Islam — The Universal Religion
Provides Teachings to Enable Nations to Live in Harmony in the Modern Age
by Dr. Zahid Aziz
The Light & Islamic Review (US), November/December 1993 Issue (Vol. 70, No. 6, pp. 4–7)
Note by the Editor: Below is the text of my speech delivered at the Convention of the A.A.I.I.L. U.S.A. in Columbus, Ohio on 31st July this year [1993].
A question is generally asked as to how the teachings of a religion given so many centuries ago can still apply in the world in which we live today. Several answers can be given to this question; for example, that human nature and its needs are the same today as they were centuries ago. When behavioural scientists analyse the behaviour of human beings in the modern environment, they explain it in terms of what man did in the uncivilised state in the jungle. The competition and also the co-operation, the fight for survival, the urge to dominate others, etc., which characterised life then work in the same way now. Therefore, if the principles of a religion which enabled man to do good and to give up evil and wrong-doing, were true and effective many centuries ago then they would be just as applicable today, provided that we can be sure of what they were originally.
Islamic Teachings give New Light in Every Age:
Another, more powerful, answer to this question provided by Islam, is that the teachings given centuries ago could be in such a form that they give us new light in every age, and display a new relevance and significance in a new age which could not have been fully understood previously. The Holy Quran says:
وَ اِنۡ مِّنۡ شَیۡءٍ اِلَّا عِنۡدَنَا خَزَآئِنُہٗ ۫ وَ مَا نُنَزِّلُہٗۤ اِلَّا بِقَدَرٍ مَّعۡلُوۡمٍ ﴿۲۱﴾
“And there is not a thing but with Us (that is, God) are the treasures of it, and We send it not down but in a known measure.” (The Holy Quran, 15:21)
The knowledge contained in the Quran is also one of the things covered by this law, that it comes to man in a known measure, according to the requirements of the time. The revelation of the Quran as regards its words and text was completed, as we all know, near the end of the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s life, but the attainment of its understanding is a continuing process. The Quran records that the opponents of the Holy Prophet objected as to why the Quran was not revealed all at once to him. The reply given by God is:
کَذٰلِکَ ۚۛ لِنُثَبِّتَ بِہٖ فُؤَادَکَ
“So that We may strengthen thy heart thereby.” (The Holy Quran, 25:32)
In other words, the continuity of the experience increased his faith. Similarly, the fact that the knowledge to be learnt from the Quran and its understanding were not finalised once and for all means that our faith too increases as we see new disclosures from the Quran in accordance with the needs of the time.
Modern Communications Prophesied in Quran:
So, we pose the question: what is the chief characteristic and the main change which has taken place in our times, and what are the teachings of Islam which are showing a new relevance and a new significance to deal with the changed world. The most important change is that incredible developments in transport and communications, which are proceeding at an ever-increasing pace, have shrunk and brought together the whole world. This was, in fact, clearly prophesied in the Holy Quran in the words:
وَ اِذَا النُّفُوۡسُ زُوِّجَتۡ ۪ۙ﴿۷﴾
“And when people are brought together (or united with one another).” (The Holy Quran, 81:7)
People are united by both travel, and by being able to communicate over long distances. To take an example, when billions of people watch the same event world-wide on television, they are united as one, single audience. Another feature of the same age is prophesied three verses later in the Quran. It says:
وَ اِذَا الصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتۡ ﴿۪ۙ۱۰﴾
“And when the books are spread.” (The Holy Quran, 81:10)
We see that books, journals, magazines, etc., are circulated in mass numbers all over the world.
And corresponding to these developments, Islam has given teachings whose full implications, significance and importance can only be realised now. These are the teachings which show it to be a universal religion: that is, a religion which recognises mankind to be one, treats all sections of mankind with equality and justice, and provides those principles which enable nations to live together.
Such teachings of Islam may be divided into two categories: those relating to the spiritual side, or man’s relation with God, and those relating to people’s dealings with one another.
