SHAFAQNA

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) -- Freedom, from the point of view of religion, can be studied under two headings: spiritual freedom and socio-political freedom. From the spiritual perspective, man’s essence or immaterial self is free from corporeality, materiality, and material characteristics. It is nostalgic of its place of origin, the realm of the Dominion and the spiritual world. But due to the attachment of his soul to the body, it is entangled with worldly and material affairs. Man has no choice but to pursue his perfection through the means that this world affords, for this world is the cultivation field for the hereafter. However, most people tend to view the world in an independent way and are ignorant of its true value which is found in its relation to the hereafter. Hence they get caught up in frivolities and trivial pleasures and this bars them from ascending to the heights of perfection. Instead of concentrating on the essence and reality of things they are distracted and consider the sensible phenomena as ultimate reality—being utterly oblivious of the malakut (the celestial realm) and spiritual reality of things. It is in this vein that the seekers of the material world perceive freedom as paramount to enjoying the pleasures of the world without any restraints, whereas true freedom lies in extricating oneself from the snares of lust, and it is this freedom which religion encourages. From the religious point of view, even the mighty king who is constantly expanding his empire might be a slave, a slave to his self, while it is very probable that someone living in utter poverty might have absolute sovereignty.

In conclusion: what the seekers of the material world pursue is the illusion of imaginary freedom, but that which religion encourages is real freedom.

Regarding social and political freedom, Islam neither advocates radical freedom and anarchy, nor does it compel the believer to surrender to all external circumstances and unjust powers, something that would undermine his dignity.

It can be said that individual and social freedoms do exist in Islam but with a qualification that fundamentally distinguishes them from those that are espoused by the Western worldview. For Islam is Allah-centred, and as such, ordains that man, in his intellectual discernment and application of will, refer only to Allah (awj). In the domain of moral upliftment and cultural progress, Islam exhorts the human community to establish justice and forbids its members from infringing on the rights of each other, while at the same time encouraging them to expand their knowledge and intellectual endeavours with a view to the proper application of knowledge.

Detailed Answer

Our spirit, from the point of view that it is essentially immaterial, is free from matter and body and the properties of bodies. The spirit of man has neither length, breadth, height nor depth, nor qualities such as heat, coldness, the six directions and the other attributes of bodies. The spirit is from the world of “command” (‘alam al-amr) and looks towards its own world. The beings of the realm of existence are either in the world of creation and matter or in the world of dominion (malakut), command, and immateriality. Above the world of bodies that contains temporal and mutable things, there is another world that contains beings that are not subject to change and do not exist in time. This is the world of command that envelopes, comprehends, and rules over and above the world of creation. Both the command and the creation belong to Allah (awj) as the Noble Qur`an has indicated:

“Be aware that the creation and the command belong to Allah, who is High and is the Creator of the World.”[1]

The descent of the sprit from the world of command to the world of creation means that the human soul is in a certain sense imprisoned in the lower world (dunya). Yet, it is necessary for man to obtain his acquired perfections by means of this world and it is because of this that this world is considered the cultivation field for the next world. Looking at this world as if it were independent and by itself keeps man away from spiritual wayfaring and journeying to the next world. It makes him forget about even the possibility of soaring free in the supernatural realms. If man persists in this myopia and grounded behaviour, he begins to think that he will be in this world forever. According to the words of Imam ‘Ali b. Abi Talib (ع), “He who looks at the world with insight, the world will give him wisdom and he who sews his eyes unto the world, the world blinds him.”[2]

The life of this world. Allah (awj) has described the life of the world as follows:

“Verily, the life of this world is sport and vanity.”[3]

Play or sport is an action whose goal is imaginary. Vain actions are those that that make man forget others. The verse indicates the fact that the life of this world (that is the attachment of the soul to the body) busies man with himself to the point where he forgets others. The cause of this is the fact that the world deceives the soul in such a way that it makes him think that he is the body or one with the body. After being deceived in such manner, it is only natural that he becomes disconnected from the other world and forgets all of the greatness and beauty that was in the world of command. In this way, his life passes in sport and vanities. He turns to everything with imaginary and fanciful goals. When he reaches those illusionary goals, he finds nothing.

Allah (awj) says that:

“Those who disbelieve, their actions are like a mirage in a desert. The thirsty person believes it to be water. When he reaches it, he does not find anything there except Allah.”[4]

The person who believes in the primacy of material beings turns all of his attention to sensible things and he is totally unaware of the hidden aspect of things. Such a person wastes his life in eating, drinking and play. According to the words of the Noble Qur`an, they only know the apparent aspect of the world and they are unaware of the next world.[5]

But the person who looks at the hidden aspect of things takes their apparent aspect as only a sign for the hidden. He considers the apparent to be a shell for the kernel that is the hidden. In no circumstance will he sacrifice the kernel for the shell. As the Commander of the Faithful, ‘Ali b. Abi Talib (ع) has said, “The friends of Allah are the ones who look at the hidden nature of the world, while the ordinary people look at the apparent; they are concerned with the future while the people are concerned with transient things.”[6]

Those who seek the world surmise that freedom means having all their worldly wishes granted and having unlimited use of riches. They are not aware of the fact that in reality, if we give in to the commands of our carnal soul, we become ever more bound by the shackles of our material body. This is because the carnal soul is that aspect of the human soul that pays more attention to bodily desires and hopes to remain forever in the world.

In reality freedom means to be free from the snares of this world and our lower desires. This is the freedom that religion seeks to achieve. According to religion it is possible for someone to be the king of the world but because he is entrapped by his base desires, he is not free. How many a people exist who live in the most constricting poverty yet remain the masters of their own will. If the power of desire and anger come under the guidance of reason, then not only will they not corrupt the soul, but rather they will grow and become beneficial. True freedom is the dominion of reason (over desire and anger) in the kingdom of the soul.

