In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
In this IInd Part of Readers' Reactions, I give below my response
to another reader's critical observations:
Be you in peace, Abdalla!
Mohamad Abdalla wrote:
In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
Assalaamu alaykum Brother,
Your explanation of the verses of the Quran regarding al-Riba are not a
result of two years of scholarly research, but rather an egoistic,
self-conceited one. You are following your whims, desires and the footsteps
of Satan in your approach.
Who has given you the authority to issue
such a slanderous fatwa, Brother? Remember what Allah says, "Woe
to every slanderer ---" [Q: 104.1]
While Allah asks us to read the Quran, however, He does not ask us to
interpret it as we please.
Allah does not tell us to read the Qur'aan
just ritualistically like some mantras, without understanding them,
as most of us unfortunately do. He asks, "Will they not, then, ponder
over the Qur'aan? - or are there locks upon their minds? [Q: 47.24]
There is no question at all of our interpreting it as we please.
As repeatedly asserted therein, the Qur'aanic verses are variously explained
in details for people who ponder to understand them easily.
In fact, Prophet Muhammad has said that whosoever
interprets the Quran as he desires will be cast into hell fire.
Let me quote the hadheeth translation
verbatim, as I have got it:
'a hadith narrated on the authority of Hazrat Syedena Ibn 'Abbas (Radhi Allahu Ta�ala Anhu) who said:
The Holy Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam) said "Whoever interprets the Qur'an according to his own opinion(ra'yah), let him seek his abode in the hell fire."
(Tirmidhi)'
This hadheeth indeed confirms
that there is no room at all for any human, however learned he may
be, to interpret any Qur'aanic word, term or verse with his own opinion.
And believe me, Brother, my fight
is against all those who have been misleading the Ummah by giving
their own personal opinions about the meanings of the divine terms!
Who are you
to interpret the Holy Quran or verses thereof? Did you not know that it
takes more than two years to reach the status of one who can interpret the
Quran? Obviously you did not! Also, did you know that yon need to master
more than 13 types of branches of 'ilm (knowledge) before you attempt to
interpret the Holy Quran? Obviously you did not!
Calm down, Brother! Your anger and your
questions are misdirected and misconceived. Who am I - a mere creature
- to interpret the Creator's words and terms? The very thought is ridiculous!
How could you ask such ridiculous questions?
Leave aside me - an obvious ignoramus in your eyes - Brother! But
how can an intelligent person like you even suggest that I could interpret
the Qur'aan after mastering more than 13 types or branches of 'ilm'? And,
pray, what is so significant about this figure 13? It only reminds me of
the Qur'aanic verse, "Look, how they invent a lie
against Allah, and that by itself is a sin, manifest!" [Q: 4.50]
Brother! The fact of the matter is that no creature, even if equipped
with innumerable types of 'ilm', is competent enough to interpret the
Creator's terms, with his own opinion. The Creator has therefore given
the intrerpretation Himself. The hadheeth quoted above confirms
this fact. And if you deny this fact, you lay yourself open to the charge
of blasphemy and heresy.
Have you bothered to check what the Prophet has said about al-riba and its
definition? Or have you bothered to read what the great scholars of Islam
have said about it? Or have you bothered to find out what the authentic
scholars of today say about it? The answer to these questions seems clear to
me! NO!
Brother! Brother! You make
me feel like a little innocent child being incessantly questioned and pilloried
by a very harsh schoolmaster, for some unknown crime committed by him.
And, moreover, you assume that the answers to the questions posed
by you are all negative. I had thought that Allah Ta'ala alone knows
me better than I do myself. Now you claim you too have that divine power,
nauzubillah! Just see
how egoistic and self-conceited your own approach is, Brother!
If you would study the hadheeth quoted above deeply, you might
find that the questions you have posed are all redundant. Nevertheless,
let me inform you that I have (bothered to, as you have so disgustingly
put it) studied the relevant ahaadheeth and have devoted sufficient
space on discussing them in my ebook. As for the 'authentic scholars of today',
I am not sure what you mean by 'authentic'. If you mean those whose views
corroborate with yours, then it is these who prompted me to undertake
my studies in the matter, in the first instance.
You need to fear Allah Ta'ala in your in
terpretation of the verses of the
Holy Quran. There is no room in such interpretations for our desires and
liking.
Yes, Brother! Here I find myself
in agreement with you, cent per cent. Allah says, "This is the Book
- no doubt therein - of guidance for the Muttaqeen!" [Q: 2.2]
The Muttaqeen are those who remain
constantly aware that Allah Ta'ala is watching them and therefore shun
doing anything that would be repugnant or abhorrent to Him.
And surprise, surprise you are asking for $10 to read your ebook.
Well, if that does not sh
ow your insincerity then what does? My personal
conviction is that you are nothing but a con artist, who seeks to earn some
Haram money using Allah's own Quran. How miserable will you be on the day of
judgement if you do not desist and repent from such satanic behaviour. FEAR
ALLAH who knows your intentions. And remember you will carry the burden of
sin of any one who follows your deceptive and erroneous interpretations.
You are again resorting
to indulging in slander, falsehood and arrogance, Brother! Beware of
verse 104.1 quoted above and desist from inviting Allah's wrath against
yourself, please!
Allah sure knows my intentions. But you do not! Please do not indulge
in blatant falsehood and open shirk by claiming that you do.
Muttaqeen do not indulge themselves in such dubious activities.
You ask me to FEAR ALLAH! This advice is most welcome, Brother! In
fact, we should all exhort one another with this advice repeatedly. For,
Satan is always after us. He (Satan) makes us forget Him (Allah) often.
It is in such moments of forgetfulness that we tend to go astray.
