1. THE ESSENCE OF RELIGION
We may ask three questions
about Islam or any system or discipline:-
(a) On what authority is it based?
(b) What is its nature or consistency?
(c) What
is its thesis?
The Authority
Islam is a
religion taught by the Prophet Muhammad on the authority of Allah, the Creator
of all things – that is, it is based on the Fundamental Reality.
However,
this statement requires several qualifications.
1. He
taught that this Religion is the same as that taught by other Prophets throughout
the world.
“Nothing is
said unto thee (Muhammad) but what was said unto the Messengers before
thee.” 41:43
“Lo! We
inspired thee as We inspired Noah, and the prophets after him, as We inspired
Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac, and Jacob and the tribes, and Jesus and Job and
Jonah and Aaron and Solomon, and as We imparted unto David the Psalms.” 4:163
2. These
teachings were given in three forms:-
(a) The teachings were inspired into him when he was in a
state of special receptivity. The angel Gabriel is said to have conveyed them
to him directly from Allah. These teachings are recorded in the Quran and have
remained unaltered. These teachings are, therefore, not attributed to Muhammad,
but to Allah. Unlike other scriptures, the words in the Quran are given by
Allah in the first person. They are not reports by someone else.
(b) Traditions about the Prophet’s sayings and doings
are recorded in the Hadith. There are several compilations of these. These,
like other scriptures, are reports by other people, but unlike them, are
reports by his immediate companions.
(c) The
Prophet is also reported to have given a set of teachings to a select group of
his companions. These are esoteric in nature.
3. The
above considerations lead to the distinction between the set of ordinary human
faculties operating in everyday life and a higher set of faculties. The
characteristics of the latter are that they require human passivity,
receptivity or submission rather than activity, that they are more synthetic as
opposed to analytical in nature, and that they relate to the greater, universal
and comprehensive world rather than the limited world of daily affairs. These
faculties were active not only in the Prophet Muhammad, but also in all other
Prophets. Other people also possess this potentiality to various degrees. Some
of those in whom it is well developed are known as mystics. Thus the teachings
can be attributed to these faculties. It is not possible to accept or
understand Islam, or any other religion, without this faculty.
“Follow that
which is inspired in thee from thy Lord.” 6:107
The difference between the Prophet
Muhammad who was like Moses in this respect and other Prophets, lies in this
that the former was able to switch between the higher and the lower faculties
so that he created a bridge between the worldly and the transcendental and
united the secular with the spiritual life into a comprehensive unity. He dealt
with economic and political matters as well as spiritual. This appears not to
have been the case with Jesus or Buddha.
The Consistency
One day while the
Prophet Muhammad was with his disciples a man with very white clothing and very
black hair, whom no one knew, came up and sat down besides him. He leant his
knees against those of the Prophet, placed his hands on his thighs, and said,
“Tell me, Muhammad, about Islam (Discipline).”
The Prophet replied:
“ Islam means that you should testify that there is no god but Allah and
that Muhammad is Allah’s messenger, that you should observe prayer, pay
the zakah (the Poor Due), fast during the month of Ramadan, and make the
pilgrimage to the House of Allah if you have the means to do so.”
The man said:
“You have spoken the truth.” This apparent arrogance caused
considerable surprise among the disciples. He then asked: “Tell me about
Iman (Faith).”
The Prophet replied:
“It means that you should believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, His
Apostles, and the Last Day, and that you should believe in the decreeing both
of good and of evil.”
The man again said:
“You have spoken the truth. Now tell me about Ihsan
(Righteousness).”
The Prophet replied:
“ It means that you should worship Allah as though you saw Him, for
though you do not see Him, He sees you.”
The man then asked:
“ Now tell me about the Hour (The Last Hour, the Hour of Judgment).”
The Prophet replied:
“ The one who is asked about it is no better informed than the one who is
asking.”
The man said:
“Then tell me about its signs.”
The Prophet answered:
“That a maid servant should beget her mistress, and that you should see
barefooted, naked poor men and shepherds exalting themselves in
buildings.” (Another reporter adds “ When you see the barefooted,
the naked, the deaf, the dumb as kings of the earth, as well as five things
which no one but Allah knows.”)
Then when the man had
gone, the Prophet asked Umar: “Do you know who the questioner was?”
He said :”Allah
and His messenger know best.”
The Prophet explained: “He
was Gabriel who came to you to teach you your religion.”
This story
is a traditions found in the collection known as the Mishkat al Masabih and in
other collections. It is important from three main reasons:-
1. The
religion taught by Muhammad is not his own invention but was transmitted to
him. It appears that he was tested for the benefit of others on its fundamental
attitudes. It is not known whether Gabriel appeared as a common vision to the
gathering, whether it was induced by the Prophet, or whether the name
“Gabriel” was being used metaphorically to refer to some actual
person, and one who may have been representing some Esoteric group. It may be
that the Prophet was not referring to a person but to the event. It makes no
difference. Islam is regarded as having an objective, not a subjective source.
Gabriel is the Spirit who transmits the message from Allah to man, from the Objective
to the Subjective mind. This makes the man into a Prophet. Hence the idea that
a Religion is represented by a triad, namely, God, the Spirit and the Prophet.
Though they obviously work as one, the actual identification of each with the
other, as in Christianity, is denied in Islam. The difference between the two
religions can be attributed to a difference in attitude. We have to distinguish
between the teacher, the teaching and the subject of the teaching. Christianity
teaches by pointing to the teacher, hence it emphasises the role of the
Prophet, probably because the people were not ready for more abstract ideas.
Islam teaches by placing the emphasis on the teaching, and beyond it on Reality
itself. The prophet is not, therefore, the final authority in Islam. One
consequence of this is that the validity of other Prophets is also recognised.
2. Both
good and evil are decreed. The implication is that there is no Dualism in
Islam. Allah is the source of the power required for both good and evil (as
judged by man); that there is a law of causation which determines events; that
there is a plan or pattern in which all things fit and according to which all
things unfold. The time of ones death or the time of the judgement when the
consequences and results of ones actions will manifest themselves in not known.
