2009 Role of Hajj
Rejecting an Empty Philosophy
Allah Y says in the Holy Qur’aan in the 29th Sura, al-‘Ankabūt (the Spider) الْعَنْکَبُوْت in verse 3:
وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ
اور بیشک ہم نے ان لوگوں کو (بھی) آزمایا تھا جو ان سے پہلے تھے سو یقیناً اللہ ان لوگوں کو ضرور (آزمائش کے ذریعے) نمایاں فرما دے گا جو (دعوٰی ایمان میں) سچے ہیں اور جھوٹوں کو (بھی) ضرور ظاہر کر دے گا
And surely We tried (also) those who were before them. Certainly Allah shall make them prominent (through trial) who are truthful (in claiming belief), and shall make known the liars (as well).
Thus Allah knows those who are sincere, and knows those who are fakes.
First one must ask - what does Hajj mean? In essence, Hajj is man's spiritual progression or movement toward Allah Y. The performance of Hajj is a demonstration of unity, the Islamic ideal of unity, a ‘show for the Ummah (أمة)’ in particular and Mankind in general.
Allah Y (God) is the stage manager. The theme portrayed is the actions of the people involved. Adam u, Ibrahim u, Hajra u, and Satan are the main characters. The scenes are Masjid-ul Haraam, the Haram area, Mina, Muzdalifa and Arafat, Important symbols are the Kaaba, Safa, Marwa, day, night, sunshine, sunset, idols and ritual of sacrifice. The clothing and make up are Ihram and cutting of hair. Lastly, the player of the roles in this "show" is only one; and that is YOU! Regardless of whether you are a man or a woman, young or old, black or white, you are the main feature of the performance. The role of Adam u, Ibrâhîm u, Hajra u, in the confrontation between "Allah Y and Satan" is played by you. As a result, you, individually, are the ‘main actor’ of the "show".
Annually, Muslims from all over the world are encouraged to participate in this great "show" (Hajj). Everyone is considered equal. No discrimination on the basis of race, sex, or social status is made. In accordance to the teachings of Islam, ALL ARE ONE AND ONE IS ALL.
The Haji learns the first lesson in this performance one who honors somebody’s life, has honored the life of all and the one who kills one, has killed all. Yet the enemies of Islam continue to deliberately wage a campaign against Islam. They attack it by denying that Islam recognizes the human being as an individual endowed with special rights and values. In terms of the concept of Hajj, it is relegated to the status of a duty which has very little significance. The question every Muslim must ask is What have I, as a pilgrim, personally learned from Hajj-me being so "little" and Hajj being so "great" in meaning? Every other Muslim should ask how much more will this Hajj ‘increase my consciousness of Islam and what message will be brought back by the Hajis after this experience?
Is life meaningless pendulum action starts with the day only to end at night and night starts only to disappear at dawn. Living on a day to day basis, the person lacks direction. His aim is only to live. What exists is a dead spirit in a living body. However, the Hajj experience should alter this unhealthy spiritual condition! Once you decide to perform Hajj and take the necessary steps, you are on the road to the actualization of Hajj. Before going to Hajj you reside in your home calm and reposed. Upon entering the state of mind for Hajj, you arise and move away from your routine environment. Establish Salaat and keep your tongue moist with zikr and durood. Hajj is the antithesis of aimlessness. It is the rebellion against a damned fate guided by evil forces. This revolutionary must reveal to you the clear horizon and free way to migration to eternity toward the Almighty Allah.
Depart from your home and visit "Allah Y's house", or the "house of the people"! You, whoever you are, you are a man or woman, Adam's son or daughter, and a representative of Allah Y on earth! You are a relative of Allah Y, Allah's trustee, His master of nature and a student of God. Allah Y taught you the names. He made you from His spirit and endowed you with special qualities. You were praised by Him; His angels even prostrated to you. This earth and everything in it was made available to man. God became your "homemate", with you at all times and watching all of your actions. Are you living up to His expectation?
With the passage of time and the influence of various forces of the social system which disregard human rights and duties, our character has been changed. The variety of life has affected us to the degree that we became neglectful. Originally, with Allah Y’s spirit in our heart, we were supposed to shoulder the responsibility of being Allah Y’s trustee on earth.
In the 103rd Sura of the Holy Qur’aan, al-‘Asr (the Time) الْعَصْر in verse 2:
إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ
. بیشک انسان خسارے میں ہے (کہ وہ عمرِ عزیز گنوا رہا ہے
2. Indeed man is at a loss (for he is losing his valuable lifetime)
Realistically speaking what has been accomplished? What constructive contributions have we made? What have we gained? So many precious years have been lost, yet who are we? let us make a difference.
