One of the built in feature of human being is his dual dynamic nature in the world of action and thought. He always thinks and always works. These two characteristics generates knowledge and deeds (or actions). It is difficult to find a human beings sitting idle thinking not and working not.As a result, mankind can be of various types concerning knowledge and actions. There could those people who has no knowledge but does lots of actions. There could be those who does little action but they are owners of great knowledge. There could be those who have none: no action and no knowledge (very rare). There could be those who has both: knowledgeable and does actions. So, these are all possible 4 permutations of actions and knowledge. Now we could go further with similar permutations when we classify knowledge into beneficial knowledge and harmful knowledge. Similarly, we even go further when we classify actions into righteous actions and evil actions. Because of the degree and magnitude of all these possibilities, it is hard to find two people unique in their knowledge and practice. Every human being is unique in terms of knowledge and deeds, as they are unique in their finger prints and iris.
Staying out of these complications, simply, we can classify the major segments of mankind into three great clusters:
1.Those who know the right and wrong, and deliberately choose the wrong in their actions.
2.Those who does not know much, but who wants to work hard, but does works wrong because of their poor knowledge.
3.Those who knows the wrong and right, and goes by right and avoids wrong. This are the best segment of mankind.
Now each segment deserves discussion. But before that, I have to clarify the term “knowledge”. By knowledge I do not mean the physical and natural knowledge in the field of physics, mathematics, biology, astronomy, etc. I mean the meta-physical knowledge, which addresses issues of our existence, our purpose in life, our duty in this earth, what happens after death, the morals and behaviors, etc.
Knows Right and Wrong, and Does Wrong – Like Jews
It seems crazy that a person knows the right and wrong, yet goes for the wrong. In terms of physical knowledge, only a crazy person does that, but in terms of meta-physical knowledge, believe me, many does that. It is impossible to find someone who knows that jumping from a 5 story building would kill him and does so. But, it is very common to see a person who knows Prophet Muhammad is a true messenger of God, and still oppose his message.
Jews are the best example of this segment. When Prophet Muhammad migrated to Medina –which was populated by great numbers of Jews- their Torah –although altered- still contained detailed description of the Prophet and they had no difficulty to know him as they have no difficulty to know their own children. But did they embraced Islam? NO. Why? Because they wanted the last Prophet from the children of Israel and not from the branch of Ishmael. Similarly, Abu Jahl who was among the elders of Quraish pagans, knew that Muhammad is a true messenger, but wanted to be from his own branch of the tribe.
Similarly, among the Muslims there are –so called- scholars who issues fatwa –on demand- to earn fame and respect of the ruling class. They know the right and wrong, and yet deliberately take the wrong path to please the influential and secure worldly benefits. This group cause a great fitnah and trial for the lay people. When they speak, they will cite verses from Quran and hadith, but placed in wrong context or put partially without looking into the holistic approach. Basically, they coat the false with a dress of Quranic verses. These people have a pre-defined opinion in their mind. This opinion when displayed raw, would be denounced by the scholar as well as the ignorant Muslims as false and anti-Islamic. So, they have to coat this poison with superficial dress of Islam to give it validity and market this opinion to the lay Muslims. Unfortunately, in the market, many ignorant –or lust lover- Muslims, purchase these opinion cheap, and go astray with their elders!
This proves that many people know the right and follow the wrong deliberately. This is so because they prefer the temporary benefit of following the wrong over the permanent future benefit of following the right. Envy, fear of loosing position, etc are some of the reasons that makes a man make an informed decision not to follow truth. Satan –of course- makes things even worse. Today, a hindu, Christian or others who clearly sees Islam a true religion would still have illusive mountain of obstacles to embrace Islam. What would my family and friend circle say? I will be branded as terrorist?
Does not Know Right and Wrong, and Does Wrong –Like Christians
This is logical. A man walking in darkness is very likely to walk the wrong road! Working hard, initiated by good intention does not mean, to work right. A Muslim having all the good intention to reach Makkah, yet not knowing –or making effort to know- the road to Makkah, will lead him anywhere except Makkah!
Christians are good examples of this group. They are not knowledgeable like the Jews. They are emotional and want to work righteous. They are walking in the darkness, but still walking very hard and does not want to stop. This is why, many Christians embrace Islam, but very rare Jews would accept Islam.
