, and Yavuz Saleem. Indeed, by combining the love and enthusiasm of those personages with modern methods and styles, we will penetrate into the ever-fresh essence of the Qur’an and arrive at a universal metaphysics.

To turn to sciences with a sensible synthesis of intellect, logic and consciousness is the third quality of the generation who are promised the final inheritance of the earth. This turning, which will also provide a direction for the general inclination of humanity which is lost among some obscure hypotheses, will be a significant step in the liberation of mankind.

As pointed out by Bediuzzaman, mankind is increasingly concentrating on sciences and technology, deriving all their strength from sciences. He also pointed out that in order to present to the masses the product of scientific knowledge, eloquence and rhetoric will gain momentum and ascendancy. In fact, we no longer have any other way to escape from the cloudy atmosphere of illusions enveloping us. We no longer have any other way to reach truths and, most importantly, the most manifest Truth.

In order to compensate for the last few centuries, it is necessary to rise to the highest level of scientific knowledge and, by removing the inferiority complex from our subconsciousness, to realize self-assertion. To achieve this, we must re-evaluate sciences in the light of the prism of the Islamic thought and become unique representatives of scientific knowledge.

Since we have not been able so far to assign a true direction for sciences and, consequently, confused revealed knowledge with scientific theories, and sometimes scientific knowledge with philosophy, serious confusions have appeared in scientific thought and scientists have lost considerable esteem. In Turkey, this void has been exploited by foreigners very well and many foreign schools have sprouted up. The younger generations, as a result, have been alienated from their society. After a while, these inexperienced generations lost all their religious and moral values, with the result that as a whole nation we were all degraded in thought, ideals, art and life. In these schools to which we entrusted our children without any worries, Western culture and values were given priority ever science and scientific thought. It is for this reason that our young generations, although they had to cope with the age in science and technology, split into different parties like Marxism, Durkheimism, Leninism, and Maoism. Some consoled themselves with the dreams of a communist system and the dictatorship of the proletariat. Some were drained in the complexes of Freud. Some were carried away by the existentialism of Sartre, Marcus, Camus, and the like. Indeed, we witnessed in this land all such deviations, all of which were unfortunately nursed and promoted in supposed centres of science and knowledge. Meanwhile, religion and religious people were unceasingly attacked by destructive representatives of unenlightenment and evil aspects of Western civilization were propagated. It is impossible for us to forget that dark period of our history and those who were responsible for it will always be remembered as the national and historical criminals in the conscience of people.

What remains now is to build a happy, bright future. This requires us to realize a revival through scientific thought which we have to inculcate in the minds of the young generation. The suffering of the people on account of what befell them in the past, the exasperation produced in their hearts by servility to foreign powers, and the national reaction to centuries of exploitation cause us to sigh and lament in equal proportion to the regret of Adam, the weeping of Yunus (Jonah) and the pains of Ayyub (Job). Such thoughts and feelings together with historical experiences stimulate and guide us to further exertions towards our destination.

The fourth characteristic of the generation to whom the final inheritance of the earth belongs is to review and re-evaluate the established views of man, life and the universe. The following points should be considered in this respect:

Firstly, the universe is a book written by God for us to study over and over again. Man is a transparent index of all the worlds, a being able to discover the depths of existence. As for life, it is the manifestation of the meanings filtered from that index and book, and reflected by Divine Expression throughout the universe. If man, life and the universe are three aspects of a single reality with each having a genuine colour of its own, then a partial approach to them will be a disrespect to both man, in particular, and the whole creation, in general, as it will demolish the harmonious composition of reality.

As it is indeed incumbent upon man to study, understand and obey the Divine revelation derived from God’s Attribute of Speech, so too is it necessary for him to perceive all things and events to which God gives existence through His Knowledge, Will and Power. Being the manifestation of the Divine Attribute of Speech, the Glorious Qur’an is the spirit of existence and the sole means of happiness in this world and the Hereafter. The ‘Book’ of the universe is the embodiment of this spirit and is an account of the branches of science originating in it. It is therefore a very important dynamic of both worlds, direct in relation to this life, indirect with respect to the other. For this reason, there will be reward for understanding both of these books and applying their principles in practical life. Those who neglect or ignore them will meet the consequences of their neglect.

Secondly, a man’s humanity lies in his feelings, thoughts and character, which are also the standards in determining his esteem in the sight of both the Creator and the created. Sublime human attributes, depth in thought and feelings, and a sound character are valued by everybody. The one who adulterates his faith and conviction with irreligious thoughts and causes distrust in his character will neither be able to receive God’s support and help nor preserve his esteem and dignity in the sight of people. It should never be forgotten that God, as well as people, evaluates a man according to his human character and qualities. For this reason, those with a weak character and who lack real human values are not able to perform great feats even if they appear to be good believers. On the other hand, it is impossible for those who are distinguished with laudable virtues and a sound character to be always subject to utter failure despite their apparent weakness in living in conformity with Islamic principles.