Nor is it known when a whole society, civilisation or even the whole of mankind
will be destroyed and judged. There are, however, signs in the form of
inconsistencies and contradictions in life. The barefoot, poor and naked may be
taken as symbols for people who have no foundations, values, sophistication,
personalities or means, are poor in ability, motive and knowledge, and the
shepherds are those who lead others. The deaf, the dumb may be taken as
referring to spiritually or even intellectually deaf and dumb people and the
kings to various kinds of authorities. And it may refer to inner psychological
conditions. The soul which should be the servant to God begets an Ego which
takes control.
The Day of
Judgement and Resurrection, the period of time when the old earth and heaven
will be destroyed and a new earth and heaven will be created (14:48) is a
central idea in Islam. It refers to the end of an era and the revolutionary
changes in the environmental and psychological conditions of man. According to
some people we are now in just such a period, and this, from all the signs,
seems a reasonable conclusion, though other periods in the past also fit. On
the other hand it could refer to a much greater revolutionary change in the
future.
A Muslim
is required to live his life:-
(a) As if death and
judgement could take place at any time.
(b) With vigilance
regarding inconsistencies.
(c) He should also
live in the awareness that Allah sees all his actions, thoughts and feelings.
It is now a widely known fact that every thing a person does and experiences is
recorded in his subconscious memory and that this modifies him. A record may
also form in the Collective Unconscious or the very fabric of Space-Time. All
actions have effects, which continue to have further effects. Even inner
private thoughts and motives modify behaviour which then affects others. No
person can escape the law of causation or the Inner Observer. Life should be
governed not by the past or the future but by the immediate present moment at
which alone we have control. Past experiences are no excuse for present
misdemeanours nor should the doing of a good deed be postponed to another time.
Neither should the persisting mood, anger or resentment of the past nor the
fantasies and hopes for the future interfere with correct action in the
present.
(d) Though an
individual is required to make efforts, the results of his actions are
determined by Allah, the source of the causal forces. These causes may not only
be external ones, but may be within a person, within all other things, or
interactively inherent in relationships. What other people or nature does is
equally determined. He should not blame or praise himself, others or nature, harbour
resentment or elation, but do something positive to put things right. Nor is
arrogance, conceit and boasting justifiable. A person is not his own maker.
Though the society is required to punish crimes, it is not for revenge but in
order to set up appropriate causal forces which will modify behaviour.
Organisation, teaching, argument and example setting also have this function.
Anger and other emotions may well be used in the same way. But this is an
objective use of emotion not a subjective reaction. All of these work only
under certain conditions. Knowledge is, therefore, of supreme importance. It
introduces into a person new causal forces.
The
Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said:
“Superiority in
knowledge is better than superiority in worship, and the basis of religion is
abstinence..... They are both engaged in what is good, but one of them is
superior to the other. The ones are praying and supplicating Allah, who, if He
wills, may answer their prayer, but, if He wills, may refuse them. The others
are learning and teaching the ignorant, therefore they are superior. I was sent
only as a teacher.”
3. The
religion taught by the Prophet consists of three layers:-
al-Islam
- The religious discipline.
al-Iman
- The Faith.
Al-Ihsan
- Right behaviour, righteousness or pietyy.
Islam can,
therefore, be seen in three ways:-
(a) Either Islam is
only one part (al-islam) of this triad and the Muslim is required only to
adhere to this part - indeed, many orthodox Muslims appear to cling to this
idea.
(b) Or the whole
religion as taught by the Prophet transcends Islam, and his followers ought to
follow the other two aspects also - many Muslims do and are then regarded as
being outside Islam by the orthodox.
(c) Or Islam consists
of all three.
In this book, we opt
for the last alternative. Our account of Islam will, therefore, differ
considerably from accounts based on the other two points of view. There is a
physical surrender to a discipline, a mental surrender to a faith and a
spiritual surrender to righteousness. The distinction is made according to the
three aspects of man, namely, body, mind and soul. Faith does not mean mere
intellectual belief but the confidence and commitment to act according to it.
Righteousness, on the other hand, is connected with being rather than knowing.
A person is righteous when he behaves rightly or correctly according to his
nature and its inherent conscience.
These three aspects of
Islam can be said to correspond to:-
The
Shariat - The Religious Law
The
Tariqat - The Way or Method
The
Haqiqat - The Truth
The Shariat, because it
consists of particular sets of laws designed for particular peoples and
circumstances, differs between the various Prophets and religions. Faith,
however, is more general and lies behind the laws. It is capable of giving rise
to many different methods. Faith is a common factor in all religions. Truth
lies beyond faith. A person who behaves according to an awareness of his true
nature requires no faith. The Prophets act in accordance with truth, and though
they are founders of religion they do not belong to any particular religion.
Religion is required only by those who are not perfect in this sense.
They also
correspond to the distinctions made in the Quran between three levels of
knowledge:-
Ilm-ul-Yaqin (the Certainty of mind),
the verbal or rational truth. (Quran 102:5)
Ain-ul-Yaqin (Certainty of Sight),
experiential or empirical truth. (Quran 102:7)
Haqq-ul-Yaqin (Certainty of Truth), Absolute
or categorical truth. (Quran 69:51)
Reality is
not the same as an experience of it, and a verbal description is not the same
as an experience. There is more to Reality than can be experienced and more to
experience than can be described. A description is about part of an experience,
and an experience is about part of an object. The one is done through the
medium of language and the other through consciousnesses, both of which have
their own structures and limitations, and differ from those of the object. Many
different descriptions of the same experiences, and many different experiences
of the same objects are possible. Thus there are many different verbal
formulation of religion and people wrongly assume them to be different
religions, and there are many different kinds of experiences which people may
mistakenly suppose to be religious or not religious.
A
distinction is also implied between Existence, Certainty and Possibility. We
cannot know anything which is not an effect on our consciousness. But we know
that a world must exist independently of it because we feel a constraint on our
consciousness, conscience and will which comes from outside it. Our capacity to
change our perceptions at will and to do as we like is limited. The word
‘Reality’ is understood with reference to this state of affairs. Certainty
implies a compulsion.