According to religion, slavery is the domination of anger and desire over man. As Imam ‘Ali b. Abi Talib (ع) has said, “How many an intellect is in the captivity of its desires.”[7]

Again, that great personality has said, “Is there not a free man amongst you who would give this (the world) to its owner?! Know that there is no greater trade for your soul than heaven. Therefore do not sell your soul for less than that.”[8]

When man becomes free from his base desires, he will be successful in society and his cultural activities. As can be understood from the Noble Qur`an, man faces enemies from the outside and the inside who wish to enslave him. Freedom from these two kinds of enemies constitutes the inner and outer freedoms. Unfortunately some groups like the Sufis have overemphasized inner freedom to such an extent that they have forgotten the outer enemy i.e. the false Gods of gold and embellishment. In opposition to them, some groups have spent all their energies in fighting outer powers, seeking to gain freedom in society. They consider every limitation to be the cause of man’s slavery.

There is another group that believes that in order for man to reach perfection, felicity, and freedom, both kinds of freedom are necessary. These two freedoms are interrelated. Freedom in society is not possible without spiritual freedom.

In order for us to make an ideal and humane society it is necessary that we don’t go to extremes and obtain both types of freedoms. Therefore, in religious ideology and thought, neither is absolute freedom permissible nor are we compelled to accept all the external conditions of an unjust government. Hence in Islam there is a concept of social freedom, but it is very different from what is meant by the term in the West.

The great prophets came to construct the world but they look at the world in view of the afterlife. In this view, the present world is like a cultivation field for the next world and in which we make our afterlife with our actions. The prophets came in order to teach people how to live in order to be successful in the hereafter. Therefore, the injunctions of the prophets are for today but only so that we can obtain the hereafter.

Religion has its own views regarding economic, political, and social development. It has not relegated this matter to the intellectuals of society. The religion that claims universality and considers all human beings to share in its vision must, by its own logic, hold a comprehensive view about their development. Therefore, understanding religion is quintessential. Of course, this is very difficult. Religion has three dimensions, one of which lies inside the soul of man. The other two lie outside him. The two that lie outside are the Qur`an and the noble progeny of the Prophet (ع). The inner dimension of religion is the power of reason and the innate nature of man; these two are called the “proofs” of religion. Something that reason clearly understands to be true also carries religious authority. Because of this religion is a combination of reason and tradition.

Because the basis of all affairs is Allah (awj), and because it is He who creates all things and the success and loss of man lies in His hands, therefore, all the aspects of man’s life should reflect His orders, whether in economics or any other field. In ethical and cultural matters Islam has invited people to justice and has forbidden people from trampling on the rights of others. From another point of view, it has encouraged people to learn and teach others and to apply one’s knowledge correctly. There is no good ethical precept except that which religion has invited us to and has made it either obligatory or recommended to act upon it.

The religion of Islam is global. This religion says you can live peacefully with those who do not defy or deny religion. It does not prohibit to live peacefully with those who don’t want to fight you, overthrow religious governments or want to banish you from your home.[9]

‘Progress’ can be either good or bad. Bad progress is wasteful and lavish living. The Qur`an considers all those things to be bad. It scolds those who waste Allah’s (awj) blessings. In regards to those who only think about personal success it says,

“Some are they who only think about themselves;[10]

“they eat as the cattle eat.”[11]

Also, the Qur`an has scolded those who hoard gold.[12]

“Unfortunately, miserliness has made its home in man’s soul.”[13]

“Whoever frees himself from the clutches of his own greediness is successful.”[14]

Good progress is to work hard and be satisfied with little. From this point of view, if man works hard for his needs and for the needs of society, this effort can be called kawthar.

[1] Surat al-A’raf (7), Verse 54:

} أَلاَ لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَ الأَمْرُ تَبَارَکَ اللٌّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِینَ {

[2] Nahjul Balaghah, Sermon 82:

وَمَنْ أَبْصَرَ بِهَا بَصَّرَتْهُ وَمَنْ أَبْصَرَ إلَیْهَا أَعْمَتْهُ

[3] Surat Muhammad (47), Verse 36:

} إِنَّمَا الْحَیٌوةُ الدُّنْیَا لَعِبٌ وَ لَهْوٌ {

[4] Surat al-Nur (24), Verse 39:

} وَالَّذِینَ کَفَرُوا أَعْمَالُهُمْ کَسَرَابٍ بِقِیعَةٍ یَحْسَبُهُ الظَّمْآنُ مَاءً حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءَهُ لَمْ یَجِدْهُ شَیْئًا وَوَجَدَ اللٌّهَ عِنْدَهُ... {

[5] Surat al-Rum (30), Verse 7:

} یَعْلَمُونَ ظَاهِرًا مِنَ الْحَیَاةِ الدُّنْیَا وَهُمْ عَنِ الآخِرَةِ هُمْ غَافِلُونَ {

[6] Nahjul Balaghah, Short Saying 432:

إِنَّ أَوْلِیَآءَ اللٌهِ هُمُ الَّذِینَ نَظَرُوا إِلـى بَاطِنِ الدُّنْیَا إِذَا نَظَرَ النَّاسُ إِلـى ظَاهِرِهَـا، وَاشْتَغَلُوا بِآجِلِهَا إِذَا اشْتَغَلَ النَّاسُ بِعَاجِلِهَا.

[7] Ibid., Short Saying 211:

کَمْ مِنْ عَقْلٍ أَسِیرٍ تَحْتَ هَوًی أَمِیرٍ.

