Hujjatul Islam Ustad Syed Jawad Naqvi
(Principal Jamia Orwatul Wuthqa – Lahore)
Delivered at: Masjid Baitul ul Ateeq
Lahore – Pakista
Sermon 1: Argument on protecting humanity as Taqwa
Sermon 2: No Intellect better than management (Tadbeer)
Allah has established Taqwa for protection of human life as a divine plan from creator of human beings for every segment of life where there is specific Taqwa. Allah after giving life to human being has made religion as the manifesto of life for guidance. Along with this ordained Taqwa as the protection plan for human being whose expanse is also till the range of human life.
In Surah Nisa verse 1
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاءً ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالْأَرْحَامَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا {1}
O people! Acquire Taqwa of your Lord, Who created you from a single being and created its mate of the same (kind) and spread from these two, many men and women; and acquire Taqwa of Allah, by Whom you demand one of another (your rights), and (to) the ties of relationship; surely Allah ever watches over you
The verse says you should acquire Taqwa of that Lord who created you from a single soul and also created its mate through Allah made and spread many men and women. Then again it is mentioned to acquire Taqwa of Allah.
The actual subject is of Taqwa but the Muffassirin have ignored the argument of Taqwa and discussed more about its specifics. The address is to human beings and the order is to acquire Taqwa of Lord. The common argument present in Tafsir by all is about how creation of Adam took place and then how the creation of mate took place and then how reproduction of their generation was done. Then specifically about the marriages of the children was with whom. Were the brothers and sisters married together or there was some other creation present before on earth. All the arguments in Tafsir is related to these topics. This is such an argument which has no historic, intellectual or Quranic evidence. So if siblings were married then what was the justification because in humanity everyone considers such marriage as illegitimate. So how did the second generation after Adam spread and Quran has not expressed this. The Quran has only mentioned about everything related to guidance and anything directly or indirectly not related to guidance the Quran has left it. Many subject for us are very important but for Allah they are insignificant and this is the big difference between our thinking and that of Quran. If our vision is Quranic then we will give importance as well to those affairs which Quran is giving importance. Like the tree towards which Adam went and ate was which fruit. The Quran did not mention about the tree but we are totally inclined towards that. The actual purpose in this verse was to guide and this verse is of Taqwa which is the actual subject of the verse. The argument to acquire Taqwa has been presented that you were created by that Lord from his single soul, then created mates and then spread humanity and established relationships
There are three types of Taqwa mentioned in the verse, one is of Lord, second is of Allah and then of relatives (Arham). The commentators generally dive into secondary aspects and talk about footnotes thus the actual subject of verse remain untouched and hence shady. Even though this argument is present on how the human generation spread and even if we know then it is only your knowledge will increase but it would not impact your guidance. If you don’t know then do not consider this as ignorance because Quran has also not expressed. The commentators have expressed their opinion about this.
The scholars have a terminology that while thinking human being’s mind becomes rebel and crosses limits. You would have seen that you started a discussion on one subject and eventually ended up somewhere. This is transgression in speech, discussion. You should keep the discussion tied up so that you can concludes. If you touch different subjects then there wont be any outcome after hours of discussion. You should confine yourself to one topic and then go to other topic. In formal conferences there is a subject where they start one argument, make it reach conclusion. Since it is our practice to do multiple unrelated discussion, we do the same in religion as well and hence we get into discussion about how the marriage was done of Adam’s children and even if we know we will ask further questions an on who recited Nikah. If Quran is not talking about this then you also should leave and not get entangled. The Quran is addressing the human beings in 2023 and telling us to acquire Taqwa of your Lord. This means acquire the protection plan of your Lord so that the life, and humanity becomes secure. If humanity is not secure then nothing would remain secure. The sects, communities, tribes, nation and no one would remain secure. Hence give the first protection to humanity hence the address is made in general to human beings.
The reason why human beings are asked to acquire Taqwa because there are many in humans who do not believe in Allah or is not clear to them. Then similarly they do not know many attributes of Allah. And they have associated these attributes to others. Man has made assumptions about creation of world, universe and human being. Like man came into existence with a big blast as presented by science as a vision. Does it happen when a blast takes place in a small mosque it turns into big mosques. How can blasts and bangs created big things? They know that people do not think and ponder that how without any power, plan and discipline.