A distinction is made in Islam between
the Essence of Allah, His Manifestations and His Creation. In Essence He is Absolute
Unity and unknowable. Having created the Universe a relationship is set up
between Allah and Creation. Allah is, therefore, (a) Transcendental as well as (b)
Imminent, and being within human beings, also (c) Personal.
The
Manifestations are distinguished as His Attributes,
what He Commands, what He Ordains and what He Permits. The first refers to the categories or characteristics by
which the Universe can be described. They are distinguishable from each other
because they are different aspects or points of view. The second refers to the
Laws of nature upon which the Universe is based. The third refers to the events
which take place in it. The existence of that which gives rise to Gravity or
any other fundamental force is a fact about Reality. As Allah can do anything
He likes there is no compulsion that these Laws should exist. Indeed, since
scientific explanations are only possible if we find compulsory regularities,
then it cannot go beyond Laws, and their existence remains a mystery because no
physical explanation in terms of other things can be possible. That all things
tend to fall to the ground because of the gravitational force is a certainty.
That a particular apple will fall off the tree and hit a person on the head is
possible but not necessary. It may happen or it may not. If it happens, it is
also a fact, but one which is not of the same type as the other two. There are
events that are not directly controlled by the Laws but are permitted by them.
Birds and aeroplanes can fly if the price in energy is paid. Satan can tempt
man causing man to act against his own best interest.
We,
therefore, distinguish between Reality,
Truth and Knowledge. We defined the word Reality to mean what Allah is, and
Truth as that which Allah does or says. Or conversely, what Allah does or says
is Truth. He has created the Universe and all things in it with Truth. (Quran
6:74 and 16:3) Truth can defined as an experience that corresponds to Reality.
Knowledge is the effect of truth on our consciousness. Knowledge is awareness
of Truth. A verbal statement can be said to be true if it corresponds to an
experience that corresponds to Reality. But neither the statement nor the
experience is Truth. The nature of a person and how he behaves that is truth.
The
methods of approach to these are Surrender, Faith and Reason respectively. Reality
refers to something existing independently of the knower, but containing him,
Truth refers to the interaction between things, to experience. Knowledge comes
into existence as a third, relating factor when a distinction is made between
the object and observer (the known and the knower). Self-knowledge requires
this distinction within oneself.
But apart
from the material and logical difference between these three there is also a
psychological difference. Here a distinction is made between cognition, faith
and opinion (conjecture, speculation). Opinion refers to the intellect. We may
think that something is true but it may not be true. We may be certain that it
is true and act accordingly. The word faith refers to this. The conventional
definition of faith, that it consists of beliefs without evidence, is not
compatible with the Islamic or, indeed, any other religious view. Faith does
not refer to intellectual opinions but to interaction and the consistency of experiences.
There is, however, a higher stage which goes beyond faith. that of gnosis which
is incorporated in the notion of surrender.
There is a
correspondence between existence,
certainty, and possibility on the one hand and truth, experience and
description on the other. There is an element of fantasy in description, and an
element of uncertainty in experience. The experience of words is not the same
thing as the experience of that to which they refer, and the combination of
words is something different from the relationship between experiences, and
both are different from the relationship between things. An experience
abstracts some aspects of reality, and a description abstracts some aspects of
experience. This is why different people experience the same situation
differently and describe the same experiences differently at different times.
An experience is true if it is in accordance with Reality, and a description provides
knowledge if it is in accord with experience. Therefore, all verbal
descriptions have to be tested by experience as in Science, and all experiences
are tested against Reality. Development and Evolution imply just this. Truth
has a modifying effect. The recognition of this is Surrender.
At first a
person hears about Islam from others, or he may have thought about it. His
knowledge is purely verbal or intellectual. Later he begins to understand
Islam. His knowledge is based on personal experiences and he has developed
insight. Finally, he has been transformed by it and he has become a true Muslim.
Accordingly, the word “Muslim” (one who has surrendered), itself,
can be understood at three levels according to whether a person accepts the
teachings of Islam mentally, lives his life according to its principles, or has
become a transformed person in his thinking, feeling, motivations, perceptions
and actions. The individual identifies his will with that of Allah. All his
actions are done on behalf of Allah, or rather Allah acts through him. He
becomes the true Vicegerent.
“Lo, my worship
and my sacrifice, and my living and dying are for Allah, Lord of the
Worlds.” 6:163
There are, thus, three stages of
development. A person does not originally enter Islam because of faith, but
because of all kinds of other reasons. It may be the accident of being born in Muslim
family or country. It may be because of preferences, likes and dislikes,
prejudices, fear, superstitions, some kind of personal, social or economic
advantage, fantasy, delusions or a vague inkling of truth. He may accept it
because he sees his own defects and wants to improve. It may be admiration for
the Islamic teaching or the Islamic community.
The unregenerate person
is quite incapable of determining his motives or judging whether what he is
following is true or not, though obviously he thinks it is true. The rejection
of Islam, of course, has exactly the same causes. There has to be a submission
to a discipline first before there can be the appropriate experiences on which
faith can be based.
”The wandering
Arabs say: We believe. Say unto them (O, Muhammad): Ye believe not, but rather
say ‘We submit’, for the faith hath not yet entered into your
hearts. Yet if ye obey Allah and His messenger, He will not withhold from you
aught of the rewards of your deeds. Lo, Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. The true
believers are those only who believe in Allah and His messenger and afterwards
doubt not, but strive with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah.
Such are the sincere.” 49:14,15
Faith in
its turn comes prior to righteousness, and leads to it. It allows him to
develop certain insights, the eye of certainty. Faith alone does not ensure
that a person knows what is right, nor gives him the power to act accordingly.
It leads on to a path of development which will modify and transform him and
establish the Truth of Certainty. It is only when a person reaches this higher
stage then he will behave as an Agent of Allah.
