02-The Quranic Horizons (April - June 1996)

"
Quarterly Journal of the Qur'an Academy

'The
April- J u n e 1996 I
Marhzi Anjaman Rhoddam-ol-Qor'm, Lahore (Pahiatan)

Patron: Dr. Israr Ahmad
Founder President
Mavkazi Anjumalz IUiuddam-ul-Qur'an, Lahove
Ameer Tanzeem-e-lslami
and
Da'ee Tnh~peek-e-IaiI~zfLzt,
l'ccki~tan
Chief Editor: Dr. Absar Ahmad

Associate Editor: Dr. Ahnled b a a 1
Advisory Editorial Board

l'rof. M. Saccd Sheilth Dr. Sayyid T d ~ i r
Mohammi~dAlrm IZhan R
Prof. .-H. Siddiqui
Allama S. Shabbir Rulthari Dr. Rafique Ahmad
Prof. Dr. M. A. I<. 1,odhi Prof. Dr. ICazi A. ICadr
Dr. IZhalid Alavi Prof. Manzoor ur Rahman
Dr. Mahboob A1iu-11IClnvajil Dr. Azim Ullah IChan
The Q~v'anicHorizons:
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Verily this Qur'an guides to the path that is most right (Al-Isra 17:9)
The Our'anic Horizons

- - -
Quarterly Journal of the Qur'an Academy
Vol. 1:No. 2
April-June 1996
Contents
The Spirit of Revolution
Dr. Ahmed Afzaal
The Objective and Goal of

Muhammad's Prophethood (SAAWS) - I1
Dr. Israr Ahmad
The Qur 'an and Riba

Sayyid Tahir
Islamic Revolutionary Thought and its Decline

Dr. Israr Ahmad
In Search of Knowledge
Farhan Onfar Shatnsi
The Spirit of Revolution
n our first editorial (The Qur'anic Horizons 1:1), we pointed out
thz significance of Pakistan in the context of the contemporary
global movement for Islamic revival and renaissance. There are,
indeed, a number of indications 'that Pakistan is destined to play a
pivotal role concerning the hture of Islam, and that Pakistan will have
the honor of leading the Muslim Ummah into an age characterized by
the domination of Islam. For instance, unlike the more or less
simultaneous movements launched against the yoke of Western
imperialism throughout the Muslim world, it was only in the Indian
subcontinent that the name of Islam was invoked. Furthermore, any
keen student of history can appreciate the veracity of the assertion
that, in view of the extremely unfavorable situation prevailing at the
time, the establishment of a separate homeland for Muslims in 1947
was nothing short of a miracle.
On a deeper level, it should be obvious to all believers that the
creation of Pakistan was in direct response to our firm and solemn
pledge to Almighty Allah (SWT) - the pledge that, in case we
succeed in gaining our much coveted freedom, we will establish the
Islamic System of Social Justice in this country. During the movement
for independence, we made public claims that we are going to create a
model Islamic state, that we are going to show the entire world the
true picture of Islam, and that we are going to demonstrate how the
Islamic ideals of human freedom, equality, and fraternity work in real
life.
What we have done during the last half century or so,

however, is a different story altogether. We have utterly and
completely failed to live up to our claims. We have done everythmg in
The Spirit of Revolution 3
this country except what we were supposed to. We have followed

every path except the one we should have. Instead of worshipping
~ h d ~ Allah
h t (SWT),
~ we have been paying our humble homage to
the goddess of wealth; instead of cultivating a sense of unity, we have
chosen the path of provincial parochialism and religious sectarianism;
and instead of establishing the Islamic System of Social Justice, we
have let the demons of exploitation and repression run amok. We, the
Pakistani Muslims, are hardly in a position to blame anyone but
ourselves for our sorry state of affairs. Some of us, because of their
position of authority or leadership, may have been more responsible
than others, but none of us is totally free from guilt.
Under the present conditions, there is only one course of
action that can lead to our salvation: Collective Repentance. What we
mean by a collective repentance is that the final aim of the endeavors
of a significant portion of Pakistani Muslims must undergo a radical
change - a change from their present preoccupation with the pursuit
of this-worldly goals to a similar preoccupation with the fplfillment of
their basic Islamic responsibilities. The prerequisite for any positive
change in the present scenario is that an appreciable segment of our
population must realize that obedience to the cornmandplents of
Almighty All& (SWT) and Prophet Muhammad (SAW), propagation
and dissemination of the teachings of the Qur'an and Hadith, and the
struggle to establish the politico-socio-economic system as given by
Islam are their fundamental and absolutely inescapable duties. All
those who thus realize their Divinely ordained obligations must be
welded together in the form of a disciplined and highly organized
party or Hizbullah. The establishment of the envisioned Islamic state
will be possible only through the efforts and sacrifices of such
dedicated people.
Consider the necessity of establishing a Hizbullah from

another perspective. Most of the problems tormenting the common
man in Pakistan are caused by' a widespread disregard for merit, lack
4 The Our'anic Horizons 1 :2
of a moral and ethical dimension in the poliey-making process,

institutionalized plunder of national resources, shameless denial of
basic necessities of life to the majority of the populace, total absence
of accountability, and collapse of the administrative. and legal
structure. It is clear that no one can correct all this by any amount of
minor adjustments and superficial reforms. So, what .is the way out?
Should we continue to allow ourselves to be fooled by the same old
cheaters? Or should we let ourselves be robbed by some new ones?
May be we should do nothing but wait for the arrival of a savior.
Of course, none of these are feasible ways of dealing with the
mess that is called Pakistan. What we really need is a radical change
in the entire politico-socio-economic structure, replacing this corrupt,
decaying, and unfair system with the Islamic System of Social Justice.
Such a system is to be based on the sovereignty of Almighty Allah
(SWT), and the implementation of the injunctions of the Holy Qur'an
and the Sunnah at all levels of the state, whether executive, judiciary,
or legislature. What is being proposed here is a modern, democratic,
welfare state where the elimination of all forms of social
discrimination, economic exploitation, and political repression will be
the primary objectives of the government. Keeping in view the
conditions prevailing in Pakistan, the implementation of such lofty
ideals is impossible without a Revolution.
What do we mean by a Revolution? A Revolution can be
defined as the bringing about of basic and radical changes in the
social, political, or economic systems dominant in a given country.
The most thorough revolution is one that involves transformation of
all of these aspects of collective human existence. Although the term
"Islamic Revolution" is rapidly becoming a hollow clich6 due ,to its
widespread abuse by politico-religious parties, the fact remains that
such a revolution is our only hope.
We believe that, in view of the evolution of social thought
during the last few hundred years or so, it is very much possible to
The Spirit of Revolution 5
change the entire system without resorting to b y armed rebellion or

terrorist activity. In contrast to the age of the Prophet (SAW), it has
now become possible to replace one system by another through a non-
violent and ina armed rebellion against the status quo. This idea is
based on the simple fact that even the most secure and the most firmly
established politico-socio-economic order will collapse when people
refuse their cooperation and persist in their disobedience and defiance.
Recent examples of the success of this Passive Resistance type of
non-violent insurgency include the popular uprising in Iran against the
Shah, the triumph of the "people power" against the Marcos
dictatorship in the Philippines, and the anti-Socialism movements in
' the former Soviet Union and East Europe.
However, before such a popular mass movement can be
launched in order to bring about an Islamic Revolution, a disciplined
and highly organized party or Hizbullah is needed to keep the whole
movement on the right track, consisting of totally dedicated volunteers
who have realized their Divinely ordained obligations and have
consciously decided that they have to live and die for the sake of
Islam.
Ur~i'ortunately,during the course of the long-standing political
and moral decline of the Muslin1 Ummah, the revolutionary nature of
the Islamic thought has gradually disappeared from our sight. One of
the aims before The Qur'anic Horizons is to recapture that
revolutionary spirit in order to pave the way for the establishment of
the envisioned Hizbullah. In this regard, readers will find a highly
significant discussion of some of the most fundamental issues in the
article "Islsunic Revolutionary Thought and its Decline." It may be
noted that this article is a translation of the preface of the Urdu book
Burr-e-Azeem-e-Pak-o-Hind main Islam kay Inqalabi Fikr ki Tajdeed-
o-Ta'meel by Dr. Israr Ahmad. We plan to publish the subsequent
chapters of this book in our future issues, Insha Allah.
Ahmed Afzaal
The Objective and Goal of
Muhammad's Prophethood (SAW)
In the light of the Holy Qur'an
(Part 11)
Dr. Israr Ahmad
(Trafitlated into English by: Dr. Absar Ahmad)
he truth may be recalled here once again that just as the

external motivators and instigators of good and evil have no
real power or authority over a human being - they only
motivate and inspire or tempt and seduce - the institution of
Prophethood also works only as an agent of advice and exhortation. That
is the reason why at most places in the Qur'an the function of prophets
and messengers of God has been described as "heralds of glad tidings"
and "warners" (Cf. e.g., Al-Kahf 1856). And the oft-used expression
employed for revelation and the Holy Book are zikr, zikra, and tazkira,
all derivatives of the root z-k-r, meaning to recall or to remind (a
forgotten truth). The following six quotations from the Holy Qur'an bear
this out:
Behold! It is We who have revealed this Reminder, and,

behold! It is We who shall truly guard it (from all corruption).
(Al-Hijr 15:9)
Ta Ha; We did not send down the Qur'an to you to make you
unhappy (or unsuccessful), but only as an Exhortation to all
who stand in awe of God. (Ta Ha 20: 1-3)
Nay, verily, these (revealed messages) are but a reminder
(Abas 80:11)
THUSoffering an Insight and a Reminder unto every human
Muhammad's Prophethood (SAW) - I1 7
being who willingly turns unto God (Qaf 50:8)

In this, indeed, there is a Reminder for anyone who has a
(wide-awake) heart, or who gives ear and listens with
attention (i.e., who listens with a conscious mind).
(Qaf 50:37)
And soi (0Prophet) exhort them; your task is only to exhort,
you cannot compel them (to believe). (Al-Ghashia 88:21,22)
Tazakkur and its derivatives are very significant Qur'anid terms
which mean recalling to mind the fundamental truths intuitively
recognized and apprehended by the primordial human nature Cfitrah). In
essence, tazakkur pertains to the (rirst stage in the comprehension of
Divine realities and meanings. It also alludes to the fact that the Qur'anic
teachings are not extraneous or alien to human nature. They actually
reflect the experiences of man's true inner self and are meant to awaken
reminiscences of something already apprehended but forgotten, rather
than to import something altogether new. God, in His infinite mercy, has
sent His messengers and Books in order to reinvigorate the innate ethical
perception of mankind and to facilitate moral choice and motivation.
The Holy Qur'an appeals to all thoughtful persons and men of
discernment and comprehension to think and ponder over the outer
universe of matter as well as the inner realm of the spirit, as both are
replete with the unmistakable signs of the Almighty Creator. Along with
these, it invites them to deliberate over the Divinely inspired verses or
ayaat (literally meaning the "signs of God", because they too turn man's
mind to the Almighty). In effect, this means that with the aid of the
Qur'an, full and intense awareness of the Absolute Reality springs up to
man's consciousness, just as a forgotten piece of memory rises up from
the depths of the psyche to the surface of conscious awareness.
The upshot of the ideas expressed in the above lines is that,

through the advent of prophets and revelation of Books, an external
witness for or against man has been established by Almighty God. On
the Day of Judgement, prophets and messengers - who were sent to
guide various communities or nations - will be brought forth as
8 The Qur'anic Horizons 1:2
prosecution witnesses against their own people.

(0 Muhammad, warn them of) the Day when We shall raise
up a witness from among every community to testify against
it, and We shall call you to testify against these people....
(Al-Nahl 16:89)
We have sent unto you a messenger to be a witness over you,
just as We had sent a messenger to the Pharaoh.
(Al-Muzzammil73:15)
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is told by the Almighty that he is

only a "warner" or a "reminder", and therefore "your task is only to
preach", and "you are not a warden over them." The vocation of
Prophethood, according to the Qur'an, is bearing witness to the Truth
before men, in this world as well as in the world-to-come. The following
Qur'anic verse substantiates it fully:
He has chosen you....so that the Messenger may be a witness
(to Truth) before you and you might bear witness (to it)
before all mankind. (Al-Hajj 22:78)
To sum up, the real mission and purpose of Prophethood is that,

through preaching, admonition, advice, greeting and warning, God's
chosen messengers may establish a peremptory hujjah (or argument) for
man's accountability. The cover term for the entire prophetic activities is
called shahada ala al-naas, i.e., bearing witness to the Truth before
mankind. And that was, therefore, the foremost md the primary purpose
of the advent of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), who is addressed thus in
the Qur'an:
0 Prophet, We have sent you as a witness, a bearer of good
news and a warner, and as one who summons (all men) to
God by His leave, and as a luminous lamp. (Al-Ahzab
33:45,46)
This means that, like all other prophets and messengers of God,
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was also a preacher, a moral and spiritual
mentor, a teacher, a warner, a bearer of glad tidings and a witness of
Truth. Even though each prophet of Almighty AUah (SWT) had his own
mark of distinction with regard to one or the other of these numerous

aspects of the prophetic call, the truth of the matter is that the loftiest and
most distinguished position among all the prophets is occupied by
Prophet Muhammad (SAW). However, with regard to his position as the
last and the final messenger of Almighty Allah (SWT), the splendour
and magnificence of the prophetic mission of Prophet Muhammad
(SAW) is particularly distinct and unique, as will be made clear in the
following section.
Characteristics of plenitude and completion in Muhammad's

Prophethood (SAW)
The most distinctive characteristic of the mission of the Holy
Prophet (SAW) has been brought out by the Qur'an at three places thus:
He it is Who has sent forth His messenger with the Guidance

(Al-Huda)and the True way of life (Deen al-Haq), to the end
that he make it prevail over all aspects of living... (Al-Tawba
9:33; Al-Fath 48:28; & Al-Saff 61:9)
The important point of which notice should be taken here is that

with respect to Prophet Muhammad (SAW), these words have been
repeated at three places in the Qur'an without the slightest change or
difference of construction, whereas these have not been revealed even
once for any other prophet or messenger.
The famous scholar and mystic of the Indo-Pakistan

subcontinent - Shah Waliyullah Dehlvi (1703-1762) - has made this
Qur'anic verse the subject of in-depth and extensive study in his book
Izalatul Khafa un Khilafatul Khulafa. He has described it as the most
important verse in understanding the purpose and mission of
Muhammad s Prophethood (SAW). Similarly, Maulana Ubaidullah
Sindhi (1872-1944) has taken this verse as the key for understanding the
global revolutionary manifesto of Islam.
A careful study of the verse reveals that Prophet Muhammad
(SAW) has been sent by Almighty God along with two items: (1) "Al-
Huda" or The Guidance, and (2) "Deen al-Haq" or the True Way of
Life (sometimes translated as "the religion of truth"). Let us study these
expressions more closely one by one:
Al- Huda
We would not be wrong to take the word in its wider literal
sense, but if we are to try and understand the term "Al-Huda" in the
light of numerous Qur'anic precedents, then it can only signify the Holy
Qur'an itself. This is because only this very Divine Book is "hudal lil-
muttaqeen" (guidance for the God-fearing; Al-Baqarah 2:2), as well as
"hudal lin-izaas" (guidance for the ordinary run of people; Al-Baqarah
2: 185). The meaning of "Al-Huda " is thus elucidated in the following
verses:
We have caused this (message) to be a light, whereby We
guide whom We will of Our servants. (Al-Shura 42:52)
Verily, this Qur'an guides to the path that is most right.
(Al-Isra 17:9)
(0 Prophet) Say: It has been revealed to me that a group of
jinn listened, then (returning to their folks) they said, "we
have indeedd heard a wonderful Qur'an, which guides to the
right way..," (Al-Jinn 72: 1,2)
This point is further reafirmed if we study the following verse

where the purpose of sending messengers has been described in these
words:
We sent Our messengers with clear instructions and bright
signs and sent with them (Our revealed) Book and the
Balance.. . (Al-Hadeed 57:25)
It is quite obvious that in this v-rse just as the word "al-
meezan" has been substituted for "Deen al-Haq ", similarly, "al-kitab"
has been used in place of the expression "al-Huda" used in the versc
under discussion. This proves the truth without an. iota of doubt that in
the context of Muhammad's Prophethood (SAW), "al-Huda" signifies
nothing else but Al-Qur'an.
Deen al-Hag
Whether we take the complex locution as a relational con~pound
and translate it as "Deen of Truth", or take it as a qualitative compound
and translate it as "True Deen" (as has been done by the majority of the
translators of the Holy Qur'an), its connol,ition and meaning remaill
essentially unchanged. "Deen al-Haq" means "Deen of Allah", because
the true faith and the true way of life can be none else but that which
comes from Almighty Allah (SWT). Similarly, the personilication of
"Haq" can be none other than Allah Himsell', its the Qur'an says:
This is because Allah is the Truth. (Al-Hqjj Z2:6)
On that Day (of Judgement) Allah will pay them in full their just due,
and they will come to know that Allah alone is the Ultimate Truth,
manifest and manifesting. (Al-Nur 24:25)
This clearly shows that "Deen al-Hag" is, in real import and
meaning, equivalent to "Deerz of Allah."
If we concentrate on the word "Deen", we come to know that in
Arabic language it connotes exactly what it means in Surah Al-Fatiha,
viz., recompense, which is, of course, rewards of the Paradise in case of
good deeds and torments ul' Hell-fire in case of bad ones. That explains
the fact why in the early surahs of the Makkan period the word "Deen." is
used in its core meaning of recompense; for instance:
Have you seen him who belies the rewards and punishments
of the Hereafter? (Al-Ma'un 107:1)
Therefore (0 Prophet!) who can belie you after this
concerning the rewards and punishments of the Hereafter?
(Al-Teen 95:7)
Nay, but they deny the rewards and punsihments of' the
Hereafter. (Al-Intitar 82:9)
In addition to Surah Al-Fatiha, the word "Deen" alongwith

