[Preface to -
Provision for Akhirah]
Islam came to the United States of America in the form of a religion in the manner Judaism and Christianity are understood in the West. Hence it remained restricted to some rituals of Ebadah - Salah, Sawm, Hajj, Zakah and celebration of Eid. It revealed itself in the names of the people and their nomenclatures. It was a kind of traditional Islam with no motivating force behind it and limited attraction for others to enter in its fold. The full scope of benefactions to humanity was rarely apparent. The concept of Al-Deen, the way of life, covering the entire spectrum of human endeavor, both at individual and collective levels, was missing.
However, in spite of this obvious deficiency, a significant number of under- privileged and deprived people of America, especially the African-American joined its ranks. They entered in its fold in hundreds of thousands in the outgoing 20th century and millions more are expected to knock the door of Islam within a few decades now onward. Soon the Latino-Americans and Native –Americans will follow suit. The acceptance of Islam by Caucasian-Americans is a bit sluggish. It needs especial attention to attract them to enter into its fold.
Our mission, at this juncture, is to present al-Deen al-Islam, as the only way of life ordained by Allah, aggressively to the pluralistic society of America in detail. It tells to humanity as how to live, act and behave on this earth, delivering justice and peace to suffering humanity.
WHERE HUMANITY STANDS TODAY:
The Creator and the Sustainer in His infinite mercy had been kind enough to send His appointed Messengers for the guidance of mankind. Innumerable Prophets of Allah came to this world at different times and at different places in a continuous process. Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Mohammad [peace be upon all of them] were the most prominent prophets of Allah. All of them had received revelation from their Lord at their respective time. The Torah, the Talmud, the Bible and the Qur’an are the known Scriptures. Out of these four Books, only the Qur’an, the last Book of Guidance, resonates as it was spoken fourteen hundred years ago. It is now available to mankind intact in its original shape. It can keep the humanity on the path of righteousness, help in getting its innumerable problems resolved justly and fairly to the benefit of mankind, attain peace and equality before law for every individual human being and inspire them to lead a well balanced and orderly life both at individual and collective levels. The Qur’an has played marvels in the past and it can do so again, provided its system is implemented in its totality.
ESTABLISHING THE ISLAMIC WAY OF LIFE:
However, establishing the Islamic system of life in the modern world appears to be a hard job. It will need selfless and painstaking efforts, especially when the secular West is determined to oppose its emergence anywhere on the surface of the earth as a political entity. The entire world of Kufr [rejection of Allah’s authority] and Shirk [making partners with Allah] is united in this respect. The Big Seven plus Russia, India, China and the Zionist State of Israel have evolved a conspiratorial hegemony to thwart Muslims efforts wherever they see even its emerging shadow. The cases of Algeria, Nigeria, Sudan, Pakistan and Afghanistan and that of Central Asian Muslim countries are before us. The question arises: will our adversaries be able to do it, if a true Islamic Movement works within the bounds of its natural process in a peaceful manner? In effect the efforts that were made so far in the Muslim world were abortive, inconclusive, half hearted and were suffering from some kind of economic or political expediencies. In my considered opinion, it was not only the interference of the West but the shortcomings of the Islamic Movements and the indolence of the Muslim masses too that had caused the failure of the emergence of Islam as a political entity, at so many places in the Muslim world.
The Islamic Movements around the world could not foster the requisite amount of urge among their respective masses for the Islamic way of life. They could not build an effective team of Da’ees/Islamic workers in proportion to respective population of the country concerned. They failed in developing model Islamic communities in their midst, demonstrating the functioning of an Islamic society in the context of the present world. Equally, they could not develop feasible strategies to attain their objective within their own geographical bounds, especially in pluralistic societies and abroad, familiarizing their adversaries with the blessings of the Islamic system. They could not make genuine efforts to solve the human problems Islamically at least on paper and produce some documentaries to that effect, except one on interest-free banking. In the absence of homework, their success would have been a miracle. They were bound to meet failure, even if they would have come out successful anywhere either through ballot or bullet. They all claimed, and are claiming that they were struggling for Iqamatuddeen [establishing the Deen of Allah] but in fact they did not follow the rules and the process as prescribed and demonstrated by Rasulullah (S) in its entirety. They should have learnt a lesson from the like-wise efforts in the past and the mistakes that are being committed by the contemporary Islamic Movements around the world.