Universalist Concept of God in Islam:
First, I take the spiritual teachings. The Holy Quran opens by describing God as
رَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِیۡنَ ۙ﴿۱﴾
“Lord of the worlds” [The Holy Quran, 1:1]
and in its last chapter it refers to God as:
رَبِّ النَّاسِ ۙ﴿۱﴾ مَلِکِ النَّاسِ ۙ﴿۲﴾ اِلٰہِ النَّاسِ ۙ﴿۳﴾
“the Lord of mankind, the King of mankind, and the God of mankind”. [The Holy Quran, 114:1–3]
“Lord” really means one who fosters and makes you pass through all the stages of your natural development towards your point of perfection. So, the concept of God presented by Islam is that of One Who has provided equally for the progress of different nations and peoples. He is not the god of a particular nation which can invoke his help in unjustly fighting and destroying another nation. No nation is an exclusive favourite, nor is a nation a rejected one, because of its racial origin, or the religion it professes, or its geographical location, or language, etc.
Just as the concept of God is that of a universal one, in the Quran the Holy Prophet Muhammad is referred to as having been sent as
رَحۡمَۃً لِّلۡعٰلَمِیۡنَ ﴿۱۰۷﴾
“a mercy to the nations” [The Holy Quran, 21:107],
and the Quran itself is called
ذِکۡرٌ لِّلۡعٰلَمِیۡنَ ﴿ۙ۲۷﴾
“a reminder for the nations” (The Holy Quran, 81:27).
So, the Prophet and the scripture of Islam both came for the guidance of all the nations, and not just the nations in the area of the world where they appeared. Similarly, the centre of Islam at Makka is described as a house of God which provides
ہُدًی لِّلۡعٰلَمِیۡنَ ﴿ۚ۹۶﴾
“guidance for the nations” (The Holy Quran, 3:96).
It can be seen that the value of these broad concepts can be appreciated far more at the present time than in centuries past. At a time when nations are trying to find some common standards and common philosophy, we learn from the Quran that Islam is a faith which addresses the whole of humanity.
Prophets sent to all Nations:
Islam also disclosed the truth that prophets and messengers of God had been sent to every people on earth, and revelation from God had been given to every nation.
کَانَ النَّاسُ اُمَّۃً وَّاحِدَۃً ۟
“Mankind is a single nation” [The Holy Quran, 2:213],
are the exact words of the Quran, and it goes on to say:
فَبَعَثَ اللّٰہُ النَّبِیّٖنَ مُبَشِّرِیۡنَ وَ مُنۡذِرِیۡنَ ۪ وَ اَنۡزَلَ مَعَہُمُ الۡکِتٰبَ بِالۡحَقِّ
“So Allah raised prophets and revealed with them the book” (The Holy Quran, 2:213).
And it is obligatory on Muslims to believe in every prophet, whether mentioned by name in the Quran or not. Therefore, Muslims consider every nation on earth to have been blessed with Divine light at some stage in its history, and they respect the founders of the various faiths of mankind. Again, this is a teaching whose value can be better understood today than some centuries ago. In those times when nations lived separately and had much less connection with one another, it perhaps did not matter if each of them believed itself to be the exclusive recipient of revelation from God, but in present times such a belief is a bar to good-will and harmony between nations. So, Islam has given a teaching suited to the present, changed circumstances.
Fair Rewards based on Actions, not Birthright:
The final point I wish to make, as regards the teachings dealing with the spiritual aspect, is that merely holding some belief or calling yourself by some name, is no merit in the sight of God, but it is deeds which count. The criterion of God’s judgment is given as follows in the Quran:
فَمَنۡ یَّعۡمَلۡ مِثۡقَالَ ذَرَّۃٍ خَیۡرًا یَّرَہٗ ؕ﴿۷﴾ وَ مَنۡ یَّعۡمَلۡ مِثۡقَالَ ذَرَّۃٍ شَرًّا یَّرَہٗ ٪﴿۸﴾
“He who does any little bit of good will see it, and he who does any little bit of evil will see it.” (The Holy Quran, 99:7–8)
In other words, a person will not be denied benefit for having done good just because of belonging to a race, nation, or religion which is not considered “favoured”. Likewise, a person cannot escape responsibility for wrong-doing because of belonging to a so-called favoured nation or religion.
Again, the Quran quotes Jews and Christians as each claiming that only someone who is a Jew or a Christian will receive salvation. It rejects this as a baseless claim, but does not assert for its part that people called Muslims will be the ones receiving salvation. Instead, it presents a principle:
بَلٰی ٭ مَنۡ اَسۡلَمَ وَجۡہَہٗ لِلّٰہِ وَ ہُوَ مُحۡسِنٌ
“Nay, whoever submits himself entirely to Allah and does good to others” (The Holy Quran, 2:112),
these are the ones to receive reward from their Lord.