"yaum" has appeared at twelve other places in the Qur'an and it
signifies the Day of Judgement and Final Reckoning.
Again, as recompense (both in the form of reward and
punishment) necessarily implies a law or code of conduct and its
observance, the connotation of the word "Deen" also extended from its
literal root meaning to a full-fledged Qur'anic term and initially meant
obedience and servitude. Consequently, we read twice the expression
"mukhlis sal lahud-din ", once the expression "muklzlis lahu-deeni ", and
six times "mukhlis seem lahud-din." And at all these places, it
invariably means total, unconditional and exclusive obedience and
submission to Almighty God. An element of intensity and emphasis is
added to it through the additional use of "haneefan" or "hunafa. " The
word "Deen", however, finally assumed the full richness of meaning
and implied a whole system of obedience, and servitude. The pivotal
position in this system of life is assigned to the person or being who is
taken to be the supreme nller and with reference to whom the detailed
practical commands are laid down. This meaning of "Deen" is amply
borne out by the following Qur'anic words:
Thus We supported Yousuf with Our plan; for under the
king's law, he would not have been (otherwise) able to detain
his brother. (Yousuf 12:76)
In the kingdom prevalent at that time in Egypt, the king was the
absolute sovereign and everybody submitted to his will. The Qur'an
speaks of this socio-political system as "deen al-malik. " Exactly in this
sense, it also speaks of "Deen Allah" - the Deen of Alrnihgty Allah
(SWT) - in the following verse:
When God's succour comes and victory (is attained), and you
see people entering the Deen of God in large groups. (Al-
Nasr 110:1,2)
This means that when Prophet Muhammad (SAW), after more

than two decades of strenuous struggle, succeeded in establishing in the
Arabian peninsula the system of life in which Allah (SWT) was accepted
Muhammad's Prouhethood (SAW) - I1 13
as the Supreme and Absolute Sovereign and people entered into this
faith in great numbers, it was referred to by the Holy Qur'an as "Deen
Allah. " From this perspective, it would not be inapproopriate to call the
modern political set-up of Democracy (in which, at least theoretically,
the people of a country are themselves the sovereign) as "deen a1
jamhoor. "
However, the Holy Qur'an also employs expressions in which
"Deen" is attributed to somebody other than God, and this should be
described as a metaphorical usage of the possessive pronoun/adjective,
e.g., "deeni " (my "Deen "), "dinukum" (your "Deen"), or "dinuhum"
(their "Deen"). This is obviousIy in the sense of the system or way of
life which one has accepted and adopted. This system of life and socio-
political governance, so to say, is a person's "Deen." In this very sense,
Islam is sometimes called "Deen of Muhammad"; e.g., in one of the
popular prayers we supplicate thus: "0 Lord, succour all those who
support and promote the Deen of Muhammad." Of course, Islam is
actually "Deen of Allah", but it is also Muhammad's Deen as it has been
revealed and given to mankind through Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
To sum up, "Deen Allah" is that system of belief and action
which is based on the basic premise of total, absolute and unconditional
subnlission to the commands of Almighty Allah (SWT). And this, in
fact, is the "al-meezan" - the Balance - which is the final and ultimate
form of Divine guidance for mankind. After progressing gradually
through the vicissitudes of history, Divine guidance finally culminated in
the most comprehensive and balanced system of life as revealed to
Prophet Muhammad (SAW). The Islamic way of life represents the ideal
system of social justice and equity wherein the duties and rights of all
are clearly laid down, "in order that the humanity may stick to, and
behave with, Justice."(Al-Hadeed 57:25)
The Wisdom in the Timing of the Last Prophet's Advent
A deeper consideration will reveal the truth that the point and
wisdom in the temporal location of the culmination of Prophethood and
imparting perfection to the revealed system of Life can also be
appreciated with reference to these two expressions viz., "al-Huda" and

"Deen al-Hag. " Indeed, the time of the advent of Prophet Muhammad
* (SAW) was the period of human history in which>humanitymoved from
infancy to mental maturity in two respects.

First, just before the appearance of Islam and its revealed Book,
man had reached rational maturity and had conceived and spelled out all
types of philosophies he could think of solely on the basis of his reason.
The late Professor Yousuf Salim Chishty (d.' 1984), a great scholar of
religion, philosophy, theology and mysticism, was of the opinion that
twelve hundred years, i.e., from 600 B.C to 600 C.E., is the span of
history in which human thought and intellect progressed from infancy to
mat~~rity. All major world religiolls as well as all of the influential
philosophical shcools appearccl cliil.~ngthis very period. Though, in later
centuries, physical sciences 11avc progressed trememdously and the range
of man's general information has expullded immensely, no essentially
new idea has been expressed in thc rcalm of metaphysical thought and
philosophy, and neither a new religion nor new thought-system or
philosophical school has appeared during that period. Ideas and thoughts
expressed in pompous phraseology in modem times are, in fact, nothing
more than echoes of older philosophies. Indeed, even though they are
wrongly presented as novel thoughts or fresh ideas of the most original
variety, they are, in reality, Like old wine in new bottles.
Now, if all this is true - and there is no ground whatsoever to
challenge this thesis - it becomes quite understandable that 7111 century
C.E was the most appropriate time for the revelation of the last Divine
Guidance in the form of Al-Qur'an for the whole mankind and for all
times to come. The protection of its text is guaranteed by Almighty
Allah (SWT) Himself, so that it could serve as a permanent source of
guidance in thought and action. That is the reason why the Qur'an
asserts the following very explicitly:
Say: If the whole of mankind and jinns were to gather
together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not
produce the like thereof, even if they backed each other with
help and support. (Al-Isra 17:88)
Muhammad's Pronhethood (SAW) - I1 15
And, time and again, it offered the whole mankind a challenge in these
words:
And if you are in doubt as to what We have revealed to Our
servant, then produce a surah like thereunto. (Al-Baqarah
2:23)
It is a pity that so far Qur'anic scholars have mainly focused on
the literary and stylistic beauties of the Holy Book and its linguistic and
rhymic excellences. Whatever scant attention was paid to the meanfig-
content of the Book was too, by and large, misguided and misconceived
in so far as either Aristotelian logic or half-baked scientiiic theories were
made paradigm of truth in the light of which attempts were made to
understand the Qur'an. Little did they realize that the Qur'an could not
possibly accept these ever-changng strait-jackets. The truth should be
clearly borne in mind that the Holy Qur'an is essentially "al-Hudu" and
its real magnificence lies in its guidance for thought and practical life;
and that it was given to man at a time when his independent thought, as
such, had reached its zenith and he had, so to say, attained mental
adulthood and maturity.
The second point of wisdom in the timing of the last Prophet's
advent seems to be the fact that the social consciouness of mankind had
also reached maturity in the 7th century CE, in that human polity had
experienced all the major evolutionary stages. After passing through the
social polities of tribal organization and city state, human life had
entered the phase of great kingdonls and empires. This, in fact, meant
that the hold and domination of socio-political system on huinan Life had
reached its lull intensity for the lirst time, and that man had begun to
face the vexed and multi-dimensional problems of human society and
collective life. Moreover, the time was about to usher in which humanity
had to encounter such unsolvable issues - as those of the Individual
versus Group, Man versus Woman, Capital versus Labour - and in the
solution of which human thought moved from one extreme to another,
dways adding to human travail and misery.
Therefore it was quite in the fitness of things that, at this satagc

of human history, Almighty Allah (SWT) bestowed upon man the most
balanced system of social justice and equity that was really "al-meezan"
and offered the best and the most excellent solutions for all the intricate
issues and problems of social existence. In all spheres of collective life -
social, economic, and political - the God-given system of life guided
humanity to the straight path and the most balanced middle way, putting
an end to social perversions or discrimination, economic exploitation
and political repression. And thus the sole purpose of sending prophets
and revelation of Books - which was to guide the people to live with
equity and justice - was fully realized in the advent of the Last Prophet
and a concrete example was set for all times to come through the
completion of the true faith, as the Qur'an says:
This day I have perfected your Deen for you, completed My
favour upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your
Deen. (Al-Mai'dah 5:3)
Now, let us take another step forward and try to understand the
meaning of the Arabic expression "le-yuzhira-hu" used in the Qur'anic
verse under discudsion. The literal meaning and connotation of the verb
"izhar" - to make dominant - is accepted by all scholars and experts of
Qur'anic sciences. However, there are more than one opinion in respect
of the subject and object of the verb "izhar", though these differences of
opinion cause no real change in the essential meaning of the verse.
According to some scholars, the subject of the verb "izhar" is

the same Being Who is also the subject of the verb "irsal" - to send -
i.e., Almighty AUah; in this case the translation would read: "He it is
Who has sent forth His messenger ... to the end that He, i.e., Almighty
Allah, make it prevail over all aspects of living..." Some others maintain
that the implicit subjective pronoun in the expression "le-yuzhira-hu"
refers to Prophet Muhammad (SAW), in which case the translation
would read: "He it is who sent forth His messenger ... to the end that he,
i s . , the Holy Prophet, make it prevail over all aspects of living..." Both
interpreters have taken recourse to finer subtleties of Arabic grammar in
Muhammad's Pro~hethood(SAW) - I1 17
support of their respective positions, but the question that clinches the
matter is this: What real difference does either position make in the over-
all purported intent of the verse? As Muslims, we all believe that the
final and real agent for all actions is none other than Almighty Allah
(SWT). Despite this basic metaphysical belief, all imperatives in the
Qur'an are directed and addressed to human beings living in the world of
facts, and it is incumbent upon them to leave no stone unturned in
performing their religious obligations. That is why we see that the Holy
Prophet (SAW) struggled very hard all through his prophetic career for
making Islam triumphant and dominant. That is to say, in the world of
objective facts, the Prophet had to carry out an extremely arduous
struggle for Islam at a purely human level, although we believe that the
ultimate and real causal agent of all actions is always Almighty Allah
(SWT). The Qur'an categorically asserts thus:
So the fact is that (0 Believers) you did not slay them but
Allah slew them, and (0 Prophet) you did not throw (the
sand) but Allah threw it. (Al-Anfal8:17)
Would those who are, through minor difference of interpretation
based on feeble arguments, trying to distort the whole concept of
religious obligations think about the far-reaching implications of their
standpoint! The truth of the matter is that, on the basis of a trivial point,
they have wrongly absolved themselves of the Qur'anic obligation of
making Islam dominant as a politico-socio-economic order in the world.
They should try to honestly consider as what would have happened if the
Holy Prophet and his Companions had taken the above quoted verse in
its apparent literal sense. Obviously, they would have forthwith given up
their struggle for the cause of Islam and the subsequent world history
would have been radically different from what it is. Moreover, would it
be possible for anyone of us to have embraced Islam, the true Divine
faith?
Indeed, we should always try to be on guard against the
seductive trappings of Satan, in particular his master deception that
causes us to see as superfluous, burdensome, or frightening that which is
really one of the basic obligations of all faithful. Is not the attitude of
18 The Qur'anic Horizons 1 :2
complacency exhibited by these misguided interpreters of the Holy

Qur'an identical with one depicted in the proverb "A bad workman
quarrels with his tools"?
The whole matter is quite clear to anyone who endeavours to
think with an unbiased mind. Surahs Al-Tawba, Al-Fath, and Al-Saff -
the three surahs which contain the verse under discussion - are all
concerned mainly with the subjects of Jihad (or struggle and effort) and
Qitaal (or armed conflict) in the cause of Almighty Allah (SWT). In
particular, Surah Al-Saff is entirely, from the beginning to the end, on
the theme of struggle and war in the way of Allah. And in this,
immediately after the verse under discussion, a clarion call has been
made in an extrememly motivating manner for Muslims to girdle up
their loins for the cause of Islam. First, the question is put to believers
whether they wanted themselves to be saved from grievous suffering.
And then it is said in clear and unambiguous terms that this can only be
achieved by undertaking the hard and arduous tasks of struggle and
armed strife in the way of Almighty Allah (SWT). The verses in full
read:
0 Believers ! Shall I point out to you a bargain that will save
you from grievous suffering? That you believe in Allah and
His Prophet, and that you strive (your utmost) in the cause of
Allah with your property and your lives; that will be best for
you if you but knew. (Al-Saff 61:10,11)
It is truly a wonderful bargain; what we are asked to give is so

little, what we are promised in return is so much - only if we knew the
eternal truth, and understood the comparative value of things - the
sacrifice of our fleeting pleasures and gains for Divine mercy and
forgiveness, His love, and eternal bliss. In reward of struggle and war in
the cause of Islam we get Almighty Allah's unbounded bounty and
munificence. Later in this surah, Almighty Allah (SWT) assures the
believers of victory in this world too. On top of it all, the believers who
endeavour for Islam with zeal and zest are regarded as helpers of Allah
(SWT) and the Prophet (SAW). If a man does not enter into this bargain,
he will not even rid himself of grievous suffering, let alone seek loftier
spiritual rewads and blessings.

