Hujjatul Islam Ustad Syed Jawad Naqvi
(Principal Jamia Orwatul Wuthqa – Lahore)
Delivered at: Masjid Baitul ul Ateeq
Lahore – Pakistan
Friday Sermon – 3rd March, 2023
Sermon 1: Discrimination in human beings on personality and not on race
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. The human life is under threats and for this Allah has made arrangement of Taqwa in which Allah sent heavenly books, aroused Prophets, Messengers and ordered Prophets to preach the divine book.
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! be careful of (your duty to) 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 be careful of (your duty to) Allah, by Whom you demand one of another (your rights), and (to) the ties of relationship; surely Allah ever watches over you
The entire humanity is addressed without any discrimination of class, sect, faith, color. Men are asked to acquire Taqwa of their lord, who has created them from one reality and from that same reality made a pair for human being. Then through this pair Allah has spread abundantly human race. Then again acquire Taqwa in the name of the one on which you question each other and the Taqwa of your relationships.
There is an order for Taqwa of humanity twice in the same verse. If we classify the verses of Quran as per subjects then this verse falls under the verse of Taqwa but in Tafsir no one talks about Taqwa but instead they discussed about secondary thigs which are not present in Quran. Like about that source of creation of human and then the spouse was created and how the third generation got created means how marriage was done by the children of Adam and Eve. These arguments are generally presented under this verse whereas the subject of the verse is not about how marriages were done. Even though this topic also can be researched but since there is no content of guidance present in this topic Quran has not mentioned. It only talks about those things where guidance is present and things that are left by Quran you should be assured that there is no guidance present in those. Since Quran is a clear book of guidance and nothing hidden, so if something does not comes in this then we also don’t need to go after those things from the perspective of guidance. For thirst of knowledge man can go after such topics. It is not necessary that every knowledge has guidance in it. Like if you know about genealogy of someone then what kind of guidance is in this? if you know who was someone’s grandfather then this is not guidance as Arabs were most interested in this. The Quran has talked about Prophets but not about their lineage , wives, children. Quarn has ignored the genealogy. Then Prophet has expressed that this type of knowledge has no guidance in it and is useless. Even today this knowledge is more in Muslims to know about the ancestors and family tree. Quran has addressed Naas that is humanity and raised question as to where this guidance came from. The point made is that the source of entire humanity is single reality. This can be Adam or it can be that reality from which Adam got created.
The first point is the address to humanity and second point is that humanity has one reality only and not multiple. When humanity has got born from single reality hence there is no possibility of discrimination and division in them from the perspective of humanity. If someone becomes lower or upper caste then this is foolishness.
There is no virtue given to anyone in terms of generation, sect, cast and this was ended by the Holy Prophet. No one excels anyone else in terms of color of skin or cast. Today we sing praises of Prophet and then we also consider ourselves as upper class. If you believe in Holy Prophet (s) then establish the same standard as his life. But if you believe in ignorance and set standards on community basis then this is conflict and hypocrisy. We recite slogan of Holy Prophet (s) and do everything which the Prophet has rejected. We have become esteemed class and consider others as lowly; this is conflict. We are destroying our lives in conflict as lives do not proceed in conflicts. This is the rejection by Quran and Holy Prophet (s).
On the other hand Quran has mentioned as well that human beings are not all same. The difference is not in the essence it is by the acts, deeds, values, upbringing and personality. It has made certain people superior to others and some inferior but on the basis of sects , community, race and professions. There is a highly undesired thing in our sub-continent that we consider professions as the race sect. Like a cobbler, barber, potter, tanner their profession becomes their sect and race. From which logic the profession becomes a race or community. I remember in Qom where I used to pass a street where a barber shop was there and who as Syed. The Pakistanis would taunt that a Syed has become a barber. A Syed can drive and can do anything which is legitimate by religion. His essence does not come out from profession. Even now if you visit Quetta many Syed do business of making shoes but this does not affect their essence. This is also an evil. When Islam came to sub-continent, there was a caste system present like Brahman, Shuddar before Prophet. If we would have got the teachings of Holy Prophet (s) then we would have said there is no difference. Instead the Muslims turned into castes. The Shuddar are considered lower cast by Brahmins and Nawaab. Our religion is of Brahman and Hindus. When you discriminate between people based on profession then your religion is not Islam. Few days back a Maulana complained to me that the management of mosque have removed me from mosque because I am son of cobbler so I cannot do Imamat of Jamaat. This is not told by Holy Prophet (s) but Brahmans, your mosque is of Brahman. From where these upper and lower castes have come.
