Before lashing out, look within

Before lashing out, look within

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1993 9 September 7-8 Before lashing out, look within (612)

While the Prophet was in Mecca, ‘Abd aI-Rahman ibn ‘Auf, along with some friends, came to him. “We lived in honour when we were idolators”, they complained. “But now, with belief, has come disgrace.”

“Forgiveness has been enjoined on me”, replied the Prophet. “You are not allowed to fight against these people who disgrace you.”

This same event is mentioned in the Qur’an, in the chapter entitled “Women”, where it is said: “Have you not seen those unto whom it was said: ‘Withhold your hands, establish worship and pay the poor due (4:77). This verse has been explained in reliable commentaries of the Qur’an as meaning that the struggle which a believer wages within his own self, to bring his heart and soul in line with the teachings of Islam, comes before the struggle which he wages against disbelievers. (Tafsir Mazhari, Vol. II p. 165)

What the words of the Qur’an, “Withhold your hands and establish prayer,” convey to us is: Make inward preparations before resorting to outward action. The true essence of prayer is remembrance of God: “Establish prayer for My remembrance,’ says the Qur’an. In Islam, however, prayer has been given a form which establishes it as a complete training for life. Prayer strengthens a Muslim from within, consolidating his faith and preparing him to face the trials of life in true Islamic fashion. For this reason ‘Umar said that one who pays scant attention to prayer will be even less punctilious about other matters of moment.

In Islam, war is only justified in self-defence. The basic duty of a Muslim is not to fight, but spread the message of Islam. Peacefully and tactfully, he is required to call mankind to Truth. This is where the Islamic process begins, and here also does it end. There is no graduation from spreading the Word to taking up arms; only when their opponents refuse to desist from persecution are the Muslims allowed to fight against them.

But there is a condition attached even to defensive war, namely that Muslims should first have established prayer as a religious duty. What is prayer in its true sense? It is nothing less than a complete course of religious training. First the call to prayer is made, in which believers are invited to “come to salvation.” Leaving their daily tasks, the faithful hurry to the place of worship, and after cleansing themselves, join in the prayer. Time and time again during the prayer they repeat the words “God is great”, thus acknowledging how small they are in relation to Him. The Muslims join ranks for prayer, lining up behind one leader; no one breaks ranks, or goes his own way. When the prayer is completed, the worshipper, turning to both right and left, repeats a prayer of peace. In this way he demonstrates that his benevolence towards his fellow beings is so great that he feels he must pray for them.

It is not until prayer of this nature has been accepted, not only as a ritual, but as a heartfelt moral responsibility, that Muslims may feel entitled to go forth and conduct a holy war against disbelievers. Prayer is their best training course. Until they have completed it, there is only one thing to do in the face of persecution: show exemplary patience.

Those who call for war against infidels, before they have understood the true nature of prayer are not in any real sense adherents of the religion revealed by God. They are simply following some religion of their own invention. If they cannot, or will not grasp the necessity to change their ways, it will not be salvation that awaits them, but ruin.