It was Rasulullah (S) who laid down the road map of the process of Iqamatuddeen, demonstrated and pinpointed the step-by-step progress and the milestones through which the Movement should pass. He (S) is our model in all respects. He (S) established a model Islamic society and a state on that pattern. The Islamic Movements of today have no choice but to follow the same process from the beginning to the end. There is no shortcut method in Islam.
THE PROCESS OF IQAMATUDDEEN FOLLOWED BY RASULULLAH (S):
I. The Adage of Imam Malik [R]: Centuries have passed after Rasulullah (S) and his rightful four Caliphs; Allah’s Deen could not be established again in its totality. The question arises why it is so? It reminds us of the adage of Imam Malik [R], “ The fate of the later part of this Ummah can be revived only through what has helped in the beginning”. It means we have to examine what Rasulullah (S) did to get the authority of Allah established on earth. What process and strategies did he (S) introduce and observe? What were his needs and priorities? These are the historical facts and a truthful criterion for the present and the future Islamic Movements to follow without any deviation. I will elaborate on them, Insha Allah, in a sequence as follows.
i. When Allah (SWT) ordained Rasulullah (S), “ Arise and warn. And glorify thy Lord” [Al-Muddathir; 2-3], he (S) needed two things: the Guidance; and a team of dedicated and devoted workers to get his mission fulfilled. The Qur’an came from Allah as the Book of Guidance and Rasulullah (S) built the requisite team gradually through his Dawah efforts [calling the people to the fold of Allah].
ii. Those who responded to his (S) efforts of Dawah Ilallah, he (S) educated them, trimmed their character and transformed them into trustworthy characters on the basis of Iman [belief] in Allah and His Prophethood (S), accountability in Akhirah [the Hereafter], the concept of Amanah [trust], longing for Jannah and fear of Hellfire. After struggling hard for13 years, he (S) built a team of 124 Sahabah [companions] in Makkah and through the magnificent Dawah efforts of Musaa’b b Umair [R], he (S) got 63 people from the tribe of Aus and 173 from the tribe of Khazraj of Madinah. This was the total strength of his (S) companions out of which he (S) put up about 313 in the Battle of Badr and prayed to Allah, “If Your promised help does not come now, You will not be worshipped, La Tabud”[Ibne Hisham Vol. I]
Rasulullah (S) produced these living models of Islam in the midst of Kufr and Shirk of the time. On the same pattern, the Islamic Movements of the day have to produce such living models in the midst of their pluralistic societies. The models that people will love and move in our present day societies.
iii. Rasulullah (S), while in Makkah, challenged the authority of idolaters and condemned their idols and their systems, right from the outset. The Batil did not accept this condemnation. In consequence, Muslims were put to trial and tribulations all around but Dawah Ilallah [calling the people to the fold of Allah] continued aggressively unabated. It helped in building the trustworthy characters for the Islamic Movement [the Jamaah].
iv. The society of Makkah was infested with all kinds of social problems: there was no peace except in and around the Haram, lopsided economy mixed with poverty all around, no human rights, no rule of law, no basic education [only seventeen persons were literate], no sense of justice except tribal rituals and hegemonies. Although Rasulullah (S) was concerned with these issues and thought about them in the cave of Hera, he (S) did not undertake or tackle, however, any of these problems of the Makkan society when he (S) was assigned the responsibility of Prophethood. He (S) concentrated wholly and solely to correct the individuals who constituted the society. If the individuals are reformed and a team of such rejuvenated brothers and sisters is available, the condition of the society could be revived easily as Rasulullah (S) did. If you permit me to say, they were the “willing horses” to establish the Deen of Allah [the Islamic system] on themselves, on their families and the society at large, sacrificing everything for its sake.
