Basic Problem with Parwez's Thoughts by Bashir Ahmad Abid
Religion and mankind
In every religion (Islam is no exception) the primary objective is to achieve spiritual satisfaction and salvation in the hereafter. The theology of every religion and its beliefs and practices, all are meant for the fulfillment of these objectives. However, the truth is that both these objectives are nothing but illusion and self-deception. Religion has nothing to offer for real spiritual satisfaction nor it will help anyone in the hereafter. Either you believe in one God or several gods; in the prophet-hood of Muhammad (PBUH) or any other prophet; you pray in mosque or in church; you face towards Mecca or Jerusalem; you fast or not; - it doesn’t have any relevance to the reformation of human society or individual’s behavior or development of personality which, in the sight of God, is the fundamental purpose of man’s creation. God says:“It is He who brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers when you knew nothing; and He gave you hearing and sight and heart and mind: so that you may give thanks (to God).” [16].
Meanings of this verse are clear. God has blessed every human being with ears, eyes, heart and mind (the faculties of knowledge) so that he may be thankful to Him. But at the time of his birth a man knows nothing because these faculties are not developed as yet. God wants us to develop them and seek knowledge. So the best way to pay ‘Thanks to God’ is to develop these faculties. Also, the best ‘Thanks’ come from those who are more knowledgeable. This is the true Will of God in the creation of man. For this purpose we need education - not rituals. It is a universal truth that the best education gives us the best personality but best of the best ritual contributes nothing to our personality. In fact, rituals are practiced not out of sincerity or love for God but to save ones skin in the hereafter. If this fear is removed from the minds no one is going to practice any ritual in the name of religion.
Religion has no constructive role in worldly life. People follow it out of fear or ignorance and continue with it because it does not interfere with their day-to-day life. Naturally, if something is not affecting one’s present life then why should he think for a change? This is the basic reason why majority of people - even intellectuals do not think or accept any change in the status quo of their religion. Islam is no different than other religions. No doubt, it was sent down as a system of social reformation and to establish peace and justice in the society but it had lost its characteristics very early in the history. It had been turned into religion by the collusion of unscrupulous Mullahs, Kings and the Capitalists. Mosques, which were used to function as the Seat of Government, became dens of religious bigots. Kings and Capitalists grabbed the seats of power and Mullahs were left with honking. The split between mosque and state became far wider than the split between church and state.
Transformation of Islam into Religion
In Christianity, we know that Bible has no role in the State Affairs. Therefore, neither the masses nor the intellectuals bother about its interpretation by the religious scholars. Every Christian follows his own priest. The teachings of Bible are purely based on spirituality. These are meant for consolation of the souls and salvation in the hereafter. Life in the West is generally governed by human intellect and people try to make best use of it through observation and experimentation. They believe that the human intellect is not yet perfect. Therefore, they keep their eyes open for new developments in all fields of social and physical sciences. They evaluate and accept things on the basis of reason. They never say “this is the best” or “this is the last word on the subject”. They think that in an expanding universe and evolving cultures no one could claim perfection and absolutism. We have to leave it for the last man on earth to decide what is the best in any field? And what is the last word on any subject?In Muslim societies, however, the situation is different. We have mentioned above that Islam came as a system to establish peace and justice in the society and then gradually transformed into religion. In order to understand it in a better way, we can classify the process of transformation into three distinct phases: i) The phase of struggle and sacrifice. This included the era of Prophet (PBUH) and his great companions(RA). During this period Muslims were actively engaged in combating internal and external forces that were resisting the establishment of Quran’s Social Order. When we look at them fighting back the huge and well armed forces of the enemies on various fronts, resolving a labyrinth of conspiracies from hypocrites, and solving gigantic problem of refugees settlement, we don’t find any parallel to their struggle in the pages of history. They overcame all these hurdles and succeeded in establishing the God’s Kingdom on earth. The centuries old shameful system of ‘man rules the man’ was abolished for the first time in human history. The rule of man-made laws was completely abrogated. The rule of Quranic laws was effectively enforced. Human honor and dignity were held supreme and the Muslims’ society became a model of exemplary peace and justice. This phase had lasted till the end of Righteous Caliphate.
Then comes the second phase: ii) the phase of greed and lust. This phase is marked by the resurgence of evils (Shaiyateen) and unproductive elements (Mutrafeen) in the society (in the present terminology these are known as politicians, capitalists, and mullahs). In a society, which is based on pure Quranic laws, these elements don’t have any place to exist and survive. They are used to a licentious and authoritarian lifestyle. And, the truth is, unless the meanings of Quran are forged or adulterated with foreign teachings, it is very difficult to follow this lifestyle in a society based on pure Laws of Quran.
These elements, like wood termites, had entered the body of Muslim society and began to gnaw at its roots. They had twisted the meanings of Quran and concocted the stories (Hadith) to cover up their heinous crimes against the common masses. Actually, Kings and capitalists cannot enjoy a luxurious lifestyle without exploiting the masses and the masses cannot be exploited unless Mullahs intoxicate them with the opium of religion. Mullah had prepared a cocktail of Quran and Hadith called Shariah, which had become the sole criterion for determining the Truth. If anyone dared to challenge their evil deeds on the authority of Quran they silenced him by declaring him an apostate. This phase had lasted till the compilation of theological literature (hadith, fiqah, shariah etc.).Then comes the third phase. iii) The phase of submissiveness and torpidity. Shariah, on one side, gave a free hand to kings and capitalist to do whatever they like (despotic terrorism). On the other side, it had shut the doors of freethinking and free speech (intellectual terrorism), and had kept the masses busy in ritualism. As a result, society lost its vigor and equilibrium and became full of disparities and injustices. Common masses gave up interest in life and became impotent. Their state of creativity and productivity fell down to zero. With the replacement of Quran by Shariah, Muslims gradually had lost their noble virtues such as unity, fraternity, tolerance, forbearance, enlightenment, creativity, and freedom of expression. Instead, they had turned to religious fanaticism. Consequently, they became the most deprived and cursed nation on earth.Quran says: Those who conceal the clear verses We have sent down, and the guidance, after We have made it clear for the people in the Book, ____ on them shall be God’s curse, and the curse of those entitled to curse. [2].The meanings of the verse are self-evident. Guidance means nothing else but what God has sent down and the Book means no other book except Quran. God Himself made clear the verses of Quran and warned people not to conceal them. Otherwise, they will suffer severe consequences. Notwithstanding, the clear warning Mullahs stepped in as usual (as they did with Bible and Torah) and corrupted God’s Revelation with their preconceived notions and ideology.We know that Quran was sent down as complete code of life [16] and guidance for the whole mankind [2]. Its laws and principles encompass all aspects of life including individual life, community life, and life in the hereafter.