And just as the Quran has mentioned here the principle on which to act, rather than naming names, similarly the name Islam itself expresses a principle, that of submitting oneself to God rather than to one’s lower self. The names of other religions such as Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, etc., express no principle. Each of these names only conveys that the religion in question originated from a particular teacher, or in a particular country, or among a particular people.
Relations with Fellow-beings:
Now I move to the second aspect, namely, teachings dealing with people’s relations with one another. I will go through the relevant passages of the Quran.
1. A general principle is laid down as follows:
یٰۤاَیُّہَا النَّاسُ اِنَّا خَلَقۡنٰکُمۡ مِّنۡ ذَکَرٍ وَّ اُنۡثٰی وَ جَعَلۡنٰکُمۡ شُعُوۡبًا وَّ قَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوۡا ؕ اِنَّ اَکۡرَمَکُمۡ عِنۡدَ اللّٰہِ اَتۡقٰکُمۡ ؕ
“O mankind, surely We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and families that you may know each other. Surely the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the one who is the most dutiful.” (The Holy Quran, 49:13)
Here all mankind is addressed, not just Muslims, and it is stated that the division of humanity into nations and races is to enable them to acquire knowledge through this diversity. And indeed those who study mankind, the different ways of different people of the world, find it quite fascinating. Then it is said that no nation is superior to another except on the basis of how conscientiously and carefully it discharges its human duties.
2. The Quran requires one to treat another nation with justice and kindness, unless that nation is guilty of persecution and aggression:
لَا یَنۡہٰىکُمُ اللّٰہُ عَنِ الَّذِیۡنَ لَمۡ یُقَاتِلُوۡکُمۡ فِی الدِّیۡنِ وَ لَمۡ یُخۡرِجُوۡکُمۡ مِّنۡ دِیَارِکُمۡ اَنۡ تَبَرُّوۡہُمۡ وَ تُقۡسِطُوۡۤا اِلَیۡہِمۡ ؕ
“Allah does not forbid you regarding those who do not fight you on account of your religion, nor drive you forth from your homes, that you show them kindness and deal with them justly.” (The Holy Quran, 60:8)
3. It even requires justice to be shown towards those nations who may have wronged you, and whom you therefore may naturally hate:
یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا کُوۡنُوۡا قَوّٰمِیۡنَ لِلّٰہِ شُہَدَآءَ بِالۡقِسۡطِ ۫ وَ لَا یَجۡرِمَنَّکُمۡ شَنَاٰنُ قَوۡمٍ عَلٰۤی اَلَّا تَعۡدِلُوۡا ؕ اِعۡدِلُوۡا ۟ ہُوَ اَقۡرَبُ لِلتَّقۡوٰی ۫
“O you who believe, be upright for Allah, bearers of witness with justice; and let not the hatred of a people incite you not to act equitably. Be just, that is nearer to observance of duty.” (The Holy Quran, 5:8)
4. Blind and unquestioning patriotism is an evil most responsible for hatred and bloodshed between nations. A person supports and follows his nation in whatever it does, regardless of whether it is right or wrong, just or unjust. The Quran in this regard teaches us the following principle:
تَعَاوَنُوۡا عَلَی الۡبِرِّ وَ التَّقۡوٰی ۪ وَ لَا تَعَاوَنُوۡا عَلَی الۡاِثۡمِ وَ الۡعُدۡوَانِ ۪
“Co-operate with one another in works of righteousness and goodness, and do not help one another in wrong-doing and aggression.” (The Holy Quran, 5:2)
So, you should judge whether your country is in the right or in the wrong, support it only in right things, and not when it is in the wrong. If this was practised, wars and injustice would come to an end at once.
There is another verse in the Quran:
لَا تَکُنۡ لِّلۡخَآئِنِیۡنَ خَصِیۡمًا ﴿۱۰۵﴾ۙ
“Be not one pleading the cause of the dishonest” (The Holy Quran, 4:105).
