Letters to the Editor

Q. I am extremely grateful for the English translation of the book by Al-Tahawi Fundamentals of  the Islamic Creed, and also Fake Pearls. I would like to repent but... is another wonderful translated book. We wish for more of similar translations. But Muhammad, the Unlettered Prophet who changed the world in 23 years and Islam, the religion you can no longer ignore have much scope for improvement. The foreword for Fundamentals of  the Islamic Creed is just the best explanation for destiny I have ever come across. I have some questions which I hope you will answer. Some of my friends advise me that we should only read authentic Tafsir works. Tafsir Ibn Kathir is now available in English; or the one by Dr. Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqiuddin Al-Hilali in nine volumes (which is boring).

YMD

Firstly, one should never say about the Book of Allah, or anything related to it or about a hadith work that it is boring.

Secondly, you may enquire the connoisseurs whether they will allow you to read the Arabic, unabridged version of Tafsir Ibn Kathir or do they insist that you read only the abridged version of Ibn Kathir? If they begin to sweat, well, let them sweat.

Q. I am told to strictly avoid Shabbir Uthmani, Shams Peerzada’s Dawal-ul-Quran, Maududi’s Tafheem and Maarif-ul-Quran by Mufti Shafti. According to them these Tafaasir are not approved by Saudi Arabian scholars. Comment briefly.

YMD

We do not know whom they are referring to when they mention Saudi Arabian scholars. If they are referring to the board of scholars that leads that nation, (who are, in Saudi Arabia, the only authority in religious matters, and not just anyone known as a Sheikh) if it is this board they mean, then you may ask your friends to produce a written Fatwa from the board. If they cannot, then they might be ignored.

You should also impress on them that if they wish to express their opinions, they should express them as their own, and not fasten them upon others to attribute to them what they did not say. 

Q. We wish to know your opinion about the lectures and books of Abu Ameena Bilal Philips; especially the book Evolution of Fiqh. 

YMD

We hold a good opinion of Abu Ameena Bilal Philips. May Allah guide him to some constructive work! His thoughts and information as he mentions in the book, will, we are sure, undergo evolution as time passes by. 

Q. We request you for a short biography of great scholars like Abul Ala Maududi, Sheikh Ahmed Deedat, Sheikh Bin Baaz, Naseeruddin al-Albani, similar to the one you gave us about Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi, which was fabulous. 

YMD

It was Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi’s personality that was fabulous.

As regards biographies of others, our staff is working on a project near about it, and might produce something. 

Q. Is our beloved Prophet (pbuh) also in Barzakh? 

YMD

It is an indiscreet question. However Barzakh is the world between this and the next world. And, it can be different for different people as this world is different for different people. 

Q. Islamic Voice carried an article which reported the incident of the discovery of two Companions, whose bodies were found intact, when re-dug some time in the second half of the last century. My relatives who are involved in all kinds of Bid’at show this article to me to prove their point. Are they correct? 

YMD

The said incident is not known in the Arab world as to have occurred. Secondly, even if some time, somewhere, a few bodies of the dead are discovered – long buried – it will be silly logic to apply it as a rule to the graves of the unknown and unknowable – called Awliya’ Allah.

There are two ways to establish that the bodies of Awliya’ Allah are preserved in the graves: (a) the Prophet said so, or (b) dig up a few graves. Your relatives can choose either of the two. But to start consecrating without any evidence, or build faith and practices upon surmises is the way of the ignorant. 

Q. One of my friends accuses you of recommending books only of Indian scholars especially of Deoband. 

YMD

Such as? 

Q. even though there are other great scholars like Sheikh bin Baaz, Nasiruddin Albani, whose books have been translated into English. 

YMD

The books we recommend are of Tafsir, Hadith (with commentary), biographies of the Prophet and his Companions, those of Islamic History, and a few pertaining to modern situation. Look into a list of books by the above scholars and let us know which one could be included in our beginner’s course. 

Q. You have also neglected them in your editorial of January 2000 “The old and the new Century – 1.”  

YMD

At present we are concentrating on the new century! 

Q. You never recommend excellent books like Etiquettes of life in Islam. Or Al-halal wa al-haram fil Islam, or The Prophet’s (saw) Prayer described by Albani. 

YMD

We recommend books which lay the foundation for a deeper and wider understanding of Islam: one that can guide through the present day challenges and difficulties. As regards other books – such as those of Fiqh – our readers can make their own choices. 

Q. Is The Easy Dictionary of the Qur’an by Sheikh Abdul Kareem Parekh good for starting to learn Arabic? It gives meanings of all words appearing in the Qur’an Surah-wise from beginning to end. Or, is a teacher necessary? 