Thirdly, an Islamic goal can be achieved through Islamic means and methods only. It is absolutely incumbent on a Muslim to pursue Islamic goals and adopt Islamic methods in attaining his goals. As it is impossible to secure God’s approval without sincerity and purity of intention, so, too, neither can Islam be served nor Muslims directed toward their real targets through diabolic means and methods.

The generation who will take on the responsibility of bringing justice and happiness to the world should be able to think freely and respect freedom of thought. Freedom is a significant dimension of man’s free will and a key to the mysteries of human identity.

The Muslim world has been under pressure for centuries both from within and outside. Under such conditions where restrictions have been put on our feelings, thoughts, culture and education, it is almost impossible for a person to remain with human faculties, let alone realize a renewal and development. In a climate where it is difficult to remain even as a common man with human values, it must be quite impossible to bring up a person of true greatness. Only people with weak character, inactive disposition, palsied brains and paralyzed feelings grow in such climates. Distorted thoughts and wrong criteria produced and propagated in both families and surroundings and in educational institutions and art circles in the later phase of our history have upset everything unique to us -our view of matter and spirit and our physical and spiritual worlds. In this critical period, the leading elite presented their prejudices as free thought, lived an egocentric life, showed no respect for other beliefs and opinions, and went so far in maintaining different assertions or convictions that they did not refrain from resorting to force whenever they deemed it necessary to crush the free will and free thinking of the people. We are not sure whether that period has ended, though it remains necessary for us to review, on the one hand, our centuries-old historical dynamics and to question, on the other, the changes and transformations’ to which we have given impetus for the last one and a half centuries. We are still, in our decisions, under some ideological taboos, in which case it is impossible for us to re-shape our world according to the requirements of a bright future. Such conditions as these give rise to nothing but political disputes, internal struggles and international conflicts. That is why there is a continuous internal discord in our community, in particular, and unceasing savagery worldwide, in general. Were it not for the egoism, greed and ruthlessness of mankind, the world would most probably be more different than it is today.

If this is so, we should realize the need to be more tolerant and more altruistic when we move forward toward a better future. We need today more than anything else magnanimous hearts and open, profound minds which are respectful of free thinking and open to the sciences and scientific research and which are able to perceive the harmony between the Qur’an and the Divine laws of the universe and life. This requires the existence of a community in which genius can flourish. In the past a single person of genius could succeed in leading a nation toward high objectives but today when everything has taken on an incredibly elaborate form, and specialization has gained prominence, counsel and collective consciousness have replaced geniuses. This is the sixth point which should be given due consideration by the generation who aim to give a better shape to the world.

We have not been able, in the latest phase of our history, to establish a desirable coordination between the vital institutions of the society. At a time when modern schools concentrated on ideological dogmas; institutions of religious education (madrasas) broke with life; institutions of spiritual training (takyas) were immersed in sheer metaphysics, and the army restricted itself to sheer force, this coordination was essentially not possible.

It is, indeed, a fact that modern schools could not save themselves from the influence of modern ‘scholasticism’ and ideological dogmas; institutions of religious education were closed to sciences and scientific thought, devoid of the spirit and the power to bring about new formations. The representatives of spiritual training lost their love and enthusiasm, consoling themselves with virtues and wonders of the saints who had lived in previous centuries. As for the army, which had once been the representative of the religious energy and activity and the symbol of national subsistence, it has developed the complex of self-assertion in the internal arena. Consequently, everything was upset, and the tree of the nation’ was convulsed so violently that it nearly toppled. Sadly it seems that, until the fortunate representatives of the bright future re-form those vital institutions in a way that they can perform their real functions, and bring forward the wedding of mind and heart so as to make the ground propitious for the bringing-up of the perfect man of thought, action and inspiration, such convulsions of different degrees will not cease.

Finally, the generation who aim to give a better shape to the world should be equipped with mathematical thought. Mathematical thought implies a comprehension of the enigmatic connection between creation and the ‘laws’ of mathematics, and a discovery of the mysterious world of numbers. Without mathematics, it is not possible to perceive the mutual relations between man and things; it is mathematics which illuminates, like a source of light, our way along the line from the universe to life and shows us the depths of the world of possibilities beyond human imagination, thus enabling us to attain our ideals.

In order to obtain a full perception of existence, we should follow the laws of mathematics in all fields from physics to metaphysics, from matter to energy, from body to soul, and from law to spiritual training (tasawwuf). This implies the need to adopt both spiritual training and scientific research. The West, in order to compensate for a real or true system of spiritual training, has had to have recourse to so- called mystical movements. But Muslims have no need to search for a foreign system to quench their thirst for spiritual satisfaction. Everything a person may need to design his life on sound foundations, scientific, spiritual, rational, sociological, economic, politic and so on, can be found in Islam, provided that he is able to understand Islam in its pristine purity and original comprehensiveness.