The primary objective of these laws and principles is to create favorable conditions in which human potentials and behaviors could achieve proper growth and development. This is how the man could become a useful member of the society and mankind at large. Therefore, it was essential to read, understand, and interpret Quran without affecting its objectivity and universal nature. But Mullahs, under the holy cover of Hadith gave new meanings to some key terms in the Quran and had changed its concepts. Quran had lost its dynamism and remained no more useful than a religious book. Now, although it is held very sacred and recited very eloquently but is not applied, either to develop character or to reform the society. Accordingly, Muslims became the true embodiment of what is said in the above verse. They concealed the truth and God proved His words. The curse of God and the curse of those who are entitled to curse (successful nations) are showering upon Muslims everywhere.
The Role of Mullah
The role of Mullah, as we find him today, has always remained to serve the worldly lords more sincerely than the Lord of heaven. He pretends to lead mankind towards God but, in fact, he is a great obstacle in the way of God. He never lets His rule to get established in the land. The rule of God inflicts a severe blow on the authority of Mullah and his patrons. It divests the Kings from their crowns and the Mullahs from their canons. It doesn’t bring good news to the landlords and the capitalists.
It is an historical fact that Mullah had never raised voice against the tyrant kings and the bloodsucker landlords and had never encouraged or supported mass movements against their injustices and cruelties. We may find, in the pages of history, a few of them struggling for the cause of Islam but, in fact, they struggled for the cause of Shariah which is not true Islam. As pointed above, Shariah is a cocktail of Quran and Hadith; whereas Hadith are concocted stories. These are meant to protect the ruling and affluent classes and to intoxicate the masses with ritualism so that they may not pose a threat to their illegitimate rule. The laws of Shariah are worst than the laws of Tyrants. That is why Quran warns: “Don’t mix up God’s command with any person whatsoever [18]”. Mixing up others’ law with the law of God is worst form of Shirk and Mushrik are, in the sight of God, most cruel people on earth (Zalimeen)! We have seen the rule of Mullahs in Afghanistanand Iran, which delivered nothing to the people but pain and sufferings and brought curses of friends and foes equally from all over the world.
Conspiracies Against Quran
Right from the very beginning of conspiracies against Quran, there had been always a class of intellectuals sincerely devoted to Quran. They forthwith challenged the distortions and wrong interpretations by Mullah and his patrons. But, unfortunately, their voice never reached the masses. Mullah has built his empire deep into the sea of ignorance and it is very difficult to fathom it. His rule over the masses is indomitable. Only, a person with a prophetic will and determination could reach the masses and pull them out of this darkness. Furthermore, they had been always remained in the good books of the rulers and the landlords. Enterprising upon the sheer ignorance of masses and enjoying an auspicious support of their lords (kings and capitalists) anyone who dared to expose their lies against God and false Shariah they unhesitatingly declared him an apostate, Zionist and enemy of Islam. There are more than 50 Islamic countries. The rulers and the affluent class of these countries all follow Zionist policies and openly work against the basic principles of Quran. They have usurped the individuals’ liberties and deprived them social justice.
They have destroyed the unity of Muslim Ummah. There are thousands of Mullahs living in these countries but they never declared them apostate, Zionist or enemy of Islam. This is because these rulers and the affluent people do not interfere with Mullahs’ Shariah. One may disagree with generalization of this statement but exceptions are always there and these don’t count too much. The historical truth is that Mullah had never struggled against the evil forces in the society. Their struggle always remained focus on the defense of Shariah for which God has sent no authority. The primary objective of Shariah is to fortify the rule of Mullah and to misguide the people about life in the hereafter. It has got nothing for the reformation of the society. Quran is the only source, which has got true values for the establishment of a just and balanced society but Mullah doesn’t like it. Those who struggle to redeem the true values and principles of Quran, he declared them apostate.
Parwez and his Philosophy
Allama Ghulam Ahmed Parwez (1903-1985) was a well-known Islamic scholar. He was born and brought up in an orthodox family, which was following the Shariah of sunni-cum-hanafi sect of Islam. God had blessed him with an open heart and mind. Like any other Muslim he, too, cherished the past glory of Islam and earnestly wished its redemption. He possessed an inquisitive nature and never let any thought to pass unquestioned. When he reached the age of sound judgment he often questioned that if our beliefs and practices are true and correct then why these do not produce the promised results? Quran teaches us that the Muslims are the best people on earth [3] but we find them otherwise. Then it says that if the Muslims keep on following the true faith they will remain supreme forever [3]. Muslims claim that they are following the true faith but still they are not free anywhere. Why these teachings and promises are not coming true? Why Muslims are humiliated and downtrodden everywhere on the earth? Such questions haunted him over a long period of time.
He was a sincere believer and never doubted the authenticity of Quran and Sunnah. The authenticity of Quran lies in its absolute value system and universality. It gives a plain, practical and very dynamic values system for international peace and justice. Whereas the authenticity of Sunnah lies in the establishment of a model society based on the Value System of Quran. Life of the Prophet(PBUH), as mentioned in Quran, is the best model for Muslims. He did not simply receive and deliver the message but, in a short span of 23 years, founded a mighty State in Medina based on the Value System of Quran and had turned the wild Arabia into an highly civilized society and a land of peace, justice, progress and development.
The Quran is intact and the life struggle of Prophet is a well-recorded historical fact. Then what is wrong with Muslims that they are not coming up to the mark? Are we told lies or something is wrong with Mullah’s understanding of Quran and Sunnah? Could we do an intelligent analysis of problems and miseries facing the Muslims all over the world?
