From Lahore, a compassionate Muslim (who has tossed and rolled the
whole of his life with the grief of the Ummah) writes:
“You make tangible efforts (and these efforts of yours are
blended with virtuosity; may Allah bless you with their reward) that leaving their
factions and disagreements aside the Muslims may once again emerge as the same
single-one-Ummah, as it was during the saga of the Messenger of Allah (S). But I failed to
understand as to how it would be possible. Are you sure: the Muslims will splash aside
their differences on the basis of which they are ever ready to be doomed to die over
trifling? Leave the creeds aside; take the actions only. These fellows tell us that
consistency of action holds a definite position. It means it can be said of
action-consistency with a definite degree of surety that the Messenger of Allah (S) had
done the same. So its observance from within becomes obligatory for us. Among such kind of
consistent actions, Namaaz occupies the most significant position. Now think of this
Namaaz: Is the Namaaz of any one faction identical with any others? And every sect
adjudicates its own Namaaz as the Namaaz of the Messenger of Allah (S). Render aside the
Namaazein – Prayers – of the entire year. Take for consideration the Namaazein
– Prayers – of Ramadan and Eid. In Ramadan prayer, one faction considers eight
rik’at Taraveeh as the right norm whereas another considers twenty rik’at only.
And both are the actions based on consistency. Can both of these actions be of the
Messenger of Allah (S)? After passing through this vivid difference of the complete one
month of Ramadan, now rise up for the morning of Eid. In the Newspapers, you will find a
long list of those mosques (i. e. mosques of the different sects) where the Eid Namaaz
will be offered.
EID
NAMAAZ
The first difference seen to be will be that, to some, the Eid
Namaaz can not be offered in the mosque, it can be offered in an open ground. To some
others, it can also be offered in the mosque. Then comes the timing of the Namaaz. In this
count you will see that the Eid Namaaz will be offered at various timings – from to 6
a. m. to 10 a. m. and each one of them will show his timing founded on the consistency of
action. Now you participate in the Eid Namaaz. At one place you will hear of 12 takbeers,
seven in the first rak’at (excluding the takbeer of Intention - Niyyat) and 5 in the
second (other than the takbeer at rak’at). At other place you will find only six
takbeers, 3 in the first rak’at (other than the takbeer at Intention – Niyyat
– and raku) 3 in the second rak’at (other than the takbeer at raku) – This
too is by the consistency of action in each faction. After the takbeer, come to the
recitation. One group will offer extra takbeerain before reciting Al-hamd in the first rak’at and after the
recitation before going to rak’u in the second rak’at. But the second will offer
the takbeerain before recitation in both the rak’at – this action is too by the
consistency of action. Now after the number, come to the manner it is offered. One-faction
raises the hands up to the ears at the time of these takbeerain without raising the hands
– And both will consider their actions based on consistency. Now tell us when this is
the state of difference in the consistency of action, how can oneness be imbibed? And
these differences are of the two factions of the Ahl-e-Summat wal Jamaaet (Hanafee and
Ahl-e-Hadith) only. As I have not offered Namaaz with other factions, so I do not know of
anything about them.
May God bless you of your tangible efforts but I find no hope of
synchronizing any oneness in the Ummah. I have just returned after offering Eid Namaaz and
am writing this letter to you. You will say what type of Eid Greetings this letter is
showering. But alas, when the heart throbs as such, how is the expression of false mirth
to come by?
TOLU-E-ISLAM
It is true so far are our measures of judging the right and wrong.
If these measures remain what we have today, there will be no possibility of synchronizing
oneness in Ummah. But with the change of measure, the dying out of the differences will
not be difficult. And the measure is whether it is creed or action, whatever is compatible
with the Quran is right and whatever is against it is wrong.
So far are the details, which the Quran has not mentioned, it is
only the Islamic system that can inculcate the form of oneness in them. The struggle of
Tolu-e-Islam is confined simply to this point alone: our measure of judging right and
wrong is restricted to the Quran and the Islamic system based at the pattern of
Messengerhood is established in Pakistan. And this as such, after letting these
differences of ours die out, may synchronize in us the form of oneness. We do believe in
the soundness of this theory and cherish the hope of its accomplishment. Now so far is the
question of its crowning with success, we can not say any thing about it. Even the
Messenger of Allah (s) was told
fa-innama AAalayka albalaghu waAAalayna
alhisabu (13:40)
Your
responsibility is to go on disseminating this Message. Ours is to see as to when will
their results come out manifesting. So we should go on delivering
our job and should never mar our hopes.
(1957)