“Most of them
follow naught but conjecture. Assuredly conjecture can by no means take the
place of truth.” 10:37
“Is he who
knows that which is revealed unto thee from thy Lord is the truth like him who
is blind? But only men of understanding heed. ” 13:19
“We will show
them Our Signs on the horizons and in their own souls, until it becomes
manifest unto them that this is the Truth. Is it not sufficient that thy Lord
is witness over all things. Are they in doubt about meeting their Lord? It is
He who encompasses all things.” 41:53-54
“Allah, He is
the Truth. Lo! He quickens the dead.” 22:6
“So set thy
purpose for religion as a man upright by nature - the nature framed by Allah in
which He has created man. There is no altering the laws of Allah’s
creation. That is the right religion, but most men know not. ” 30:30
The dead
are, of course, the spiritually dead. The right religion exists when a person
lives and behaves according to his inherent nature. The discipline exists to
create faith, and the faith exist to lead to this condition.
This is,
in fact, the normal and natural way in which learning takes place. The child
behaves in certain ways, and this provides him with experiences which form his
system of belief. He interprets all further experiences in terms of these
beliefs and by assimilation progressively transforms himself. But this is
normally an accidental process unless deliberate education and training is
carried out. Secular education, however, comes from outside himself; it is done
to him by others. It does not give a person control over himself. It is still
accidental in the sense that the training given depends on what the cultural or
historical situation happens to be. It is not designed to produce development.
It is only through religion and self-discipline that true psychological
development can take place.
To repeat: Submission leads to Faith, and
faith leads to Truth. Or to put it in another way, surrender in action leads to
surrender in mind and this leads to surrender in spirit or being.
The Thesis
The gist
of the Islamic teaching is given in the following verses:-
“Surely We
created man in the best of constitutions, then We reduced him to the lowest of
the low, save those who believe and do good works, and theirs is a reward
unfailing.” 95:4-6
“Did We not
assign unto him two eyes and a tongue and two lips, and guide him to the
parting of the mountain ways? But he has not attempted the ascent...”
90:8-11
“And by the
soul and Him who perfected it, and inspired it with conscience of what is wrong
for it and what is right for it. he indeed is successful who causes it to grow,
and he is indeed a failure who stunts it.” 91:7-10
“Allah verily
hath shown grace to believers by sending unto them messengers of their own who
recite unto them His revelations, and causes them to grow, and teaches them the
scripture and wisdom although before he came they were in flagrant
error.” 3:164
“O ye who believe! Obey
Allah and the messenger when He calls you to that which quickens you, and know
that Allah comes between the man and his own heart, and that He it is unto Whom
you will be gathered.” 8:24
In other
words:-
1, Man was
made perfect. 2. He has fallen or degenerated. 3. He must ascend again.
This is
the Message of Islam in a nut shell. It is also the message in Hinduism,
Buddhism, Hebrewism and Christianity.
The Fall
of man from heaven to earth may be regarded as a psychological one from a
higher level of functioning, of consciousness, to a lower one. The very same
divine faculties of creativity, initiative and responsibility, which makes man
into a Vicegerent and gives him power and a measure of freedom to know and aid
in the general processes of development, also allow him to invent and lie. The
world we see depends on the state of consciousness. Thus a distinction also
arises between a Real world and an Illusory world. The latter is a restricted
and distorted view of the real world. Whereas the real world is a Unity, the
world perceived by the lower restricted mind is disintegrated. It focuses on
objects rather than the system to which they belong as parts. It analyses the
data of experience and synthesises them according to its own interests. It
selects and invents. Human behaviour, interactions and works depend on how they
see the world. The result of a disintegrated or restricted mind is conflict of
opinion and interests, and this brings suffering.
Several
assumptions exist here, namely:-
1. (a) That man is born with faculties and powers which are
higher than those which are normally evident.
(b) That there
are obstructions within man which prevent the functioning of these faculties.
(c) That it is possible for man to
remove these obstructions and return to his higher state.
Quite
apart from these religious assertions it is possible to verify them by
observation and experiment.
Man is described as the Vicegerent of
Allah. This implies that:-
(a) He has some of the potentialities of the Creator,
namely creativity, responsibility and initiative.
(b) He has to function on behalf of the Creator. His
welfare and development depends on fulfilling this function.
(c) He has
responsibilities in the regulation and government of the world in which he has
been placed.
Human
beings are, therefore, a mere shadow of what they could be. If a human being is
represented by a Great Circle, then a much smaller circle within it represents
fallen man. This Little Circle is the Ego, the Commanding Self (Nafs-i-Ammara -
12;53). It follows that this Little Circle could move within the Greater Circle
and that it can also expand and contract, and it could disintegrate into many
still smaller circles, or smaller ones could integrate into larger ones. Thus
both horizontal and vertical differences of opinion, perception, ability and motivation
between human beings arise. These differences lead to conflicts. They also
affect the degree of adaptation to the external world and the degree of inner
integration.
2.
Connected with this is the assumption that:-
(a) Reality is other
than what man ordinarily thinks it is. We can experience much more than we can
describe, and there is much more to reality than we can experience. The world,
for instance, is seen by us as a collection of isolated objects, but in fact
all things are connected by various forces, substances and processes most of
them invisible to us. We are connected to each other and the rest of the world
through the circulation of materials, water and air, by light and heat and
other radiations. We are also connected genetically and by culture, the ideas,
attitudes and activities.
(i) The purpose of
religion is to bring us to Reality.
(ii) Since a verbal
statement is understood in terms of experiences, then those statements which
refer to phenomena outside a person’s experience cannot be understood by
that person.
(iii) Since the purpose
of religion is to bring a person into a state in which he is not, then he does
not at present possess the capacity to assess, judge or criticise the religious
instructions and he must accept and obey them.
(b) The
Universe has a purpose, a direction of development. This is the development of
awareness.
“ Allah said :
I was a hidden treasure: I wished to be known: therefore I created the
Universe.” A Hadith
Whereas
Science regards evolution as being the result of mechanical forces, religion
assumes the direction of development to be fundamental and all other phenomena
as means to this end. Reflection shows that this is a much more reasonable attitude;
otherwise the origin of the Universe cannot be explained. Even in science, the
Laws of Thermodynamics require all processes to move to a point of equilibrium.