These and many other questions lead Parwez to search for the reality. He came out of the cocoon of simple beliefs and practices into the vast expanse of free inquiry. Henceforth, he never let any belief or practice to pass without a critical test. He studied them in the light of the Quran, which is, in the sight of God, the only criterion for judging right and wrong. His journey in the vale of Quran is spread over 50 years and his insight of Quran is recorded in volumes of books and on audio-video cassettes. If the definition of a scholar is: “a person possessing or manifesting wide and deep knowledge” then I have no doubts in the scholarship of Parwez. He got to his credit more than 60 voluminous books, hundreds of pamphlets, recorded lectures on more than 1200 audio and 70 video cassettes and numerous articles on various topics published since 1936 in monthly Tolueislam.
His highly acclaimed work is the compilation of Lughat-ul-Quran, which is unique in style and outstanding in usefulness. Apparently, it is an Arabic lexicon but in truth it is more than that. It makes the maximum use of morphological system of Arabic in a limited space. It is like a fountainhead of pure and pristine meanings of Arabic words used in the Quran. No one can understand Parwez unless he has studied Lughat-ul-Quran. Any criticism or comment about his work without referring to Lughat-ul-Quran would be unqualified and biased.
During his journey in search of truth he came to the conclusion that the primary cause of Muslims’ troubles is their wrong understanding of the Quran. They revere Quran like a religious book. They read and recite but do not understand and seek knowledge. They practice it individually for Thawab and salvation in the hereafter. They do not read Quran as a Book of absolute values and do not practice to establish a just and peaceful society. Consequently, in spite of deep respect and sincere devotion to Quran and Sunnah they are deprived of God’s blessings and bounties – a life full of contentment [13]; a civil society free of social injustices and economic exploitations [20]; and an honorable and dignified status among the comity of nations [3].
Degeneration of Muslims
Man has got two sources of knowledge. One is human intellect and the other is divine revelation. Nations who do not posses divine revelation use intellect to solve their problems. They learn through trial and error and keep on trying this and that until something succeeds. They always look for the best and continue to reform. Their societies are dynamic and progressive. They, according to a popular saying: eat well, live well and love well.
On the contrary, Muslims neither benefit from human intellect nor have correct understanding of divine revelation. Majority of Muslim countries are plagued with poverty and illiteracy. Their people are incapable to solve even simple problems of daily life. They are extremely poor and ignorant. The affluent and literate class, which makes a friction of the population is miserably selfish, self-centered and highly arrogant. Very few of them are God loving and respect the higher values. They do not use their intellect, skills and resources for the benefit of others. Rulers, politicians, landlords, doctors, engineers, lawyers, even teachers and mullahs - no one is less than the other in exploiting the poor and helpless masses in the society. They never think of any good except for themselves.Divine revelation, which is in Quran alone, is meant to groom and polish human intellect and to guide it in the right direction. This objective can be achieved only when the Quran is read and understood correctly. Whereas, the condition of Muslims (as stated above) is that majority of them are illiterate and they can’t read Quran at all.
Among the literates there are some who do read Quran but without knowing and understanding its meanings. It is called recitation of Quran, which is meant for Thawab - an ambiguous term which no one can define. There are very few Muslims who read Quran with meanings but unfortunately most of the Translations and Tafaseer of Quran are written under the influence of Hadith. Although these are attributed to the Prophet but the truth is that the Hadith are the most dubious, uncertain and highly questionable literature in Islam. These should be taken very cautiously. Due to these reasons Muslims cannot benefit themselves from the light of Quran. They live in a sea of ignorance and darkness. Their societies have become inert, passive and lifeless.
A Muslim’s heart and mind is overwhelmed by the concepts of Quran about life. Its values and principles are the main driving force for every Muslim whether he is literate or illiterate. Therefore, for the reformation of a Muslim society the importance of a clear and correct understanding of Quran is undeniable. However, in this regard, we must remember the divine principle that no reform in the society could be effective without a reform in the heart and mind of people. So far Muslims had ignored it, which brought to them nothing but sufferings.
Quran Lost Its Pristine Purity
As noted earlier, the concepts and principles of Quran are heavily influenced by foreign culture, theology and philosophy. Although there are many factors responsible for this influence but some of them are so common that these can be counted on fingertips. For example, unfamiliarity with Arab’s lifestyle; lack of knowledge about their language, culture and development of concepts; lack of written material in pre-Quran Arabia etc.
Desert Arabs lived a simple life in a beautiful surrounding. Deep and clear sky fascinating overhead with twinkling stars and a shinning moon and sun; wide expanses of desert with captivating sights in front - embellished with nicely curved sand-dunes and rugged hills scattered here and there; lovely oasis with gushing springs of fresh water; beautiful cluster of date-palms, couple of grapevines and pomegranate trees and in this bewitching landscape were the dwellings of these nomads of the Arabian desert. They used to live in tents with very few and only essential household items among which the important one were their weapons such as swords, spears, shields, arrows, bows and daggers. And, of course, the most cherished were their livestock, which included cattle, camels, horses, and herds of sheep and goat grazing in front of their eyes in outreaching pastures. This was their total lifestyle and culture. Their language, its roots and derivatives all revolved around this simple habitat and physical environment. And, as it was consisted of all perceptible and discernible things, therefore, the root meaning of words used for these things were crystal clear and easy to comprehend.
Ambiguity in language and difficulty to ascertain the meanings arises when the words are used to explain abstract matters such as in philosophy and metaphysics. Desert Arabs were far away from the complexities and intricacies of these subjects. Their language was as simple, neat and clean as was their culture. It was accepted as standard language among the Arabs. History tells us that (not very late) during the reign of Omer Farooq (RA), when interaction between Arabs and non Arabs got increased, he used to advise the citizen of Medina: ‘If you want to learn Quran you must see the desert Arabs because they still have the language of Quran in its pristine purity’.Inventiveness of Pristine Arabic
How does the meaning of words become clear through the right knowledge of roots and their use by the desert Arabs could be better understood with the following examples:
Quran says that God is with those who are patient and steadfast - Sabireen. The use of ‘Sabber’ in Urdu language is well understood and needs not to go into much detail. When a person gets trapped in circumstances that leaves him helpless; where his skills get exhausted and he finds no way out then he becomes patient (Saaber). He gives him up to the circumstances as such. Also, when a person found himself weak against tyranny and could not muster enough courage to fight back even then he calls himself a ‘Saaber’. On the contrary, in Arabic the root-meanings of this word are to struggle patiently for higher values and noble objectives and during the course stands firmly on ones feet; tackle all oddities skillfully and remain steadfast in times of pain, suffering and adversity.