[8] Mizan al-Hikmah, no. 3589:

أَلاَ حُرٌّ یَدَعُ هذِهِ اللُّمَاظَةَ لِأَهْلِهَا إنَّهُ لَیْسَ لِأَنْفُسِکُمْ ثَمَنٌ إلاَّ الْجَنَّةَ فَلاَ تَبِیْعُوْهَا إلاَّ بِهَا.

[9] Surat al-Mumtahanah (60), Verse 8:

} لاَ یَنْهَاکُمُ اللٌّهُ عَنِ الَّذِینَ لَمْ یُقَاتِلُوکُمْ فِی الدِّینِ وَلَمْ یُخْرِجُوکُمْ مِنْ دِیَارِکُمْ أَنْ تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوا إِلَیْهِمْ إِنَّ اللٌّهَ یُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِینَ {

[10] Surat Ali-’Imran (3), Verse 154:

} وَطَآئِفَةٌ قَدْ أَهَمَّتْهُمْ أَنْفُسُهُمْ {

[11] Surat Muhammad (47), Verse 12:

} وَیَأْکُلُونَ کَمَا تَأْکُلُ الأَنْعَامُ {

[12] Surat al-Tawbah (9), Verse 34:

} ... وَالَّذِینَ یَکْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلاَ یُنفِقُونَهَا فِی سَبِیلِ اللٌّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُمْ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِیمٍ {

[13] Surat al-Nisa’ (4), Verse 128:

} وَأُحْضِرَتِ الأَنْفُسُ الشُّحَّ {

[14] Surat al-Hashr (59), Verse 9:

} ... وَمَنْ یُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُوْلٌئِکَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ {

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SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) – Faith in Allah, the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful, is an intrinsic part of the innate human nature. Thus, man inevitably reaches out to Allah and has no other means to satiate the God-Seeking or Truth-Seeking urge of his nature. One of the most invaluable gifts of"Iman" or trust in Allah is that at the time of distress or great difficulties, it serves as the coolest touch of healing. A youth whose faith in Allah is strong knows that when all worldly powers are helpless, He is the only real Power who can support and save His servant.

Ironically, just as a youth is inclined towards rebellion and sins, and is caught up in lustful desires, at the same time he experiences a strong God-Seeking urge in himself. Although in youth, all emotions are new and active, as soon as he reaches adulthood, his sense of religiousness awakens, since every youth is bestowed with a divine innate nature.

When a teenager is nearing adolescence, and adulthood, along with the growth of his physical strength, the seeds of faith and conscience begin to sprout in him and his inborn urge of faith and morality are strongly awakened. Studies show that the urge for religiousness begins at the age of 12 and in normal healthy people, faith in eternal truth and the urge to worship are strengthened as they grow up.

The natural tendency of youth towards moral and religious virtues as well as piety is so strong that even in not so religious families, they protest against their parents" non-religious and improper conduct and behavior. The inclination towards religion is so powerful in youth that as rightfully stated by most psychologists, there is an undeniable correlation between adolescence related crises and religious inclinations. Thus we find that even in irreligious families, very often at the age of maturity, their children show a lot of interest in religious matters.

To follow moral and religious tendencies means to abide by the law of creation. Taking the spiritual tendencies of the youth for granted and suppressing their religious inclinations is an outright breach of human nature`fetrat" and the order of creation and is bound to have serious repercussions. The Glorious Qur"an says:

"And whosoever gives no heed to My warnings shall live in distress." (20:124)

More often than not, this question may come up in the mind of a youth: "Why do I need to worship Allah?" Superficial answers to such questions would only frustrate him and he would never be placated.

The explanation to this question is that man, by nature, is egoistic and ambitious. He longs for superiority over others. These same characteristics reveal that his inborn urge is to seek what he lacks. Since he is innately weak and his knowledge is limited, he therefore, longs and urges for what he does not possess. So, inevitably he turns to Allah for he intuitively knows that He is the Only One who can satiate his urge.

It should however be mentioned that Allah does not need our services and it does not in any way exalt His Exalted position. He was great ever before the creation of mankind. Our servitude to Allah on the other hand does not demean us in any way. So the question that arises here is what is the effect of this servitude in our lives. This very servitude gives us lessons of magnanimity, love, freedom, forgiveness and compassion - the fruits of worship and service to Allah.

Service to the One Supreme that frees us from the clutches of misery and bondage in the service of the lower self. Surely, pure worship of Allah reforms our intellect and minds and purifies our intentions. This purification puts us on the Path to Perfection. By nature, we are all seekers of Perfection and Truth.

Sources:

1- "Youth & Religion", Dr. Mazloomi, Rajabali.

2- "What Do the Youth Ask", A"lami, Muhammad Ali.

3- "Youth from Point of View of Logic & Feelings", Journal of Islamic Knowledge.

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SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) -- The main stages of religion are as follows:

1- The “nafsul-amr” religion: What exists in the knowledge of Allah (swt) regarding the guidance of man to his eternal prosperity and salvation, is the “nafsul-amr” religion. In other words, the nafsul-amr religion is the way of life for man from the beginning to the end.

2- The “mursal” religion: The religion that has been sent down to man for his guidance through his prophets. In other words, the “mursal” religion is a portion or all of the “nafsul-amr” religion which is bestowed upon man via the prophets.