This, in effect, means that the whole issue is quite simple and
understandable. Islam is Deen of Almighty Allah (SWT) and to make it
prevail in this world is essentially the duty of Prophet Muhammad
(SAW). Now, the acid test for the sincerity of a person who claims belief
in both of them - in Almighty Allah (SWT) and Prophet Muhammad
(SAW) - is whether or not he strive? his utmost in the cause of Islam
with all his energies, capabilities, wealth, and life. If he thus "helps"
Allah and His Messenger, he will attain eternal success and bliss.
Otherwise, he will face condemnation and torments of Hell-fire in the
life to come. This is stated very clearly in verse 25 of Surah Al-Hadeed,
part of which has already been quoted above. The translation of the full
verse is as follows:
We sent Our messengers with clear instructions and bright
signs and sent with them (Our revealed) Book and the
Balance in order that the humanity may stick to, and behave
with, Justice. And We sent down iron which has great
strength and other benefits for men. This has been done so
that Allah may know who helps Him and His messengers,
unseen. Sureley, Allah is Strong, Almighty. (Al-Hadeed
57:25)
Similarly, Surah Al-Saff ends with this call:

0 Believers, be helpers (in the cause) of God, even as Jesus,
the son of Mary, said to his disciples, "who will be my
helpers (in the cause) of God?' (Al-Saff 61: 14)
If one does not accept this immaculately clear view of the

Islamic obligation (regarding the struggle to establish the Deen of Allah)
based on self-explanatory propositions, he will do so at his own peril.
It may be mentioned here that there is a difference of opinion
about the referent of objective pronoun "hu" in the expression "le-
yuzhiru-fzu. " According tq some interpreters and exegetists of the
Qur'an, it refers to Prophet Muhammad (SAW), and, according to some
others, it refers to "Deen ul-Haq. " Again, this makes no real difference
in the meaning and import; the victory of the Prophet is not to be taken
as his personal or his clan's or tribe's victory. Rather, it means the
dominance and triumph of the Faith which he preached tirelessly, and
established, in letter and spirit, throughout the whole of the Arabian
peninsula.
Alad-deeni Kulli-hi
This expression of the Qur'anic verse has been variously
translated as "over all false religions" and "over all Deen." It is quite
significant that the plural form of the noun "Deen" - which is
"Adiyyan" - has not appeared in the whole of Qur'an even once.
Moreover, the emphasis connoted by the expression "kulli-hi", in
addition to the verse already noted, appears at only one other place in the
Holy Qur'an, as follows:
And fight against them until there is no more oppression and
all Deen belongs to Allah alone. (Al-Anfal 8:39)
Here, to translate "Deen" in the plural as "Adiyyan" will be

quite wrong; to say that all religions can belong to God is an utter
travesty of truth, whereas directing and devoting all sincere worship and
obedience to One Almighty is an important Qur'anic theme which has
been expressed repeatedly in nearly identical words. With this
significance of the locution "Deen" in mind the real import of the verse
under discussion becomes very obvious; that is, the purpose of the
advent of the Last Prophet (SAW) is that he should make the Deen of
Allah donunant over the whole way of life and with regard to all
collective institutions. One can therefore translate this part of the verse
as "...to the end that he make it prevail over the entire Deeri, i.e., over all
aspects of living...."
It is important at this juncture to understand logically and
rationally as to why establishing "Deen" or making it dominant was at
all essential. This was for two reasons:
First, "Deen" by its very nature demands its establishment and

domination over all the spheres and institutions of life. A way of life -
particularly one based on total submission to God Almighty - is

meaningless and contradictory if it is not implemented and put in
practice. This by itself makes "Deen" quite radically different from a
mere religion in the conteinporary Western sense of the word.
A religion is, in fact, a fragmentary or a partial affair and can
exist under any "Dee~z", which is identifiable with the dominant
politico-socio-economic order of a given land. At the time when Islam
was dominant as a "Deerz", we find that Christianity, Judaism,
Zoroastrianism, Hinduism and Buddhism survived under its domination
as religions, and their followers were forced to accept the Qur'anic
ii?junction "... they agree to pay the exemption tax (jizia), and remain
hun~bled."(Al-Tdwba 9:29). Sinlilarly, reduced and attenuated to the
status of a private afl'air, Islam existed during the Colonial era as a mere
religion.
"Deen ", on thc other hand, is a total and integrated whole, and it
has no reality or efticacy until it is practised in toto and held supreme
over all spheres of life, including that of the political authority itself. As
a matter of common sense, two digrent "Deens" - that is to say, two
different politico-socio-econoinic systems - can never co-exist; thus,
the co-existence of Monarchy and Democracy or Capitalism and
Communism on a par with each other in the same country is just not
possible. However, their co-existence is conceivable oilly in case one of
them maintains its authority as the dominant system of the country,
while the other yields and allows itself to be reduced to the level of a
ritualistic and non-assertive religion.
I11 respect of the difference between religion and "Deen ", two
points should be clearly borne in nlind: (1) the Arabic word for religion
is "mndhnb", whlch has not been used at all in the Qur'an, nor has it
been used in the whole corpus of Haditlz in its present commonly
understood meaning. It came to be used much later quite rightly to
connote various schools of juristic thinking, e.g., Hanbali rnadlznb,
Maleki i?~adhab,Ha~zafirnadlzab, etc, which are in reality branches or
developmental variants of that part of the faith of Islam that deals with
law or Shari'ah. (2) Though, in matters of details, the revealed law or
the Shari'ah given to Prophet Musa (AS) and Prophet Muhammad
(SAW) shows numerous points of divergence, yet the essentials of
"Deen" have remained identical right from Prophet Adam (AS) down to
Prophet Muhammad (SAW). This point is elucidated by the following
Qur'anic verse:
The same Deen has been ordained for you as that which He
enjoined on Noah, the one which We have sent by inspiration
to you (0Prophet), and that which We enjoined on Abraham,
Moses, and Jesus: namely, that they should establish this
Deen and make no divinsion therein. (Al-Shura 42: 13)
The second reason why the establishing of the Deen of Allah is

so vital is this: irrespective of its excellence and instrinsic worth, a given
system of life will never rise above the level of a fantacy or a daydream
unless it is established in the world of reality so that everyone can see its
merits, instead of just hearing and reading about them. For Prophet
Muhammad (SAW), the actual establishment of Islam's dominance over
all social structures and institutions was essential to prove its viability
and practicability; otherwise even this matchless and most outstanding
system of life would have been take; as a mere utopia. And surely,
utopias never convince people at large. The Prophet's duty of furnishing
a "Witness to the Tmth'' for people and leaving them no excuse of
ignorance would have remained undischqged until the whole politico-
socio-economic system of Islam - including its law or Shari'ah - were
translated into concrete facts. That is why the Holy Prophet (SAW) and
his Companions (RAA) endeavoured to their fullest in their strenuous
struggle to achieve the domination of Islam, which blossomed and
flourished during the period of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. In this
golden era of pristine Islam, the ideal moral values preached so far only
in sermons - values like human freedom, fraternity and equality - were
turned into real and objective facts, and this feat has been authentically
recorded in history and acknowledged by world historians.
H. G. Wells, the eminent British author and historian who
otherwise shows disrepect and insolence towards the personal life of
Prophet Muhammad (SAW), acknowledges in his A Concise History of

the World that although high-sounding and idealistic sermons were
frequently delivered in favour of values like human freedom, fraternity
and equality, no attempt was ever made to put them in practice; the
moving sermons of Jesus of Nazareth being a case in point. According to
Mr. Wells, it was Prophet Muhammad (SAW) who, for the first time in
human history, established an actual social order based on these high
moral values. Thus, we see that even an enemy of Islanl is forced to
acknowledge the marvelous superiority of the prophetic career of our
Holy Prophet (SAW), not only in the capacity of a preacher and a
sermonizer but also as the architect par excellence of the Islamic polity.
It was this success of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and his
devoted Companions (RAA) - in establishing Islam as a "Deen" -
which proved the fact that all the higher abstract values can indeed be
put into practice. In the family system, it was shown how women can
have a status of high respect and dignity and enjoy their rights even
though an administrative authority was given to the husband. In the
political setup, it was proved that the individual's complete Ereedom of
speech and criticism can co-exist side by side with strict political
regimentation and discipline, as well as with all the demands of justice.
On top of this, it was shown that, in the economic sphere, private
ownership and personal initiataive are perfectly compatible with smooth
circulaltion and equitable distribution of wealth. Without accomplishing
all this in practice, a conclusive proof would not have been established in
favour of the Islamic way of life for the men of the age'that began with
the advent of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
Just think of any good or social value, and you will find it
realized supremely and in the most balanaced form in the system of life
established by the Holy Prophet fourteen centuries ago. Indeed, one feels
that in the realm of social justice and equity, human thought and
endeavour has throughout only tried to reach near or approximate to the
lofty ideals set by the Prophet's revolutionary struggle, and in no sense
surpass them. That is the reason why in the present century, during the
freedom struggle for India, the Hindu leader Mr. Gandhi asked his co-
nationals to keep before themselves the models of the governance of Abu

Bakr and Umar (and not' those of Rarnayana and Maha Bharata, or
Bikrama Jeet and Chandra Gupt Moria). Gandhi expressed these
thoughts in his own magazine Harijan in 1937 at the time when
ministries were formed for the first time in British India, and since
Muslim League had boycotted the 1936 elections, the Congress had
formed ministerial cabinets throughout the Indian subcontinent.
The completion of Divine guidance and finality of Muhammad's
Prophethood logically necessitated that he, in addition to variegated
missionary and soul-purifying and character-building activities, organize
a revolutionary party of highly committed and dedicated men, and that,
after defeating all forces of evil, actually establish and operationalize the
Deen of Allah in its totality. This constitutes the summatory character of
Prophet Muhammad's mission which assigns to him a unique and
privileged status in the galaxy of Divine messengers.
The Leader of Revolution
We will no doubt be guilty of irreverence if we consider Prophet
Muhammad (SAW) comparable to other leaders of historical revolutions
in the world. But, nevertheless, it is a fact that no one in the entire
human history deserves the title of "leader of revolutiony' more than
Prophet Muhammad (SAW). This is because all revolutions witnessed by
mankind - including the French and the Bolshevik Revolutions - were
partial and imperfect, as they affected only some part of the collective
human existence. Thus, the French Revolution brought change in the
political structure and the form of government, while the Bolshevik
Revolution mainly changed the economic setup of Russia. On the other
hand, the Islamic Revolution of the 7th century C.E was a total and
absolute transformation which affected all aspects of life. Everything
changed. Right from the basic metaphysical beliefs to the ethical value-
structure, from the eating and drinking habits to the dynamics of
interpersonal relations, from the rites and rituals for worship to
ceremonies and customs, and from the social setup and economic system
to the political order and statecraft - all underwent radical changes.
Indeed, this was a Revolution in the t n ~ esense of the word.
The Revolutionary Struggle

The endeavor and struggle of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to
bring about the Islamic revolution too was unique and unparalleled in the
entire human histoy, in so far as all the variegated stages of the
revolutionary process wcre completed in one n~arl'slife span. There is on
other instance in world history in which a propounder of a revolutionary
ideology - starting from theoretical disse~llinationand going through all
the phases of organization, passive resistance, challenge, and armed
conflict - successfully brought about a revolution. This, in fact, is the
most remarkable feat of our beloved Prophet (SAW) that, starting the
mission of making Islam dominant from his individual self, he
estabIished the "Kingdom of Heaven on earth" within a brief span of
twenty three years (of lunar calender) so that Islam was practiced in its
totality, both in letter and in spirit, throughout the length and breadth of
the Arabian peninsula.
Now, we would like to discuss two important points which link
up with ideas presented in the above lines. The first point is about the
short-sightedness and errorneous judgement of Western shcolars vis-A-
vis the revolutionary struggle of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), while the
other relates to the ummatic obligation of Muslims with regard to
completing the mission of the Holy Prophet.
The Misconception of Western Writers

The Western "scholars" of lslaln and the orienlallists who have
published a number oS books on the life-history of the I-Ioly Prophet
(SAW), have generally erred in their over-all assessnlent of the Prophetic
nlission.
The main reason for their misunderstanding is that they did not
at all appreciate the cullllilratoy and stlnlnlato~y character of his
prophetic nlission. They do have a vague notion of the basic and primaly
objectives of the prophetic call, and hence thcy feel that a prophet may at
best be a preacher, :r,a mentor, a teacher, a reformer and a Warner. But as
they are not clcar about the finality of Prophethood and the summatory
character of Prophet Muhammad's mission, thcy cannot possibly
. imagine a prophet as a statesman, a commander of fighting armies, and

an administrator. They just cannot swallow the fact that Prophet
Muhammad (SAW) performed all the above mentioned functions, that he
was both a preacher and a statesman. Finding it difficult to reconcile
mentally all the capacities of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), some openly
repudiated his Divine messenger-ship and only acclaim him to be a great
leader. Others had recourse to very naive and foolish theses.
Thus, in the words of Dr. Michael Hart, "he prophet
Muhammad] was the only man in history who was supremernly
successful on both the religious and secular levels." Arnold Toynbee
maintains that "Muhammad failed as a prophet and succeeded as a
statesman." Montgomery Watt speaks of the Prophet as "one of the
greatest sons of Adam", but, unable to harmonize the "secular" with the
"religious", he has, very wrongly, divided the life of Prophet Muhammad
(SAW) into two disparate and disjointed phases, hence the titles of his
two books are "Muhammad At Makkah" and "Muhammad At
Medinah. " The insinuation here is that the personality of the Prophet at
Makkah was entirely different from his personality at Medinah. All this,
in fact, is the result of a fundamental misconception regarding Prophet
Muhammad's Divinely ordained mission as the last of all prophets.
The Ummatic Obligation of Muslims

The vital question that a true Muslim must ask himself is this:
Did Prophet Muhammad (SAW) himself fulfill the prophetic mission
assigned to him by Allah (SWT) completely and in all respects? Or has
that mission to be continued and carried out by Muslims to its
completion at the global level? If we concede the turth projected in the
latter question, can we really accomplish this gigantic task merely by
celebrating annually the prophet's birthday with devotion and fervor and
by eulogizing his life and character traits? The right answer to this is
definitely in the negative.
We Muslims must understand very clearly the all-important
corollary of the belief.in the Finality of Prophethood with the advent of
Muhammad (SAW). That the institution of Prophethood has reached its
Muhammad's Pro~hethood(SAW) - I1 27
zenith means that there will be no more prophets, and, therefore, the
responsiblity for the task executed by the chain of prophets has now been
placed on to the shoulders of the Muslim Ummah. In respect of both
types of duties - those pertaining to the basic purpose of Prophethood,
which is preaching, and those related to the consummatory nature of
Muhammad's Prophethood, which is establishing the Deen of Allah in
its totality - the responibility lies with those who take pride in
belonging to the Muslim Ummah and who adore and eulogize the Holy
Prophet.
All convinced and committed Muslims must realize that, since
after Prophet Muhammad (SAW) there is going to be no prophet for the
guidance of mankind, Prophet Muhammad's mission has Iherrelvrc
acquired the following two-fold direction and significance. Firstly, hc is
the Messenger of Almighty Allah (SWT) to his contemporary Arab
people (in particular) and, secondly, he is also the Messenger to the
entire humanity till the end of the world (in general). It is stated quite
clearly in the Holy Qur'an (Al-Jum'ah 62:2,3) that the Prophet (SAW)
was sent unto both the unlettered people (urnmiyeen) and unto all the
people belonging to other lands and future times (akhereen). The latter
aspect of Muhammad's Prophethood stresses the universality and
timeless validity of all that was revealed to him. In a sermon already
referred to, the Holy Prophet (SAW) addressed his audience thus:
Verily, I am God's Messenger unto you people in particular

ind unto all mankind (of other lands and of future times) in
general. (Cf. Sermons of the Holy Prophet, reproduced in
Nahjul Balagha)
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) executed and fully achieved the

target envisaged by the more immediate or ccparticularized"aspect of the
call in his own life time, through the myriad activities of
preaching and disseminating the Truth as well as persistent active
/
struggle and even armed conflicts, in making Islam the supreme and
dominant force in all of the Arabian peninsula. In this struggle, the Holy
Prophet (SAW) and his Companions (RAA) had to put up with all sorts
28 The Our'anic Horizons 1:2
of opposition, verbal and physical persecution, slander and mental

anguish, conspiracies and armed attacks, vilifications and disinformation
campaigns. Prominent landmarks in this arduous struggle include the
confinement in the Sheb of Bani Hashim, the extrernly insulting
treatment and physical assault in Ta'if, the ordeal of hiding in the cave of
Thaur while the Prophet and his Cornanion Abu Bakr were chased by the
Quraysh, the migration to Medinah, and the battles of Badr and Uhad
and Khyber and Tabuk; the Holy Prophet (SAW) was forced to see
hundreds of his devoted and cherished Companions martyred in this
struggle, including Mus'ab Ibn Umair and Harnza (May God be pleased
with them). But without faltering a bit, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and
his Companions (RAA) endured all the hardships and tribulations with
patience and persevarence, and continued to work persistently for the
exection of the Divinely ordained mission, until Islam gained
ascendancy in all walks of life and the Qur'anic values and laws were
implemented at all levels.
The climax and finale of the prophetic mission came at the
pilgrimage performed by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in 9 AH, when he
addressed a mammoth gathering of Muslims at the Hajj Congregation
and asked them whether he had fully transmitted to them the Truth. In
reply, all testified that he had indeed communicated the Truth, that he
had conscientiously discharged the duty entrusted to him by Almighty
Allah (SWT), and that he had worked for their spiritual well being in the
best possible manner. Only a few months later the Holy Prophet (SAW)
left this world for the Heavenly abode. Now, in the light of the following
Qur'anic verse:
He has chosen you ....so that the Messenger may be a witness
(to Truth) before you and you might bear witness (to it)
before all mankind. (Al-Hajj 22:78)
the execution of the prophetic mission at the global level is the
obligation of the Muslim Ummah as a whole. In the pursuance of this
very objective the noblest of the Prophet's Companions, i.e., the four
Rightly Guided Caliphs, carried the banner of Islam on his behalf to the
wide world outside the Arabian Peninsula. Indeed, Islam reigned
supreme in its pristine excellence on a vast area of the then civilized