But something which no human being can deny is Rububiyat (Lordship). This is because its evidence is clearly witnessed. Though man might consider Rabb someone else like Firon, government or parents. The thing that is related most to human beings is nurturing which means provisioning of all necessary means for life and growth. Man is witnessing all these in his soul that I am growing and developing. He also knows that Rububiyat cannot be done without any system. Who is the Rabb? The one who is creator. The one who is not creator cannot be Lord. This is because creator has made the map of this world and hence only, he can nurture. We can take industrial example as the one who made car knows about the specifics of the car. The one who made knows the best. Allah created man and he is the Lord. But man understands Lordship more better than creator.
I always mention this to scholars and students that when you teach, preach religion then it is our temperament to give evidences, but Quran expresses more about the traits and elaboration. Quran says acquire Taqwa of your lord, who created you and from single soul. The one system for entire humanity is because the foundation of humanity is one. The humanity has stemmed out from one reality. That soul which the commentators also agree as the first creation was a single soul and then made a system of reproduction. We think our own way, that Allah like this world has a government office where we go for our work. We present our cases individually in these offices one by one. But the system of Allah is not like this that he has opened separate accounts for every individual separately. Allah has made a system where everything is being done. There is a system of creation in which we are born. There is one system in which everything is being placed precisely on how man would be created. This system has certain principles which is referred to Quran as Sunan (divine customs). Like you go to foreign countries even if you don’t know the language you move on comfortable according to the system. They have all information at the airport in their system, you go to market the rates are written on everything, you just pick and pay. But in our system we have to ask , question at every point.
Allah has made such a system where there is no confusion. We become confused due to our ignorance. If we understand the Sunan of Allah, then we won’t get confused and would live our lives comfortably to achieve our purpose. In this divine system there is a system of creation. Allah has created a single soul as per the system of creation. We think that first clay was molded, then a statue was made, and spirit was blown. The same system for us was also for Adam that is from dust. The only difference is that the womb in which Adam was made was the womb of the system of creation and this is how he came into existence. It was not through man and woman. Then it came later that from the womb of these the other generation would be born. This is how Allah created you all from one reality then what argument you have that you have turned into various classes, tribes and communities? When you have one soul as origin where Prophets and Imams also belong to and other human beings, so how can you turn into castes and classes as lower and upper. Like today some Sayed gives birth to five sons. So can these five sons belong to different classes of Sayed. Can you think about this? If you think then this would be foolishness and ignorance. This is what the verse is mentioning. Someone can be of high character and personalities can be different, but their essence, being can be different is stupidity which man has done to divide into lower and upper caste. They are all from one Adam. If you have the personality, values then you can be different but not on the basis of classes. Man has been created from single soul, being by Allah. He made that soul in a different womb and then all of you got created from that.
The word Zawj (pair) is in Arabic, but in Non Arabic for female it is Zawja. Zawj means two things which are similar turn into pair. Allah made the mate, Hawa (s.a) from the same soul. We say that wife of Adam came out from his ribs, which is untrue, she got created from the same reality and from the same womb. They both were created as per one system of creation and single reality. It is not that they both have different existential reality, it is the same. Then from them abundant men and women were created. These generations have a relationship. The Quran is taking us towards a big reality. Again, Quran says acquire Taqwa of Allah who is the same Allah who has established relationships amongst you and created society. The verse says that acquire Taqwa of relationship as well and these relationships are those who all are created from Adam and Hawwa. The 8 billion people are your relatives who were created by single being. The entire humanity are relatives to us. The Arham is that container, womb in which man is created. Those who come out from a single womb are considered as Sila e Rahmi. The humanity is created from single womb and you have to guard it. Do not become enemy of humanity and do not separate humanity from yourself and do not go away from humanity. All living on earth are your relatives. This is Taqwa to make humanity as basis.
Today there is earthquake in Turkey, and everyone is helping. Who has aroused them? This relationship of humanity has aroused them. They are children of Adam and Hawwa. In this verse Quran is not expressing other relations but only humanity. Take care of this relationship as Allah is your guardian. The humanity has been lost in sectarianism, language, tribes and we think that humanity is not a subject of religion. We have to understand humanity and if we get opportunity we should apply that as well.
SECOND SERMON
In saying number 113, Imam Ali presents a beautiful system for believers.