YMD

It is good for gaining familiarity with the message of the Qur’an, prepared for those who do not have the intellectual ability, or the interest, to learn the Arabic language. 

Q. I came across a book by Ashraf Ali Thanwi which prescribes cure for tuberculosis, leprosy, to chase mosquitoes away to forests, for rats, cockroaches, for defective eye sight, etc., by reciting verses of holy Qur’an… Are these authentic? 

YMD

Firstly, once someone achieves fame, literary works are fastened on to him to increase sales. So, the authenticity must be checked before any comment.

Secondly, Mawlana Thanwi’s main work was Bayaan al-Qur’an followed by his Fataawa and then those works that he wrote to combat perverted Sufism. Bayaan al-Qur’an is one of the best translations and commentaries around in Urdu. It inculcates in its reader high degree of logical thinking, rationalism, accuracy of thought and a razor-blade balance in outlook. It is for highly intellectual people. It was originally written for the masses, but, with the fall in standards, today it can only be studied before a good Qur’an scholar. This is his main contribution, and if someone, especially a person who has been educated on modern lines, reads such books as Qur’an and Medicinal Practices, then, it is a tragedy of such nature as to demand a few minutes walk in the open. 

Q. In Bahishti Zewar he says that sickness can be treated by exorcism or charms. Next, the scholar tells us different `Amal for head and toothache, pains, weakness of mind, weakness of eye-sight, stammering, depression, cholera and plague, spleen, fever, boils and ulcers, snake/ dog bite, to get son, small-pox cure etc. I used to practice some of these things till my friend said that these acts were Bid’at;, now I have stopped.

YMD

It seems you could have been moved by the definition of religion as one that solves day to day problems of life. Perhaps you did not realize that Islam is about one’s closeness to Allah, struggling in His cause, and being of service to His creations. That definition led you to those kinds of books and those kinds of practices.

Anyone, who is educated on modern lines, and reads that kind of literature is completely off the mark. It is recommended that he read a few books of Mawlana Mawdudi, Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi, Sayyid Qutub, Muhammad Qutb, and others of their class in order to increase his depth of understanding, and to know the demands of the present times.

That apart, Bahishti Zewar (Paradisic Jewellery) is a great work. A genius that he was, Mawlana Thanwi could have seen at his time that 90% Muslims in India lived in villages. And their religion and culture were filled with beliefs and practices that had only shadowy basis in the religion of Islam. Apart from several innovations that they practised, they believed in superstitions and omens, and saw magic or evil eye as the reason for every ill that befell them. Consequently, they were exploited by all kinds and classes of people: witch doctors, quacks, magicians, soothsayers, pseudo-holy men, and others. If they were bitten by a scorpion, the charmer was always there to remove the poison, and pick up his fee. If a woman was pregnant, there was someone to prevent miscarriage through his incantation, or offer an amulet for getting a son. If the crops failed, the village priest needed to be appeased, etc.

So Thanwi, although considered Sheikh of the Shuyukh, whose company the scholars of the time sought for enlightenment, perhaps realized that apart from his highly scholarly works, the greater need of the hour was a book which could address these 90% Muslims. However, the book had to be in their language, diction, vocabulary, address their issues, and must work through their culture, rather than in high diction and filled with quotation from the Qur’an and Hadith: quotations that are as fearsome to the ignorant villagers as mathematical equations to the city dweller. So, he wrote Bahishti Zewar. It was a remarkable work and a well-directed effort. For him to write a book of that sort must have been a challenge of a high order. It was like asking a Western philosopher, used to handling such complicated issues as existentialism, to write a volume consisting of short discourses in the language of the villagers that would educate them. He would of course say, “Well, that’s not for me. Look for a folk-lore writer.” But Mawlana Thanwi took it upon himself, and it came out a hit since he primarily addressed women through it. It sold in millions and entered into every home. Many brides were given a copy as a dower gift. And wherever it went, it chased out many innovations, cured the people of superstitions, and, ultimately made those buy a copy of the Qur’an who were used to consulting witch-doctors. Further, while the book educated in Tahaarah, Salah, Zakah, Fasts, and other essentials of Islam, it also saved its readers from the exploitation at the hands of the exploiters and attenuated their influence. It stated how to manufacture simple things, like soap, or get cured of scorpion bite through Qur’anic recitation, which has no medical remedy anyway.

May Allah not look upon the half-witted amongst us who are running a campaign against him, criticising him for this very work; but rather, raise amongst us another genius to write another Bahishti Zewar. Today’s new situation and new culture require another such ingenious idea and book, in a language which could be understood by today’s village-dwellers as well as those of the cities many of whom have been transformed into having the minds of villagers. Today, there isn’t any book in their homes. None whatsoever. Bahishti Zewar has been replaced by fashion magazines and video cassettes. 