According to these root-meanings (patience, steadfastness, firmness and constancy) see its use by the desert Arabs. Cloud that stays round the clock and doesn’t move from its place is called ‘al Sabeer’. Camels and goats, which go out for grazing in the morning and return straight home in the evening without missing are called ‘al Asbera’. Desert plants (cactus), which grow well in harsh weather, are called ‘al Sabbar’. Stone that is used to maintain the balance of boat during journey in the sea is called ‘al Sabura’. This was the concept of ‘Sabber’ among the desert Arabs. When this concept is applied to define human attitudes it reflects such qualities as steadfastness, faithfulness, constancy, firmness, balance, and uncompromising attitude on principles and truth. Surely, such qualities yield brilliant successes and infinite bounties. Therefore the bumper harvest, which is yet to be measured, is called ‘al -Sabbratun’. These instances leave no ambiguity in the meaning of Sabber. Also, it makes clear why God says: “I am with Sabireen”?
Besides this, the other important factor responsible for contributing ambiguities in Quran was the lack of written material in pre-Quranic Arabia. With exception to poetry there is hardly any book found on Arabs’ language, culture and history written during that era. Quran was the first written book. Arabs’ used to express themselves in poetry and they had excellent memorizing ability. Their whole literature came down the history through this source. Because of love for poetry their concepts were highly developed and they had very rich vocabulary. The clarity and depth of their insight could be well adjudged by the number of roots and derivatives in Arabic. According to a study the Indo-European languages together have maximum 121-roots for various words in use.
Even Sansikrit when it was a flourishing language and when Sun and Fire were worshiped as god, there were 35-words for Fire and 37-words for Sun in total. On the contrary, see the richness of Arabic. It has 80-words for honey, 200-words for snake, 500-words for lion, 1000-words for sword, and 5744-words for camel alone. This literary treasure had elevated them to the rank of a nation having sharp discernment, highly expressive, meaningful, and free of doubts, restrictions, obstructions and entanglements. Unlike, the non-Arabs particularly the Persian they were exceedingly articulate in their thoughts and action. They never used words that carried double meanings and never gave up to vested interests. When the Quran was revealed to them they had no difficulty in understanding its message. They accepted it without raising a finger and stood by the Messenger of God steadfastly. Quran gave the right direction to their intrinsic abilities and they became (from a savage and most ignorant mass) the torchbearer of knowledge, peace and justice.
Quran And The Non-Arab Scholars
Later, despite of their clear insight and richness of language the lack of written material became a great hurdle for non-Arabs in the understanding of Quran. A large part of Islamic literature including language, history, translations, tafseer, and Fiqah was written and compiled, mostly by Persian scholars during the rule of Abbasid caliphs. The Abbasid came to power with the support of Persian. Therefore, they honored the Persian with many privileges under their rule. The Persian had enjoyed high respect and yielded great influence in the society. However, the barrier of language and culture between the Persian and the Arabs created great confusion about Quran. They were not familiar with Arabs’ culture and lifestyle. Also, they were not well versed in Arabic language, its grammar and speech including roots, concepts, structure and development of the language. Briefly, they had no reliable and authentic source of information available. The main source of their information was the storytellers who were generally known as the narrators of Hadith (Rawiyaan-e-hadith).
Prophet (PBUH) and his great Companion (for reasons well understood) did not compile Hadith in written form. There is not a single Hadith in any collection that has got a written authority. All the Hadith are based on chain of narrators such as A narrated to B narrated to C narrated to Bukhari - the Persian compiler who lived in 3rd century A.H. The tragedy is that such stale reports are taken as true sayings of the Prophet and had become an important part of Islam. Today, despite of an efficient and fast information system, we cannot accept even first hand reports with full certainty. Also, in a court of law if you are not an eyewitness to the case the judge will send you out. He will not accept your witness. But, one wonders how our Mohaditheen and Mufasireen dared to accept three hundred years old stuff on the evidence of a single person as true and authentic sayings of the Prophet and his Companion?
Due to such limitations the Persian scholars could not comprehend the concepts of Quran in depth. Nevertheless, whatever they wrote about Quran and Sunnah that had become the last word in Islam. And, because of their respect and immense influence masses had accepted their thoughts without question. It was a great tragedy in Islam. It had shut the doors of thinking upon scholars forever. If any one had raised voice against their poor insight of Quran he faced huge problems in the society. Even today no one could dare to disagree with their thoughts and perception of Islam. The followers of these Mohaditheen, Muffasireen, and Fuqaha are no less savages in the defense of their ideology.
Shan-e-Nazool: A Fatal Concept
Undoubtedly, the late compilation of Islamic literature and unfamiliarity of the scholars with Arabs’ language and culture had destroyed the revolutionary and universal nature of Quran. However, the most deadly blow it had suffered came from the concept of "Shan-e-Nazool". According to this concept almost all the important verses are referred to some sort of event or incident or episode. Early scholars (of 3rd & 4th A.H) had based their translations and interpretations on this deadly concept. They understood the verses according to circumstances under which they were revealed. Similarly, they established meaning of words of Quran in the light of these circumstances instead of following the rules of Arabic grammar. Later scholars followed them unquestionably over the years, which further added to their credibility. Now, these are accepted as the most authentic meaning of Quran. Unfortunately, as the stories pertaining to “Shan-e-Nazool" are directly referred to the Prophet and his companions, therefore, people in general are mistaken. They think that the Prophet himself does these “Tafaseer”. So, these are considered not only as true understanding of the Quran but also regarded as highly sacred scriptures. Whereas, the truth is, that these ‘Tafaseer’ are written 300 - years after the death of prophet and are based mostly on false and fabricated stories. Some eminent scholars (like Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal) have rejected “Tafseeri Rawa’yat” out rightly.