There is a discrimination kept by Quran on certain criteria’s which is not based on genealogy but on individual traits. Two sons of one person can be lowly or esteemed based on personality, character which he has made himself. This is testified by Quran and guided us as well. You can be lowly in character but not in lineage. Allah made Adam and made him dignified. The progeny of Adam cannot be lowly because of lineage but can be lowly by charafter and personality. This is the clear message of Quran and there is Taqwa in this.
The first field of Taqwa is humanity where you have to give protection to humanity. You have to bring humanity in your actual domain and from here further Taqwa starts. This verse which says that humanity started from one common essence and they have to give protection to each other as well. Hence humanity is not different in this perspective but when Quran is raising and lowering someone that is as per their deeds. The best verse is where Quran says that the most dignified person is one who has Taqwa. This is what Ali (a) has clarified in this saying which we will be discussed in the second sermon now.
SECOND SERMON
Sermon 2: Meaning of Kareem
I advise you to live your lives in accordance with the system of Taqwa. Taqwa is divine plan for the protection of human life in this world and hereafter. The practical picture and on ground reference is the life of Amirul Momineen (a) and his wise sayings.
In saying number 113, Imam Ali presents a beautiful system for believers.
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 Taqwa, 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.
وَلاَ كَرَمَ كَالتَّقْوَى
If someone wants to become dignified , honored and wants to be considered as Kareem then the path, policy is Taqwa. Through Taqwa man can reach that dignified position. In Urdu the word Karam and Karamat is not used in the right sense. We consider Karam as some rewards, blessings specifically when we plead to someone to give us something. Then Karamat in Urdu is also used for miracle which means something done which is not normal by non-infallible.
Kareem is one of the beautiful names of Allah. Ikram is the attribute and Kareem is the name of Allah. The title for Prophet also in Quran is Kareem Rasool, the Quran is also Kareem and human being that is progeny of Adam are also Kareem. In Arabic the most esteemed attribute for human being is Kareem. If man starts to develop himself with ideal, perfect attributes and starts to build blocks of good traits, then the last the trait which man might develop after which all traits gets encompassed then Arab term it is as Kareem. This is the status of Kareem but not the meaning.
Martyr Motahari has done the best explanation of Kareem in Persian. There is a book of Motahari about Elder and Elderliness which was difficult for us to understand at that time. It’s a beautiful book and I have not seen such an explanation. He says Karamat is elderliness. Let me clear this. Something being elder means it is big, like a small tree or big tree. The elder means one whose mass , height, weight or age is bigger as compared to others in the same domain. Like a small mosque and big mosque, the big one would be considered as an elder mosque. Like Imam (r.a) termed America as big , elder Satan. We use these terms very often for various things. Quran with the terms Sagheer (small) and Kabeer (big) also uses the term Kareem. The big is something that is larger in some dimension against something. But elderliness or Karamat means excelling or exceeding but not in context or comparison to others. Like others are small and he is big. The attribute against Kareem is Laeem which means lowly , abased who lacks any virtue or esteem attribute. The personality of human being gets built up by these attributes. We act in accordance to their personality. Some speak lies, some speak truth and some do both as per the market. Lie is an attribute which has lowliness and abased. Even if man speaks lies in abundance then there is lowlier. But if man speaks truth and is sincere, whether small or big it is considered as a virtue. Similarly all the esteemed attributes which build the personality of man if they are present in man and there is no lowliness or abased attribute present inside him, then such a person who is empty of all lowliness and associated with all high attributes, this person in Arabic is termed as Kareem. When it is mentioned that the Messenger possessed Makarimul Akhlaq then it is translated incorrect that I have come to preach good ethics. The Ethics are of two types which Motahari says, there is one where ethics comes but lowliness also remains. But there is another category of ethics when they come then lowliness leaves the person. Those ethics which end the lowliness are Makarimul Akhlaq. These ethics are such that when they are present then lowliness does not remain.