A Muslim stole something, and hid it at a Jew’s house. Later the Muslim accused the Jew of the theft, and the Muslim was supported by the whole of his tribe. Having investigated the matter, the Holy Prophet [Muhammad (pbuh)] found that the Jew was innocent. He cleared the Jew of the charge, not caring for the fact that the Jews were the opponents of Islam, or that his verdict might alienate a whole tribe of Muslims. This verse supported the Holy Prophet’s stand that justice must be done scrupulously between one’s own nation and another, even hostile, nation. In the modern world, nations can only live together peacefully if this principle is rigorously observed.
5. Another important rule to be upheld is the following:
یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اَوۡفُوۡا بِالۡعُقُوۡدِ ۬ؕ
“O you who believe, fulfil the obligations.” (The Holy Quran, 5:1)
The “obligations” include all kinds of agreements, treaties, conventions, etc., that one has entered into. The Quran repeatedly lays stress on their observance, and it condemns those who break them:
اَلَّذِیۡنَ عٰہَدۡتَّ مِنۡہُمۡ ثُمَّ یَنۡقُضُوۡنَ عَہۡدَہُمۡ فِیۡ کُلِّ مَرَّۃٍ
“those with whom you make an agreement, then they break their agreement every time” (The Holy Quran, 8:56).
All international dealings, whether political, economic, or otherwise, are based on agreements, and most disputes are for the reason that someone is failing to fulfil their side of the agreement to gain an unfair advantage.
6. Islam permits war only for self-defence by saying:
اُذِنَ لِلَّذِیۡنَ یُقٰتَلُوۡنَ بِاَنَّہُمۡ ظُلِمُوۡا ؕ
“Permission to fight is given to those upon whom war is made, because they are oppressed.” (The Holy Quran, 22:39)
قَاتِلُوۡا فِیۡ سَبِیۡلِ اللّٰہِ الَّذِیۡنَ یُقَاتِلُوۡنَکُمۡ وَ لَا تَعۡتَدُوۡا ؕ
“Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight you, but be not aggressive.” (The Holy Quran, 2:190)
The acceptance of peace is recommended if the enemy offers it:
اِنۡ جَنَحُوۡا لِلسَّلۡمِ فَاجۡنَحۡ لَہَا وَ تَوَکَّلۡ عَلَی اللّٰہِ ؕ
“If they incline to peace, you also should incline to it, and trust in Allah.” (The Holy Quran, 8:61)
7. The Quran also forbids Muslims from abusing the religious figures or gods worshipped by followers of other religions. It also tells Muslims that when they argue with others over religion, it should be done in the “best manner”, without any malice or attempt to denigrate the other person’s faith, so that we win people’s hearts over, and not simply win an argument. It says that Muslims, in presenting their religion to others, should give them “goodly exhortation”, that is, give people advice that appeals to them as being in their best interests.
Universality of the Message of the Mujaddid [Reformer]:
In our age, it was essential that the universality of the teachings of Islam be shown in its full glory, and stress laid on these particular aspects. For this purpose, God raised Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, just at the time when the world was starting to come together as a result of the new means of transport and communications, and He illumined his mind with those characteristics of Islam which the world needs to follow today. Not only did he explain in full detail the points I have mentioned above, but he was also most concerned with the international mission of Islam, which is a call to all humanity to the truth.
There have been other great Muslim leaders and thinkers who have reflected upon and thought about the collapsed position of Islam and the Muslims in the modern age, and proposed various solutions for revival. But their concern and scope of thought was limited to Muslims only. Many proposed that Muslims in various countries should acquire political power and set up states ruled by Islamic law as traditionally understood. Some advocated that Muslims world-wide should unite and form one country. Some others suggested that the way forward for Muslims was to follow the path of the scientific progress of the West, and develop their countries and societies along those lines. Another opinion, widely held, was that Muslims should return to Islam, although by this they seemed to mean Islam as it had come to be traditionally understood in the popular mind. But all these proposed solutions were concerned with Muslims only.
It was Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad only who viewed Islam as a faith which could rescue all humanity in modern times, and not just Muslims. So, he put forward the universal aspects of Islam mentioned above. And furthermore, he created a movement whose work was to take these teachings of Islam to the wider world. What others could not conceive of, with all their worldly education and wisdom, was inspired to the mind of a man from God who never went to any college or university.