This should be an eye opener for all those Muslims who don't regard education as important. Unless we capture the young western educated intelligentsia for Islam, we are doomed. Now when we go to propagate Islam to them, they have doubts. Is Darwinism[1] true? They are taught this theory of evolution in biology. Is Karl Marx[2] philosophy of dialectic materialism[3] true? Is Bertrand Russell's[4] agnostic theory[5] true? All these questions arise, who is going to answer it? Now if we carry on in this village level that we teach the people only the ritualistic Kalimah, Salaat, Hajj etc. which they should be taught of course, we are doing a very good job there. But if we confine our activity right there, then who is going to take care of this growing mass of Doubting Muslims and for no fault of theirs, they have not been taught what Islam is. But they have been told what Darwinism is. Now they want to know the stand of Islam in that connection. The months of Hajj should create a forum for leaders of different communities to meet, exchange ideas and views and take it back to their flock. The Holy Prophet e has said in Hadith[6]
‘Utlub il ‘ilma wa law fis-Sin.
Acquire all knowledge (al -ilm) even if you have to acquire it from a pagan community like that of China
In the age of degeneration, I have heard, the sign of Orthodoxy,
Halq Gayrazi Gardas Kabees
Knowledge is of 3 types or under 3 headings: i.e. the knowledge of Fiqh, Tafsir & Hadith - Whoever studies anything beyond these 3 branches, becomes a devil.
The so-called pious ignorant Muslims read it and get an ecstasy from it. Yet they follow the inaugurator of the modern scientific era.
Zafar Ali Khan has said in Urdu
Joh falsafiyo seh khul na saka, aur nukhthawaro seh hal na huwa, woh raaz kamliwaleh neh, batladiya chand isharo meh
Those fundamental base of wisdom which it took the scientist and philosophers centuries and centuries of labour to find, the great man, standing in the unlettered community of Arabia, taught those great pieces of wisdom just by the way.
At the beginning of the 19th century, western colonialism overthrew us and made us uneducated slaves. The Zionist/Capitalist exploitive economics that it represents, today wants to destroy Islam. Have we not learnt our lesson that one has to cut iron with iron? We have lost over power in the field of education, technology, commerce, economics and military might. The evolving of our personalities spiritually has been replaced by in fighting and hair-splitting. Ever since we have divided knowledge into two water-tight compartments, religious and secular, we lost the world. The Holy Qur’aan has commanded us to pursue all knowledge- not only a particular branch. Every single branch of knowledge is sacred in Islam and has to be pursued by a Muslim. The pursuit of physical sciences is one of the highest forms of worship to Allah Y; whilst the highest haal of knowledge is to know Allah Y who is the Real Reality behind everything. Reflect on these facts:
Demographics:
o World Jewish Population: 14 million.o World Muslim Population: 1.5 billion
o Every fifth human being is a Muslim.o For every single Hindu there are two Muslimso For every Buddhist there are two Muslims o For every Jew there are 107 Muslims Yet the 14 million Jews are more powerful than the entire 1.5 billion
Muslims. Why? Here are some of the reasons:
Movers of Current History:
o Albert Einstein Jewish
o Sigmund Freud Jewish
o Karl Marx Jewish
o Paul Samuelson Jewish
o Milton Friedman Jewish
Medical Milestones:
o Vaccinating Needle: Benjamin Ruben Jewish
o Polio Vaccine: Jonas Salk Jewish
o Leukaemia Drug: Gertrude Elion Jewish
o Hepatitis B: Baruch Blumberg Jewish
o Syphilis Drug: Paul Ehrlich Jewish
o Neuro muscular: Elie Metchnikoff Jewish
o Endocrinology: Andrew Schally Jewish
o Cognitive therapy: Aaron Beck Jewish
o Contraceptive Pill: Gregory Pincus Jewish
o Understanding of Human Eye: G. Wald Jewish
o Embryology: Stanley Cohen Jewish
o Kidney Dialysis: Willem Kloffcame Jewish
Nobel Prize Winners:
o In the past 105 years, 14 million Jews have won 180 Nobel prizes whilst 1.5 billion Muslims have contributed only 3 Nobel winners
Inventions that changed History:
o Micro- Processing Chip: Stanley Mezor Jewish
o Nuclear Chain Reactor: Leo Sziland Jewish
o Optical Fibre Cable: Peter Schultz Jewish
o Traffic Lights: Charles Adler Jewish
o Stainless Steel: Benno Strauss Jewish
o Sound Movies: Isador Kisee Jewish
o Telephone Microphone: Emile Berliner Jewish
o Video Tape Recorder: Charles Ginsburg Jewish
Influential Global Business:
o Polo: Ralph Lauren Jewish
o Coca Cola Jewish
o Levi's Jeans: Levi Strauss Jewish
o Sawbuck's: Howard Schultz Jewish
o Google: Sergey Brin Jewish
o Dell Computers: Michael Dell Jewish
o Oracle: Larry Ellison Jewish
o DKNY: Donna Karan Jewish
o Baskin & Robbins: Irv Robbins Jewish
o Dunkin Donuts: Bill Rosenberg Jewish
Influential Intellectuals/Politicians:
o Henry Kissinger, US Sec of State Jewish
o Richard Levin, PresidentYaleUniversity Jewish
o Alan Greenspan, US Federal Reserve Jewish
o Joseph Lieberman Jewish
o Madeleine Albright, US Sec of State Jewish
o CasperWeinberger, US Sec of Defence Jewish
o Maxim Litvinov, USSR Foreign Minister Jewish
o DavidMarshal, Singapore Chief Minister Jewish
o Isaacs Isaacs, Gov-GenAustralia Jewish
o Benjamin Disraeli, British Statesman Jewish
o Yevgeny Primakov, Russian PM Jewish
o Barry Goldwater, US Politician Jewish
o Jorge Sampaio, President Portugal Jewish
o Herb Gray, Canadian Deputy - PM Jewish
o Pierre Mendes, French PM Jewish
o Michael Howard, British Home Sec. Jewish
o Bruno Kriesky, Austrian Chancellor Jewish
o Robert Rubin, US Sec of Treasury Jewish
Global Media Influential:
o Wolf Blitzer, CNN Jewish
o Barbara Walters, ABC News Jewish
o EugeneMeyer, Washington Post Jewish
o Henry Grunwald, Time Magazine Jewish
o Katherine Graham, Washington Post Jewish
o Joseph Lelyeld, New York Times Jewish
o Max Frankel, New York Times Jewish
Global Philanthropists:
o George Soros Jewish
o Walter Annenberg Jewish
Why are they powerful? Why are Muslims powerless?