Detailed Answer

Four stages can be pictured for religion in which the main ones are as follows:

1) The “nafsul-amr” (the term nafsul-amr literally means “the reality”) religion: What lies in the knowledge of Allah (swt) regarding the guidance of man and leading him to eternal prosperity, is called the religion of “nafsul-amr”. The religion of “nafsul-amr” is the way of life for man from his beginning to his end.  According to the Quran, the beginning of man begins with knowing nothing:

و اللّه أخرجکم من بطون أمّهاتکم لا تعلمون (And Allah brought you out from the wombs of your mothers knowing nothing)[1], and his end, according to the verse:

ما خلقت الجنّ و الإنس إلاّ لیعبدون (I did not create the jinn and the humans except that they may worship Me)[2], is endless knowledge. That is because worship is the result of knowledge and acquaintance, and the amount of worship depends on the amount of knowledge and acquaintance one has regarding Allah (swt). That is why Mulla Sadra interprets the verse like this: “I did not create Man and Jinn except for knowing[3], and since Allah (swt) is endless, knowing about Him is also endless. The nafsul-amr religion is the “prescription” and the guidelines to the salvation of mankind which is in the Al-Lohul Mahfudh (the preserved tablet; referring to the knowledge of Allah (swt)). The nafsul-amr religion is an entity of true reality that has its own existence and isn't something merely imaginary without any reality.

2) The “mursal” (mursal literally means something that has been sent down) religion: The religion sent down by Allah (swt) to the people through his prophets for the guidance of mankind. In other words, the mursal religion is a portion or all of the nafsul-amr religion which has been sent to the prophets in order to teach the people and make them aware of it.

Although these terms may sound a bit unfamiliar, yet if one pays close attention to the essence of religion and what has taken place in history, he/she will truly figure out these different stages and will realize that they are there.  Ever since the creation of man, while knowing of man’s beginning and end, Allah (swt) had a clear way of life for man’s true salvation and eternal prosperity (the nafsul-amr religion), in which he would send a portion of to mankind in every period through his messengers (the mursal religion).

One can also realize these different stages through the various usages of the term “religion”. Whenever we speak of Allah’s (swt) true religion and we call it Islam (note that here, what is meant by Islam is “surrendering”, not the specific religion of Islam that belongs to the beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)), or when we remove false beliefs from the realm of religion, in reality we are paying attention to the nafsul-amr religion. When we say that the religion of Prophet Abraham (pbuh) was a monotheistic one, or that in Prophet Musa’s (pbuh) religion there were some hard laws or when we say that Islam is the final religion and nullifies all previous ones, we are speaking of the mursalreligion. Paying attention to the different meanings of this term can help us make less mistakes when it comes to understanding and explaining things.

There are also two other stages of religion that we won't get specific about which are called the “revealed” religion and the “inner” religion.

For further information, see:

1- Mahdi Hadavi Tehrani, Velayat va Diyanat, The Cultural Institute of Khaneye Kherad.

2- Mahdi Hadavi Tehrani, Mabaniye Kalamiye Ejtehad, The Cultural Institute of Khaneye Kherad.

3- Mahdi Hadavi Tehrani, Maktab va Nezame Eqtesadiye Islam, The Cultural Institute of Khaneye Kherad.

[1] Nahl:78.

[2] Dhariyat:56.

[3] See: Sadrul-Muta’allihin, Al-Asfarul Arba’ah, vol. 3, pg. 515.

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SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) -- Many different viewpoints and details have been presented regarding the explanation of religion by Westerners. In the holy Quran, the word “din” (religion) has been used for two meanings: 1- Any type of belief in an unseen power, regardless of whether such a belief is right or not: لکم دینکم ولى دین 2- Divine religions in particular: ان الدین عندالله الاسلام.

When we use the word “religion”, we are referring to the latter. Divine religions each are of different levels and categories, such as the “nafsul-amri” religion and the “mursal” religion.

Detailed Answer

Many different viewpoints have been presented by Westerners on the explanation of “religion”. John Hick has listed some definitions for the term “religion” in his book on the philosophy of religion:

1) Psychological definition: Religion is a set of feelings, experiences and actions that one has when he/she is alone with what he/she calls divine and God. (William James)

2) Sociological definition: A set of beliefs, actions, slogans and religious structures that man has built throughout history in different societies. (تالکوت پارسونز)

3) Naturalist definition: A set of negative and affirmative commands that prohibit us from freely making use of our potentials, (اس. رایناخ) or “religion and morals are the same thing, which have become of warmth and illumination through us showing feelings and emotions towards them. (Mathew Arnold)

4) Religious definitions such as: “Religion is to admit to the fact that all creatures are the manifestation of a power that is beyond our comprehension and knowledge.” (Herbert Spencer)[1]

The variety that can be seen in these definitions has caused Western theorists and thinkers to say that the term “religion” isn’t one with a meaning accepted by all, and that there are many different concepts that go under this category, which have some things in common that Ludwig Wittgenstein names “family resemblance”.”[2]

In the Quran, this term has been used for two meanings:

1) Any belief in an unseen power, regardless of whether such a belief is right or not: لکم دینکم ولى دین [3]

2) Divine religions in particular: ان الدین عندالله الاسلام [4]

What we mean by the term religion, is this second meaning, which refers to divine religions and has different levels and categories, such as the “nafsul-amri” and “mursal”.[5]

For further reading:

Mahdi Hadavi Tehrani, Velayat va Diyanat, The Cultural Institute of Khaneye Kherad.

[1] See: John Hick, Philosophy of Religion, pp.22-23.

[2] John Hick, Philosophy of Religion, pp.23-24.

[3] Kafirun:6 “To you your religion, and to me my religion”

[4] Ale-Imran:19 “Truly, the complete religion in the sight of Allah is Islam”

[5] See index: The different stages of religion

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SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) –A stampede at a railway station in northern India killed at least 36 Hindu pilgrims on Sunday, the busiest day of the world's largest religious festival at which some 30 million had gathered to wash away their sins in the sacred Ganges river.

Twenty-seven of the dead were women, mostly elderly and poor. An eight-year-old girl was also crushed to death. A Reuters witness saw a woman weeping at the train station, surrounded by six bodies dressed in brightly colored saris.