v. When such a team was available, Hijrah took place. Hijrah was the process of consolidation of the scattered numerical strength of Muslims [the model characters of the time] at Madinah. It was so important that Hijrah became the criterion of Iman and Kufr – belief and disbelief. [Verses 72 - 75 of Chapter Al-Anfal; Verses 75, 97 to 100 of Al-Nisa of the Qur’an and many Ahadith confirm it].
vi. The idolaters of Makkah could not tolerate this situation, of concentration of Haqq [truth] at Madinah that was now the Center or Head Quarters of the Islamic Movement. The idolaters attacked time and again to annihilate the emerging political entity of Islam in Madinah. Battles of Badr, Uhud and Trench took place one after the other during the first five years of Hijrah. Simultaneously, the Movement went on gathering strength through incessant Dawah efforts, increasing the numerical strength of the Muslims and multiplying the team of Da’ees/Islamic workers in its wake till Makkah was conquered peacefully in the eight’s year of Hijrah. The Deen of Allah [the Islamic system] became dominant in the Arabian Peninsula within the next two years.
This is how Rasulullah (S) got the Deen of Allah established. I have described it in the briefest possible way. It pinpoints his (S) needs and priorities and the strategy to accomplish the mission assigned to him (S). Imam Malik [R] mentioned the same in his above quoted adage. If today we are desirous to struggle for the Deen of Allah and revive the fate of Muslim Ummah, here in America or elsewhere in the world, we have no choice but to follow the same process in its minutest details. The means and methodology of Dawah Ilallah and its technique can be changed or improved but not the process and the order of priorities. Allah’s Prophet (S) has already fixed both the priorities and the process of Iqamatuddeen [establishing the Deen of Allah]. There is no room for deviation or making any innovation to it. The Islamic Movements that try to reach the end through short cuts could not succeed. Without building the requisite team of Da’ees/Islamic workers and creating a passionate urge in the masses for the Deen of Allah, history of the first century of Hijrah cannot repeat itself. The recent Islamic Movement of Taliban in Afghanistan adopted a shortcut method and encountered a bitter failure, an eye-opening example for the rest of the Muslim world. Equally, it would not be out of context to measure the condition of the existing Islamic Movements around the world for our own education and benefit.
II. CONDITION OF THE ISLAMIC MOVEMENTS:
Islamic Movements are in progress in different Muslim countries in different names and styles. How far they have advanced towards the goal of Iqamtuddeen in their respective societies is a case for each of us to examine. Currently, it appears that they are perhaps lost in doldrums and the attainment of their decades old goal of Iqamatuddeen has become a distant dream. As they trail far behind their goal of Iqamatuddeen, there arise some fundamental questions:
* Is it not due to the fact that they did not follow the process and priorities set by Rasulullah (S) in its totality?
* Is it not due to the fact that these Movements neglected the strategy of Rasulullah (S) not to be involved in the socio-economic problems of the community, but to build the requisite team in stead?
* Is it not due to the fact that they ignored the process of Dawah Ilallah by working both extensively and intensively at grass root level?
* Is it not due to their failure to create strong urge in their respective masses for Allah’s Deen?
* Is it not due to the fact that they could not inspire the Muslim masses towards supporting their goal?
* Is it not due to the fact that they could not build in their people the spirit of sacrifice of time and resources for the Deen of Allah?
* Is it not due to their failure to help in building indigenous Islamic Movements in USA, UK and Europe to get echoing resounding calls in support of their demand for Islamic state and that they continue to ignore the same even today?