(c) The basic substance from which the Universe is created
is not matter or energy but truth. The implication is that:-
(i) It consists of bits of information or order.
(ii) It has a psychological dimension - in other words it
consists of sensitivity and awareness.
(iii) It
is more like a command, a categorical imperative, it has compulsive force.
Interactions, therefore consists of the transfer of information, and
development is an accumulation of information.
“He hath
created the heavens and the earth with Truth.” 39:5, 15:85, and 46:3
“The Command
comes down among them (the heavens and the earth) slowly, that ye may know that
Allah is able to do all things, and Allah surrounds all things in
Knowledge.” 65:12
Truth,
also called the Word of God is a single force, but it differentiates into parts
which differentiate further. The Universe is, therefore, a network of forces
which converge to numerous points, the various entities, where they mingle,
undergo transformation and diverge again. Entities differ according to the kind
of forces converging, the transformation taking place and the forces emitted.
We may
assume that a human being is an organ of nature in which experience and
awareness continually develops or is modified from conception to death, and
this awareness is re-absorbed into nature. Each individual or entity modifies
the whole. Man comes from Allah and will return to Him.
3. Consciousness,
Conscience and Will consist of resonance, empathy or alignment of the inner
with the outer world. This is possible because some of the forces existing in
the outer world also exist in the inner. The nature of the organism is
determined by the kind of forces existing there and the resonance is made
possible by the Faculties. But many of these are ordinarily dormant. It is
estimated that human beings use less than a tenth of their possibilities.
Consciousness refers to unified awareness, conscience to unified feeling or
motivation, and will to coordinated and controlled action.
4. Knowledge is not a
matter of sensation or reason but of consciousness, and, therefore, depends on
the level of consciousness.
(a) There are a great number of forces in
the Universe and only some of these affect us. Of these we are aware only of
very little and we ignore or discard the rest. We are not given facts, but we
select, interpret and organise the data which affect us. By this we create
facts and the world we see. Thus a distinction must be made between the
Unknowable World, the Unknown World which can be known, and the Known World;
and between consciousness, sub-consciousness and unconsciousness.
(b) What we perceive, our motives and our
abilities and actions depend on the effect of the external world on us, and,
therefore, also on our inner state. If this is altered then the effect of the
external world is also altered. Our perception, motivations and actions will
also alter.
(c) Human beings are capable of
concentrating awareness or consciousness and this is called attention.
Attention is controlled by (i) inherent tendencies (ii) automatisms or habit
(iii) through will or intention. This depends on (i) interest or motivation,
(ii) on intellectual assumptions and (iii) on the kind of activities we indulge
in, since such activities elicit reactions from the environment.
Our attention is
normally narrowed down by:- (i) fixation due to habit. (ii) the absorption of
all our energy in a narrow band of worldly concerns, the need to make a living
within the confines of a particular environment, (iii) by social conditioning
through propaganda, indoctrination, reward and punishment, (iv) by attachment
through greed, fear and hatred. (v) by the mechanical repetition of the same activities,
experiences and thoughts, (vi) Human beings acquire a fixed
‘Catalogue’ of ideas. These are often called
‘Property’, ‘Possessions’ or ‘Burdens’,
hence spiritual ‘Poverty’ is advised. They cause a tendency to
‘Explain’ away every new experience in terms of these familiar
ideas. (vii) by constant reinforcement by inner ‘Chattering’.
(viii) by the inventions of fantasy. systematisation and rationalisation.
Fantasy is the result of wishful thinking, fear or the need to make order or
consistency among a very limited set of the data of experience. To fill in
gaps. Each item in the system then reinforces the others. (ix) a system of
values, of likes and dislikes which cause seeking, emphasising, suppression,
rejection of some data. (x) by self-importance, self-centredness and
self-absorption.
All these also create
an image of self, the Ego, a restricted or ‘Commanding’ self, a
shell or prison. It has three affects:- (i) to limit and restrict, (ii) to
distort or pervert, and (iii), to add something unnecessary e.g greed creates
desires beyond needs.
The Ego must be destroyed in order to
release human potentialities. This can be done by giving up subjectivity and
cultivating objectivity, by surrender. The destruction of the ego is known as
‘dying’ (to worldly life).
“Therefore
forgive us our sins, and remit from us our evil deeds, and make us die the
death of the righteous.” 3:193
“.. Die not
save as men who have surrendered.” 2:132
“Only those can
accept who hear. As for the dead, Allah will raise them up; then unto Him will
they return.” 6:36
Since the ‘world
we see’ depends on our attention, it is clear that a change in direction,
intensity or expanse of attention can lead us into innumerable other worlds,
all of which are part of the ‘Real world’. The World of Dreams,
Reverie and that of the Seer are examples. Religious conversion and changes in
‘Points of View’ also requires such shifts. Most people have
experienced moments of expanded or altered consciousness in the face of a work
of Art, Nature or as a result of a physical or mental trauma or shock. Periods
of great environmental, social, political or cultural changes, or changes in
ones personal inner or outer life also bring about shifts of attention. Various
techniques exist or can be developed to produce shifts deliberately either
through external means or voluntarily. Religions try to alter the ordinary
assumptions, motivations and actions which determine daily life in order to
expand our capacity for experience. The world described by religion is one
which is not available to the ordinary faculties. Shifts may be brief,
temporary or more permanent.
Man is regarded by
religion as being asleep or dead, hence the exhortation to awaken.