Up to 100 million pilgrims and Hindu ascetics are expected to attend the two-month long Kumbh Mela festival, which comes to an end next month.

It is held every 12 years in a temporary city covering an area larger than Athens, spread over a wide sandy river bank in Allahabad at the point where the Ganges and Yamuna rivers meet a third mythical river.

The festival grows in size every time it is held and is considered the world's largest temporary gathering of people. Officials said some 30 million visited the site on Sunday, considered the most auspicious day to bathe in the river.

Officials gave contradictory versions of what caused the crush. A railway official told Reuters police had been using batons to control the crowd, triggering panic. A state government official said a footbridge handrail collapsed, sending people slipping down the stairs and starting a stampede.

A spokesman for Indian railways said authorities had found 36 bodies and 30 people were injured. The injured were being treated at hospitals in Allahabad.

"Since there were huge crowds and a lot of panic, it took time before the bodies could be extricated," said another official, R. M. Srivastava, the top security official in the state of Uttar Pradesh, where the festival is held.

Deadly stampedes are common at India's vast pilgrimages and religious festivals. In 2008, 145 people died when a panicking crowd pushed people over a ravine near the Himalayan temple of Naina Devi.

Thousands of police and volunteers are used for crowd control during the Kumbh Mela, manning the river bank when the pilgrims and naked, dreadlocked ascetics dash into the water to bathe.

The festival has its roots in a Hindu tradition that says the god Vishnu wrested a golden pot from demons containing the nectar of immortality.

In a 12-day fight for possession, four drops fell to earth, in the cities of Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujain and Nasik. Every three years a Kumbh Mela is held at one of these spots, with the festival at Allahabad the holiest of them all.

More than 2,000 years old, the festival is a meeting point for Hindu "sadhu" ascetics, some of whom live in forests or Himalayan caves and who belong to dozens of inter-related congregations. The sects have their own administration and elect leaders, but are also known for violent clashes among themselves.-www.shfaqna.com/English

Source:Reuters

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) -- Various responses and views have been presented regarding this particular verse. We will use this as an opportunity to discuss several of them.

1 – What is meant by the followers of Prophet Jesus (a) is in fact the followers of Prophet Muhammad (s). Three arguments substantiate this claim:

a) Chronologically speaking, the religion of Prophet Muhammad (s) and his followers succeeds that of Prophet Jesus (a).

b) Our Prophet, the Prophet Muhammad (s), re-affirmed the religion of Prophet Jesus (a) and his divine book. It can be said that if a person affirms and individual and their message as being true, they have in reality followed the other.

c) The law brought by the Prophet Muhammad (s) is in unity with the message of monotheism preached by the Prophets who preceded him. This is a significant point because monotheism is the foundation of religion.

2 – What is meant by the phrase “following” in the aforementioned verse refers to a following that is truthful and legitimate in essence. Meaning, this following should be in line with the will of God, the Almighty. Hence, when the Holy Qur’aan says “those who follow you,” it is in reality referring to the Christians who preceded Islam and the Muslims who followed Islam as their religion after its revelation.

3 – The mentioned verse is informing the Christians that God will elevate their status above that of the Jews. This interpretation is in accordance with the apparent meaning of the verse.

4 – This verse is addressing both Christians and Muslims. The message it wishes to convey is that the Jews are, until the Day of Resurrection, inferior to whoever that considers following Prophet Jesus (a) obligatory upon themselves. Note that this includes both Christians, who hold the message of Prophet Jesus (a) as the cornerstone of their faith, and Muslims, who hold the Prophet (a) in high esteem as one of the divinely inspired prophets of God.

However, the question remains as to why Muslims are not considered amongst those who disbelieved in the prophethood of Prophet Jesus (a). It should be noted that the term ‘disbeliever’ here is referring to one who denies the truth. Meaning, the Jews who deny the legitimacy of Jesus’ (a) prophethood. However, not only do Muslims affirm the validity of the prophethood of Prophet Jesus (a), rather, they are his true followers and the followers of his successor, the Prophet Muhammad (s).

Muslims consider Prophet Jesus (a) as being one of the greatest prophets in history and the messenger of a divine book and law. Furthermore, they consider him as the third of the Ulu al-‘Azm. Therefore, when God states that “…I shall set those who follow you [Jesus (a)] above the faithless until the Day of Resurrection,” there is no possibility whatsoever that He’s alluding to the Muslims because this statement doesn’t even apply to them.

Detailed Answer

To begin with, the translation and interpretation of verse 55 of Aal-i Imraan which you mentioned in your question is imprecise. In order to correctly respond to your question, we must first look at an accurate translation of that verse, followed by the necessary interpretation.

Below is the translation of verse 55 of Aal-I Imraan:

“…and I shall set those who follow you [Jesus (a)] above the faithless until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me will be your return, whereat I will judge between you concerning that about which you used to differ.”[1]

In order to provide a precise response, a few matters must initially be clarified. By taking a look at the discussions provided below and critically assessing the mentioned verse, we will reach a favorable conclusion.

Various responses and views have been presented regarding this particular verse. We will use this as an opportunity to discuss several of them.