If someone ponders upon these pertinent questions, he can easily understand that the present plight of the Islamic Movements around the world is due to the cumulative effect of all these negligence of the past. Should the projected Islamic Movement of America also ignore these realities and still nurture the hope to build the IM of North America? It is a moment to think for all of us before jumping ahead in our zeal to build the indigenous Islamic Movement of America. Strategically, it is extremely important for the leadership of the existing Islamic Movement of North America to reset its goal and rearrange its priorities in the light of the above discussion and the questions raised in that perspective. This is how the Deen of Allah can be introduced to the people of the land and spread in the body politic of the country.
III. THE AGE OF NATIONALISM:
Howsoever, we may be averse to the concept of nationalism, it is a reality and we have to deal with till the human conscience realizes its follies. In spite of the fact that Islam does not recognize the national boundaries, we have to build up indigenous Islamic Movements around the world within the boarders of each nation state. We can think universally but have to plan and work nationally. So, there is a great need and urgency of building an indigenous Islamic Movement in America for its people and by its people. This is a reality and the Muslims, especially the movement-oriented Muslims [both immigrant and indigenous], have to realize and work for it wholeheartedly on the pattern of Rasulullah (S). Strategically, this should be the basic point for consideration of the stalwarts and protagonists of the Islamic Movement in America.
IV. THE POSITION OF AMERICA:
America has emerged as the mega superpower after the collapse of communism with enormous economic and military power and superb technical know-how. Its political leadership and the people too are extremely conscious of this fact and hence are eager to export their materialistic and liberal cultural values to the rest of the world, especially to the poor nations. The secular and permissive Media and the Jewish lobby have replaced communism with Islam. So, Islam is now the greatest target of the secular and liberal forces of the world. America is the most enthusiastic champion of the fight against Islam in the name of terrorism, fundamentalism and its own national interests. The question arises, how to meet this greatest challenge of our time? How to counteract the growing influence and interference of America and its allies in the internal affairs of the Muslim world? Strategically, this should be the most important consideration for all of us to keep in view while developing indigenous Islamic movement. It would help in counteracting the growing interference of the secular West into the internal affairs of the Muslim world.
V. THE NEED TO BUILD AN INDIGENOUS IMONA:
It has been neglected in the past as stated above. If any attempt was made at all, it was abortive, haphazard and has no bearings with the realities of the land. It was just for the names sake. It is this IM that will introduce Islam to the people of the land, build the requisite team of committed workers on the pattern as Rasulullah (S) did, and help in reforming the secular, liberal and godless nature of this society by putting forward the alternative Islamic system of life, pinpointing the evil consequences of the liberal life-pattern. It will invite the people of the land to accept Islam as the only way of life in order to get peace and tranquility of mind and lead a balanced life on this earth. It is this IM that will motivate the Muslim Ummah of America to work towards the consolidation of all and sundry at one single platform and inspire them to be the walking model of Islam with more emphasis on the concept of care and concern for the people at heart and in approach. This is the greatest need not only of American Muslims but also of the people of the land. It is this indigenous movement that will try to nullify the interference of America and its allies in the internal affairs of the Muslim world. Strategically, this is the paramount need of the time and we, as Muslims of America have to fulfill it.
VI. TEAM OF DA’EES/COMMITTED WORKERS - HOW TO BUILD
IT?
If you prepare the list of priorities of the IM, the need of developing a team of committed workers will rank first along with Dawah, organization and Tarbiyah. Whosoever responds, through Dawah efforts, he or she needs to be developed as a dependable and trustworthy worker through Tarbiyah and Tazkiyah on individual level. Rasulullah (S) undertook this training job by himself so that every worker became a solid twenty-four karat gold. This training includes inculcating the fear of Allah, concern for Akhirah, great longing for Jannah and fear of Hellfire in each and every worker of the movement.
