FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’S DESK
Prof Farida Khanam is an author, editor, translator, public speaker and former professor of Islamic Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. Among her books are ‘A Simple Guide to Sufism’ and ‘A Study of World’s Major Religions’. She has translated into English many books authored by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Currently the chairperson of CPS International, she is a regular contributor of articles to various publications. Dr Khanam has edited Maulana’s English translation of the Quran and has also translated his Urdu commentary on the Quran into English. She can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
OBSTACLE IN THE ACCEPTANCE OF TRUTH
CALLING people to God is a solemn responsibility of a Muslim. This noble task of calling people to God is performed directly as well as indirectly. The direct means of this missionary task is to address the people through spoken or written words. The indirect means comprises of the good conduct of the Muslims in society that influences other people to ponder over the message of Islam. Both of these approaches may or may not yield the desired result. What might be the reason when the call towards the truth of Islam fails to elicit a positive response? The reason the Islamic message does not get across, people say, is that it is not backed up by actions. Most people can only be won over by a practical model; intellectual discussions and rational proofs are not enough.
This is an idealistic thinking. The problem is, we are not in a position to say to others: “Look, here is an Islamic individual; here an Islamic home; here an Islamic community.”
At first sight, the statement that ‘people can only be won over by a practical model; intellectual discussions and rational proofs are not enough’ appears quite correct. However, it is only half, not the whole, truth. Indeed, the only words which have any value in the sight of God are those which are backed up by actions. From this point of view, one who preaches the message of Islam must definitely practice it. But it would be naive to think that, once his actions back up his words, people will immediately flock to him in droves.
Every prophet sent by God was an ideal individual on a practical level. Seeing the prophets, and their exemplary actions, did people flock to them in a spontaneous outburst of belief? The Quran tells us that this was not the case. Most people who saw and heard the prophets disbelieved. The prophets backed up their words with righteous actions but, instead of believing, the response of their contemporaries is mentioned in the Quran thus: Alas for human beings! They ridicule every messenger that comes to them. (36: 30)
The truth is that it is not the practices—or malpractices—of the preacher that prevent people from accepting the truth; it is the selfinterest of the listener. There is a big price tag on truth. It entails a downgrading of the self, a destruction of the ego. In single-minded devotion to truth, other objectives have to be cast to the winds. To be able to mould one’s life in accordance with truth, one has to break down one’s existing life-structure.
In reality, people worship themselves, that is why they do not become worshippers of God. This is the greatest obstacle to the acceptance of truth.
In reality, people worship themselves, that is why they do not become worshippers of God. This is the greatest obstacle to the acceptance of truth. It was for this reason that the cream of the human race—the Messengers of God—were treated with disdain and ridicule. Despite their exemplary actions, more rejected them than believed in them.
Prof. Farida Khanam
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