1 – What is meant by the followers of Prophet Jesus (a) is in fact the followers of Prophet Muhmmad (s). Three arguments substantiate this claim:

a) Chronologically speaking, the religion of Prophet Muhammad (s) and his followers succeeds that of Prophet Jesus (a). When it is said that one succeeds the other, it means that there was an individual who was followed by another after him. It’s important to note that the coming of one does not contradict the coming of another.

b) Our Prophet, the Prophet Muhammad (s), re-affirmed the religion of Prophet Jesus (a) and his divine book. It can be said that if a person affirms and individual and their message as being true, they have in reality followed the other.

c) The law brought by the Prophet Muhammad (s) is in unity with the message of monotheism preached by the Prophets who preceded him. This is a significant point because monotheism is the foundation of religion. Thus, the Prophet Muhammad (s) was in fact among the followers of Prophet Jesus (a) and a believer in the message he preached.[2]

2 – What is meant by the phrase “follow” in the aforementioned verse refers to a following that is truthful and legitimate in essence. Meaning, this following should be in line with the will of God, the Almighty. Hence, when the Holy Qur’aan says “those who follow you,” it is in reality referring to the Christians, who preceded Islam, and the Muslims who followed Islam as their religion after its revelation. Muslims are considered within this fold because a true adherent of Islam is one who follows the truthful messages of God, which includes the divine message of Jesus (a).[3]

‘Allaamah Tabaatabaa’i has attributed this view to some interpreters and criticizes such a claim.[4]

3 – The mentioned verse declares that God, the Almighty, deems the Christians[5] superior to the Jews whose ancestors disbelieved in the prophethood of Jesus (a) and plotted against him. It intends to inform that the divine punishment of God shall descend upon the Jews with severity.[6]

This interpretation, which is in line with the apparent meaning of the verse, is amongst those miraculous Qur’aanic verses which foretell significant incidents to come. Its message is clearly stated: the followers of Prophet Jesus (a) will be forever superior to the Jews who opposed this divine Prophet.

In present times, this reality can be seen before us. Without the support of the Christians, the Jews and Zionists of today cannot pursue their political and social agendas for even a day.[7] In other words, they have become completely self-reliant upon the nation which they once fought against.

Therefore, from this perspective, it’s understood that the followers of Prophet Jesus (a) are the Christians, who throughout any given time and place, have triumphed over the Jews and proven them inferior. It is for this reason that the Christians have taken power and authority from the Jews. Self-evident examples of this can be seen throughout history in places such as Europe and Rome. In addition, the Christians have become more likeable in the eyes of society than the Jews and shall hold this favorable position until the Day of Resurrection.[8]

4 – When the Holy Qur’aan states “الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوكَ” (transliterated: alladhina attaba‘uk), meaning “those who follow you,” the intended followers include both the Christians and Muslims together. The message it wishes to convey is that the Jews are, until the Day of Resurrection, inferior to whoever that considers following Prophet Jesus (a) obligatory upon themselves.[9] Note that this includes both Christians, who hold the message of Prophet Jesus (a) as the cornerstone of their faith, and Muslims, who believe hold the Prophet (a) in high esteem as one of the divinely inspired prophets of God.

However, the question remains as to why Muslims are not considered amongst those who disbelieved in the prophethood of Prophet Jesus (a).

The word ‘faithless’ (kaafir) in this context means one who denies.[10] Not only do Muslims affirm the legitimacy of the Prophet Jesus (a) and his message, but consider him one of the greatest prophets in history and the messenger of a divine book and jurisprudence. Furthermore, they consider him as the third of the Ulul al-‘Azm. God, the Almighty, states in His Holy Qur’aan: “He said, ‘Indeed I am a servant of Allah! He has given me the Book and made me a prophet.”[11]

History shows no account of Muslims denying Prophet Jesus (a) or his message. In fact, those who denied his prophethood and seemingly killed him were the Jews.

Therefore, when God states that “…I shall set those who follow you [Jesus (a)] above the faithless until the Day of Resurrection,” there is no possibility whatsoever that He’s alluding to the Muslims because this statement doesn’t even apply to them.

Consequently, the phrase “الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوكَ” (transliterated: alladhina attaba‘uk), includes all the followers of Prophet Jesus (a) – to which both Muslims (based on the interpretation provided) and Christians are amongst. In addition, the correct translation of the verse is as follows: “…and I shall set those who follow you above the faithless until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me will be your return, whereat I will judge between you concerning that about which you used to differ.”

In conclusion, it is necessary to mention the following note:

If a person is to choose one of two routes, the first being a path of truth followed by apparent defeat and the second, a path of falsehood followed by apparent victory, it is better that one choose the first route. This was the path that Imam Husayn (a) chose. Bearing this in mind, if the legitimacy of Islam as a divine faith becomes clear to us, it would be illogical for to adhere to a religion such as Christianity in hopes of becoming seemingly victorious (as the reasoning which you’ve provided alludes). The following verse of the Holy Qur’aan is one amongst many which attest to this fact: “Never will the Jews be pleased with you, nor the Christians, unless you followed their creed. Say, ‘Indeed it is the guidance of Allah which is the [true] guidance.’ And should you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, you will not have against Allah any guardian nor any helper.”[12]

For more information, please refer to the article available on this site titled “Islam: The Seal of Religions” (article number 3503).

[1] Translated by Ali Quli Qara'i

[2] Tabarsi, Fadhl ibn Husayn, Majma‘ al-Bayaan fi Tafsir al-Qur’aan , Multiple Translators, Volume 4, Page 94, Farahaani Publications, Tehran, First Edition, 1360.

[3] Tabaatabaa’i, Muhammad Husayn, Tafsir al-Mizaan, Musawi Hamadani, Sayyid Muhammad Baaqir, Volume 3, Page 326, Volume 3, Page 327, the Islamic Publication Office of Jaami‘eh-ye Mudarrisin of the Islamic Seminary of Qum, Qum, Fifth Edition, 1374.

[4] Tabaatabaa’i, Muhammad Husayn, Tafsir al-Mizaan, Musawi Hamadani, Sayyid Muhammad Baaqir, Volume 3, Pages 328 and 329.

[5] Tabarsi, Fadhl ibn Husayn, Majma‘ al-Bayaan fi Tafsir al-Qur’aan , Multiple Translators, Volume 4, Page 94.