But your accusation that I am seeking 'Haram money using Allah's own
Quran' is absolute nonsense, Brother! I think I had already drawn your
attention earlier to the Readers' Reactions page on my site, wherein, in
response to other readers doubts in this connection, I have given the detailed
circumstances in which I had to have the price tag to my ebook.
As a matter of fact, Brother, I have spilled out everything I wanted
to say, for FREE on my site. The ebook contains the same things, but in
a more detailed and systematic manner. It is basically meant for those who
generally agree with what I am saying and would like to monetarily contribute,
at least partially, to my honest efforts in bringing out the Truth as I
see it. The book is therefore not meant for you or persons of your school
of thought, Brother! By the way, it may gladden your heart to know that with
persons of your school of thought around, I can hardly hope ever to reach
even the breakeven point. And you speak of me making 'Haraam' money! How
cruel of you, Brother!!
I am only asking you to abide by your conscience. It is through our
consciences that Allah speaks to us. We go astray when we suppress the
calls of our own consciences. If your conscience does not permit you, do
not go by what I say; but please be very honest with your conscience. You
can dupe me and you can dupe any other human being; but, remember, you cannot
dupe Allah!
Likewise, I can dupe you and I can dupe any other human being,
but I cannot dupe Allah! If I do not honestly believe in what I say, I
know for certain that I am not going to be spared by Allah Ta'ala on the
Day of Judgement.
So please do not try to take Allah's place and sit in judgement over
what I am doing. You take care of yourself and ensure that your actions
in this world are good enough for you to face Allah on that great Day
in the Hereafter.
I invite you to go and read what real scholars (who studied for more than 2
years) say about this. One of the places that you may bother to read can be
found on www.jamiat.org.za.
And I invite you to read
what our Creator says about this. He says, "Follow what has been sent
down unto you from your Lord and follow not any 'Auliya' besides Him. Little
do you remember!" [Q: 7.3] Surely, Brother, our Rabb is better than
your 'real scholars'. Or don't you agree?! And one of the Chapters of the
Qur'aan you may especially 'bother to read' can be Chapter 103. No, not
just read ritualisitcally, but ponder over it! Rest assured, you can take
guidance from it - Allah Himself has given that assurance - provided
you are a muttaqi [Q: 2.2]
Read their article about interest. I challenge
you to visit
this site.
Muttaqi
people do not throw challenges at others. They are humble enough to
know that they by themselves have no power. All that they have is a mercy
from their Lord. Throwing a challenge at any one is a betrayal of pride.
And you know, Brother, that Allah does not like pride.
I would therefore only request you to go to my web page,
Judgement.
Therein you may find the full text of the Judgement on Interest
passed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The Judgement, because of its detailed
treatment of all aspects of the subject matter, should be the best document
available on the viewpoint that Interest is prohibited in Islam. I have studied
that document thoroughly and given my humble opinion in considerable details
as to why it is ultra vires the divine Islamic Constitution - the Qura'aan.
I know you will question my competency to contradict the renowned Mufti
who has penned that Judgement. But, Brother, Islam teaches me that there
is none comparable to Allah.
[Q: 112.4] The Judgement cannot therefore
be comparable to the Qur'aan. I cannot betray what the Qur'aan has taught
me and what my conscience tells me even if the whole world tells me otherwise.
And, Brother, I am duty-bound to tell others what I honestly believe
to be the Truth, your abuses notwithstanding!
[refer
Q: 103.3]
Also, as you have proudly presented on your web page
the statements of some supporters of your false interpretations, I challenge
you to do the same with my comments. If you are truly an advocator
of moral
duties and obligations, then prove it by presenting this criticism of mine
on your web page, which may give the readers the chance to think twice and
scrutinise your calims.
Your criticism
is merely a bundle of abuses, Brother! It has no substance. Have a look
at the Judgement on Interest. Although I do not agree with it, it contains
well-argued points and I have responded to it with my counter arguments
based on reason and documentary evidences. And I have published these, for
free, on my web site . I have also published criticism from other readers,
who had some reasoned arguments to make. It is therefore surprising that
you could see only the short statements of my supporters and not these more
lengthy criticisms!
Well, since you insist I may consider publishing your criticisms along
with my responses, on my web site, insha Allah!
Finally, Allah Ta'ala is a witness that I have sent you this message. If you
have genuinely erred then ask Allah's forgiveness and desist immediately
from your ways. If you do let other
s know of that. If you do not then you
have to answer before Allah for your and others' sins.
Waslaam
Mohamad Abdalla
Allah Ta'ala is witness too that I have sent you this response. Being only
human, I cannot claim that I could be absolutely without errors, and I do
ask for Allah's forgiveness for my mistakes and errors, as every human being,
you yourself not
excluded, should do for his/hers.
But if you are hinting that I am in error in the matter of the Qur'aanic
concept of
Ar-Riba, then please be advised that you have miserably
failed to convince me by means of the mere abuses that you have hurled.
I am, on the other hand, indeed concrened about you, Brother! The reasons
are:
- Your resorting
to abuses instead of reasoned arguments. This tantamounts to slander, which
Allah has condemned in no uncertain terms.
- Your insistance
that Qur'aan cannot be understood without acquiring at least 13 different
types of 'ilm' and that one who has not gone through this minimum course
of knowledge, should go by the interpretation of the verses by human scholars.
This amounts to blatant disbelief (kufr) in the divine assertion that
the verses are variously explained in details for easy understanding and
guidance of the Muttaqi
who ponder. It also amounts to a blatant disobedience of the divine commandment
given in verse 7.3.
I do not know whether you pray for forgiveness of your own mistakes, sins
or errors, but I do hereby pray to Allah Almighty to forgive us both our
sins, mistakes and errors, to make us understand each other and to
guide us to the right Path. Amen!
Wassalaam,
Mohammad Shafi
--
Guide us to the Staright
Path, Allah!