ONE GOD, ONE FAITH, ONE HUMANITY; THEN WHY ARE OUR ULEMA SO INTOLERANT?

The War within Islam

27 Feb 2009, NewAgeIslam.Com

ONE GOD, ONE FAITH, ONE HUMANITY; THEN WHY ARE OUR ULEMA SO INTOLERANT?

Do you believe in One God? Do you believe in all the Prophets as the prophets sent by the One and the same God? Do you believe in all the revelations as revelations from the same God? Do you believe in all mankind being the creation of the same God? Do you believe in a peaceful world, coexistence and a common humanity? THEN WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH OUR FANATIC, EXTRIMIST AND INTOLERANT RELIGIOUS SCHOLARS? Why do they want to force their interpretation on others? Why do they want to be so intolerant and show arrogance by not submitting themselves to the will of Allah and trying to portray Islam into an exclusivist faith by using the term 'Muslim' for themselves and 'kafir' for others. --- Shoaib Wadiwalla URL: http://www.newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=1213 ------------------------------ ONE GOD, ONE FAITH, ONE HUMANITY; THEN WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH OUR FANATIC, EXTRIMIST AND INTOLERANT RELIGIOUS SCHOLARS? By Shoaib Wadiwalla   Do you believe in One God? Do you believe in all the Prophets as the prophets sent by the One and the same God? Do you believe in all the revelations as revelations from the same God? Do you believe in all mankind being the creation of the same God? Do you believe in a peaceful world, coexistence and a common humanity? THEN WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH OUR FANATIC, EXTRIMIST AND INTOLERANT RELIGIOUS SCHOLARS? Why do they want to force their interpretation on others? Why do they want to be so intolerant and show arrogance by not submitting themselves to the will of Allah and trying to portray Islam into an exclusivist faith by using the term 'Muslim' for themselves and 'kafir' for others. They have made the faith of Islam into a sect whereas Allah wants to make Islam a universal faith for all mankind and for all times and a Muslim, any person who submits himself to the One Allah. I urge people like you, who are educated to come out and voice your opinion so that we can make better sense prevail in the uneducated masses of this country and prevent the exclusivist people from trying to hijack the faith of Islam for their own benefit of money, power, popularity, and political gains. There is a hadith of our beloved Prophet (P.B.U.H) which I feel has been misinterpreted:- The Prophet had said "the Jews are divided into 71 sects, and the Christians into 72 sects; And, my people will be divided into 73 sects, all of whom are destined to hell fire except one, and these are the true believers." In my personal opinion, I feel that there is only one faith (right path) and its followers are the believers. But the Jews did not obey their Prophet Moses and created the 71st sect and called themselves as Jews. The Christians did not obey their Prophet Jesus and created the 72nd sect and called their faith Christianity. The so called 'Muslims' did not obey their Prophet – Mohammad and create the 73rd sect and called themselves as Muslims. There is only one sect that will go to heaven and that is the sect of the believers, who submit themselves to the will of One Allah, believe in all the Prophets, all the revelations, believe in tolerance, peace and do righteous deeds. The rest will go to hell. Allah does not want to divide us into sects. What He wants from us is obedience to His Prophets and righteous conduct. It is immaterial whether you call yourself a Muslim, Jew, Christian or Hindu. Whatever path you may follow, all the paths lead to the One and Only God. Any person, who submits himself to the will of One God, obeys the Prophet that has been sent to his nation and is a doer of good deeds is a believer. So let us talk about peace, tolerance, humility, forbearance and consultation. Let us coexist in peace and not force out will on others. Let us leave the decision to God and not behave like God ourselves. If we as educated people do not understand the ethics of our faith and we do not call the people on the right path, we will be accountable to Allah. So let us do our duty to educate the people and show them the right path which teaches tolerance and compassion and does not use force and violence. The religious scholars of today are themselves misguided and do you expect them to call people on the right path? They will only misguide and make the people intolerant and fanatics. Only a thorn can grow from a cactus tree and not a fruit. It is not right to call any non Muslim a kafir as any person who submits himself to God is a Muslim. But a person who calls himself a Muslim to the exclusion of others, uses violence and forces his interpretation on others, kills another human being, destroys schools is a kafir (non believer) himself and must be punished. For each We have prescribed a Law and a Way. Had God willed, He could have made you one community. But ( He intended) that He might try you in what He has given you [He hath made you as you are]. So vie with one another in good works. Unto God ye will all return, and He will inform you of that wherein ye differed. (5: 48) "O humankind, We [God] have created you male and female, and made you into communities and tribes, so that you may know one another. Surely the noblest amongst you in the sight of God is the most God-fearing of you. God is All-knowing and All-Aware" (Qur'an 49:13) Allah does not want to divide us. He only wants to test us, as to who is obeying His Prophets and who are doing righteous conduct. There is only One God and One right path or sect and that is the sect of the believers and the righteous. Islam is not an exclusivist faith but it is a faith for all humanity. So let us all wake up and play our role to unite and not divide and race with each other in good conduct and make this world a safe and peaceful place. Our beloved Prophet came with the same message like all the Prophets. But you are truly a Warner, and to every people there is a guide. Chapter 13 ayat 7. Behold, your Lord said to the angels: "I will create a vicegerent (a person who acts in place of) ( a successive authority)on the earth." Chapter 2 ayat 30. It is He who made you His agents, inheritors of the earth. Chapter 6 ayat 165. My servants, the righteous shall inherit the earth. Chapter 21 ayat 105. Allah makes them Leaders in faith and makes them heirs. Chapter 28 ayat 5. Then We have given the Book for inheritance to such of Our servants as We have chosen. Chapter 35 ayat 32. And made his progeny to endure on the earth and We left this blessing for him among generations to come. Chapter 37 ayat 77-78. Our beloved Prophet had said that he was leaving behind "two weighty things" (thaqalayn) - the Holy Qur'an and his family - for the future guidance of his community and that if we hold on to them we will never be misguided. So let us hold on to the rope of Allah and not be misguided by the religious fanatics. Atleast I am not willing to call myself a Muslim as has been interpreted by these fanatics. I would rather call myself a believer- (a momin). For me the primacy is righteous conduct and to bring faith in One Allah and in all His Prophets and revelations and try to understand the Quran without any preconceived notions of exclusivity by the religious scholars. I would rather bring 'Iman' and not 'Islam'. Leave aside fighting with people of other faith, we are busy fighting amongst ourselves- who call ourselves 'Muslims' and recite the same shahada/ kalma. We are busy calling ourselves as better Muslims and the others as kafirs. Do you think that with this attitude we can ever achieve salvation or paradise? I think NEVER! Unless we reform and come to the straight path by following and obeying those people upon whom Allah has chosen, bestowed His favor and given His authority and appointed His vicegerent. And I am sure you will agree with me that the present day scholars or religious teachers do not fit anywhere in the above definition. THAT IS WHY I AM OF THE VIEW THAT THE MADRESSAS SHOULD BE CLOSED DOWN AS THEY ARE BRAIN WASHING THE INNOCENT CHILDREN AND THE RELIGIOUS CHANNELS AND RELIGIOUS SHOWS ON TELEVISION SHOULD BE BANNED AS THEY ARE MISGUIDNING THE PEOPLE AND NOT ENCOURANGING THE PEOPLE TO USE THEIR OWN INTELLECT AND SEARCH FOR THE RIGHT PATH THEMSELVES AND THEY HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO DO SO. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION SHOULD BE IMPARTED BY A FIXED CARRICULUM AT THE SCHOOLS AND RECOGNISED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN. URL: http://www.newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=1213

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Asadullah Syed