[6] Tabaatabaa’i, Muhammad Husayn, Tafsir al-Mizaan, Musawi Hamadani, Sayyid Muhammad Baaqir, Volume 3, Page 330.

[7] Makaarim Shiraazi, Naasir, Tafsir-i Nemuneh, Volume 2, Page 570, Daar al-Kitaab al-Islaamiyyah, Tehran, First Edition, 1374.

[8] Tabarsi, Fadhl ibn Husayn, Majma‘ al-Bayaan fi Tafsir al-Qur’aan , Multiple Translators, Volume 4, Page 94.

[9] Tabaatabaa’i, Muhammad Husayn, Tafsir al-Mizaan, Musawi Hamadani, Sayyid Muhammad Baaqir, Volume 3, Page 330.

[10] Faraahidi, Khalil ibn Ahmad, Kitaab al-‘Ayn, Volume 5, Page 356, Second Edition, Hijrat Publications, Qum, 1410.

[11] The Holy Qur’aan, Chapter Maryam, Verse 30

[12] The Holy Qur’aan, Chapter Baqarah, Verse 120

www.shafaqna.com/English

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) – Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church and a long-standing ally of President Vladimir Putin, on Sunday urged the Kremlin to be moderate in new legislation seeking stricter punishment for religious offences.

The pro-Kremlin United Russia party proposed a law introducing jail terms for offending religious feelings after a protest against Putin's increasingly close ties with the Church by punk band Pussy Riot in Moscow's main cathedral in February.

Two members of the band are in prison for the protest, which Kirill has called part of a coordinated attack intended to thwart the post-Soviet revival of Russia's dominant church.

In remarks published on the eve of Russian Orthodox Christmas, Kirill, who has likened Putin's long rule to a "miracle of God", told the Interfax news agency that Russia needed stiffer punishments for offences against religion.

"A fine of several hundred roubles (about $10) for blasphemous inscriptions on a church, a mosque or a synagogue signals that society does not fully realize the importance of protecting ... religious feelings of believers," he said.

But in his most extensive comment on the proposed law, he said it should not limit citizens' rights.

"Any regulatory acts regarding the protection of religious symbols and the feelings of believers should be scrupulously worked through so that they are not used for improvised limitation of freedom of speech and creative self-expression."

The remarks were in line with indications that Putin, while wanting to make clear that actions such as the Pussy Riot protest are unacceptable, is wary of undermining the balance between religions in the diverse country.

Political analysts say the Kremlin has rowed back from its initial position on the law to take into account the ethnic and religious balance between the Christian majority and Muslim minority, a precondition for political stability.

Kirill said nothing about what punishment he favored. As proposed in September, the legislation called for prison terms of up to three years for offending religious feelings and up to five years for damaging religious sites or holy books.

Rights groups say the legislation could blur the line between church and state in constitutionally secular Russia.

PUTIN AND PATRIARCH

Putin, a former Soviet KGB officer, has cultivated close ties with the Russian Orthodox Church in 13 years in power and has leaned more on it for support since starting his third term as president in May following protests against his rule.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and his wife, Svetlana, attended a Christmas service led by Kirill and shown live on state TV at Christ the Saviour cathedral, the scene of the Pussy Riot protest. Putin went to a midnight service early on Monday in the Black Sea city of Sochi.

Opponents say the draft law is intended as part of broader Kremlin moves to suppress dissent and bolster public support by casting Putin as the protector of religious believers.

Critics have also said the definition of offending religious feelings is so broad and vague in the draft law that it risks being ineffective or applied selectively.

The Russian Orthodox Church has been resurgent since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. About three in four of Russia's 143 million people call themselves Russian Orthodox, though only a minority attend church regularly.

Many were offended by the Pussy Riot protest, and opinion polls suggested that most Russians believed the two-year prison sentences two of the women are serving are fair punishment.

Kirill, who did not mention the punk protest - which the band said was an anti-Kremlin stunt not aimed at offending believers - urged peaceful responses to anti-church "incidents".

"The key thing is that resistance to blasphemy should be appropriate and free from aggression," he said.

Kirill also offered support for Putin's battle against graft, declared in a public address last month.

Critics of the Kremlin say corruption has flourished under Putin, with Russia ranking 133rd out of 174 states, alongside Honduras and Guyana, in the Corruption Perception Index compiled by Transparency International.

Kirill has dismissed media reports of a lavish lifestyle; the Church apologized in April for doctoring a photograph of him to remove what bloggers said was a luxury wristwatch.- www.shfaqna.com/English

Source: Yahoo

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) – A new census found Tuesday, December 11, that Islam is the fastest-growing religion in Britain and Wales.

“Religion is difficult to define and difficult to measure,” Nick Spencer, research director at theology think-tank Theos, told The Daily Mail.

“The census measures religious identification, not beliefs or practice. It's about what people call themselves, and which group they wish to identify with.”

Among British people, there were 33.2million claiming to be Christian, down from 37.3million in 2001. The figure made up just 59 per cent of the population.

The census put the total population of England and Wales at 56.1million, a seven percent increase from 2001; and 55 percent of the increase is due to migration.

It found that the proportion of Muslims also rose from 3.0 percent to 4.8 per cent, becoming the fastest growing religion in Britain.

The 2001 census put the number of British Muslims at nearly 2.5 million.

The statistics emerged as the Archbishop of Canterbury claimed that English cathedral congregations had grown dramatically in recent years, debunking the 'cliché' that the Church of England is fading away.

The proportion of Muslims also rose from 3.0 per cent to 4.8 per cent, becoming the fastest growing faith in UK.

The 2001 census put the number of British Muslims at nearly 2.5 million.