world, and the obligations of witnessing to the Truth before mankind,
preaching the message of Almighty Allah (SWT) and making Islam
dominant as a system of life were discharged with utmost dedication for
almost three decades. Thereafter, the "Deen" of Allah experienced a slow
and gradual decline till it reached its lowest ebb in the first quarter of the
present century.
Starting as an ideology believed in by a handful of people, Islam
became the rock-bottom foundation of a whole world civilization. Now
it has been reverted back to a position in which very few Muslims
genuinely and whole-heartedly adhere to its dictates. We have, however,
seen that Almighty Allah (SWT) demands of us a struggle and persistent
endeavour to re-establish the link between faith and power, bringing both
of them into a single unified whole.
So let us passionataely involve ourselves in our society to do His
will, and still more passionately let our hearts yearn for His pleasure. Let
the life of the Prophet energize our ambitions and priorities. Let his
message be our message, let his conduct be our conduct, and let his
goals be our goals. Let nothing motivate us but an intense longing to
please our Lord in the world to come, and let this expectation and desire
give a dicisive impetus to our life in this world.
The hope of meaningful future must make us bold enough to
confront the risks and endure thc pains that lie in living by God's will.
We, as Muslims, have but one option: to strive to change the world to
conform to the model given to mankind by Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
Any other choice will only betray our hypocrisy.
Concluded
The Qur'an and Riba
Sslyyid Tahir
he word riba occurs in the Qur'an in ayaat 275, 276 and 278
of Surah Al-Baqarah, 130 of Ad-eImran, 161 of Al-Nisa, and
39 of Al-Room. Traditionally, these ayaat are studied in their
textual order. Thus the analysis of riba starts with a tafseer of the ayaat
of 4-Baqarah. Two things are noteworthy in this regard: (a) there is an
enblock discussion of Al-Baqara 2:275-281, and (b) virtually all matters
relating to riba and interest are discussed at length and concluded here.
The issues arising out of the ahadith on riba are also covered. With the
iinal conclusions thus drawn, the ayaar of Aal-e-Imran, Al-Nisa, and Al-
Room get progressively less and less attention from the scholars.
This paper offers a break from the above tradition. It follows a
chronological approach to study the ayaat on n'ba. That is, the various
ayaat are studied in their order of revelation. Some obvious advantages
of this approach are as follows. First, it can improve our understanding
of the general background and the circumstances in which these ayaat
were revealed. Second, it may bring to the fore the various developments
in the process of the elimination of riba during the lifetime of Prophet
Muhammad (SAW). Third, it clarifies the total picture about the
injunctions of n'ba. As may be seen, all these points are essential for a
proper interpretation of the injunctions of riba in the Qur'an and Suiznah.
The Qur'an is the spoken Word of Alrnighty,Allah (SWT). It has
many chapters, sections, paragraphs and sub-paragraphs. Thus, it is
essential that every ayah should be read along with its companion ayaat
The author is Professor of Ecoilomics at the International Institute of Islamic
Economics, International Islamic Uni~~ersity, Islamabad.
The autl~oris gratell to ~ t i ~f a h e e dand Hakeemullal~Khan for their help in
the preparation of this paper.
Qur'an and Riba 31
in order to fully understand the message in the Qur'an. Looking at an

ayah or a pair of ayaat in isolation may be okay, but it is certainly not
ideal. This study, unlike other works on riba, also draws the readers'
attention to complete passages in which the various ayaat occur.
In the English translation of the various ayaat, the punctuation is
chosen to communicate the message of the Qur'an for .the non-Arabic
speaking audience. The goal of comparison with the original text is
addressed by inserting the ayah number in the translation at appropriate
places.
This paper has a limited objective, namely how to understand
the various ayaat per se. Due to space limitations, the issues of
definition of riba, relation between the ayaat on riba and the ahadith on
the subject, and so on, are not discussed here. However, some references
to these matters are given in the final section of the paper.
I. The First Revelation on Riba

The first revelation on riba is Al-Room 30:39, bhich is a Makki
Surah. According to Maulana Abul A'ala Maududi (Tajheem-ul-Qur'an,
Vol. 3, pp. 726-7), its time of revelation is 5 years before the Hijrah of
the Prophet (SAW).
Maulana Arnin Ahsan Islahi (Tadabbur-e-Qur'an, V01.6, pp. 90-
100) notes that the ayah 39 is a part of the message starting with the
ayah 30.' In this ayah the Prophet (SAW) and, by implication, all
Muslims are advised to become singleminded about Islam as the way of
life. For this purpose, the suggested line of action is (i) development of
Allah-consciousness (Al-Room 30:31), (ii) extreme caution against shirk
- attributing partners to Allah (SWT) (Al-Room 30:31-32), (iii)
establishment of Salat (Al-Room 30:31), (iv) spending on one's near-
relatives, the destitute, and the wayfarer (Al-Room 30:38), and (v)
caution against riba (Al-Room 30:39). In this perspective, the ayah 39
reads as follows.
And the riba-based investments on your part, in order to

increase your wealth on the basis of other people's (i.e., the
borrowers') assets, do not increase from the point of view of
Allah. However, rest assured about the acceptance of what
you give by way of Zakat for the sake of Allah; those who
give Zakat are the ones whose net worth increases manifold
with Allah. (Al-Room 30:39)
This ayah is a complete message in itself. It contains an indirect
reference to the undesirability of riba. In it, the word riba appears in the
perspective of lending, and Zakat in the general sense of sadaqaat or
infng - charitable and other expenditures for the sake of Allah (SWT).
Recalling that in the Makki period the foundations of the Islainic society
were being laid down, this communication style and the implied
guidelines served this purpose very well.
11. The Second Revelation on Riba

The specific ayah on this occasion is Al-Nisa 4:160; its
con~panionayaat are Al-Nisa, 161 and 162. According to Maulma Arnin
Ahsan Islahi (Tadabbur-e-Qur 'an,Vol. 2, pp.4 15-26), these ayaat are a
part of Al-Nisa 4:153-162. The circumstances at the time (e.g., the
expulsion of Bani Qainqa' from Madinah in Shawwal 2 A.H) and the
text of these ayaat imply that they were revealed quite early in the
Madani period.
In Al-Nisa 4:153-162, Allah's kalaam (Word) is in response to a
provocation by the Ah1 al-Kitaab (the Jews of Madiniah in this case)
whereby they sought through the Prophet (SAW) the revelation of a book
directly from the Heavens exclusively for themselves. Almighty Allah
(SWT) did not respond to this request, but observed that they belonged
t o the same lot who wanted t o seem Him (SWT) during
Qur'an and Riba 33
thetime of Prophet Musa (AS), and then went to disobey Him (SWT)
time and again. After this, Allah (SWT) recounts the major crimes of the
Jews, which invited His wrath on them. In this perspective, the ayah 160
and its companion ayaat 161 and 162 are as follows.
We (i.e., Allah) decreed many a previously permitted things

haram for the Jews, because: i) they did ~ u l m ii) ; ~ they
stopped others from the Way of Allah in virtually all matters
(Al-Nisa 4:160); iii) they charged riba despite being
forbidden to do so; and iv) they ate into the wealth of others
without any Shari'ah justification. And, We have prepared a
painful doom for these disobedient persons (Al-Nisa 4:161).
However, We will give a great reward to those (among the
Jews) who are clear-minded about the truth, without a grain
of doubt, and who believe in the Qur'an and all other
Revealed Books, establish Salat, give Zakat and believe in
Allah and in the Day of Judgement. (Al-Nisa 4: 162)
These ayaat are self-explanatory. Though their immediate addressees

were the Jews of Madinah, in the general style of the Qur'an they are
also meant to bring the likes and dislikes of Allah (SWT) to the attention
of the Muslims.
HI.The Third Revelation on Riba

This revelation consists of Aal-e-Imran 130-136. Among these
ayaat, the ayah 130 is the principal. ayah, and the remaining six ayaat
reinforce its message. According to Maulana Arnin Ahsan Islahi
34 The Qur'anic Horizons, 1:2
(Tadabbur-e-Qur'an,Vo1.2, pp. 167-234), these ayaat were revealed, as

a part of Aal-e-Irnran 3:121-200, after the battle of Ohad that took place
in Shawwal3 A.H. These ayaat are as follows.
P , 1 DO,, .5 * 1 .4 8 ' 5 r,
0 j X - i ; l&~$l,~-,J, 'dl Y!"jJJI,+,A,
(\?~-\YI : ? JT)
0 Believers, don't eat riba on top of riba4 And, be afraid of

Allah so that you may be successful (Aal-e- Imran 130). And,
be afraid of the fire of Hell, which is prepared for the
disobedient (Aal-e-Imran 131). And, obey Allah and the
Messenger (SAW) so that you may benefit from Allah's
Mercy (Aal-e-Irnran 132). And, rush toward the forgiveness
of your Lord and the Paradise whose boundary spans the
heavens and the earth; it (the Paradise) is prepared for the
Allah-conscious. (Aal-e-Imran 133)
(As to who are the Allah-conscious, note that) They are the
people who spend for the sake of Allah in both good and bad
times, who control their temper and who forgive others.
Surely Allah holds such mohsineen very dear (Aal-e-Imran
134). Moreover, they are the ones who, in the event of
committing any mistake or anything against their Al-Akhiralz
interests, remember Allah and seek His forgiveness for their
sins. After all, who is it except Allah who can exonerate
failings? Furthermore, they are the people who do not insist
on their mistakes knowingly. (Aal-e-Irnran 135)
Qur'an and Riba 35
They (the Allah-conscious people) will be rewarded by their

Lord with forgiveness and gardens, with streams flowing
underneath, to live (forever). This is indeed an excellent
reward (waiting) for those who do good. (Aal-e-Irnran 136)'
Starting with the ayah 121, the entire.text of Surah Aal-e-Irnran,
including the ayaat 130-136, is a commentary on the events of the battle
of Ohad and its aftermath6 Just on the way to the battlefield, the chief of
rnunafeqeen (hypocrites) Abdullah Ibn Obaee and his followers deserted
the Islamic forces. During the battle too, the Muslims went through
extremely trying moments. Allah (SWT) used this battle to serve three
important purposes in the favour of this Ummah. First, the isolation of
those who harboured any misgivings about Islam, namely the
munafiqeeiz (), from the mainstream of the Muslims. Second, bringing to
fore the 'secret desires and designs of the munafiqeen and other
adversaries of Islam in Madinah by creating a false impression of Islam's
vulnerability. And third, identification of the potential sources of
weakness in the ranks of the Muslims in order to prepare them for future
responsibilities.
In the background of the battle of Ohad the ayah 130 and its
companion ayaat can be seen in many ways.7 Maulana Amin Ahsan
Islahi (Tadabbur-e-Qur'an, Vo1.2, pp. 173-4) notes that the ayaat just
preceding the ayah 130 were aimed at inspiring the belivers for Jihad.
The ayaat 130-136 were meant to prepare the Muslims for infaq
(material sacrifices) in connection with Jihad. Allah (SWT) did so by
first prohibiting riba which, u~llikeinfaq, is a materially beneficial
proposition for the wealthy. Then the belivers were aroused for infaq in
the ayah 134.
Maulana Muhammad Idris Kandhalvi (Ma'arif-ul-Qur'an,
Vol.1, pp. 577-80) takes a different view. According to him, the
disbelievers of Makkah used to do ribawi business, and they utilized the
proceeds of the caravan that came from Syria (on the eve of the battle of
Badr) to finance the battle of Ohad. In this perspective, Allah (SWT)
advised the Muslims to stay away from ribawi business even if it were to
finance a battle against the disbelivers.
There is no doubt that the above purposes were served by these
ayaat. But, in fact, there was more to the matter. Though the ayaat 130-
136 were revealed along with the other above-mentioned ayaat of Surah
Aal-e-Irnran, they constituted the formal prohibition of riba for the
. Muslims. This point is also confirmed by internal evidence in Surah Al-
Baqarah 2:275. In this ayah AUah (SWT) declares using past indefinite
tense that -bail (trading) was permitted but nba prohibited by Him
(SWT). And, if one looks for this past decree on riba, it is in Surah Aal-
e-Imran 3:130. As to why Allah (SWT) decreed the prohibition of nba
immediately after the battle of Ohad, a few points in this regard are as
follows. Allah (SWT) knows the best.
- The battle of Ohad was preceded by 13 years effort on faith- and
character-building of Prophet's Companions in Makkah, and a similar
endeavor for 3 years in Madinah. By the time this battle was over, the
Companions had gone through two thoroughly rigorous and demanding
tests: one was that of the battle of Badr (Ramadan 2 A.H) and the other
was of the battle of Ohad. The credentials of the Companions of the
Prophet (SAW) as true believers - who could withstand all temptations
and tribulations just for the Pleasure of Allah (SWT) - were fully
established. Islam was to expand after the battle of Ohad too. More trials
were still awaiting the Muslims. But nothing Like the tribulations faced
by the pioneering Companions (RAA) were to come in the way of the
new sahabah.
In the above background, one may claim that the Madani society
was literally purified at the time of the battle of Ohad. Moreover, it was
at a critical juncture when unconditional obedience of Allah (SWT) and
His Prophet (SAW) by the believers could be taken for granted. This
was, therefore, the most opportune moment for the revelation of major
injunctions calling for staying away form material gains by the believers.
Another equally important factor behind <theearly prohibition of

riba is as follows. Salat, Saum, Zakat, and Hajj were prescribed and
perfected during the blessed lifetime of the Prophet (SAW). The problem
of riba with the associated declaration of all-out war by Allah and His
Qur'an and Riba 37
Prophet (Al-Baqarah 2:279) called for a similar treatment. Elimination of

riba required delineation of the contours of the Islamic economic system
while the Prophet (SAW) was among his Companions (RAA).
Prohibition of riba also meant giving way to a radically different
system for mutual contracting, especially for mobilizing resources from
those with surplus funds to those in need of financial intermediation.
Anyone who is familiar with legislation processes would confirm that
such a monumental task could not be done in a short period. This
required sufficient time during which most of the practical problems
could come to fore and be satislkctorily resolved by Allah (SWT) and
His Prophet (SAW). The time-consuming nature of the job required an
early start.
In short, the right frame of mind of the Companions (RAA) and
the time required for the building of new institutions may be construed
as the main explanations for the prohibition of riba by the end of 3 A.H,
as per Aal-e-Imran 130.
The Arabic words used to describe the prohibition of riba refer
to "eating" of riba not "taking" or "charging" n'ba.' When something is
eaten, it exhausts itself and there is no chance of its return. On the other
hand, if something is taken, there is at least some probability of it being
returned sooner or later. Thus, indirectly, Allah (SWT) is referring to the
nature of riba: it involves a one-way flow from the giver to the taker
without a corresponding return flow from the latter to the former.
Some quarters take a lead from the phrase "eating riba on top of
riba" to conclude that only compound interest is prohibited, not simple
interest. Yet some others invoke the distinction between usury and
interest to limit the scope of the Qur'anic decree to exorbitant interest
rates. These points of views contradict both common sense and the
linguistic style of the Qur'an.
If Rs.100 are lent at a compound rate of 10% per annum for two
years, the borrower would be called upon to repay Rs. 121 at the end of
the contract. The same goal can be achieved by the lender by offering
Rs. 100 at the simple rate of 21%. What would be the grounds for
distinguishing between the two arrangements? Likewise, the term
"exorbitant rate of interest" is also arbitrary. A 10% rate of interest may
be exorbitant for one person while 21% may be normal for another
depending on their respective financial positions and prospective uses of
funds.
All mufassireen are of the view that "doubling and quadrupling"
(or "riba on top of riba") has only a linguistic significance in order to
highlight the despicable character of riba. This point is supported by the
text of Al-Baqarah 2:22. After drawing the attention of mankind to His
creation and blessings, AUah (SWT) says:
l2lLY A, P,'(
+
I- yi'
"
Literal meanings of this ayah are: "So, do not assign many partners to
Allah." It does not imply, by any stretch of imagination, that one can
ascribe a single partner to AUah (SWT). The interpretation "don't go
eve11 close to riba" is also supported by the text of Al-Baqarah 2:41. In
this ayah, Bani Israel are instructed as follows:
It means: "Don't seek a small price for My ayaat." Again, this does not
mean that there is room for charging a high price for violating the
in-junctions of Allah (SWT). To sum up, therefore, there is no room for
confusing the meaning of riba with -reference to Ad-eImran 3:130.
Whether simple or compound, nba is riba.
Let us now look at the other revelations on riba given in Surah
Al-Baqarah.
IV. The Fourth Revelation on Riba
The fourth revelation on nba consists of Al-Baqarah 2:275-277.
In the text of the Qur'an, these ayaat are followed by four more ayaat on
riba, namely Al-Baqarah 2:278-28 1. And, as mentioned earlier,
generally mufassireen discuss a l l of them together. However, the
background and the tone of these ayaat confirm that in fact the passage
Al-Baqarah 2:275-281 consists of two sets of ayaat revealed on two
Qur'an and Riba 39
separate occasions (see below). Before looking at the ayaat 275-277, it is