“ Say (unto
mankind, O Muhammad): I exhort you unto one thing only: that ye awake, for
Allah’s sake, by twos and singly, and then reflect...” 34:46
“Thus Allah
brings the dead to life, and shows you His portents so that you may
understand.” 2:73
“Is he who was
dead, and We have raised him unto life, and set for him a light wherein he
walks among men as him whose similitude is in utter darkness whence he cannot
emerge?” 6:123
5. There are other
beings besides organic ones like man, inhabiting our world, namely Angels and
Jinn. But these exist either outside the range of our narrow experience or we
rationalise away our experiences of them according to our assumptions and
habits of thought, or we misinterpret experiences and add fantasies to create
superstitions. Angels are said to be made of light (or electromagnetic matter)
and jinn of fire (or radiant or nuclear matter)
6. Awareness or
Consciousness depends on friction, opposition, tension. An opposition -
internal, external or interactive - constitutes a problem, The function of
consciousness is to arouse us to those activities which reconcile the
opposition and restore equilibrium, harmony or unity. This is the solution.
When this happens consciousness subsides. But this reconciliation can either be
achieved in reality, in fantasy or through perversion or distortion in which
case the real problem remains. If however the opposite forces are unbalanced or
too strong relative to the reconciling force which is too weak, or
reconciliation is not achieved, then organism itself is debilitated and
eventually destroyed. This may be also called a solution. Life or existence
arises by the tension between opposites and this is also the cause of
suffering, and persists until a solution is found. Without it there can be no
awareness. The function of life is problem solving. The purpose of pain and
pleasure is to provide the motive for development. Just as it is exercise
against weights which causes muscles to develop, so also does psychological
development require effort. However, people can either be victims or fighters
both of adversity and fortune according to their inner attitudes. Usually it is
the prosperous, the fortunate and the oppressors who are objectively speaking
much more unfortunate since they lack the opposition. Religions provide the
means to modify these attitudes. Hence an inner struggle or Jihad (Holy War) is
recommended, and this should be a substitute for social conflicts which
ordinarily are a reflection of psychological conflicts.
The doctrines,
practices and institutions of religion have only one aim, and that is to return
to reality, to facilitate re-identification with ones origins, to re-establish
the unitary view and achieve re-integration. The result of the Fall, the
restriction of consciousness, however, makes man think that the world of
Illusion is the Real World. He becomes trapped in it. It is only those who have
received liberation from it who tell him about the real world, and create the
methods of liberation. Thus we have a conflict between two different sets of
ideas - those coming from the world (through the conscious mind) and those
coming from heaven (the real world as it affects the normally unconscious mind).
While the Intelligentsia in the
Western world concentrated its attention in the development of the Worldly or
material life, the intelligentsia in the East concentrated its attention on the
psychological or Spiritual life. The aim of one is to create Paradise on Earth,
and that of the other is to reach Paradise in
Heaven. This accounts for the differences between them. Each regards the other
as being deluded. For the one, this world is an illusion, for the other it is
Heaven and the inner world which is the illusion. The fact, however, is that
though there is less obvious physical poverty and disease in the West, there is
no less suffering there of a social and psychological kind. The incentive for
development have been removed by material prosperity. In the East, on the other
hand, the prevalence of poverty and disease has created a life in which not
many people have the time, energy or education to devote themselves to the
spiritual life. The rest of the community has to maintain those who devote
themselves to the spiritual life. The poverty and suffering, moreover, create
the desire for escape which makes the religious doctrine attractive. The community
being a unity, the benefits gained by the individual are seen as the benefit of
the whole community. There is greater emphasis on the unity of a Community in
the East, while Individualism and separation are more important in the West.
The blending of the two might have been the ideal. Perhaps the attitude of each
will seep into the others in times to come.
Islam is a
balance between the two extremes. and shows how this can be done. It does not
tell us that the world is an illusion, but that worldly life is an illusion.
“Know that the
life of this world is only play, and idle talk, and pageantry, and boasting
among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children; as the likeness of
vegetation after rain, whereof the growth is pleasing to the husbandman. But
afterwards it dries up and you see it turning yellow, then it becomes straw.
And in the Hereafter there is grievous punishment, and also forgiveness from
Allah, and His good pleasure, whereas the life of the world is but a matter of
illusion.” 57:20
1 ', 9070"#!9<77428779 16asting
among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children; as the likeness of
vegetation after rain, whereof the growth is pleasing to the husbandman. But
afterwards it dries up and you see it turning yellow, then it becomes straw.
And in the Hereafter there is grievous punishment, and also forgiveness from
Allah, and His good pleasure, whereas the life of the world is but a matter of
illusion.” 57:20
The ascent
can be achieved by using the resources, conditions and opportunities provided
by the world itself. It is through contact with reality that we develop, but
only if we see and interpret our experiences correctly. And this requires
guidance. Human beings have a function and duty towards the world, and the
ascent can be achieved by fulfilling this.
----------<O>----------
The Islamic argument
is given by the following verses:-
“He fashioned him (man) and
breathed into him of His own spirit; and appointed for you hearing and sight
and hearts. Small thanks give ye.” 32:9
“Nay, but verily man is
rebellious that he thinks himself independent. Lo! unto thy Lord is the
return.” 96:6-7
“Oh, but man is a telling
witness against himself, though he tenders his excuses.” 75:14-15
“Nay, but you do love the
fleeting Now and neglect the Hereafter.” 75:20-21
“Nay, but that which they have
earned by their behaviour is rust upon their
hearts.” 83:14
“But ah! thou soul at peace!
Return unto thy Lord, content in His good pleasure. Enter thou among My chosen
servants, enter thou My Garden.” 89:27-30
“Be not ye as those who forgot
Allah, therefore He caused them to forget their own souls. Such are the evil
doers.” 59:19
“And Allah hath created the
heavens and the earth with truth, and that every soul may be repaid what it
hath earned. And thy will not be wronged. Hast thou seen him who makes his
desire his god, and Allah sends him astray purposely, and seals up his hearing
and his heart, and sets on his sight a covering? then who will lead him after
Allah hath condemned him? Will ye then not heed?” 45: 22-23
“Whosoever goes right, it is
only for the good of his own soul that he goes right, and whosoever errs, errs
only to its hurt. No laden soul can bear another’s burden.” 17:15
“Whatever good befalls thee (O
man) it is from Allah, and whatever ill befalls thee it is from thyself.”
