ASK MAULANA
Your Questions Answered
The remedy for ignorance is asking questions. (Prophet Muhammad).
The spirit of enquiry is the hallmark of an open society and the above
saying of the Prophet aptly illustrates this principle. A culture of
curiosity and open-mindedness will foster development in any society
by motivating its members to learn enthusiastically and enrich their
knowledge. This is because awareness of one’s ignorance is half of
knowledge, as it becomes a stepping-stone to seeking and finding
answers. A questioning mind is like a flowing river that is replenished
with fresh thoughts and ideas and continues on its journey.
What is the mission of Islam?
The Islamic mission is the tazkiya (purification) of the individual. The target is that every person should discover God, develop spiritually and be devoid of malice in his heart.
Why is the spirit of Islam being lost in Muslims?
The degeneration that we see in present Muslims had been predicted
by the Prophet. According to a Hadith:
A time will come when nothing except the name of Islam will remain
[among Muslims] and nothing except the words of the Quran will
remain [among Muslims]. (Shuab al-Iman, al-Bayhaqi)
This is not surprising because every community undergoes
degeneration, and Muslims are no exception to this principle.
This degeneration does not set in in the first generation, but in the generations that follow. This is why reformers are required to suggest what work needs to be done to revive degenerated people. To regain the spirit of Islam, we need to identify the right reformers from the wrong ones.
How can we revive the Islamic spirit among Muslims?
Muslims should be able to revive the Islamic spirit by reading the Quran in a language they can understand. During one of my travels, I met a Muslim who used to carry a pocket Arabic Quran and used to keep reading it as and when he got some time. Upon enquiry he told me that he had been doing this for fourteen years. I asked him what he thought was the gist of the Quran. He said that he read the Quran for receiving heavenly reward and not to derive meaning by studying it.
This is generally the case of those who read or recite the Quran. The true spirit of Islam would be inculcated in Muslims if they read the Quran so that they understand its meaning and follow its import.
Is there any reward for the mere recitation of the Quran?
The giving of reward is entirely upon God, but mere recitation of the Quran is not the right way to seek reward. No Companion of the Prophet believed in this concept. You must either understand Arabic or read the Quran along with the translation so that you can understand the Quran, follow its teachings and become deserving of rewards. Time and again you emphasize the difference between Islam and Muslims. Kindly give a simple understanding of this difference.
Islam is the name of an ideology of life given by the Quran. It means ‘to submit’. An adherent of Islam is expected to imbibe the tenets of this ideology and lead life in accordance with its principles. The word ‘Muslim’ translates to ‘one who submits’.
However, given the freedom a person enjoys, one may sometimes follow the principles of Islam and at other times may simply follow one’s desires. Therefore, it must be understood that Islam and Muslims are different. The actions of Muslims must be judged in the light of Islamic teachings, but Islam must never be judged on the basis of actions of Muslims.