Notwithstanding, the dubious natures, a large number of Tafaseer are still based on the stories pertaining to Shan-e-Nazool. Consequently, it is impossible for a common man to get correct understanding of Quran from such cock-and-bull stories. For example, take the meaning of verse 4:34. The first few words of it are translated as: “Men are appointed as masters over women...” (Translation by Shah Raffiuddin). Here, the word ‘Qawamun’ is translated as: ‘The Master’ whereas, its dictionary meaning is: ‘the protector and maintainer of women’. This meaning is clear and understandable. According to the principle of work distribution the duty of men is to earn and look after the family. Now, let us see why they translated ‘Qawamun’ as: ‘The Master’? The stories of Shan-e-Nazool of this verse are given below:
“Ibn Abbas says: “The meaning of this word (Qawamun) is that “it is obligatory for women to obey men”. Hassan Basri says: Once a women complained to the prophet that her husband slapped her. Prophet told her to slap him the same way but God sent this verse and she was ordered not to take revenge. In a similar story it is narrated that once an Ansari came to the prophet with his wife. She complained that he has slapped her whose mark is still visible on her face. Prophet said, “He has no right to do that”. But on this occasion God sent the verse that “men are appointed master (Qawamun) over women in order to teach them manners”. Prophet told to the poor lady, “I wanted otherwise but God wanted this way”. In a related story it is said that once prophet ordered, “Don’t beat the servants of God (women)”. When Omer Farooq heard this he came to prophet and said: “O Messenger of God; your permission has encouraged the women against their men”. Then the prophet allowed men to continue with the beating of women. Thereafter, people in Medinastarted beating women indiscriminately. Women protested against this cruelty. Then the prophet said that those who beat their women are not doing well. A companion of prophet (Asha’th) said that once he stayed overnight with Omer Farooq. That day, both husband and wife had a brawl. Omer told me: Asha’th! Three things which I heard from the prophet and memorized are: i) never ask the husband why he beat his wife? ii) Don’t go to bed without praying water. And, third thing the narrator could not recall. (Nissai).
In the light of these ‘Tafseeri Rawa’yat’ the position of men becomes rather more authoritative than a Master. For that reason, even some important Tafseer such as Kashaaf, could not avoid the mistake of translating Qawamun by Musaterain - a stronger word, which means: ‘the master with a whip’. Another famous Tafseer Jalalain translates it as Mutasalatain meaning ‘the victor or captor of women’. Such meanings, which had originated in Rawa’yat, later crept into Arabic dictionaries and became standard meaning of the words of Quran. Now, only these Tafaseer are read and taught through out the Muslim world. Therefore, today it has become difficult even for the Arabs to find out the true meaning of Quran. Very few of them succeed in exploring the genuine language of Quran.
How To Redeem The Lost Paradise?
Ignorance of the scholars about pristine Arabic and heavy dependence on the concept of Shan-e-Nazool were two major gates through which all Shayateen and evil forces introduced their corrupt thoughts and ideologies into the body of Islam. Al hamdulillah, unlike other divine Scriptures these people could not succeed in tampering with the words of Quran. These are protected by God Himself and are available in their pristine purity. So, it is not difficult to weed out alien thoughts and ideologies and restore the values and principles of Quran in pure form. For this purpose we need only to go back to original meanings of words. Then in the light of ‘Tasreef-e-Ayat’ we can exactly establish their true meaning in Quran.
In ‘Tasreef-e-Ayat’ the words are rotated in different context in the Quran. If all the verses containing these words are studied together the meaning becomes self-clear. For example, take the word ‘Sabber’ whose root meaning is discussed above. Now, keep these meaning in mind and see how they become clear through Tasreef-e-ayat. As noted earlier, in verse 2:153 it is said, “God is with the Sabireen “. Here in this verse it is not clear who are Sabireen? In verse 3:145 it is said: “How many of the prophets fought (in God’s way) and with them (fought) large bands of godly men? But they never lost heart if they met with disaster in God’s way, nor did they weaken (in will) nor give in.....” After stating this noble behavior - struggle, constancy, facing hardships squarely etc. - it is said: “And God loves the Sabireen “. In the next verse same behavior is reflected when they pray to God; “...establish our feet firmly.” Somewhere else in Quran, right in the battle field they are addressed: “...if there are a hundred of you Sabir they will vanquish two hundred.” (8:66). Thus, in the light of these verses, the meaning of Sabber becomes clear and well defined. We can easily comprehend the message of Quran and know who are the Sabireen?
Similarly, Quran explains its whole vocabulary and key terms such as Salat, Zakat, Taqwa, Eiman, Islam, Kuffer, Fisq, Fajoor, Duniya, Akhirat, Janat, and Jhanam etc. through Tasreef-e-ayat. We should know the root meaning of these words and the verses in which they are used. By giving a little thought to the context we can comprehend the meaning without ambiguity. That is why it is said that Quran explains itself. It is called ‘Noor’- The light. The property of light is that it makes the things visible.
From the above discussion we conclude that although there is much ambiguity and confusion in various translations and Tafaseer of Quran and apparently it seems difficult to ascertain the true meaning but fortunately due to availability of original text of Quran and scientific nature of Arabic, it may be difficult but not impossible. If we study Quran with a mind free of preconceived concepts and ideologies we can easily get the true meanings. The important thing is to follow these steps: i) Find out the root meanings of the word. Each word has many meanings but the shade of root meaning always accompany the word. It will give a better understanding of the word. ii) Find out the concept and usage of word among the desert Arabs. Their vocabulary was based mostly upon perceptible objects and observable phenomena. This method of vocabulary construction makes the meanings and concepts of words very clear. iii) Find out the verses in which this word is used. A thoughtful study of these verses would bring out its true Quranic concept. iv) And, finally, we should never ignore the primary objectives of the Quran.
Any translation or meaning of any word or verse whether it is derived from the Jahiliya poetry or Arabic lexicons or through tasreef-e-ayat in Quran, must not conflict or contradict or negate the primary and universal objectives of Quran. For instance, one of the primary objectives of Quran is the unity of mankind. A translation that contradicts this objective in any form would not be considered true understanding of Quran. The divine criterion of authenticity of Quran is that it is free of contradictions [4]. So, this criterion should always be kept in mind while searching the truth about Quran. In fact, Quran is not a religious book. Unlike religious book, it consists of laws and principles that lay down the foundation of a healthy society. It is a practical and universal code that needs implementation in the society. It is not enough to read and follow it individually. This will never serve the purpose of Quran.