worthwhile to note an important point in the text of the Qur'an
applicable to the entire block Al-Baqarah 2:275-281.
In the textual order of the Qur'an, the ayaat 275-281 are
preceded by the most comprehensive set of ayaat on infaq, i.e.,
voluntary spending for the sake of Allah (Al-Baqarah 2:261-274), and
followed by an ayah containing exhaustive guidelines on daiyn, i.e.,
loans and credit transactions (Al-Baqarah 2:282). While the relation of
the latter to the injunctions of riba is obvious, one may note that the
ayaat 261-274 serve as preface to the injunctions of riba for all times to
come until Doomsday.
In the ayaat 261-274, the believers are given compelling reasons
to go all out for infaq, and the principles and norms for this purpose are
prescribed. For example, the believers are told that reward of spending
for the sake of Allah is seven hundred times or even more (Al-Baqarah
2:261). Moreover, spending for the sake of Allah (SWT) should be free
from (a) the quest for personal glory, (b) causing any distress to the
recipients, and (c) giving out of unlawful and bad things (Al-Baqwah
2:262-267). The ayaat on infaq close on the following note.
Those who spend their wealth for the sake of Allah day and
night, secretly and openly, have their reward with their Lord.
They have nothing to fear and nothing to be sorry about. (Al-
Baqarah 2:274)
Among other things, these ayaat mentally prepare the readers of the
Qur'an for the injunctions of riba in the ayaat 275-281. After this useful
digression, let us look at Al-Baqarah 2:275-277. The background of
these ayaat is as follows.
Riba was prohibited by the end of 3 A.H according to
Aal-e-Imran 3:130. This decree clearly affected both taking and giving
40 The Our'anic Horizons 1 :2
of riba on new loans. But it also had implications for riba on the then
existing debts. The Companions (RAA) never missed any opportunity
for immediate, unconditional and total obedience of Allah (SWT) and
His Prophet (SAW). Therefore, it is certain that soon after the decree of
Surah Ad-eImran, they beseeched additional guidance about riba on the
existing debts. And, given the level of their Allah-consciousness, it is
quite likely that some Companions (RAA) also approached the prophet
(SAW) with queries about the riba charged in the past.
Another significant factor at the time was the role of the Jews
who used to deal in riba (Al-Nisa 4:161). They were part and parcel
the Madani society when the Prophet (SAW) migrated to Madinah.
There were three Jewish tribes in Madinah: Banu Qainqa', Banu Nudair
and Banu Quraizah. They dominated the civic and economic life of
Madinah. The Ansuar were often indebted to them through riba-based
loans. The Jews had their reservations about Islam. First liiction and
then hostilities followed. This lead to the expulsion of Banu Qainqa'a
toward the Syrian territories in Shawwal 2 A.H. Banu Nudair were
exiled to Khyber, about 200 miles from Madinah, in Rabi al-Awwal 4
A.H. Banu Quraizah were penalized in Zi Qa'adah 5 A.H for their role in
the battle of Ahzaab (Shawwal 5 AM). This was followed by the battle
of Khyber in Muharram 7 A.H. This sequence of events implies that one
section of the society actively resisted the rise of Islam in Madinah at
least until 7 A.H. Of course, it had the sympathies of the munafiqeen, the
other group in Madinah with nefarious intentions towards Islam.
By the end of 3 A.H, Islam had taken a clear-cut stand against
riba. One can see that the vested interests went on a counter-offensive,
both because of the fear of losing their clientele and because of their
grudge against Islam. Issues like mixing up of ribu (on a sum lent) with
profits (on trading using the same money) can be seen as part of the
propaganda. Those who understand the nature of psychological warfare
would confirm that any propaganda campaign works while the issue is
still fresh in the minds of the people. Thus, the circumstantial evidence
suggests that as soon as Allah (SWT) forbade riba (as per Aal-eIrnran),
Jews and their sympathizers in Madinah launched a war of attrition
Qur'an and Riba 41
against Islam. It would not be surprising if it confused some Muslims

too. In the above background, the ayaat 275-277 read as follows.
Riba-eaters will get up on the Day of Judgement like

someone driven to madness by the Devil with his evil touch.
This will happen because of their claim that (profit on) bai'
(trading) is the same as riba whereas Allah has permitted bai'
but prohibited riba.
Whoever received the advice from his Lord (as per Aal-e-
Irnran 130) and (hence) stayed away from riba, his matter is
with Allah as far as riba charged in the past is concerned.
That subject should be treated as closed in this world.
However, all those who continue to charge riba in lieu of the
outstanding debts, they belong to the Hell where they shall
live. (Al-Baqarah 2:275)
Allah mitigates riba and multiplies sadaqaat. Surely, Allah
does not like any thankless, sinner. (Al-Baqarah 2:276)
Verily, those who are believers and who do good deeds,
establish Salat and discharge Zakat obligations, they have
their reward with their Lord. They have nothing to fear or to
be sorry about. (Al-Baqarah 2:277)
The ayah 275 has both a comment on the doubts raised about
the nature of riba and some guidelines for action in lieu of riba on
existing debts. The issue drawing the most attention of the people is
addressed first.
Those favouring riba rested their case on riba being no different

from profits on bai' (trading). But in order to give a punch to their claim
and to ridicule the injunctions of Allah (SWT), the provocateurs changed
the order of comparison, and contended: "Bai' is like riba." As in the
case of repeated challenges from disbelievers about the timing of
Qiyamah, Allah (SWT) did not directly respond to this provocation. He
just observed that bai' was permitted and riba prohibited.
The said observation is also a polite reminder for all concerned

that what matters in the case of riba is not return (or the rate of return)
on one's money, but the form of the transaction. One form (i.e., trading)
is permitted, but the other (i.e., interest-based loans) prohibited. This
being so at the discretion of Allah (SWT).
Both trading and loans carry risk - trading risk in one case, but
commercial credit risk (of borrowers) in the other. Time too is not
critical, because loans may also have a very short duration. Overnight
lending in international financial markets is an example. Nonetheless
trading involves a heterogeneous exchange: money versus some good,
for example. On the other hand, a loan represents a homogenous
exchange. That is, in this case the items given and taken back belong to
the same category. Furthermore, the transfer of ownership in a loan is
only for the pendency of the loan, and the lender is not a legal party to
the use of the object lent at the borrower's end. The nature of the
exchange and these legal dimensions distinguish loans from other
transactions. Thus the injunctions of riba prescribe the principles
according to which loan transactions are to be executed.
As noted earlier, the point "Allah has prohibited riba" in the

ayah 275 confirms that absolute prohibition of riba did take place before
this ayah. The ayah 275 goes on to give some guidelines for the
"elimination of riba" from the economy. These include the abolition of
riba clauses from the then existing contracts. The choice of words by
Our'an and Riba 43
Allah (SWT) signifies two things. First, once the riba decree (Aal-e-
Irnran 3:130) was given, all riba calculations had to stop forthwith.
Secondly, those wilfully charging riba are promised an abode in the Hell
because of their denying the absolute and authorit~tivestatus of the
ayaat of the Qur'an - the Word of Allah (SWT) Himself.
After the above point, Allah (SWT), Who created man and Who
knows his psyche, emphasizes some negative dimensions of riba and
positive aspects of saduqaat. This is the focus of the ayah 276. How do
riba and spending for the sake of Allah affect the life at individual and
national levels? A detailed account of this issue requires a separate
study. However, one point may be just mentioned here in order to inspire
some thinking on the subject. From an economics point of view, riba
discourages investment and hence curtails economic development. On
the other hand, sadaqaat enhance aggregate demand and hence augment
economic activity.
The message is completed in the ayah 277 by drawing the
attention of the creation of Allah (SWT) to the road to ultimate success:
having Iman, doing good deeds in general, and establishing Salat and
Zakat in particular.
V. The Fifth Revelation on Riba

The fifth revelation on riba consists of Al-Baqarah 2:278-281.
These ayaat have a complex background. Its proper appreciation is
essential both for the correct understanding of these ayaat as well as for
avoiding any questionable propositions about riba (see below).
The above ayaat can be put into a proper perspective by first

noting that, with the revelation of Ad-e-Irnran 3:130 and Al-Baqarah
2:275-277 in the Qur'an, the necessary legislation on the subject of riba
was complete. And this happened toward the end of 3 A.H. These ayaat
are with reference to loan transactions. This point is also confirmed by
44 The Qur' anic Horizons 1 :2
Al-Baqarah 2:279. As explained elsewhere, the above decrees also called

for further action in order to bring other exchange practices (comparable
in nature to loan transactions) in line with the Qur'anic cornrnand~nents.~
This purpose is served by the guidelines prescribed by the Prophet
(SAW) for trading practices. The ahadith of Sayyidena Fudalah Ibn
Obaid, with a mention of the battle of Khyber, confirm the existence of
such injunctions in Muhmam 7 A.H.
There was nothing unusual about the practice on the above

injunctions. All the Prophet's Companions observed them. If, however,
someone unwittingly made a mistake and it came to the attention of the
Prophet (SAW), he would simply correct the error. Everythng was
normal until after conquest of Makkah, which took place on 20th
Ramadan, 8 A.H.
The conquest of Makkah was followed by the battle of Hunain
on 6th Shawwal, 8 A.H. Immediately thereafter, Bani Thaqeef were
besieged in Taif by the Islamic forces. The siege lasted for two weeks.
The Prophet (SAW) did not press for military defeat of Bani Thaqeef.
He returned to Madinah, via Makkah, after appointing Attaab Ibn Aseed
(RAA) as Governor of Makkah.
In Ramadan 9 A.H, a delegation of Bani Thaqeef visited

Madinah with Abdyaleil as its head. The delegation presented several
demands for embracing Islam. One of these was permission for business
involving riba. The Prophet (SAW) did not grant this request. Though
some of them did embrace Islam, the delegation itself returned after
concluding a general peace agreement with the Prophet (SAW). Bani
Thaqeef gradually entered the fold of Islam, and all of them became
Muslim by the Last Pilgrimage (Hajj al-Wida' )in Zil Hijjah, 10 A.H.
The incident leading to the revelation of the ayaat 278-281
involved Bani Amr Ibn Omair - a Thaqeef family - and Bani Al-
Moghirah - a family of Bani Makhzoom of Makkah. The following
details are provided by Allama Badruddin Aynee. in Omdatul Qari:
Sharah Sahee Bukhari:
Qur'an and Riba 45
Zaid bin Aslam, Ibne Juraij, Muqatil bin Hayyan and Suddee
reported as follow^.'^ The ayah 278 and its related ayaat
were revealed in the context of a controversy between Bani
Amr bin Omair of Bani Thaqeef and Bani Al-Moghirah of
Bani Makhzoom. It so happened that Bani Amr and Bani Al-
Moghirah had some riba deal between them during the days
of Jahiliyyah (i.e., before embracing Islam). When Islam
dawned, b o d families became Muslim. However, when the
time of maturity of the said deal came, Bani Amr of the
Thaqeefs demanded nba. There was a h'eated argument. Bani
Al-Moghirah refused to pay nba on the ground that it was
abolished by Islam. The matter came before Sayyidena
Attaab bin Aseed (RAA), the Governor of Makkah. He sent a
written request to the Prophet (SAW), who was then in
Madinah, for a decision. Thereupon, the ayaat under
reference were revealed. The Prophet (SAW) wrote to him:
Upon hearing this judgement, Bani A m said: "We turn

toward Allah, and give up the nba due in our favour."
Thereafter, all of them gave it up.
According to Tafsir-e-Mazhari (Urdu, Vo1.2, p. 105), Abu Y'ala

reports the above incident in his Masnad on the authority of Kalbi and
Abu Saleh; the latter attributed his narration to Abdullah Ibn Abbas
(RAA). Qurtubi (Tafsir Al-Qurtubi, Vo1.3, p.363) also reports this
incident with reference to Ibn Ishaq, Ibn Juraij, Suddee and others. In the
narrations of Abu Y'ala and Qurtubi, Bani Amr are said to rest their case
on a permission from the Prophet (SAW) whereby Bani Thaqeef were
allowed to continue to charge riba in return for becoming Muslim. As
noted above, this was not the case. This is also unlikely for the following
three reasons.
First, Bani Thaqeef signed their peace agreement in 9 A.H, the
same year in which Prophet (SAW) concluded another pact with Bani
Najran. This latter treaty explicitly requires discontinuation of riba
practices by Bani Najran as a condition for peace. It is noteworthy that
Bani Najran did not embrace Islam.
Second, Surah Al-Kafiroon is a testimony to the fact that the
Prophet (SAW) never compromised with non-Muslims on the
fundamentals of Islam even in the worst of times. How could the
Thaqeefs be an exception in the heyday of Islam?
Third, Bani Amr are addressed as Muslims in Al-Baqarah 2:278.
Acceptance of Islam automatically brought them under the purview of
the Qur'anic injunctions on riba. There is not a single instance in which
the Prophet (SAW) exempted Muslims from an order in the Qur'an.
In view of the above, to say the least, the insistence of Bani Amr
must have been caused by a lack of their personal knowledge of Al-
Baqarah 2:275, and not on the basis of some sort of permission from the
Prophet (SAW).
'
It is also pertinent to note that the embracing of Islam by
Sayyidena Attaab (RAA) and his appointment as Governor of Makkah
by the Prophet (SAW) happened almost at the same time. He was then
21 or 22 years of age. One may argue that he too was unaware of the
injunctions on riba in Al-Baqarah 2:275-277. But given the trust which
the Prophet (SAW) placed in him, and given that there must also have
Qw'an and Riba 47
been other Companions in Makkah at that time, this point is not tenable.
The most likely explanation for Sayyidena Attaab's (RAA) action is that
the parties involved in the dispute were heavy-weights, and he deemed it
appropriate to seek a resolution of the matter by the Prophet (SAW)
himself in order not to spark any tribal conflict between the people of
Makkah and Bani Thaqeef.
Notwithstanding minor differences in the details, quite a few
sources leading to the same information and a general consensus among
many respected mufasserin on basic points confirm that the reported
incident did happen in late 9 A.H or early 10 A.H. The words in all
narrations imply that the Prophet (SAW) "wrote" to Attaab Ibn Aseed
(RAA). This must have happened before the 25th Zi Q'adah, 10 A.H,
when the Prophet (SAW) left Madinah for Hajj Al-Wida'.
On 9th Zil Hijjah, 10 A.H, the Prophet (SAW) decreed, in
person, the abolition of nba on all of the then existing debts. This was a
retrospective decree.l Thereafter, the Prophet (SAW) lived in this world
for only 81 days. The said announcement was made in the presence of
the Comanions (RAA) gathered in Arafat Erom all over Arabia. With the
status of riba on existing debts fairly recently coming into the
knowledge of virtually everybody, there was hardly any need for making
references of the above nature to the Prophet (SAW). Therefore, it is
quite unlikely that any need for intervention by Allah (SWT) arose after
the Hajj Al-Wida'a. One may, therefore, conclude that the time of
revelation of the ayaat under reference is after the conquest of Makkah
but before the last pilgrimage. The ayaat 278-281 are as follows.
0 you, who claim to be believers, fear Allah and give up

