Hujjatul Islam Ustad Syed Jawad Naqvi
(Principal Jamia Orwatul Wuthqa – Lahore)
Delivered at: Masjid Baitul ul Ateeq
Lahore – Pakistan
Friday Sermon – 29th December, 2023
Sermon 1 : Quranic society is based on values, other ideologies is on means
Religion is manifesto of guidance for human life and society when it gets formed as per divine plan then it becomes divinely guided. People gathering and living together does not mean it is a divine society. For protection of human life and society Allah has made the plan of Taqwa in religion. Muttaqee is secured human being and secured society from all calamities and threats. Adl is made the foundation of human life and society. Similarly for guidance of human being as well Adl is giving the foundation status. For security human society with Taqwa as well Adl is made as foundation.
In understanding of religion the actual meaning of Adl is lost and it got replaced with new meaning. In religious curriculum we study Adl in different context which is judiciary whereas Quranic Adl means balance and equality in human society. The structure of human society is based on virtues in Islam. Whereas in other systems the foundation or structure of human society is based on means and resources. Allah has based society on virtues and means are means for acquiring virtues. In social sciences if we see the ideology which has affected and impressed even Islamic thinkers, scholars is Marxism. Karl Marx was German philosopher who gave a vision based on which the ideology of communism came into existence. The person who has supported, promoted and as per his thinking elaborated social justice is Marx. After this vision then the discussion started in Western societies with both criticism and elaboration. Even in Muslims a long time after Marxism the discussion started on this subject which was after the social revolution of communism in Soviet Union. The Muslim scholars rejected communism. The best rejection was done by Allama Tabatabai and then his student Martyr Motahari.
The discussion has been whether the axis of the society is individual who formed society or it is society who gives identity to individuals. Marx gave importance to individual and then they talked about how society is formed, changed and spreads. The Muslims rejected his ideology and good rejections are present. The Quran has presented much before the principles of society. It has presented the Ummah and its structure. The structure of society as presented by Quran is values that is virtues whereas Marx considered means , resources as the basis. This means as per him human society gets formed, transformed, grows based on means. The Quran says the foundation of human society is virtues. As per Marxism a strong society is one where there are more means present whereas as per Islam it is virtues. A society gets disturbed when there is imbalanced distribution of means amongst people, whereby some possess large resources and some lack even the basic means of life. Due to which an imbalance society has come into existence.
As per Quranic scale you should consider virtues, values as the foundation of society and see what virtues have become the basis of society and how much balance is in these values. At individual level as well the criteria of measuring a person is values. This also does not mean that we are denying resources , means and they are not required or the means do not play any role. The means play a vital role in human society but the imbalance that comes in means is also due to values and virtues.
Today in our society if we have to decide who is poor or rich, it is based on wealth, but if we see the spirit of Islam then it is said the biggest poor is not one who is not having wealth, but the one who lacks intellect. The three foundation virtues of Hikmat, Shujaat and Iffat if they get established then all other virtues come into existence. When these three elements come inside a person then as per scholars the person is Adil. All these are not from means but from virtues. Ali (a) said if the means were the basis of life and society, then Allah would have given the Prophets the most, but Allah (s) gave the Prophets no means but gave abundant virtues and values. If you see only two Prophets Sulayman and Dawood has wealth, means but that for the state which they were governing. Allah (s) has not given Imamat on the basis of means but on the basis of values, virtues.
Today in our society those who possess high means have become rulers and those who possess values , virtues have become subjugated. The power is with those who have means, resources in their hands. Allah (s) has given this power to the virtuous. The Quran says even if they are weak if we will give them Imamat. If you see if any guest would come to Ali (a) home he had no food to serve , would have to lend money from someone. He (a) had one small room, and he would work in farms of people to live his life. The same Ali (a) when he became ruler, and huge public treasury came under him, his economic life personally was same. And he did not leave anything as inheritance for his children. He was not a wealthy elite and hence he was selected for Imamat or Prophet Ibrahim was selected for Imamat.
Even if you see from amongst non-Infallible, Allah selected Taloot for leadership and the Bani Israel objected that he has no means, wealth. Allah said he is courageous and he has deep insight. He has virtues based on which he has been selected for Imamat. Today if you see the list of candidates in elections, they are all those who possess wealth and not virtues.
For Allah the basis of society is virtues which keep the society balanced. The balance does not come from means. The means keep their own significance. If there are virtues but means are not present then also big problems start. The means have to play their role but the argument is to what forms the structure, that is virtues as per Quran. Thus a Muttaqee society which is based on Adl and Adl gets established based on virtues. From here the subject of Adalat e Ijtemai (Social Justice) gets divided into two parts.
Today if you see all the discussions on social justice they talk about means only ,that is equal distribution of wealth. The Quran does not make this as the basis but instead the virtues as the basis. If there is no Adl in society then it reaches every individual of society. If the central vein gets damaged then the entire body gets paralyzed. If we consider human society as body. Then in human body there is fat, vitamins, minerals, proteins which can be considered as means of body. But for the same person he get neuron damage then this entire healthy body turns into a dead body. A society is also like this only. You can see societies which are good in terms of means but are paralyzed with values. And we can see that these societies have turned into big oppressors which we can see in Gaza today. We can see how lowly these people are in term of values despite of possessing high means. The Arab status have abundant means of living but there is no name of humanity in Arab rulers, people and scholars. You have not even heard any effective word from these countries in favor of these oppressed. When the Imam e Kaaba also is not having any pain then this means that these societies are paralyzed. There are huge means and resources there, you can see their homes, children, women they have kept in every country. They have aircrafts, helicopters but in terms of virtues the tragedy of Gaza has proved that they are empty of values , virtues like animals as no humanity can be seen in them. If we make a society on the basis of means, then this is misguidance. If we get all the means of world then also humanity will not come. If there are not virtues present. The virtues, values decide where the means should be distributed.