Q. Comment on how such a great scholar could write such books. 

YMD

Comment on how a young man, a city dweller, educated on modern lines, serious in his religion, can read a book without knowing who it was originally meant for? 

Q. After being recommended by YMD, I wanted to read Imam Ghazali’s Ihyaa  Uloom al-Deen, but a friend said it contains a lot of wrong ideas and it is similar to Fazail-e-amal with fake hadith. Is he correct? 

YMD

Quite wrong. It is said – with obvious exaggeration – that if the Ummah were, by any chance to lose all its books (except, of course, the Qur’an and Hadith), but is left with Ihyaa’, it would suffice it for many purposes.

We have not, in any case, recommended this book to those who have not done some basic reading. It would not be the right course for the sophomores to start with an advanced book of this sort. 

Q. Is Mishkat–ul-Masaabih, authentic?

YMD

This is the compilation of a Shafe‘ee scholar, but adopted by the Hanafiyy Madrasaas as a course book and hence it receives its share of criticism at the hands of those who seem to have a penchant liking for things Hanafiyy. In any case, in religious schools, the teacher discusses all necessary issues including how reliable, in what sense, is a report here, or a report there; but may not be the best suited for common readers. We recommend in place Ibn Majah, or Mashaariq al-Anwar. 

Q.  I bought the English translation of Sahih Bukhari by Dr. Muhammad Matraji. Later on, I heard Dr. Zakir Naik and read many books by A. A. Bilal Philips and others. All of them refer only to translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan, which is accurate according to all. Now, is it safe to read Dr. Matraji’s translation by Islamic Book Service, New Delhi. Is he a reliable translator?

YMD

We regret that we have not yet seen the work you have referred to. However, no translator can do a good job with Islamic source books. You have to make the best of what you have. 

Q. What’s your opinion about destiny and Divine decree? 

YMD

Our opinion is that it should not be discussed. The Prophet forbade it.

Q. What is your opinion about the personality development workshops like Landmark Forum, De-silva Mind Control or Zeal Training, Tap your Genium or Winner’s workshop. Most of them cost 5-6000/- each. I attended one and wasted money. It was an utter waste of time and money. Please comment. 

YMD

You have already commented.

Q. And like Sheikh Ahmed Deedat says the Qur’an is the most positively motivating book. If you are very keen, read books by Dale Carnegie, Stephen S. Covey, Anthony Robbins, Deepak Chopra, etc. But don’t join these useless courses. There are no short cuts to success, it demands a lot of continuous hard work. 

YMD

We do not agree that the courses you have referred to can be replaced by the works of writers such as Dale Carnegie, Stephen… and others. Their ideas are just one level above those of the useless personality development course of your mention, but equally futile and hollow.

Failed personalities cannot develop other people’s personalities. Those you have named can, at best, entertain you. They cannot educate. The American hit writer, Dale Carnegie, by the way, who wrote books on how to be happy and make others happy, which sold in millions, ended his life by committing suicide.

Q. I have read in YMD that to make up for the one or two drops of urine that may ooze out after urination, a little water should be sprinkled over the pubic area. My question is, should we sprinkle the water inside the under garment or over? 

YMD

Over the garment in direct contact. 

Q. A sincere suggestion to the Ahl al-hadith: what makes them so sure that only the Ahl al-hadith are the saved sect? 

YMD

They don’t claim it. 

Q. The term Ahle hadith is neither mentioned in holy Qur’an nor the Hadeeth… 

YMD

You have asked us not to mention your name, and, therefore, we are not completing your question. When one raises an objection, one has to own it.

Q. What is your opinion about this scholar called Rabbani from an Arab country? In a speech, he spoke against blind following of Madhabs in a very provocative manner. He criticized all the scholars of India, Pakistan and the subcontinent. Scholars according to him are the cause of bid’at and lack of Islamic knowledge. People don’t read Qur’an and hadith because scholars prevent them, etc. But I didn’t like his way of speaking. 

YMD

There is a lesser chance we will like what you disliked. 

Q. Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jeelani said: “As for al-Firqatun Najiyah, it is Ahlus-Sunnah wal Jama’ah, and there is no name for Ahlus Sunnah except one and that is Ashaabul-Hadith.” How good is the book? Is it really written by al-Jeelani? Has he written any other book?

R. K.,
Bangalore

YMD

You have not named the book. Further, most of the literature attributed to him is doubtfully his.