whatever is left in lieu of riba if your are indeed believers.
(Al-Baqarah 2:278)
Watch out! If you do not obey this order (and give up all
outstanding riba), then there is a declaration of war against
you from Allah and His Prophet. However, if you do
tawbah (i.e, repent, along with the resolve to make amends
for past mistakes), you have right only to your principals.
Neither you inflict zulm on others, nor the others should do
zulm on you. (Al-Baqarah 2:279)
In the process of settling any outstanding accounts, if you
find the debtor in a tight situation, give him some grace
period so that he can manage to clear the dues against him.
However, if you consider converting the outstanding debts
into sadaqah (charity), that would be better for you if you
understand. (Al-Baqarah 2:280)
And be afraid of the Day on which you will be returned to
Allah. At that time everyone will be fully rewarded for his
actions, without being subjected to any zulm. (Al-Baqarah
2:281)
The tone of the address confirms that something happened which
annoyed Almighty Allah (SWT), Who is also the Owner, Master, and
Sustainer of the universe. As explained above, this was indeed the case.
Instead of addressing the Muslims sticking to their claims involving riba
by some pronoun (as in Al-Baqarah 2:275), Allah (SWT) confronts the
addressees as "0you, who claim to be Believers." The ayah 278 is thus
no more an advice.
The closing words of the ayah 278 make it plain that nba is an
offence of unimaginable proportions, and Almighty Allah (SWT) simply
does not recognize any person as a believer unless he gives up riba.
Period. The style is a reflection of the rage of the Sole and the Absolute
Master of the universe at its peak, creating a chilling wave of fear in the
spines of the addressees: Why don't you listen? Have you not been told
(already)? Watch out. Leave nba forthwith (Al-Baqarah 2:278) or face
an all-out war with Allah the Almighty and His Prophet (Al-Baqarah
Qur'an and Riba 49
2:279) - knowing full well the fate of the weak party: humiliation and
total destruction.
While the first part of the ayah 279 warns of the dire
consequences of not giving up riba, the second part is also significant.
The creditors are pointedly restricted to their principals while settling
any existing debts.
According to the ayah 280, if the, debtors face (genuine)
difficulties in meeting their payment obligations, the creditors are
ordered to give them grace period to meet their payment obligations to
the tune of the principal. This principle was already observed by the
veteran Companions (RAA) after the revelation of Al-Baqarah 2:275 in
late 3 A.H. But now the decree from Allah (SWT) formalized it. l b s
may be viewed as His special favor for this Ummah. More and more
people were going to enter the fold of Islam in the future. Settlenlent of
old contracts which involved riba by the new converts to Islam could
create social problems. This ayah forestalled such problems.
The ayah 280 also contains an additional guideline about the
treatment of the written-oft' loans. They are to be treated as sadaqah by
the lenders.
Whereas the ayah 279 restricts lenders to their principals, it also
closes on the following note: Neither the creditors do zulm on the
debtors nor the latter do zulm on the former. The link between charging
riba by creditors and zulm is often easy to understand. But how does
zulm arise on the debtors' side? The ahadith of Sayyidena Abu Hurairah
clarify that debtors commit zulm when they deliberately cause delays in
meeting their payment obligations.
Most of the commentators of the Qur'an interpreted the point

about zulm in the ayah 279 to conclude that genesis of riba is zulm.
Hence, they went on to rationalize the prohibition of riba. Many reasons
are offered. In the case of consumption loans, lending on interest is
equated with exploiting the needy. In the case of production or
commercial loans, it is suggested that riba gives the capitalist an
50 The ~ u r ' a h i cHorizons 1:2
opportunity to enjoy the fruits of the borrowers' effort without either

putting in any effort of his own or taking any risk. Some others have
used this ayah to defend their case for indexation of loans for inflation
(in order to compensate lenders for loss in the purchasing power of their
loans). Respectfully, both lines of inferpretation take the meaning of the
ayah out of the context. The factuaI position is as follows.
Actually the ayah 279 contains an order from Allah (SWT) that
both creditors and debtors should avoid zulm. Technically speaking,
zulm occurs when any party is denied its rights as per the injunctions of
Shari'ah. Thus the question one needs to ask is: what were the (relevant)
injunctions of Shari'ah, from the creditors' and the debtors'
perspectives, at the time of revelation of Al-Baqarah 2:278-281? Quite
clearly, these injunctions are given in Aal-e-Imran 3:130 and Al-Baqarah
2:275-277. On both these previous occasions, there is no mention of
zulm or its equivalent. Therefore, when AUah (SWT) decrees that both
creditors and debtors avoid zulm, it means adherence to the said
injunctions, and nothing else.
The above conclusion has significant implications for guiding
thinking on n'ba. First, riba may lead to zulm, but zulm per se is not the
reason behind its prohibition. Second, there is no room for generalizing
the interpretation of 'lender's principal" in order to seek a compensation
for decline in the value of loans due to inflation during theii pendency.12
This completes the review of the ayaat of the Qur'an on n'ba in
this study. The argument may have been taxing for some readers.
Therefore, the main points about various sets of ayaat are summarized in
the following section.
VI. . The Total Picture

This study establishes that the prohibition of riba took place
toward the end of 3 A.H. Thus there was a period of over seven years in
the life of the Prophet (SAW) during which detailed injunctions on riba
were given and practiced.
Qur'an and Riba 51
Some important messages in the ayaat on riba, which can guide

further thinking on the subject, are as follows. Many of these points were
avoided in the previous sections in order to maintain the flow of
argument.
1. Riba is not among the mutashabihat (ambiguous terms) in the
Qur'an.
2. The ayaat of Surahs Al-Rome and Al-Nisa serve as a prelude to
the injunctions of riba. However, as far as the Muslims are concerned,
unlike the injunctions for khamr (drinking), the prohibition of riba was
instantaneous as per Aal-e-Imran 3: 130.
3. All five sets of ayaat on riba have one thing in common:
wherever riba is castigated or prohibited by Allah (SWT), there is a
positive mention of spending for His sake. Given that repetition in oral
communications is equivalent to underlining some important point in the
written tradition, this point cannot be ignored as a coincidence,
especially in the case of the Qur'an - the Word of Allah (SWT). Thus
there is a need to bracket this critical message in the ayaat on riba. The
essential point may be seen as follows.
Allah (SWT) is using the extreme cases of infaq, sadaqah and
Zakat to tell the believers that although one is welcome to spend all that
he has for His sake, yet riba is to be avoided at all costs. More
specifically, if one opts for a loan transaction, it is to be executed on a
one-to-one and equal basis (see point 4 below), irrespective of the costs
that the lender may face during the process. For example, the cost of
lending, the cost in terms of income foregone, and the cost of
recollecting the sum lent. If one combines these points with the one on
the permissibility of bai' (Al-Baqarah 2:275), the complete message in
the ayaat on riba can be stated as follows:
Whereas the believers can give up what they own
without seeking any return for the sake of Allah
through infaq, and whereas the believers can earn
profits through trading, yet they ought to do loan
type transactions on a one-to-one and equal basis.
The significance of this point is that through the injunctions of riba,

Allah (SWT) is defining limits for the class of permissible transactions
for Muslims.
4. The complete picture in respect of loan transactions is as follows
(the loans themselves may be in cash or kind):
(a) In principle, all debts are to be settled on a one-to-one and equal

basis. Thus if wheat is lent by weight, only the same amount can be
reclaimed. If wheat is borrowed by some measure (such as saa' or
bushel), an equal quantity will be repayable. In the case of nipee loans,
equality has to be observed in terms of the number of rupees in the give
and take back process.
(b) If circumstances warrant, the borrowers are to be given grace

period to repay the
(c) If a lender is willing to write-off a loan, it will be a sadaqah (an

act of charity).
5. The injunctions of riba apply to all exchanges which are
comparable, in nature, to loan transactions. For example, buying of new
currency notes for decomposed ones from money-changers.
6. The prohibition of riba is mutlaq (absolute and generally
applicable without any exception). Thus the injunctions of riba have the
following three aspects:
(a) Riba is riba. Simple vs. compound interest or interest vs. usury
distinctions do not apply.
(b) The prohibition of riba applies regardless of whether the

principal involved is used for production or consumption
(nonproductive) purposes.
(c) The provisions of the ciyaat apply to all believers in their

personal capacities. Accordingly, the prohibition of ribn has the
following three dimensions.
i. The injunctions of riba apply to individuals as well as to
their collective entities, such as companies, banks, and
Qur'an and Riba 53
government.
..
11. In a transaction involving riba, a believer may either
charge riba or give riba. The Prophet (SAW) made it abundantly
clear that both taking and giving riba and even being a party to a
transaction that involves riba in any other capacity are
prohibited. Thus, there can be no question of the permissibility
of Muslims doing such transactions with non-Muslims either in
an Islamic state or in a non-Muslim country.
iii. Riba arises in the context of a loan or a comparable
transaction between two individuals (who must observe the
injunctions of Almighty Allah at their personal levels). Thus, if
such a transaction takes place between any two individuals,
irrespective of the relation between them, it has to be executed
on a one-to-one and equal basis. In other words, views like "no
riba between a master and his slave" need reconsideration.
7. After the revelation of Al-Baqarah 2:278-279, if a Muslim
wilfully defies the injunctions of riba and the matter reaches the
judicidstate level in a Muslim society, not only that the contract would
be treated as void, but it will also be the concerned authority's
responsibility as representative of Shari'ah to impose appropriate ta'zeer
(Shar'ee penalty) on him.
In this regard, it is also noteworthy that riba debts negotiated by
a person as a Muslim do not fall under the purview of Al-Baqarah 2:275.
That is, they will not automatically hold after deleting the riba clauses in
them. In fact they are uqood al-baatilah (contracts not recognized in
Shari'ah) which need to be replaced by genuine contracts in the process
of transition to a riba-free state. Of course, in addition to this, the
Muslims wilfully negotiating such contracts are also to be subjected to
appropriate ta'zeer (Shar'ee punishment) if matters are not cleared at the
personal level, i.e., before the start of judiciallofficial process.
8. The injunctions of nba apply to all non-Muslim subjects of a

Muslim country.
9. The pattern and text of the ayaat on riba implies that in drawing
further conclusions, there is no point in looking at the rationale for the
prohibition of riba. The correct approach would be to develop a riba-free
economy, and to Cbmpare its performance with other ribabased
constructs in terms of a chosen criteria, such as level of economic
activity, investment, degree of inequalities in income and wealth, etc.
10. That "there is a declaration of war from Allah (SWT) and His
Prophet (SAW)" calls for paying attention to the following three points:
(a) Allah (SWT) is personally a party to the matter.
(b) "War" implies that if riba continues, the believers cannot look
forward to a pea~eful~living in this world, either at their personal or
national level.
(c) That the declaration of war is from "His Prophet (SAW)" as

well, means that Almighty Allah intends to enforce His Will also
through His representative(s) on earth. Thus everyone, who sincerely
claims to be a Muslim, is duty-bound to play his role in the elimination
of riba.
In the end, it may be mentioned that the above points can be
developed further in order to arrive at a proper definition of riba, the
actual position of the ahadith on riba, the contours of a riba-free
economy and a strategy for the elimination of riba from contemporary
Muslim societies. Some useful references in this regard, in addition to
the ones already mentioned in this paper, are as follows.
1. "What is Riba?', Hikmat-e-Qur'an, November 1994, English
section, pp. 1-6.
2. "Selected Issues in Riba" Hikmat-e-Qur'an, June 1995, English
section, pp.1-11.
3. "Riba-Free Alternatives for Modern Commercial Banking",
Hikmat-e-Qur'an, February-March 1995, English section, pp.1-
8.
4. "Fiscal Implications of Elimination of Riba", Hikmat-e-Qur'an,
Qur'an and Riba 55
April 1994, English section, pp. 1-5.

5. "Islamization of Economy: International Transactions". Paper
read at the seminar on Islamization of Economy held at the
~nstitutebf Policy Studies, Islamabad, in April 1994.
ENDNOTES
1
According to Mufti Muhammad Shafie (Ma'arif-ul-Qur'an,Vo1.6, pp.739-
50), the passage of the 39th ayah starts with the 28th ayah. This ayah contains
arguments for Tauheed and, in light thereof, the 29th ayah is an invitation to
humanity to be rational. Thereafter, the message continues as above.
2
In this paper, the interpretation of Maulana Arnin Ahsan Islahi (Tadabbur-e-
Qur'an, V01.6, p.99) is followed. According to Mufti Muhammad Shafie
(Ma'arif-ul-Qur'an, V01.6, p.750), in this ayah the term riba applies to gifts.
Even if that were the case, the general conclusions noted above would hold.
3
The word zulm has both general and special meanings in the Qur'an. In the
special sense, it refers to (a) shirk (Luqmaan 31:13) and (b) denial of clear
signs from Almighty Allah (Al-Au'aam 6:144; Al-A'araaf 7:40-41). The Jews
did this kind of zulm because'they declared Prophet Uzair (AS) to be son of
Almighty Allah (Al-Taubah 9:30), and they went on to disobey Him soon after
experiencing the miraculous escape from the Pharoah and his army (Al-A'araaf
7:137-167).
4
Literal,translation of the first part of the ayah would be: "Don't 'feast on riba
- doubled and quadrupled." However, the message is the same: stay away from
riba. This point is further explained in the text.
5
The ayaat 135 and 136 are read here in continuation of the ayah 134.
Maulana Muhammad Idris Kandhalwi (Ma'arif-ul-Qur'an,Vol. 1, pp.577-81)
reads the ayaut 135 and 136 as a pair separate from the ayah 134. However,
this reading too does not affect conclusions about riba.
6
In this paper the details about the life and time of the Prophet (SAW) are
taken from Sirat-ul-Mustafa by Maulana Muhammad Idris Kandhalvi and
Sirat-un-Nabi by Maulana Shibli Nomani.
7
Mufti Muhammad Shafie (Ma'aurif-ul-Qur'an,Vol. 2, pp.175-91) interprets
the ayah 130 without its battl of Ohad background. The reasons for doing so
are not explained.