Quran and The Human Intellect
This method of explaining the Quran, if followed in true spirit, will bring out the true meaning with extreme accuracy. Nevertheless, one always keeps the mind open and ready to embrace new realities. Human knowledge is expanding, culture and civilization are advancing and each era is becoming better than its predecessor. Thus, in this changing world nothing is perfect or absolute except the words of Quran. The laws and principles of Quran are absolute and immutable. It gives a permanent values system. But, like every other thing in the nature, these values, laws, and principles have intrinsic ability to conform to change without loosing the fundamentals. For example, consider the condition of matter and energy in nature. These may take any form but never lose their basic properties. Similarly, the principles of Quran though unalterable but are not inflexible. We should study them systematically in the light of current advancements in the field of social and physical sciences. We will find no conflict or contradiction. These principles are, interestingly, an amazing conformation of change and constancy.
Parwez Insight of Quran
With this background in mind about the lingual, cultural, and historical influences that had corrupted the true meaning and concept of Quran, now we are in a better position to explain the basic problem with Parwez’s thoughts. Parwez was a famous scholar known nationally and internationally for his deep, trustworthy and unpolluted study of Islam. In recognition of the services rendered by him to the cause of Islam, he was granted a Gold Medal by the Government of Punjab (Pakistan). This fact is published along with a note in recognition of his services in the official publication ‘Tehreek-e-Pakistan Gold Medal 1989’. It was also recognized in the said official publication that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah placed great confidence in him and he was at one time the personal consultant of Quiad-e-Azam in regard to the religious foundation of Pakistan.
Allama G.A. Parwez’s work on Quran remains unprecedented as a rational gloss in Islamic scholarship. It is not an attempt to duplicate what has already been achieved, nor it is intended to be a substitute for other translations. Its genius lies in its rigorous attempt to go beyond the traditional ‘word-for-word’ concept of translation to bring out the richness of the Arabic language and pristine purity of the Quranic concepts. Its purpose is to help masses achieve to the greatest possible clarity and understanding in their reading of the text of Quran and comprehend what the Arab listener in Prophet’s time understood, instantly. Learning of Quran is an un-ending and un-restrictive process. It is like a stream with great potentialities unfolding itself as the human knowledge expand - and shall remain so till dawn: ‘hiya hatta mutleh al fajjer’!
Parwez has faithfully attempted to present Quran through creative use of amplification in contemporary language. As long as he lived he never claimed infallibility of views. He held some views with great vigour because he saw them clearly as edicts of the Holy Quran. Other interpretive views were always presented with the caveat that he was not beyond making mistakes. The rise of militant fundamentalism and the traditionalist clergy in Pakistanhas obscured his message: the seminarian authority overcame, as always, the struggle of the non-seminarian mind. Parweziyat is today synonymous with heresy. But his encyclopedic work will always live because of its usefulness to the fundamentalist and modernist alike.
The basic problem with Parwez thoughts
is that his critics made no mental distinction between writing critically on the subject of Islam and intending to deliberately bring about the malicious disputes. You may find in his work the meaning of many words and verses different than the traditional translations. In this respect, two things are important to know. Firstly, one should know that he did not translate ‘word-for-word ‘. Rather, he gave comprehension of the Quranic passages. The difference between translation and comprehension is obvious. Secondly, it should be remember that even the traditional translations are not all the same. These differ at many places among themselves. For example, take these two translations: one by Shah Abdul Qadir and the other by Maulana Abu-al-Kalam Azad (both were eminent scholars). Former is so important that Shaikh-ul-Hind Maulana Mahmood-ul-Hassan revised it and Maulana Shabeer Ahmed Usmani wrote its footnotes. In other words, this translation has the approval of three great scholars of the sub-continent. It gives the translation of verse 2:102 (wa ma unzila a’lalmalakaine bebabila haruta wa maruta) as follows:
“(and they followed) such things as came down at Babylonto the angel Harut and Marut”. According to this translation God has sent something to the angels. Now, compare it with this translation by Maulana Abu al-Kalam Azad: “It is also not true that something came down at Babylonto the angel Harut and Marut”. According to this translation God has sent nothing to the angles.
These translations not only differ but also negate each other. Nevertheless, these are popular among the masses and no Mullah ever raised a voice against them. It shows the true mentality of those who bash Parwez for distortions and twists in the Quran. They criticize Parwez not because he ignored the principles of Arabic or objectivity of the Quran; Not at all! No one can blame him on this ground. His major fault is that he did not become a holy sheep, which never leave the herd. Instead, he left the traditional path immediately when he felt that it is leading towards the wrong direction. No doubt he adopted a different style than the traditionalist but it is not new one. In fact, it was the original style of understanding the Quran. It was lost in the dust of time. Parwez has simply removed that dust and revived it in its pristine purity. Actually, the criterion with the masses is ancestral sanctity instead of intellectual honesty. That is why when they listen to Parwez they turn their face saying: “ma samehna behaza fi abainal awaleen” - never did we hear such a thing (as he says) among our ancestors of old. (23:24). Following critique of Parwez’s work is a good example of this servile attitude.
We have brought out the follies of traditional translations in the above lines and elaborated that the right way to understand Quran is to have a good knowledge of Arabic, concepts of Jahiliyah Arabs, tasreef-e-ayat in Quran and its objectivity. Now, we will try to answer the questions raised in the following examples from “Mafhoom-ul- Quran” in the light of these principles and would request the readers to judge the truth themselves.
EXAMPLE 1: ILLEGITIMATE TWIST OF VERSE 2:143
(According to critique) the correct rendering of this verse, with respect to the rules of Arabic grammar, is as follows:
“Thus We have made you a community in the center [ummata-n-wasatan], that ye may be witnesses in regard to the people [shuhadâ ala-Nâs], and the messenger be in regard to you a witness."
MY COMMENTS:
If we accept this translation, which is ‘word-for-word’ as correct rendering then we cannot come to any conclusion. As we will see later, it does not answer many questions. Also, it has limited the meaning of key terms such as Ummah, Wasatan, Shuhada, Rasool, and Al-Nas etc.
