Islamic Activism

grammar, its calligraphy, the exegesis of the Quran, the collection and editing of the hadith, the formulation of civil and religious laws (fiqh), the preparation of the literature of kalam (theology), etc.—all were developed during this period. It is a fact that, had the Muslim scholars and ulama of the age risen against a political system which they held to be corrupt, all this precious literature would never have come into existence, and the major part of the hadith, which enjoys the status of the second source in Islam, would not have been safely transferred to succeeding generations. The age of the press had not yet dawned, and the sole repositories of all Islam’s spiritual riches were the memories of the surviving scholars. Had these scholars engaged themselves in political confrontations with the rulers, all the treasures of Islamic thought and practice would have been buried along with them. In social matters, positive status quoism is thus an unalterable policy of Islam. It was by opting for this policy that the Prophet and his companions forged the great history of Islam which heralded a new era in all the religious and secular fields of human civilization. Unlimited Scope of Patience When Prophet Muhammad began his mission of tawhid (unity of God) in ancient Makkah, there existed as usual a status quo. The Quraysh had assumed the leadership of the town, and according to their beliefs, they had established an idolatrous system. Now the question arose as to how Prophet Muhammad should begin his work. It appeared that the status quo under the hegemony