The third most popular religion in Britain was Hinduism, making up 1.5 percent of the population, while 0.8 percent were Sikhs and 0.5 percent Jewish.

Nearly 180,000 claimed to be followers of the Jedi religion featured in Star Wars - down from 2001, when around 400,000 jokingly put the faith down on their census form.

“These figures show that we have a plural religious landscape, but that doesn't mean we're atheists,” Spencer said.

“Digging deeper, we see that even those who say they have no religion often have a variety of spiritual beliefs, but they don't want to associate these to religious institutions.”

Atheism

The census also found that the number of atheists was on the rise in Britain.

It found that 25.1 percent of people identify themselves as non-believers up from 14.8 per cent a decade earlier.

The numbers of non-believers have been on the rise across Europe and the United States.

A 2005 survey published in Encyclopedia Britannica put non-believers at about 11.9 percent of the world's population.

An official European Union survey recently said that 18 percent of the bloc's population do not believe in God.

The Washington Post reported in September that atheist movements were growing across Europe, lobbying hard for political clout and airtime.

The new census also found that the number of Christians was on decline in Britain.

“In spite of a biased question that positively encourages religious responses, to see such an increase in the non-religious and such a decrease in those reporting themselves as Christian is astounding,” Andrew Copson, chief executive of the British Humanist Association, said.

He said the decline in the number of Christians was 'really significant'.

“Of course these figures still exaggerate the number of Christians overall,” he noted.

“The number of believing, practicing Christians is much lower than this and the number of those leading their lives with no reference to religion much higher.”

There are more than 47,000 churches in Britain, and 42 million Britons, more than 70 percent of the population, consider themselves to be Christian.

In a study released in 2005, the British-based association Christian Research expected the number of Christians attending Sunday service to fall by two thirds over the next three decades.

The study, The Future of The Church, predicted that the total membership of all the Christian denominations to fall from 9.4 percent of the population to only five percent by 2040.

The study also expected that the poor attendance will force some 18,000 churches to close.- www.shfaqna.com/English

Source: On Islam

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) -- The assassination of Punjab's governor further helped bring the matter into the focus of the international media. We saw Bilawal Zardari Bhutto speak out as well – a rarity, as we all know too well. Governor Taseer's daughter wrote scathing articles against the prevalent extremist ideology that she feels has engulfed the masses of Pakistan.

The law by itself can no doubt be exploited by using it against religious minorities. But laws as a whole, whether based on the interpretation ofShariah (Islamic law) or what is accepted by the more "liberal" West can be exploited as such. Whether these laws need amending or not is perhaps another debate. The question is, is it the simple law that plagues the society in Pakistan today, and could the amendment be the answer?

As stated earlier, much has been said and done in the scope of this debate. Many, including national media outlets, have pointed their fingers at the extremist ideology that the population as a whole (except for the few elites, of course) has been infused with. One can't speak for Taseer's assassin, but one can critically analyze the situation at hand. With Taseer's assassination, it has all been brought down to one term: religious extremism. This has provided further room for the "liberal" ideology that instructs us to separate religion from the affairs of the government.

Pakistan's incorporation of religion in matters of governance and its constitution as a whole, coupled with its proximity to a country like Afghanistan, is what allows it to become a breeding ground for extremists, and arguably, results in terrorism. The country is viewed as an example of what happens when Islam and politics mix.

Religious extremism is as old as the history of religion itself. Even though Islam has come to be associated with religious extremism, other religions are no exception. The problem of terrorism as we see it today is more contemporary than we admit. Has it been brought about by a clash between our increasingly globalized, modern world and Islam? It is always strange when that premise is put forth. Islam is not a religion restricted to a particular culture, region or point in time. Its ability to encompass every aspect of a follower's life in harmony with his cultural and social identity is what makes the religion so attractive. Islam's versatility to embrace progression of the mind and society has allowed it to stand the tests of time.

Indeed, the problem of extremist interpretations of religion has always existed, and will probably not go away any time soon. The way this extremist ideology has manifested itself in today's society, especially in Pakistan, is a cause for concern.

Ever since independence, it has not been smooth sailing for Pakistan. Military dictatorships saw the economy crumble under the iron fists of the rulers. Democratically elected governments have proven to be ineffective in presenting an agenda for the country to prosper. Infighting between different political factions has eroded the very fabric of society which could have made Pakistan a success story. A vast amount of the population lives in under-developed areas, with no basic necessities, including education. With the illiteracy rate standing over 40%, Pakistan ushered only its elite class into the 21st century.

So as the country's economy lies in tatters, its elite class remains disconnected from the concerns of the average Pakistani, security continues to be threatened by not just the occasional suicide bomber but also the American drones, and its government continues to bow to Western demands, leaving its population out to dry. The level of rage and dissatisfaction is only natural amongst the youth languishing away knowing that the jobs will not come, the campaign promises will not be met and conditions will not improve.

For these masses, their perceptions and interpretations – religious and otherwise – will reflect the realities of their lives. Their interpretation of religion will be one that gives them an outlet to express the built up frustration, rage, dissatisfaction and helplessness that they feel and are forced to live with. It is a backlash from a population that feels betrayed by the cards they have been dealt with in life, making them more susceptible to adopt whatever quenches their thirst for validation.

As Pakistani politicians, with the help of their Western backers, radically push for the secularization of the country and its way of life to combat religious extremism, things will not change unless the much ignored – and perhaps forgotten – needs of the population are met. Removing Islam from the equation will not remove the realities on the ground, nor will it bring an end to Pakistan's woes.

www.shafaqna.com/English

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) — Sunday worship used to be routine for millions of Americans. Today, the congregations are looking a little sparse. RT's in New York to see whether it's time for a faith lift.— www.shafaqna.com/English