113. وقال عليه السلام : لاَ مَالَ أَعْوَدُ مِنَ الْعَقْلِ، وَلاَ وَحْدَةَ أَوْحَشُ مِنَ الْعُجْب، وَلاَ عَقْلَ كَالتَّدْبِيرِ، وَلاَ كَرَمَ كَالتَّقْوَى، وَلاَ قَرين كَحُسنِ الخُلْقِ، وَلاَ مِيرَاثَ كَالاْدَبِ، وَلاَ قَائِدَ كَالتَّوْفِيقِ، وَلاَ تِجَارَةَ كَالْعَمَلِ الصَّالِحِ، وَلاَ رِبْحَ كَالثَّوَابِ، وَلاَ وَرَعَ كالْوُقُوفِ عِنْدَ الشُّبْهَةِ، وَلاَ زُهْدَ كَالزُّهْدِ فِي الْحَرَامِ، ولاَ عِلْمَ كَالتَّفَكُّرِ، وَلاَ عِبَادَةَ كَأَدَاءِ الْفَرائِضِ، وَلاَ إِيمَانَ كَالْحَيَاءِ وَالصَّبْرِ، وَلاَ حَسَبَ كَالتَّوَاضُعِ، وَلاَ شَرَفَ كَالْعِلْمِ، وَلاَ مُظَاهَرَةَ أَوْثَقُ مِن مُشَاوَرَةٍ
113. Amir al-mu’minin, peace be upon him, said: No wealth is more profitable than wisdom, no loneliness is more estranging than vanity, no wisdom is as good as tact, no honor is like fear from Allah, no companion is like the goodness of moral character, no inheritance is like civility, no guide is like promptitude, no trade is like virtuous acts, no profit is like Divine reward, no self- control is like inaction in time of doubt, no abstention is like that (which is) from prohibitions, no knowledge is like thinking, no worship is like the discharge of obligation, no belief is like modesty and endurance, no attainment is like humility, no honor is like knowledge, no power is like forbearance, and no support is more reliable than consultation.
The discussion about Aql is very vast in Quran and teachings of AB. The second sentence is
وَلاَ عَقْلَ كَالتَّدْبِيرِ
There is no intellect better than management (Tadbeer)
Tadbeer means to understand the issue and preparing a solution in accordance with that. Whenever some problem comes in front of man, then he understands it completely and then delivers it as per reality and gets the outcome.
Tadbeer is an Arabic word which comes from Dabr. In Arabic Dabr is the background from where this thing originated. Like when you buy a cow, you ask it belongs to which breed. There are certain things which are beauty and also further beautified but certain things are ugly but only cosmetics have made it look good. When you bring something from market, that is made in China. The outward is good but inside you can see how the quality is specifically for Pakistan market, though China makes good products for other markets. If you want to know the reality of something, then you need to scrap , test and find out its reality. The Dabr is to find the reality of background. Some say that Dabr also includes the end. From where it started and where it ends, to know both is Dabr. Dabr thus means to know and ponder over the reality of beginning and end.
Tadbeer means anything which comes in front of you, then first you should establish the reality of these two things ,one is how this will start and what would be the end. If you do this, then you are Mudabbir (manager). Like you have made an institute, you should know how this would be made and the outcome to be achieved then based on this you started the execution. In business also you should know what you want to do and where you have to do. You just copied something someone else was doing, you wont get the same outcome. This is because you don’t know about the reality.
Quran says, why do they not do Tadabbur, have their heart locked? One function of heart is to ponder. As to where the Quran has started the discussion and from where it is taking towards. Where is the final destination of Quran where Quran wants to make man reach. If you took this secret from Quran then you have done Tadabbur of Quran. It says why you don’t ponder over Quran. The traditions say that recitation of Quran has no benefits if there is no pondering, means the beginning and outcome should be known.
If someone does this Tadabbur in routine life. He starts the things correctly and makes it reach its end, then he is a man of management. He starts a discussion from a point and makes it reach the right end is a man of Tadbeer. Our nation has politicians who have no Tadbeer in politics. They don’t know where the nation, politics, governance starts and what is the end. They begin the wrong way and everything ends into discussion. They do not have Tadbeer because there is no Aql.
Ali says there is no intellect like Tadbeer. The intellectual is one who can ponder, manage the affairs. He can move the thing forward as per plans. There is nothing beneficial more than planning. The affairs should be in the hands of planners. Everyone has the desire to become the chief. One maulana told me to give me all the money and I can do everything as well. Then I told him if you can also do everything then why can’t you go and arrange for money as well. It is the part of Tadbeer to bring money as well and then make it as well. The one who knows the beginning, issues, obstacles and outcome is planning.