‘Ummah’ is a very comprehensive term. It has many literal and applied meanings. In the Quran itself it is used in more than fifty verses with different shades of meaning. For example, when it is used for al-Nas (the people) its usage extend from a single person ‘inna Ibrahima kana ummatan qanetan’ to a group of people ‘ummatan-min-al-nas’ and to the whole mankind ‘kan-an-nasu-ummatan-wahidatan’. [16]. In verse 6:38its usage broaden further to cover up not only people but also all forms of life on earth. No word in any language has this much breadth of meaning. Therefore, Ummah cannot be translated by a foreign word correctly. The best way is to give its concept instead of word-for-word translation.
Perhaps, this diverse usage may have caused confusion in understanding the meaning of ‘Ummah’ but Quran, through tasreef-e-ayat has solved this problem. For example, in verse 21:92 it defines exactly what it means by ‘Muslim Ummah’? Therein, right after mentioning the life struggle of different prophets, it says: “Verily this Brotherhood of yours (ummatakum) is a single Brotherhood (ummatan wahidatan) and I am your Cherisher (Rabb); therefore, obey Me (and no other). About this translation Syed Abdullah Yousaf Ali says:
“Ummat: this best translated by Brotherhood here. ‘Community’, ‘race’ and ‘nation’ and ‘people’ are words which import other ideas and do not quite correspond to Ummat. ‘Religion’ and ‘way of life’ are derived meanings, which could be used in other passages, but are less appropriate here. Our attention has been drawn to people of very different temperaments and virtues, widely different in time, race, language, surrounding, history and work to be performed, but forming the closest ‘Brotherhood’ as being men and women united in the highest service of God. They pre-figure the final and perfected Brotherhood of Islam.”
I think, this definition allows no further argument. It gives a very clear concept of Muslim Ummah. There is no word, which could cover such a vast horizon (consisting of people having different geography, language and culture). Even Brotherhood does not import the meanings of Ummah appropriately. Ummat is best translated by Ummat. We should place emphasis on the concept only.
Similarly, Wassatan is also a comprehensive term. It’s meaning is applied to diverse topics such as ‘eras’ (al Qarrun al wusta) and ‘places’ (sharq al awsat) and ‘people’ (awsat al nas) and ‘character’ (seerat al awsat) etc. In Quran, it is used for horses that penetrate forthwith into the midst of enemies files ‘fa wasatna behee jammhan’ [100]; for quantity of food, ‘awsata ma tutehmuna ahleekum’ [5]; for middle or the best prayer, ‘salat al wusta’ [2]; and for a most just person, ‘qaala awsatahum’ [68]. So, it would be wrong to translate it by a single word. It’s meaning depends upon the context and objectivity.
Shuhada (sing. Shaheed)is translated by the word ‘witnesses’ and the ‘witness’ is defined as ‘one who testifies or gives evidence before a court or in a cause’. Or, more precisely: ‘one who has personal knowledge or experience of something’: from ‘wit’ – ‘mind, intelligence’.
Shaheed is a more comprehensive term than ‘witness’. The root-meanings of shaheed are: to see; to confirm; to be present; to attend; to watch; etc. We can get a clear and better comprehension from its usage in the Quran. In verse 59:22 ‘ghaib’ is used vis-à-vis ‘shahada’. The meaning of ‘ghaib’ is invisible or imperceptible things. So, the meaning of ‘shahada’ will be all things that are visible and perceptible. In verse 2:185 it is used to make distinction between one who is on a journey and one who is present at his home – ‘fa mann shahida minkum-mush- shahr’. In verse 2:23 it is used for help and assistance ‘wa’ad’hu shuhadakum min dun-nillah’ This meaning is further elaborated in verse 74:12-13 where it is said (ma’lam mamdudan wa baneena shahudan) that ‘great ones of the earth may have wealth, a large following, sons by their side to defend them and do their bidding and manpower to help them in their battles’. And, in verse 5:120 it is used synonymously with ‘al-Raqeeb - The Watcher’ (kunta unta alraqeeba a’laihim wa unta a’laa kulle shai’in shaheed). Both, raqeeb & shaheed, are watcher but shaheed is a more comprehensive term. Insight and eyesight of a shaheed encompasses everything in the universe. Also, it is used for judgment (12:26). Here, it is said (wa shahida shahidun min ahleha) that ‘one of her family member saw this and gave his judgment thus…’ Verse 6:19say that ‘God is the best judge because everything is in His sight.’ The practical way to seek His judgment is to refer all disputes to Quran. [22]
Syed Abdullah Yousaf Ali defines witness: “When two persons dispute, they advance extravagant claims. A just witness comes between them, and brings the light of reason to bear on them, pruning all their selfish extravagancies. So, the mission of Islam is to curb, for instance, the extreme formalism of the Mosaic Law and the extreme “other-worldliness” professed by Christianity. The witness must be unselfish, equipped with first hand-knowledge, and ready to intervene in the cause of justice. Such is the position claimed by Islam among rival systems. Similarly, within Islam itself, the position of witness to whom disputants can appeal is held by Muhammad Mustafa.”
‘Rasool’another comprehensive term that too imports a variety of meanings such as: slow paced; long and flowing; relaxed; gentleness; moderation; communication and delegation etc. In the Quran, it is generally used for prophets but in verse 12:50it is also used for ordinary messenger. In communication, its meaning encompasses both the messenger and the message itself. For example, verse 7:75. It says: ‘the leaders of the arrogant party among people of Thamud said to those who believed in Saleh as the messenger of God: Did you make sure that Saleh is God’s Messenger? They said: We do indeed believe in the message which has been sent through him.”
The primary duty of God’s messenger is to convey the message of God to people gently, eloquently, faithfully and with constancy. Prophet Noah said to his people: “I am a Messenger from the Lord of Universe and my duty is to fulfill my Lord’s mission sincerely - Ubleghukum risaalate Rabbi wa Ansah lakum. [7]. Similarly, Prophet Muhammad was told: “Proclaim what has been sent to you from God - Ballegh ma unzela alaika min rabbek” - if you didn’t, you would not have fulfilled His mission” [5].