4:79
“Know that the life of this
world is only play, and idle talk, and pageantry, and boasting among you and
rivalry in respect of wealth and children; as the likeness of vegetation after
rain, whereof the growth is pleasing to the farmer, but afterwards it dries up
and you see it turning yellow, then it becomes straw. And in the Hereafter
there is grievous punishment and also forgiveness from Allah and His good pleasure,
whereas the life of the world is but a matter of illusion.” 57:20
“So set thy purpose for religion
as a man upright by nature - the nature framed by Allah, in which he hath
created man. There is no altering the laws of Allah’s creation. This is
the right religion, but most men know not.” 30:30
“And surely We shall try you
with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and crops; but
give glad tidings to the steadfast who say, when a misfortune strikes them: Lo!
we are Allah’s and lo! unto Him are we returning.” 2:155-156
“He may try some of you by means
of others. And those who are slain in the way of Allah, He renders not their
actions vain.” 47:4
“Deemed ye that ye would enter Paradise while yet Allah knows not those of you who really
strive, nor knows those of you who are steadfast?” 3:142
“Allah changes not the condition
of a people until they change what is in their hearts; and if Allah wills
misfortune for a folk there is none that can repel it, nor have they a defender
besides Him.” 13:11
“Say (O Muhammad): Deem not your
surrender a favour unto me: nay, but Allah confers a favour on you in as much as He has led you to the Faith if you
are earnest.” 49:17
“Lo, the human soul enjoins unto
evil, save those whereon my Lord has mercy.” 12:53
“And if a misfortune touch a man
he cries unto Us while reclining on his side, or sitting, or standing, but when
We have relieved him of the misfortune he goes his way as though he had not
cried unto Us because of a misfortune that afflicted him. Thus is what they do
made fair seeming unto the prodigal.” 10:13
”And We never sent a messenger
save with the language of his folk, that he might make the message clear for
them.” 14:4
”And verily We have raised in
every nation a messenger, proclaiming: Serve Allah and shun false idols (or
goals). Then some of them there were whom Allah guided, and some of them there
were upon whom error had just hold. Do but travel in the land and see the
consequences for the deniers.” 16:36
”For every announcement there is
a term, and you will come to know.” 6:67
”For every nation there is an
appointed time. When their time comes they cannot put it off an hour, nor
hasten it.” 10:50
In other words:- We
can bring to bear the evidence of the whole of nature to the fact that there is
an inherent purpose built into the structure of man, to grow, develop and
evolve. And that a way of life which facilitates this is alone correctly called
a religion. Man was created with an inherent capacity to function at a much
higher level than he does. But he has degenerated owing to the development of
rebellious egos and these have suppressed his conscience. There is rust upon
the mirror of his heart which dulls clear consciousness. He lives in a world of
illusions in so far as he is driven by futile ambitions and vanities which make
not a jot of difference to the Universe. Everyone must die, and death destroys
the wealth, power or prestige he strove for. The only actions, motives or
thoughts which matter in the end are those which facilitate human evolution. It
is not pleasure which matters but man can learn from both adversity and
fortune. He will be tested by life. It is by overcoming difficulties that he
grows just as muscles grow by exercise against weights.
The problems with
which mankind is faced are not primarily environmental, economic or political,
social or physical, but psychological or spiritual in nature. It is these which
create the other problems. Human beings, however, do not look inwards and
cannot, therefore, identify the problems correctly. The result is that these
problems persist. Solving some of them merely create others in their stead. The
changes brought about merely give the illusion of progress. There is such a
thing as objective truth and objective goodness, apart from mere opinion, but
man does not know them because of his degenerate state. The truth is that the
Universe has a direction of development and man is part of this.
The word Soul, and
the Spirit which feeds it, refers to that aspect of man which is the seat of
consciousness, conscience and will, the faculties by which objective behaviour is possible. While the spirit lies inert
it is not possible to know the objective truth, to be objectively motivated or
to behave in an objective manner. Consciousness refers to the capacity for
awareness, particularly the consistency and inter-relationship between things.
Conscience may be defined as consistency of feeling. It should not be confused
with what Freud called the Superego. This consists of a value system acquired
by conditioning to a culture. Conscience, on the other hand, is similar to the
instincts which animals have about what they should eat or how they should
behave. Human beings, because of their greater intelligence, sensitivity and
awareness, ought to have a much more sophisticated conscience. Will refers to
the faculty of coordination and control of actions. All three, therefore,
require and derive from psychological unity, a centre of integration.
Before man can reach
his full potentialities and fulfill his functions, it is necessary to re-awaken
his spirit. The techniques required for doing this must be considered to be
preliminary preparations. But even before this it is necessary to define the
true nature of human beings, identify their problems and possible solutions, to
find ways of drawing attention to this and creating the necessary motivation to
undertake the work. In general it is only this part which is popularly
described as religion. Unfortunately, this is not possible unless some
re-awakening has already taken place. We have a vicious circle which is the
reverse of that by which degeneration took place. Misbehaviour causes the inability to see objectively,
and this causes inability to assess behaviour. The conduct of the miscreant seems fair
to him. The psychotic does not know that he has a mental problem because the
mind which does the judging is itself affected. The only way out of this
vicious circle is to work at all three levels together.
It should be clear
from this that whether a person professes to believe in Islam and its teachings
or in any other religion, or whether he does not believe, or even rejects it as
unbelievable, none of this has any truth value, because of the absence of the
capacity to know. The only value lies in this that one will make the necessary
efforts to increase his capacities and the others will not. In so far as they
do not make these efforts their profession of belief is also worthless.
Note also that there
is a term to every Announcement or Message. Hebrewism and Christianity, as
other religions, had their term when they were dominant, established their civilizations,
and spread their influence through the world. The same is the case with Islam.
However, the word “Islam” also refers to the Universal and Eternal
message contained in the message of all Prophets, apart from that which refers
to a particular age. This is not subject to change.