8
Mufti Muhammad Shaiie (Ma'artf-ul-Qur'an, Vol. 1, p.648) notes this point
in the interpretation of AI-Baqarah 2:275.
9
See "Riba Al-Fadl" (FIikrnat-e-Qur'an, August 1995, English section, pp.1-
17) and "Strategy for the Elimination of Riba from the Economy, with Special
Reference to Existing Loan Contracts" (Paper read at the seminar on
Islamization of Economy organized by the Institute of Policy Studies,
Islamabad, in April 1994).
LO
I11 the Omdatul Dari edition published by Idarah Al-Tiba'ah Al-Muniriyah,
Egypt, the name Maqatil Ibn Hiban, instead of Maqatil Ibn Hayyan, is
mentioned.
11
This point is explained in the paper on strategy for the elimination of nba
mentioned in end note no. 9.
12
Incidentally this point is also supported by the ayah 280. The text of this
ayah clearly implies that the grace period given to debtors is to be with
reference to the principal at that time not something else.
'
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Islamic Revolutionary Thought
and its Decline
Dr. Israr Ahmad
(Rendered into English by: Dr. Ahmed Afzaal)
he essence of Islamic Revolutionary Thought consists of the

idea that it is not enough to practice Islam in the personal life,
but that the teachings of the Qur'an and those of the Sunnah
need also be implemented in their totality in the social, economic, and
political fields. In other words, it implies the establishment of the
soverignty of Almighty Allah (SWT) in the "religious" as well as the
"secular" domains, or the removal of the dichotomy between collective
life and state authority on the one hand and Divine guidance on the
other. The underlying and pervasive idea in this context, which is also an
integral part of the Islamic Revolutionary Thought, is that the struggle to
establish unqualified and unconditional ascendancy of the Holy Qur'an
and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is obligatory upon all
members of the Muslim Urnmah.The goal of this struggle is to achieve
the domination of the True way of life (Deen al-Haq), so that the Islamic
System of Social Justice - which is the most balahced synthesis of
human freedom, fraternity, and equality, and which embodies the Divine
attributes of Benevolence, Providence, and Justice - can be established
on God's earth.
Unfortunately, the conception of many of our traditional ulama
appears to be seriously flawed and misguided in this respect. They are
usually of the opinion that implementation of the Islamic code of
punishments is all that is required to turn an un-Islamic country into an
Islamic one. They seem to ignore the fact that, in the first place, the code
of punishments is only a small part of the Islamic Law or Shari'ah, and,
more importantly, that an un-Islamic country cannot be converted into an
Islamic one without changing its basic politico-socio-economic structure
in accordance with the tenets of Islam. Without such a change, the
implementation of strict penalties in a corrupt and highly exploitative

system cannot produce desirable consequences. This is because, as a
matter of fact, the law is always meant to protect and defend the system.
Execution of Islamic punishments in a fuedal aristocrasy such as ours,
which is utterly devoid of any trace of justice or equity, will only
support and strengthen the status quo. Instead, what we really need are
basic and radical changes in all departments of collective life, whether
social, cultural, economic, or political; it is only after such a revolution
that the implementation of the Islamic Law can have beneficial and
favorable results.
The Islamic Revolutionary Thought, briefly defined above, is
often condemned and denigrated by the Western media as one of the
most despised evils in today's world, the notorious "Islamic
Fundamentalism." The reason for their extreme aversion is based on the
fact that it is only Islam and its revolutionary and dynamic interpretation
that poses a real challenge to secularism - the system of collective life
that was born in Europe but which has come to dominate the entire
globe.
What is secularism? Any number of. religions can be
accomodated under a secular system, provided no demand is made
regarding the application of religious criteria in defining social,
economic, and political policies. The selection of goals and the
utilization of means in all collective affairs must not be inspired by any
form of religious teaching; rather, such policy decisions should be taken
only on the basis of pure rationality and majority opinion. Religion
under a secular system is demoted to a personal and private affair of the
individual. Thus, everyone is totally free concerning his metaphysical
beliefs, rituals for worship, and social customs; the state won't interfere
in any of these. At the same time, religion must not intrude or intervene
in the running of the state either. Such a concept is, of course,
diametrically opposed to the basic teachings of Islam.
The Holy Qur'an describes Islam as Deen al-Hag, or the true

way of life. The very connotation of the word Deen - as contrasted with
Islamic Revolutionary Thought 59
"religion" - is a declaration of war against secularism. This is because

the word religion is commonly used in a,rather narrow sense, its scope
being limited to a set of dogmas, some rituals for worship, and a number
of social customs to celebrate important life-events. Deen, on the other
hand, is a system of life in which human beings consciously surrender
themselves to the sovereignty of a higher authority, and live a life of
total obedience to that higher authority. Whenthe tern1 Deen is used for
Islam, it obviously means a system of life where Almighty Allah (SWT)
is worshipped and obeyed, not just in the narrow religious sense, but in a
manner that includes all aspects of human life.
Islam is based on, and rooted in, a well-integrated set of beliefs
describing the nature of ultimate reality, meaning of human life, and the
final destiny. In addition to this essential faith or Iman, modes of
worship (i.e., Salat, Zakat, Saum, and Hajj) and various social customs
are also indispensable and integral parts of Islam. However, in addition
to these "religious" features, we are also provided by Almighty Allah
(SWT) all the relevant instructions regarding our social, economic, and
political existence (generally considered to be the "secular" or "worldly"
elements of life), and this is what really distinguishes Islam from other
religions, say, Christianity or Buddhism.
The true way of life, Deen nl-Hag, is not meant to survive
submissively as a mere religion under the umbrella of secularism;
instead the Holy Qur'an makes it abundantly clear that Islam is meant to
dominate all aspects of life and all man-made systems and ideologies.
This puts a tremendous responsibility on our shoulders. The Qur'anic
commands vis-a-vis human society, culture, law, economics, and politics
are not given to us so that we may admire and praise them, but they are
meant to be implemented and acted upon. This necessitates that the gulf
between Faith and Power be removed, which obviously requires a
revolution in the leadership so that - instead of fulfilling any un-Islamic
.agenda - it contributes towards the establishment of "God's Kingdom"
on earth. Without collective organizational power, a significant portion
of Islam reamins confined to the realm of theory, and, as a result, all
. Horts of corruption, injustice, inequity, and immorality are let loose on
earth. It's not that Islam cannot survive or support itself without political
authority, but, in fact, it is the political authority that grows more and
more corrupt unless it is subordinated to the commands of the Holy
Qur'an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). .
The struggle to establish the domination of Islam is one of our

basic, though unfortuanately forgotten, duties. The significance of this
obligation is underscored by a tradition according to which Prophet
Muhammad (SAW) is reported to have said: "If a Muslim dies and he
had neither participated in any war for the cause of Almighty Allah
(SWT) nor had he a desire to take part in such a war, then he dies in a
state of a certain kind of nifaq (i.e., hypocrisy, and not of true faith)." A
Muslim whose life is devoid of the Jihad to establish the system of
Khilafah, and who lacks the longing and the deep-felt desir'e to
participate in it and to sacrifice his life for this purpose, can certainly be
a Muslim in the legal sense of the word but such a person cannot be a
Momin in the sight of Almighty Allah (SWT). This is because true
conviction or Iman, although itself a hidden and covert reality,
necessarily manifests itself in the form of Jihad for the cause of
Almighty Allah (SWT). This, according to the Holy Qur'an, is what
defines a true believer.
They alone are the believers who come to believe in Allah
and His messenger and aftelwards never doubt, and who
strive in the way of Allah with their wealth and their lives.
Only they are truthful and sincere. (Al-Hujurat 49:15)
The only possible exception consists of those noble personalities

who played the role of intellectual vanguards, exhausting their lives and
energies in preparing the stage - like Shah Waliyullah Delhvi and
Allama Iqbal - but not living long enough to personally take part in the
actual struggle. However, all those persons who did participate in such
an organized struggle for a period of time but then abandoned the whole
mission are definitely going to face a tough accountability in the
Hereafter, irrespective of the reason for their defection - whether due to
their own timidity or a personal weakness, or their pride and arrogance,
or their disappointment with the leader's cowardice or his lack of
sincerity, or their discouragement owing to what they perceived was

heartless and unkind attitude of the leader, or due to any fundamental
blunder on the part of the leader followed by his refusal to take
corrective measures. Of course, a Muslim can have a legitimate reason
for quitting a particular religious organization or party, and this is not a
sin as such. However, the real crime is cornmited by those who, after
resigning from a particular party, give up their own convictions as well
-- that is, who retreat from the Islamic Revolutionary Thought itself -
just to conceal their lack of courage and perseverance.
That Prophet Muhammad (SAW) did achieve his Divinely

ordained goal of establishing the Islamic System of Social Justice after a
remarkable and strenous revolutionary struggle that lasted twenty years,
is a universally accepted fact. Moreover, it is also universally accepted
that this system existed in its ideal form for at least thirty years after the
death of the Prophet. However, two confusions have been created in this
regard that need to be redressed here. The first consists of the objection
that if Islam is indeed the God-given system of life, and if it is really in
harmony with human nature, why is it that it lasted only for a period of
thirty years? A tit-for-tat kind of rejoinder to this objection cutlihts of the
countercharge that even the critic would agree that the System presented
by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) did materialize in its ideal form at least
once, and that it sustained itself for at least thirty years, whereas not even
a single one of the various man-made systems and ideologies - that have
been presented as universal remedies for mankind - ever succeeded in
establising itself in its ideal and original form. Granted that Plato's
Republic was never meant to be anything more than a fantastic utopia,
even the paradise of democracy that was conceived and presented by
Voltaire and Rousseau hasn't emerged so far in the world of reality.
Thus, even the most ardent supporters and devotees of democracy would
admit that they are still progressing towards an ideal democratic system.
As for the "classless and stateless" Communism of Marx and Engels,
their dream has already been shattered completely without presenting
even a single glimpse in the world of reality.
The second confusion consists of the misconception that the

Islamic System collapsed totally and vanished all of a sudden from the
face of the earth afta the period of Al-Khilafah Al-Rashidah. Notling
can be more removed from the truth. All that happened after this golden
era of thirty years was that, in the affairs of political governance, the
highest democratic standards of mutual consultation (Shura) began to be
gradually replaced by the influence of tribal loyalty and the allegiance to
the clan (Asabiyyah). As far as genuine monarchy or kingship is
concerned, it took at least 90 years to become fully established. The
Umayyad period, therefore, should be considered a transitional phase
from true Khilafah to overt and unmistakable monarchy; it was actually
the Abbasid period that displays all the corruption and exploitation
characteristic of kingship, what is described by Allarna Iqbal as "Arabian
Imperialism."
The Islamic System of Social Justice, as established by Prophet
Muhammad (SAW), did not end in toto with the termination of Al-
Khilafah Al-Rashidah, although it must .be adimitted that the process of
its decline did start from that point onwards. This downward trend has
been a very slow and gradual phenomenon, taking at least a full
millennium to reach its lowest ebb as a result of the invasion by Western
Colonialism.
Moreover, we must not forget that our noble ancestors have put
in their best efforts to stop this process of decline and degeneration at
every step of the way, sometimes to the extent of sacrifising their lives.
This not only constitutes a brilliant and highly meritorious chapter in our*
history, but also testifies to the supremacy of the ideals which were
inclucated in the Muslim psyche by the training of Prophet Muhammad
(SAW). Thus, in the initial phase of decline, Sayyedina Husain Ibn Ali
(RAA) and Sayyedina Abdullah Ibn Zubair (RAA) tried their very best
to check the growing influence of Jahiliyya, and, in the latter period, it
was Hadrat Zaid Ibn Ali (RA) and Hadrat Muhammad Ibn Abdullah
(RA) - also known as Al-Nafs Al-Zakkiyya - along with his brother
Ibrahirn Ibn Abdullah (RA) who did the same. The fact that all these
efforts failed - in the sense that no substantial and tangible change could
Islamic Revolutionsuy Thought 63
be achieved by any of them in the socio-political setup - cannot tarnish

their images or discredit their superb characters in any way.
Regrettably, there are some shallow, weak-willed, and mean
persons in our own times who criticize these noble ancestors of ours in a
venomous and insolent manner, and thereby disparage their grand
undertakings by trying to measure their efforts by a self-styled legal and
formal criterion. Of course, such critics succeecl in nothing but exposing
their own perverted mentality. What they ignore in their short-
sightedness is that the earliest founders of the Islamic fiqh, Imam Abu
Hanifa (RA) and Imam Malik Ibn Anas (RA), are on record as having
cooperated with the revolutionary struggle of Hadrat Muhammad Ibn
Abdullah (RA), and it is not all that difficult to imagine as to what role
these two would have played had they seen the times of Sayyedina
Hussain Ibn Ali (RAA) and Sayyedina Abdullah Ibn Zubair (RAA).
As a matter of fact, just as the highly esoteric realities of Iman
cannot be desrcribed in terms of Aristotelian logic, in the same way the
irnmence amount of heroism and fortitude displayed by these noble
ancestors cannot be evaluated in terms of a legalism which itself is a
legacy of the decadent age of kingship.
Despite all these heroic efforts, however, the un-Islamic system

of despotic and authoritarian moilarchy continued to encroach over the
truly Islamic System of Khilafah, and, as mentioned above, it finally
established itself fully in the era of the Abbasids. Simultanously, the
inseparable twin of kingship - feudalism - also became firmly and
securely entrenched in the Muslim lands. Everybody knew that all this
was in sharp conflict with the highly egalitarian and democratic ideals of
Islam, but the powerless masses had no option but to accept the
exploitative and unjust system as a de fact*, though certainly not de jure,
reality. As a logical and necessary outconle of this degenerative change
in the politico-socio-ecoilomic setup, the very concept of Islam as a
complete code of life also began to disappear from the collective
consciousness of the Muslims. Gradually and steadily, Islam was
demoted from the position of Deen al-Hag to a mere "religion", the
exclusive interest of which lies in the minor details of worship and ritual
and not in the affairs of the government or of politics. Soon it was
accepted by all concerned, almost as if it were an axiomatic certainty,
that the state can function only on the basis of tribal loyalty and
allegiance to the clan - what is described by Allama Ibn Khaldun as
Asabiyyah - and that the only feasible and practicable principle in this
domain is that of "might is right."
As for the ulama or scholars of Islam, the order of the day was
that they should better not interfere in the affairs of the government. The
ulama were, of course, "free" to function in the Civil Service of the
monarchy as sermonizers in the mosques, as jurists, and as judges. The
more talented of them could try their intellectual prowess in the various
burgeoning Islamic sciences, like Qur'anic exegesis, Hadith,
jurisprudence, scholasticism, and theology. Or, if they were not gifted
enough, they could fulfill the religious obligations of sermonizing and
exhorting the masses in order to inculcate in them the love of Almighty
Allah (SWT), the motivation to follow Prophet Muhammad (SAW), and
the concern for the Hereafter. Or, if they were really capable and daring,
they could adopt the mysitc path of purification of the soul and establish
monasteries to help others purify their souls as well. But as far as the
affairs of government and politics was concerned, the idea was
implanted among the peole that these "profane" things belonged to the
"worldly" folks, and that to try and change the whole system by means
of any armed struggle is almost as prohibited as outright apostasy.
It may be pointed out here that the possiblity pf an armed
rebellion against an un-Islamic but ostensibly Muslim regime has been
rendered quite ineffective by the purely legalist mind. The dominant
view among the Muslims, made popular mainly by some of the Ah1 al-
Hadith scholars, is that such a rebellion is strictly forbidden by Islam no
matter how wicked, cruel, and corrupt the ruler may be. According to
these scholars, armed rebellion is allowed only when the ruler
commands a flagrant violation of the Shan'ah, or orders to commit
something identifiable with kufr. The most balanced opinion in this
regard, however, is that of Imam Abu Hanifa (RA). According to him,
an armed rebellion against an un-Islamic system is permissible provided

there is suffient strength available, so much so that there is a high
probability of achieving a permanent and stable change, which, of
course, is the goal of such a rebellion. However, even this was not
feasible under the monarchy on account of the fact that, since "state" and
"government" were still considered to be one and the same thing, any
movement against the governement was to be viewed as anti-state, and,
therefore, was sure to be smashed before it could gain any real strength
or momentum. Incidentally, the efforts of our noble forefathers, as
mentioned above, were crushed by the governments of their time on this
very plea.
Thus continued the process of our decline. The ever-growing
chasm between Faith and Power resulted in the trends of tyranny,
totalitarianism, and oppression in the running of the government, as well
as the indulgence of those in authority with all sorts of luxuries and
extravagances, to be maintained, of course, at the public's expense. On
the other hand, religion was turned into a "profession." This, along with
the consquent professional jealosy and disputes among the ulama and
the subsequent dichotomy .between the "School" and the "Monastry"
contributed much to the downward trend in the moral standards of the
Muslims as a whole.
The moral decline began quite early in our history and spread
rapidly; this fact can be easily appreciated by the following couplet by
~ a d i a tAbdullah Ibn Mubarak (RA), who belonged to the third
generation after the Companions:
Three groups are responsible for causing corruption in Deen
The kings, the scholars, and the monks.
It is very significant to note that this degneration had already

become visible during the days of the third generation after the
Companions; if such was the state of our affairs in an era which
belonged to the "best of times", then one can easily estimate the level of
copption that was to pervade the Muslim society at the end of the first
millenium: Thus, it was a serious religious and moral decline coupled
with a political degradation of the highest magnitude that characterized

the state of affairs of the the Muslim Umrnah about three centuries ago.
This specific point in time, however, represents an age of awakening as
far as the Western world was concerned.
The spirit of scientific inquiry, the trend towards the use of
inductive method of investigation as opposed to the deductive one, and
the concepts of human freedom, equality, and dignity - all of these were
introduced into Central Eurbpe from Muslim Spain. The movements of
Renaissance and Reformation appeared in Europe predominantly under
the influence of German, French, and Italian scholars returning from
Universitites of Cordoba, Toledo, and Granada, and carrying with them
novel and revolutionary ideas. As a result, science and technology
started to blossom in Europe on the one hand, and the concept of human
rights, especially freedom, began to mature on the other hand.
The "power potential" resulting from the development of science
and technology in Europe manifested itself in the form of Western
Imperialism, which started its mission of "civilizing" the "ignorant
world" by attacking and conquering various countries of Asia and
Africa. Thus, two-and-a-half centuries ago, almost the whole of Muslim
World - with the exception of the Ottoman Empire - came under the
control of Western Imperialism. An interesting but strange incongruity is
that the same European nations, while establishing the worst form of
colonial rule in the conquered territories, were simultaneously
preoccupied inside their own homelands with a zealous struggle for
human rights and elimination of authoritarianism and exploitation.
This struggle initially resulted in the French Revolution of 1789,

which represents the beginning of the end of monarchy and feudalism
and the commencement of various forms of democracy. However, the
desired objectives were not to be achieved through democracy because,
in the meantime, scientific progress had resulted in the Industrial
Revolution which caused the political authority to be shifted from the
kings to the capitalists, by-passing the common people. In this context,
the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 was in fact a reaction against the evils
produced by this uncontrolled and unchecked Capitalism.