In our personalities we are adulterated with both good traits and also at the same time a lowliness is also present in our personality. This lowly dimension or attribute or act is known as Laeem. This makes the status of man fall down. If man is not Laeem then he is not having a lowly base. Motahari gave various examples like if someone has high wealth then he is a big capitalist but is he is also a noble, Kareem capitalists? If he is Kareem capitalists then to earn his capital he has not demonstrated any lowliness. Similarly Motahari says elderly scholars, who are they. We consider them who have either big beard, or have high knowledge, more research. But then there are Kareem scholars, who are not afraid of anyone other than Allah, their essence is free from all lowliness and associated with all noble traits.
Maulana Rumi says that “Do not say that I don’t need to go to King as he won’t do anything for me, because with Noble people there is nothing difficult”. A Kareem person will not have lowlines in relationship, decisions, acts, thinking, eyes. This is a personality who has removed lowliness from his self. When Arabs would praise someone they would use Kareem for someone in whom they would not see any lowliness.
If we see a big scholar and a Kareem scholar. The big ones are those who have more knowledge, research, fatwas but a Kareem scholar might not be one who has this much knowledge, but does not possess any lowliness. Might be he is not even educated, but his personality is not having any lowliness. Quran refers to this person as Akram.
Ali (s) says that there is no Karam like Taqwa. The thing that removes all lowliness, evils from the personality of man is Taqwa. It grants that esteemed status to man. In Arab history Abdul Muttalib was referred to as Kareem of Arab, though many Arabs were present. He was the only Kareem though others were also elderly persons. This is because he had no lowliness in his personality. There were big people but no lowliness. There is no Taqwa in a big scholar but it is present in Kareem, noble scholars. We should make such Kareem scholars as model. From every perspective the personality is esteemed.
Ghalib says I put on the attire of beggar so that can I see the drama of Ahle Karam. I go to the doors of Ahle Karam to see who are such people. This Karam is for Mirza Ghalib if someone gives a beggar.
Kareem is that person who has self-respect. He does not raise his hands in front of anyone. And second thing is that he does not allow anyone to spread their hands. He does not give others opportunity as well to someone to beg. A big person will give someone who knocks the door. A Kareem will reach the doors of someone who is in need. A Kareem person will not make someone ashamed. In traditions it is mentioned that the breast of Kareem is the vault of secrets. We know the weakness of others which we at the right time in gathering bring that out to insult them. A Kareem will become veil on the defects of others and protects the dignity of others. One reason for Prophet (s) being Kareem is one supplication he did with Allah and is the verse of Quran as well, that Allah should not disgrace his Prophet and his followers. The Prophet says that my Ummah should not get ashamed. The way Allama Iqbal also has written in the prose that when the daughter of Hatim Tai came to the Prophet, he placed his own cloak on her head, even though she was not Muslim. This is where the difference between Kareem and Laeem is seen. When a daughter of a generous, elderly person came to Prophet, he covered her head. Iqbal says we are also barren head, you should put your cloak on us. Today our nation has all lowly leaders. Raghib says that Kareem is one who is not lowly and does not expresses his lowliness somewhere. He does not spills out the venom somewhere. A Kareem is a shadow on everyone. Mulla Rumi says that there is no difficulty to work with Kareem. The source of Karam is Taqwa. Ameerul Momineen (a) says that there is no Karamat in anything other than Taqwa. The more Taqwa is weak man would become lowly. The more he is strong man would become more Kareem , noble and dignified.
إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ
There is no difference in caste, sect, race but in personalities Quran has divided man. It is not that a full family everyone is lowly. There can be laeem and Kareem in one family whose examples are present in history and Quran as well. One who acquires Taqwa it will make the person reach the most esteemed status of Taqwa.