The plan of Quran is present in Quran and has not even come out to the level of Tafsir. This message of Quran is present n Quran only and not come out to the people. This is the reason that Quran says the Prophet (s) will complain on the day of Qayamat that my followers have abandoned your Quran despite of reciting in big numbers. The system of Quran for society, the system of values is still lying in Quran without even coming out in commentaries at least.
The Friday prayers is to present and promote Taqwa which is the protection mechanism. This weekly system has been made by Allah to emphasize on Taqwa to make as secure society. The protection system Allah (s) has made on the basis of Adalat. The Adalat gets established in society and the society is formed on the basis of values and not on means. The other ideologies believe the human society should be formed on means. When a society is formed on values, virtues then it gets Adl established and then Taqwa becomes certain and practical. And for the management of values, virtues Allah has made the system of Imamat whereby the most virtuous person should become the leader of society and not the most corrupt person. The one who excels in virtues would be the leader of society and he has to establish the society as well on virtues. Ali (a) clearly mentioned in his presidential address that I will fix this society and get Adl in it. He said today your state is like before the Prophet (s) came and I have to start from that ground zero. I will establish Adl in you first and experts prophesized that this government will not run because Imam has different criteria of values and people are after means. The same happened and very soon problems started and at the end Ali (a) prayed that O Allah take them from me and take me away from him. They are not ready for the system of Imamat. This society is not ready to get reformed but ready for conflicts. From that day society did not reform , it went to Banu Umayyah and from there it came to democracy. If today you just unveil a little of these candidates you can see the corruption inside them. The biggest exposure has been done by Gaza that those who lack virtues are beasts, animals and cannot be considered as human beings.
Sermon 2
Sermon 2 : Fly the Flag movement: Let Palestine flag fly on every home and vehicles
In today’s era we can see the humanity has ended because the humanity was nurtured in the domain of Taqwa due to which the most dreadful beasts are present in human skins. They have not kept anything secure even worse than animals. There are two forms of evils being seen. One are the beasts of Israel, America, Europe and Arabs who are supporting them financially, morally and every possible form. The second group is one who are silent on this oppression. They have even left watching news and have come to normal life as if nothing is happening in the world. This is the lowliness of values in human beings. If man does not posses Taqwa then this is what happens. Today the most lowly role is of Muslims. The Muslim rulers and scholars also have remained silent. The people are either following rulers or scholars thus accepting disgrace.
There are some who are attentive even though their voices do not reach that far but there are such people in every country who are doing something for these oppressed. It is our duty to not forsake these oppressed. If we do not carry the pain for these oppressed then we are animals. There is a poem from Firdausi. He says, you are neglectful about the pain of other, then your name should be human. The one who does not feel the pain of others he is not suitable to become human. This poem is written somewhere in United Nations as well. the one who does not carry the pain of other human beings is worse then animals.
In this cold weather the people there are homeless. They don’t have anything to eat, drink, shelters. Everyday news come that the tents in which they are living, also are burnt. This is not humanity and today celebrations preparations are being done for new year. Amirul Momineen (a) says look at your era and then decide. If there is corruption in society we should not get deceived. We should not accept those people who are not part of the pain of Gaza and not get deceived. We should get distanced from scholars, leaders who are not concerned with Gaza. We should seek refuge from such politicians.
When the battle started some people passionately raised voices and then the weather got polluted with elections. Today every Pakistani is busy with elections to elect corrupt persons. And the actual duty of humanity is forsaken. The PM gave a statement which became the basis of disgrace for Pakistani’s everywhere. He talked about two state solutions and went against Quaid e Azam and openly talked about accepting Israel. If Quaid e Azam was not ready to accept Israel then not accepting his words is not Kufr. Now he has given statement that the new year night celebrations should not be done out of grief. If you have pain for Palestine then end elections. The New year has not taken attention away from Palestine. Those who do all the corruption on New year they were never with Palestine. You should announce to spend all election budget to Gaza. The country is not in that crisis that nothing can move forward without elections. We always listen that our state is due to past government. So who was the past government? It has been from three big parties only. So the current crisis can be resolved with clean elections, so what will happen? The same will get elected. The ones who have destroyed the country need to reelected to solve the problems of country?
We have to understand our duties and the biggest one is to work for their salvation and raise voices. At least Allah will not count you in criminals for not raising voice. We should do whatever we can for these oppressed.
As I have said that we should raise the flag of Palestine everywhere, on every home, car , offices. First we should raise the flag, then next step is to take the flag and come out. We should start from somewhere. If we can at least print some flags and distribute to others to put on their homes.
In our upcoming program or women’s day and then 13th Rajab , these both days are important. The followers of Ali can only destroy these Zionists. Before these programs we should start this movement of flags across the country.