It was at this crucial juncture in world history that Allama
Mohammad Iqbal (1877-1938) appeared on the scene, along with his
radical ideas of Islamic revival, "reconstruction of religious thought",
and a forceful call for Islamic revolution. Behind him was the vitalizing
spirit of three centuries of revivalist struggle - the efforts of Sheikh
Ahmad Sirhindi in reviving authentic Islamic mysticism, of Shah
Waliyullah in reviving the essence of Islamic scholarship, and of Sayyid
Ahmad Shaheed in reviving the dynamism of Jihad.
The most significant achievement of Allama Iqbal in the domian
of thought is that he demolished the idea of an inherent distinction or
dichotomy between the "religious" and the "secular" fields of human
existence, and proved that they are, in fact, inseparable conlponents of an
organic whole. He achieved this by reclaiming the scientific method of
inquiry as a manifestation of the Qur'anic spirit, and by showing that all
the higher values of Social Justice that are believed to have been "born"
in the West were actually borrowed from the teachings of Prophet
Muhammad (SAW). As such, Iqbal declared that the republican form of
government is perfectly harmonious with the spirit of Islam, and that
Marxism can be Islamized only by adding to it the concept of God. It is
indeed undeniable that the system of Khilafah is a democracy under
Divine Soverigenty and that it guarentees to all the provision of basic
necessities of life.
Moreover, it was none other than Iqbal who started the process
of "the reconstruction of religious thought in Islam" by laying down the
intellectual foundations of Iman - not on the outdated Aristotelian logic
or on Plato's world of ideas - but on such sciences as higher
mathematics, modem physics, cosmology, biology, and psychology. At
the same time, Iqbal also described and elucidated in clear terms the
Islalnic Revolutionary Thought, as well as the methodology for bringing
about that revolution. We shall deal with Iqbal's role in reviving the
revolutionary teachings of Islam in the next chapter, Insha Allah.
I Corrigendum I
Goethe has told us in his Faust, almost two centuries ago, that "man must strive,
and striving he must err", implying, of course, that mistakes are the signs of movement,
activity, and struggle. This quote is not meant to justify the errors in the January-March
'96 issue of The Qur'anic Horizons, but only to point out that we have undertaken such a
grand venture that, taking into account our shortage of editorial staff, at least some
oversights were probably inevitable. We are giving here a list of the typinglproof-reading
errors that we discovered or were pointed out by our patrons. Whether minor or glaring,
the mistakes are greatly regretted. (Editor)
Page Line Incorrect Correct
1&8 2&9,29
Al-Asra Al-Isra
2 26 dimension dimensions
6 23 distict distinct
8 24 comapred compared
10 11 endevours endeavors
11 5 wrther whrther
14 8 promtings promptings
19 22 fell fall
20 4 Ubu Talib Abu Talib
21 5 stood stand
21 22 form from
24 21 the view the view as it is
28,29 33,l when spend when they spend
30 6 spilt split
31 4 is in
32 673 Islam may accommodate Modernity's Islam may accommodate
frame-work of values, after striping it of
Modernity's narrow and extremist
its positivism and secularism. views of knowledge and reality in its
broad-based frame-work of values,
after stripping it of its positivism and
secularism.
33 14 negative native
33 25 institution institutions
34 1&5 mullet- multi-
34 3 tat that
34 16 vies views
35 17 comparability compatib~lity
37 1 human needs. Both human needs, both
37 2 as if as is
37 12, 13 a Divine Divine
38 24 double a double
39 9 mcuh much
40 17, 18 Islamic epistemology follows from the Islamic epistemology is based.
unity of truth.
41 24 morale moral
44 4 tahtn than
44 7 gave give
44 27 theree three
44 28 recided recited
45 9 on a on
45 13 Isma'il Rafeeq. Al-Faruqi Isma'il Raji Al-Faruqi
45 27 minset mindset
46 20 Revelation Revelations
47 4&13 Allam Allama
47 21 Instititu Institute
In Search of Knowledge
Farhan Omar Shamsi
he second generation of Muslims in North America are

increasingly appreciating the purity and wisdom of Islam.
While the first generation of Muslims are content in their
pursuit of material gains, the main purpose for which the majority of
them emigrated, the Muslim youth are realizing the tnle colors of the
secular West. They are realizing that there is more to life than a six-
iigure salary, a mansion in the hills, and a Mercedes in the driveway.
This initial awakening and spark of Iman is accompanied by a thirst for
knowledge regarding Islam.
Due to a lack of adequate institutions that can provide a pure and
comprehensive Islamic education to these eager youth, most turn
towards the original sources of the Deen, namely the Qur'an and
Suiznah, rather than their: "learned" elders, many of whom are either too
busy building and maintaining enormous and luxurious lnasajid or are
unfortunate victims of Westernization and liberalism. Those who want
more than just a part-time study of Islam and who are frustrated with not
knowing how to cope with the social ills and decaying morals of the
West, turn towards the Muslim world - especially the Arab countries,
South-east Asia, and Malaysia - to meet their educatiol~aland spiritual
needs.
Al-Humdulillah, it was these very concerns which brought me to

Lahore to participate in the One-Year "Return Towards the Qur'an"
course at Qur'an College. A study of Qur'anic Arabic grammar, Tajweed
(the art of reciting the Qur'an), Muntaklzab Nisab (an in-depth analysis
of the meaning of selected portions of the Qur'an), along with an
introduction to the vast fields of Hudit!~and jiqll were the factors that
70 , The Qur' anic Horizons 1:2
caused me to leave my family in Toronto, Canada - my home and place

of birth.
The Qur'an College is an educational arm of ~ a r k a z ;Anjuman
Khuddam-ul-Qur'an, the founder and president of which is Dr. Israr
Ahmad. He manages to devote extra time to the One-Year Course,
despite his busy schedule, to present lectures on a number of his written
works. These include The Obligations Muslims Owe to the Qur'an and
Islamic Renaissance: The Real Task Ahead - two very interesting and
highly relevant booklets that should be read by all Muslims.
Our class, which normally lasts one full year with a month long
break in summer, started in October '95 and will end Insha Allah in July.
Classes are held at the Quran Auditorium which is on the premises of the
Quran College. This modern building, and the dedicated teaching staff
within it, offer the facilities which provide for a good learning
environment. Both men and women can attend the same class and
benefit from gaining knowledge without having to compromise the
Islamic injunctions of purdah.
In addition to the regular method of teaching and testing at the
Qur'an College, the One-Year course is complemented by a weekly
Dars-e-Qur'an, Friday sermons by Dr. Israr Ahmad at Masjid
Darussalaam in Lahore's famous Bagh-e-Jinnah, as well as seminars
and training camps. During the month of Ramadan, a Daura-e-Tarjuma-
e-Qur'an was held at the Qur'an Academy mosque. Before every four to
eight rak'at of the Salat Al-Taraweeh, Dr. Abdus Sami, in his brief
discourses, gave an ayah by ayah translation of the Qur'an and provided
explanations where necessary of the ayaat to be recited in the prayers.
This method, initiated by Dr. Israr Ahmad about fifteen years ago, is
highly effective in introducing the entire Qur'an to an audience who is
generally unable to comprehend the Book of Allah in origillal Ardbic.
One of my classmates stated that such an environment kecps one in
touch with the Deen, deepens and aftirms one's bnnn, and that learning
Arabic is nurun ala nur (light upon light).
This opportunity to learn the Qur'an and its language not only
In Search of Knowledge 71
compelled youth like myself to enroll, but it also attracted a variety of

people belonging to different age-groups and walks of life to come and
re-establish their severed link with the Qur'an, which bas resulted from
centuries of neglect by our ancestors. Some came with their whole
families from as far away as the United States, sacrificing a year in order
to bring meaning and direction in their lives through the ~ u r ' h There
.
are very few people in the present materialistic world who have such a
high level of motivation and love for Deen to be able to take this bold
step.
Despite the apparent "loss" of time, money, and other material
concerns, setting aside this one year for Jihadfi sabeelillah, was, as one
brothex put it, "the golden period of my life". I also agree with him when
he says that this course has given him inner peace, without which life is
of no use. Most of us are too concerned with our "status" in sociity and
how far ahead we are in life's "rat race" to even think about fundamental
questions such as "Who are we?'and "What is our destination?'It is
truly an example of Allah's mercy that He rescues people who are
apparently consumed by darkness, and blesses them with the light and
knowledge of Reality, which is another name for Iman.
Some of my classmates were not as regular as they could have
been. One such brother remarked that even though he could not always
attend the classes due to his professional engagements, he has
nevertheless benefited immensely Erom the course. He added that he will
miss the friendships and the learning environment that were the highlight
of his life. One thing that I am sure all my classmates will agree upon is
that, in ;arious degrees, each one of us has succeeded in establishing his
or her relationship with the Qur'an and developed a strong desire to'dive
deeper into its wisdom. As a result of this course, many misconceptions
about Islam that are prevalent in the Muslim society were removed from
our minds. Faith no longer appears blind. Rather, for us it is now based
on a conscious understanding, based on the observation and
contemplation of God's creation and the natural- environment that
surrounds us. This course is a testimony to the ayah of the Quran
regarding people of knowledge fearing Allah the most.
One cannot help but come to the conclusion that Islam is the
most natural way of life. The goal comes into focus and the path
becomes clear, But learning is not enough; it must also lead to action.
After developing a basic understanding of the Qur'an, it now becomes
incumbent upon us to inform others of this reality and to struggle for the
establishment of al-Haqq, the Truth. Despite the great gains of
knowledge of the Qur'an, the Qur'an itself may become a witness
against us on the Day of Judgment if we fail to implement its
commandments in our lives.
These past few months have truly tested my patience, but the
fruits of my study are noticeable. Learning to depend on the Qur'an for
guidance revolutionizes one's life. It results in a deep-felt peace and
tr~nquillityeven in the face of difficulty and hardship. Al-Humdulillah,
in this short time the language of the Qur'an no longer seems completely
foreign to me. I've also come to learn and appreciate the importance of
the Qur'an in our everyday lives, and what it means to be a true Muslim
in the service of Allah.
Unfortunately, the pain of homesickness, a rude awakening to
the value given to Islam in Pakistan, and my own inability to read and
write fluently in Urdu have contributed to a decrease in my initial
enthusiasm. But the need for such an all-encompassing course is strongly
felt abroad among the younger generation of Muslims. The
establishment of the Institute of'Qurlanic Wisdom in New York is a step
in the right direction to fulfill this need. I would strongly, and without
hesitation, recommend the One-Year Course to all Muslims, as it is an
invaluable investment for one's present life and, Insha Allah, for the
Hereafter.
I would like to thank those of my classmates who contributed
their ideas and shared their thoughts which helped in producing this
article: I pray that we may come to appreciate Islam for the True Reality
that it is, that we may be blessed with the true understanding of the
Deen, and that Allah have mercy on us so that we may be able to enter
into Islam completely. Ameen.
One-Year
Ruju ' ilal Qur 'an
(Return Towards the Qur'an)
Course
For college and uiliversity graduates (men and
women), Markazi Anjuman IU~uddam-ul- Qur'an
Lahore offers a One-Ycar Course in:
Basic Arabic language,
Tajweed (the art of reciting the Qur'an),
M%ntahhabNisab (detailed study of Selections from
the Q~lr'an),
Introduction to Haditb, and
Study of selected Islamic literature.
The main objective of this course is that those
who have already colnpletcd their forinal education
can acquaint thcn~selveswit11 thc essentials of Islalnic
tc;~chings,so that the prevailing dichotomy between
"religious" and "secular" lcno\~rlcdgccan be removed.
Admissions will open in lntc September and
classcs i l l start in the first \~rcclc of October,
I n s l ~Allnh.
;~ Thc incdium of instruction is Urdu.
For dctails, plc~sccontact:

The Principal
Qur'an College
19 1, Ataturk Block, New Garden Town, Lahore-54600
.!.
The Sole Aim . # .
beforeIT .
The Markazi Anjuman ~(bndd&n-uI-~ur'an
Lahore ILl
is to Disseminate and Propagate

the Knowledge 'and Wisdom
of
The Holy Qur'an
(the fountain-head of faith and enlightenment)
on a Vast Scale
' and
I on the Highest IntellectualZevel
so as to achieve
5 The Revitalization of Faith
among the Muslims in general
and
their Intelligentsia in~particular
with the Ultimate Objective of bringing about an
Islsunic Renaissance
and ushering in, for the second time in histoly
the Blessed Era "-.
in which
The True Islamic Way of Life reign 1 supreme.
-

02-The Quranic Horizons (April - June 1996)

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02-The Quranic Horizons (April - June 1996)

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Quarterly Journal of the Qur'an Academy

Marhzi Anjaman Rhoddam-ol-Qor'm, Lahore (Pahiatan)

Chief Editor: Dr. Absar Ahmad

Advisory Editorial Board

l'ricc l'cr Issuc: 13s. 301-

The Our'anic Horizons

Quarterly Journal of the Qur'an Academy

The Objective and Goal of

The Qur 'an and Riba

Islamic Revolutionary Thought and its Decline

What we have done during the last half century or so,

this country except what we were supposed to. We have followed

Consider the necessity of establishing a Hizbullah from

of a moral and ethical dimension in the poliey-making process,

change the entire system without resorting to b y armed rebellion or

Dr. Israr Ahmad

(Trafitlated into English by: Dr. Absar Ahmad)

he truth may be recalled here once again that just as the

Behold! It is We who have revealed this Reminder, and,

being who willingly turns unto God (Qaf 50:8)

The upshot of the ideas expressed in the above lines is that,

prosecution witnesses against their own people.

Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is told by the Almighty that he is

To sum up, the real mission and purpose of Prophethood is that,

mark of distinction with regard to one or the other of these numerous

Characteristics of plenitude and completion in Muhammad's

He it is Who has sent forth His messenger with the Guidance

The important point of which notice should be taken here is that

The famous scholar and mystic of the Indo-Pakistan

This point is further reafirmed if we study the following verse

In addition to Surah Al-Fatiha, the word "Deen" alongwith

This means that when Prophet Muhammad (SAW), after more

appreciated with reference to these two expressions viz., "al-Huda" and

infancy to mental maturity in two respects.

Therefore it was quite in the fitness of things that, at this satagc

According to some scholars, the subject of the verb "izhar" is

complacency exhibited by these misguided interpreters of the Holy

It is truly a wonderful bargain; what we are asked to give is so

spiritual rewads and blessings.

Similarly, Surah Al-Saff ends with this call:

If one does not accept this immaculately clear view of the

Here, to translate "Deen" in the plural as "Adiyyan" will be

First, "Deen" by its very nature demands its establishment and

particularly one based on total submission to God Almighty - is

The second reason why the establishing of the Deen of Allah is

Prophet Muhammad (SAW), acknowledges in his A Concise History of

nationals to keep before themselves the models of the governance of Abu

The Revolutionary Struggle

The Misconception of Western Writers

. imagine a prophet as a statesman, a commander of fighting armies, and

The Ummatic Obligation of Muslims

Verily, I am God's Messenger unto you people in particular

Prophet Muhammad (SAW) executed and fully achieved the

of opposition, verbal and physical persecution, slander and mental

supreme in its pristine excellence on a vast area of the then civilized

in order to fully understand the message in the Qur'an. Looking at an

I. The First Revelation on Riba

And the riba-based investments on your part, in order to

11. The Second Revelation on Riba

We (i.e., Allah) decreed many a previously permitted things

These ayaat are self-explanatory. Though their immediate addressees

HI.The Third Revelation on Riba

(Tadabbur-e-Qur'an,Vo1.2, pp. 167-234), these ayaat were revealed, as