----------<O>----------
The essence of the
Islamic message may be stated as follows:-
There is an ultimate,
self-existing eternal, unitary Reality which is referred to by the word, Allah,
in whom all the powers and forces we experience and others which we do not know
of, exist. This has produced the Universe and everything in it. The same forces
have also created man possessing consciousness, conscience, will, intelligence,
discrimination and the powers of assessment, and the faculties for thinking,
feeling and action, for perception, knowledge and understanding, for
creativity, initiative and responsibility, and the potentialities to develop
Wisdom, Compassion and Capability. The fact is that Reality has a nature in
which man with all these faculties could arise. In short, The Spirit of Allah
is in him. He has a soul and this refers to the truth or information contained
in him. Man is a Vicegerent of Allah. The existence of these qualities is a
proof of this. Or conversely, the concept of the Vicegerent is defined by these
qualities. The human soul represents Allah in the world. And conversely, the existence
of these human powers proves the pre-existence of these potentialities in the
real world.
Though man is still
dependent on the universe for all the materials, energies and knowledge he
needs for life, action and development, these powers give him a certain
freedom. He can do mischief in the world and destroy its order, or he can live
harmoniously with it or aid in its order and development. In other words a
distinction has arisen between good and evil. But because of his dependence,
the one course of action will cause him to do harm to himself and the other
will benefit him. In so far as he does not live in harmony with nature,
including his own inherent nature, he will destroy himself and he might destroy
the environment as well. He may be replaced by some other creature.
Vicegerency, therefore, implies a responsibility. He will be held to account by
nature itself. Man is on probation and exists in the world to be tested.
Man, however, in the beginning, when he
first exercising this freedom, took the wrong path. He succumbed to temptation,
and degenerated owing to attachment and conditioning through greed, ambition
and lust. He lost awareness, conscience and self-control. But though this may
be regarded as a punishment, it must also be regarded as educational. It brings
suffering which is an incentive to make amends. Man is here to learn and
redevelop his potentialities.
To this end man was provided with a
Guidance from the very beginning. This consists of the verbal formulation of
the nature of existence and man’s position in it, the principles of good
and evil which ought normally to be contained in human conscience, and
techniques for spiritual regeneration. This Guidance is known as Islam (Surrender
to Reality). There are some men, known as Prophets or Messengers, who had not
lost their higher faculties and capacity for objectivity. They were still in
contact with Reality, and felt responsibility for their fellow men. Their
teachings and exhortations constitutes religion. The function of these is to
re-awaken and regenerate man. Adam was the first Prophet of Islam. Prophets
arose all over the world at various times.
Religion, however, degenerates owing to
adulteration with worldly affairs. A new Prophet and a new formulation of
Religion has then to arise to produce a revival and regeneration. But this,
too, degenerates in time. That is why religions and civilizations rise and
fall. It is the spiritual revival which creates civilizations, and these lead
to spiritual distraction. Each, however, leaves some permanent improvement, so
that the next dispensation can build on the previous. Religion, therefore, is
also a continuous process of development.
Muhammad was the last
of the Prophets. In him religion was perfected. The guidance was complete. He
not only brought a Reminder, caused a spiritual revival, but also produced a
Religious Community. The Community is formed by all those who enter into the
following Covenant:-
“ Is he who founded his building
upon duty to Allah and His good pleasure better; or he who founded his building
on the brink of a crumbling, overhanging precipice so that it topples with him
into the fire of hell? Allah guides not wrongdoing folk. The building which
they build will never cease to be a misgiving in their hearts, unless their
hearts be torn to pieces. Allah is Knower, Wise.
“Verily Allah has bought from
the believers their lives and their properties for the price that theirs shall
be Paradise; so they strive in the way of Allah and slay and are slain. It is a
Covenant which is binding on Him in the Torah and the Injeel and the Quran. And
who is more faithful unto his covenant than Allah? Rejoice then in your bargain
that you have made, for that is the supreme triumph.
“ Triumphant are those who turn
repentant to Allah, those who serve Him, those who praise Him, those who fast,
those who bow down, those who fall prostrate in worship, those who enjoin the
right and who forbid the wrong and those who keep the limits ordained by Allah
- and give glad tidings to believers. 9:109-112
People may follow
this covenant and reconstruct themselves. If they fail to do this they may be
replaced by other communities or even other creatures.
“Systems have passed away before
you. Do but travel in the land and see the nature of the consequences for those
who denied the messengers.” 3:137
“If He wills He can remove you,
O People, and produce others in your stead. Allah is Able to do that.”
4:133
“If He will, He can be rid of
you and bring instead of you some new creation.” 35:16
“If He will, He can remove you
and can cause what He will to follow after you, even as He raised you from seed
of other folk.” 6:134
In the end, the soul
returns to Allah. It is judged and treated according to its condition.
“None punishes as He will punish
on that Day! None binds as He will bind. But ah! Thou soul at peace! Return
unto thy Lord, content in His contentment with thee! Enter thou among My
servants! Enter thou My Garden.” 89:25-30
The Prophet Muhammad
is reported to have said:-
“If you had not committed sin, Allah would have swept you
out of existence and replaced you by another people who would commit sin, ask
Allah for forgiveness, and He would pardon them.”
Something similar was
taught by the Prophet Jesus in his parable of the prodigal son, who having
deserted his father returned to be rewarded with a great welcome which his
other faithful son did not receive. (Luke 15:11-15)
The implication seems to be that
it is not the passive, unintelligent, unadventurous person, one who is timid,
takes no risks, makes no effort and has no courage and enterprise, who is favoured by Allah, but those who strive, learn from their
mistakes and repent. The former cannot develop. This is consistent with the
idea that the fall of man and his subsequent ascent was inevitable and an
integral part of the Divine plan. It is also consistent with what we know of
human nature and history. There are a number of communities which are stagnant
being disabled by tradition and habits of thought, feeling and behaviour. They are eventually left behind and destroyed by
others which are more adventurous. Life itself is a balance between order and
disorder, and the history of man is like a pendulum swing between increasing
order and chaos, progress and degeneration. Islam is also called the Balanced Way which
requires a Straight Path between the two, thereby avoiding the fluctuations.