The sole purpose of this book is to put the above basic needs of the Islamic Movement in American in the forefront. The author. Late Maulana Jalil Ahsan Nadavi of Jamaat Islami Hind has prepared this course of the Ahadith of Rasulullah (S), to fulfill those basic needs. It deals with Iman, Ebadah, socio-economic-political affairs, and the characteristics of a Da’ee, the attributes that Allah loves and the evils that Allah abhors. This book emphasizes:
* the devotion of Sahabah towards Allah’s Deen;
* the quantum of their sacrifice in the way of Allah;
* the ever readiness of Sahabah to sacrifice all in the way of
Allah for His pleasure;
* the ever consciousness of their accountability on the Day
of Judgment;
* their commitment and preparedness for Iqamatuddeen; and
* their supreme love for Allah and His beloved Prophet
Muhammad (S).
I found the original book “ Zaderah” [Traveler’s Reliance] most useful for the training of the workers of the IM in America. I selected it in my humble way to translate this book in English. Insha Allah, the workers will find it very helpful for the movement and inspiring to inculcate in them the requisite character of a Da’ee for working enthusiastically for Dawah Ilallah. It will prepare them to build their own character and the life of their families Islamically, develop good and cordial relations with their neighbors and behave like responsible citizen and benevolent human beings for the society and the humanity at large. If each Hadith is studied and brought into practice systematically with the intention that we are to change our lives and bring them in conformity with the Qur’an and the life pattern of Rasulullah (S), all the aforesaid objectives will be possible to attain. If one follows it meticulously, within six months to one year, there will be a remarkable change in the living condition of each worker and his or her family, making genuine efforts towards the attainment of Jannah through the pleasure of Allah.
VII. SOMETHING
ABOUT THE TRANSLATION:
The original book, Zaderah, is in Urdu, published by The Islamic Publications, (Private) Ltd. Lahore, Pakistan. Late Maulana Jalil Ahsan Nadavi, the author, selected Ahadith on different topics from almost all the sources of Prophets (S) traditions available today. He gave a topic to each Hadith, put them in a distinguished group of Ahadith and categorized then into fifteen sections. I have maintained these groups, topics and headings of each Hadith intact. The reader will find that this book contains Ahadith dealing with almost all the spheres of our lives, for every Muslim and Muslimah to bring his or her life in conformity with the Sunnah of Rasulullah (S). Only a bird’s eye view of the contents will confirm this truth.
The Late Maulana Nadavi translated the Ahadith in chaste Urdu, followed by explanation as a footnote where necessary. His translation in Urdu is not by “words for words” but carries the sense and essence of each Hadith. I have, therefore, kept both the text of each Hadith and its translation in view so that not to change the contents of the Hadith and that of the essence that he wanted to communicate and emphasize on the minds of the readers. I was very much particular in this respect. It made the translation of each Hadith a test for me. During the period of this translation, I have been very much conscious of the fact that nothing wrong is attributed to Rasulullah (S) and thus my Akhirah is put to danger.
Keeping the delicacies of the aforesaid situation in mind, I gave this translation to Dr. Ibrahim Najm, a distinguished graduate scholar of Al-Azhar, Cairo to review it minutely. Alhamdulillah, he has done this job magnificently well. He pinpointed a slight variation at three places and Alhamdulillah I have corrected it accordingly. However, I request the readers to send me their comments. I will, Insha Allah, correct it in the next edition with gratitude to the pointer.
I completed the translation, Alhamdulillah, by August 7, 2000 and revision by September 28, 2000. My beloved nephew, Anwar A’dil, a computer expert, brought it into book format by December 30, 2000. May Allah bless him immensely for this memorable job! Now the insertion of the Arabic text of each Hadith at its proper place was a problem. Its scanning from different books of Ahadith and putting them at the appropriate place within the marked space was a tedious job by itself. In finding a correct process, considerable time was lost. Ultimately, Sister Nasreen of Advanced Express Printing, Dallas, TX was kind enough to complete this job by scanning the text of each Hadith from the original book, Zaderah. May Allah bless her abundantly in His infinite mercy! The book was then given to Dr. Ibrahim Najm, as stated earlier, for verification and checking the accuracy of the translation. He is an extremely busy person. He is a graduate from Al-Azhar University with Honors, a Ph. D in religious studies, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Arabic & Islamic Studies at St. John’s University, NY, Imam and Director of Masjid Hamza, Valley Stream, NY and, of course, an effective Da’ee Ilallah. He was very kind to me. He completed the job of examination of this translation by the first week of December 2001 and graced me with his valuable comments that I have added as the Foreword of this book. May Allah shower His blessings and give Barakah in his undertakings.