Here's another reason. We have lost the capacity to produce knowledge.
o In the entire Muslim World (57 Muslim Countries) there are only 500
universities.
o In USA alone, 5,758 universities
o In India alone, 8,407 universities
o Not one university in the entire Islamic World features in the Top
500 Ranking Universities of the World
o Literacy in the Christian World 90%
o Literacy in the Muslim World 40%
o 15 Christian majority-countries, literacy rate 100%
o Muslim majority - countries , None
o 98% in Christian countries completed primary
o Only 50% in Muslim countries completed primary.
o 40% in Christian countries attended university
o In Muslim countries a dismal 2% attended.
o Muslim majority countries have 230 scientists per one million Muslims
o The USA has 5000 per million
o The Christian world 1000 technicians per million.
o Entire Arab World only 50 technicians per million.
o Muslim World spends on research/development 0.2% of GDP
o Christian World spends 5 % of GDP
[1] the theory, first developed by the 19th-century British naturalist Charles Darwin, that species of living things originate, evolve, and survive through natural selection in response to environmental forces.
[2] Karl Heinrich Marx (May 5, 1818 – March 14, 1883) was a German,philosopher, political economist, historian, political theorist, sociologist, communist and revolutionary, whose ideas are credited as the foundation of modern communism. Marx summarized his approach in the first line of the first chapter of The Communist Manifesto, published in 1848: “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.”. Marx argued that capitalism, like previous socioeconomic systems, will inevitably produce internal tensions which will lead to its destruction. Just as capitalism replaced feudalism, he believed socialism will, in its turn, replace capitalism, and lead to a stateless, classless society called pure communism. This would emerge after a transitional period called the "dictatorship of the proletariat": a period sometimes referred to as the "workers state" or "workers' democracy"
[3] Dialectical materialism is the philosophy of Karl Marx, which he formulated by taking the dialectic of Hegel and joining it to the Materialism of Feuerbach. According to many followers of Karl Marx's thinking, it is the philosophical basis of Marxism. it refers to the combination of dialectics and materialism in Marx's thinking as material forces causing social and economic changes. It is sometimes seen as complementary to historical materialism which is the name given to Marx's methodology in the study of society, economics and history.
[4] Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, OM, FRS (18 May 1872 – 2 February 1970) was an English philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, and social critic. Although he spent the majority of his life in England, he was born in Wales, where he also died. Russell led the British "revolt against idealism" in the early 1900s. He is considered one of the founders of analytic philosophy along with his protégé Wittgenstein and his elder Frege, and is widely held to be one of the 20th century's premier logicians.
[5] Agnosticism is the philosophical view that the truth value of certain claims — particularly metaphysical claims regarding theology, afterlife or the existence of deities, spiritual beings, or even ultimate reality — are unknown or, in some forms of agnosticism, unknowable. It is not a religious declaration in itself, and an agnostic may also be a theist or an atheist..Demographic research services normally list agnostics in the same category as atheists and/or non-religious people, using agnostic in the sense of noncommittal. However, this can be misleading given the existence of agnostic theists, who identify themselves as both agnostics in the original sense and followers of a particular religion.
[6] [1] Narrated from Anas by al-Bayhaqi in Shu`ab al-Iman and al-Madkhal, Ibn `Abd al-Barr in Jami` Bayan al-`Ilm, and al-Khatib through three chains at the opening of his al-Rihla fi Talab al-Hadith (p. 71-76 #1-3) where our shaykh Dr. Nur al-Din `Itr declares it weak (da`îf). Glory to You, we know nothing except what You taught us.