Among the believers, Rasool is the first person that believes in God’s Message [2]. He but follows what is revealed to him [6] and asked the believers to follow the same system, which he establishes on the principles of revelation [4]. Neither he commands nor it is allowed to any Messenger to command against the Will of God [3]. In other words, obedience to Messenger, in fact, is obedience to God Himself.
Muhammad(PBUH) was the last Prophet and Messenger of God. The message he brought is complete and well protected. As we have said earlier that meaning of Rasool applies to both Mursal & Risala. Therefore, now our Rasool is Quran. This meaning is nicely implied in verse 3:144, which says:
“Muhammad is no more than a Messenger: Many were the messengers that passed away before him. If he died or were slain, will you then turn back on your heels? If any did turn back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to God; But God (on the other hand) will swiftly reward those who (serve Him) with gratitude.”
This verse was revealed when Prophet Muhammad was alive. It shows that the message of God is self-sufficient and self-sustaining. Those who think that it is not possible to follow Quran without Hadith must reflect upon this verse. God says its possible! He tells about this practicability of Quran in an era when there was no record or collection of Hadith. God is Living, Eternal, Sub-sisting – so is His Message!
Syed Abdullah Yousaf Ali has put this reality in these words: “And we have need to remember this now and often for two reasons: (1) When we feel inclined to pay more than human honour to one who was the truest, the purest, and the greatest of men, and thus in a sense to compound for our forgetting the spirit of his teaching, and (2) When we feel depressed at the chances and changes of time, and forget that the eternal God lives and watches over us and over all his creatures now as in all history in the past and in the future.”
Al-Nas,like Ummah is another broad meaning word. Its translation by the word ‘people’ is very simple. Whereas, it is a comprehensive word and its usage extends from a group of people to the whole mankind consisting of Jinn-o-Inss together. The linguists have discussed it extensively but for our purpose, only relevant definitions will be presented here. In verse 2:60 it is used for a group of people: ‘qad a’lema kullo unasin mashrabahum’. In verse 25:49-50 it is used for the whole mankind: ‘mimma khalaqna an’aman wa annasee kathira “ & “ fa aaba aktharan’nas-e-illa kufoora’. And, in verse 114:5-6 its description is expanded to include Jinn-o-Inss together:’yuwaswisu fi sadoorin’ nas min-al-jinn-a-te wan’nas’.
In general, Quran views the mankind as a whole. For this reason, it proclaims at the very commencement of the opening chapter that God is the Cherisher for all worlds (Rabb-ul-A’lemeen) and finishes with the declaration that mankind can find protection in Him alone (A’oozu be-rabb-n-nas, Malek-n-nas, Illah-n-nas). The primary objective of Quran is to provide guidance for balanced development of human potential and to protect him from evil forces. We have seen that mankind consists of diverse races inhabiting diverse climes and cultures. We have also seen that Arabic is a very eloquent language and rich in vocabulary. For instance, there are approximately 5000 words for camel. Imagine, who can better understand a camel than one who has this much vocabulary at his command to explain?
In view of this great objective (service to mankind) and with this great language at command, it is imperative to choose the best possible meaning of the words of Quran so that its laws, principles and the values system become more and more useful for mankind - wa amma ma Yanfa’hun Naasa fa yamkusu fil ardh.[13]
Parwez was an humble student of Quran. He spent over 50 long years of his short life in concentrated exploration of the depths of this sea of knowledge, undisturbed by the storms that vexed his outer life. When he started the journey, he had not imagined that so much human jealousy, misunderstanding, and painful misrepresentation should pursue one who seeks no worldly gain and pretend no dogmatic authority. Al-hamdu Lillah, with His blessing, the breath of heaven swell the sail, and he safely oars to reach the distant coast. Two masterpieces of his life achievement are Lughat-ul-Quran & Tabweeb-ul-Quran. Former helps the reader to get clear root meanings of a word, and the latter helps him to know its Quranic concept through tasreef-e-ayat.
With this preface in mind, now we will examine Parwez’s insight of the Quran and see the truth of those who blame him for twists & distortions in Quran. For this purpose, we have to recall verse 2:143 quoted above in example -1. According to the critics, the correct rendering of this verse is:
«Thus We have made you a central community [ummata-n-wasatan], that ye may be witnesses in regard to the people [shuhadâ alan’nâs], and the messenger be in regard to you a witness.»
We have said earlier, it cannot be a correct rendering unless we know what is said in the preceding and succeeding verses. The verse begins with the conjunction ‘thus’, which means that something important is said in the preceding verse. And, also the subject is incomplete, which means that something important is said in the succeeding verse.
Parwez took all the verses together. Then in accordance with the rules of Arabic grammar, principle of Tasreef-e-Ayat and objectivity of the Quran, he gave his rendering as follow:
“Also, the Jews will criticize as to why the Muslims had turned away from Jerusalem which remained Qibla (center) of the People of the Book down through the history? Why they chose Ka’aba as their Qibla (center)? This criticism, too, is based on insolence and ignorance. However, the argument is simple and clear. Jerusalemis The Center (Qibla) of Jews alone whereas the message of Islam is Universal. It is for the unity of whole mankind at one center. Obviously, The Center of a universal message can be a place that encompasses both East and West (The whole world). It should not be at a place, which belongs to any particular race, nation or ideological group. For this reason, God has shown this Ummah (Muslims) the right path in the service of mankind.
(So, you (Muslims) should not get perturbed over this objection). We want to make you, in Our Guidance, a balanced and just nation in the world. To become an equidistant nation, which tilts neither this nor that side. Your objective in life, as a nation, should be to watch and check upon the doings of nations so that they might not aggress each other. And, the Messenger (who is entrusted with central authority in the divine system) should watch and check upon your doings so that you, too, may not aggress each other.
In view of this, the location of Qibla (center) was an important matter. In fact, it was a matter of making choice between a National Qibla (that belonged to a specific nation) and an International Qibla (which hold central position for the whole mankind). Therefore, (O Messenger!) Our purpose of appointing Qibla (the place that you chose for Islam) is to separate the mentalities so that it becomes distinct who, in obedience to the prophet, gives up the national ties and establishes relations purely on the basis of human