This book would not have been possible to complete on my own, had my sons Javed and Tariq Siddiqi not been constantly helping me in so many ways that I cannot count them. May Allah keep them on the path of righteousness! My entire family, including my wife Shamim Razia Siddiqi, my third son Ejaz Siddiqi, my daughter-in-law Naila Aziz Siddiqi and my talented grandson, Salman Mazhar all were directly benefiting with this translation. Practically, almost all the Hadith I have shared with my family members discussed its contents amongst them and applied to our individual and family situation, thus making it an eternal source of inspiration for each of us. This gave me an added strength to complete this onerous task with total devotion and dedication and a sense of gratitude to Allah (SWT) Who gave me Tawfeeq to do a very humble service to His Deen. If the reader undertakes the study of this book in the manner I undertook, he and his family would likewise be benefited immensely, Insha Allah.
My acknowledgment of gratitude will not be complete without mentioning the names of my beloved Brothers Shamsheer Ali Baig and Dr. Waheeduddin Ahmed of Milwaukee who have rendered valuable advices towards the improvement of this book. May Allah bless each of them!
I have dedicated this book to eternal memories of my late beloved parents whose prayers have always guided me to seek and follow the truth even in extreme circumstances and to the sweet memory of my late elder brother Dr. Jameel Ahmad Siddiqi, Professor of Mathematics, University of Laval, Quebec City, Canada who once rightly claimed to “have kindled in me the fire to acquire knowledge” when I was still in my teens. May Allah bless each of them immensely and shower His blessings in Jannah Al-Firdaus.
In the present context of the world, Muslim Ummah stands nowhere, neither politically nor economically or morally. Secular values of life are dominant everywhere even in the Muslim world. The Islamic Revival Movements around the world have yet to go a long way to establish their credibility as savior of mankind and the salt of the earth. The tragedy of the collapse of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan has pushed this expectation far behind. Islam is yet to be established somewhere as a “laboratory” to resolve human problems realistically. The Muslims are yet to demonstrate somewhere in the world that they are the characters that can deliver “good” [Khair] to mankind and justice to the suffering humanity. But, in spite of all these shortcomings on the part of Muslims, still Islam is the only hope of mankind. It is the only TRUTH [Haqq] that Muslims hold today in the form of the Qur’an and the life pattern of Prophet Muhammad (S).
When the Muslim world continues to try its luck in its own way, let the Muslims of America make their efforts in the heart of the most developed and the most modern state through democratic and constitutional process within the permissible bounds and see how the will of their Creator and Sustainer prevails: where, when and in what shape? It is a paramount challenge to the ingenuity of the Muslim leadership of America. This book is a humble contribution to that effect.
May Allah accept this effort and help in building the requisite team of Islamic workers [Da’ees] in the midst of an all-permissive society and dominant liberal values. May Allah give Tawfeeq [favor] to the team of Islamic workers to bring Islam to the doorstep of each house and present it in very appealing and soft-spoken words with extreme care and concern for all! May Allah open the hearts of the people to understand the message of Islam and accept it as an eternal bliss for their personal, family and collective life and salvation Hereafter! May Allah accept my humble effort and make it, “The Provision for Akhirah” [Zaderah] in the life Hereafter! May Allah bless each and every one who has helped me one way or the other to publish this book in the present shape! “Allah-humma Barik fihey”
Shamim A Siddiqi
Dated January 24, 2002