Similarly, within Muslims there exists lots of groups who work hard with ignorance. Working hard does not generate beneficial knowledge by itself. On the other hand, possessing knowing – and not working according to the possessed knowledge- will not cause salvation in the hereafter –and success in this world. Many Muslim saints (Sufis) involve in rock-breaking forms of worship, and work hard day and night, and try to purify their soul by subjecting it to torment and deprive from worldly enjoyment in food, marriage, sleep, and relax. These exercises by itself does only harm to physical body, and causes no change in society, nor purification to the heart. Because of excessive hard work, many of them would see or hear voices and objects out of hallucination- and they think themselves that it is a gift from God. In other cases Satan (evil jinn) appears to them in some form and play havoc with their mind. If you see a saint walking on water –or flying in air- yet this saint is not performing the five prayers with fellow Muslims in Masjid- then be sure it was a Satan who was carrying him on the surface of water and air.
Knows the Right and Wrong, and does the Right – Like Prophet Muhammad and his Companions
These are the Muslims who inherited the divine Knowledge from messengers and applied them in their practical life. They know their Lord well. They know the rights and duties towards their Allah. They know what pleases Allah and what angers Him. They know the rights and duties to fellow Muslims and fellow human beings. Even they know the etiquettes of answering the call of nature and slaughtering a beast, let alone ruling a country and dealing with neighbor states and governments. They know all kind of meta-physical knowledge which can never be attained through reason, except if it is bestowed by the Divine.
But, the Muslims does not stop at the level of knowledge, they practice knowledge. They worship their Lord, in the manner the Lords wants to be worshipped. They love those who love Allah and worship Him, and hate those who associate deities with Him. They apply these knowledge to themselves, and does not stop there, they propagate it to the wife, kids, neighbors and society. They want others to taste the sweetness of Eman, as they did.
Unique nature of Islam is it’s quality of enjoining right and prohibiting wrong on earth. Believe in one God, is a common denominator among all divine religion. But, it is this quality that distinguishes Muslims. Jews, know the wrong and right, yet they do not enjoin it or prevent the vice from society. They do this sometimes, but selectively. They prohibit Riba within themselves and permit using Riba (usury) while making transactions with others (gentiles). They apply the punishment of adultery (stoning) when the subject is poor and weak, and forget punishment when an influential does the crime.Out Prophet Muhammad swear by Allah, that if his daughter Fatima had stolen, he would cut her hand.
The companions of our Prophet Muhammad gave the greatest example of the balanced mix between knowledge and it’s practice. They had full love and submission to the instruction of Allah. They would get 10 newly revealed verses of Quran, then they would memorize them, understand their meaning and apply them in their life, and then only go for the next 10 verses. Simply, they were Quran walking on Earth. When they were so, they were the kings on earth. When they knocked the door of the Roman Empire, the Roman soldiers –who had chance to spy at night the status of these new Arabs- would describe them as: Saints in the Night, Knights in the Day.
They give precedence to Allah and Messenger’s instruction over their reason’s judgment. When they did so, their reasons became the wisest reason on Earth. When they spoke the said the best quotes on earth, when they worked, their action became the most noble action of a group on earth. When their Prophet died, within 5 years, they conquered the lands of the greatest two superpowers at their time – and simultaneously.
Quranic Evidences
Surah al-Fatihah (the Opening) is the greatest Chapter of Quran. It is short 7 verses, yet encompassing the total meaning of Quran. This is why it has another name of Umm al-Quran (the mother of Quran). This chapter classified mankind into 3 groups, according to the same criteria I described above.
The Path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor
Not of those who have evoked [Your] anger
Or those who are astray [7]
Thus: Companions of prophet Muhammad –peace be upon him- are examples of those on the straight path. Jews are example of those who have evoked the wrath of Allah, and Christians are examples of those who are astray.
Read the following verse from surah al-Fath verse 28: (similar verse appears in other places as well)
It is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion. And sufficient is the Allah as Witness.
Indeed it is this quality of the companions of the our prophet who had the knowledge (guidance) and they adhered to the knowledge (religion of truth) that they opened the heart before they opened the land of the Romans and Persians and crossed the ocean and horizon.
Amazingly read the immediate verse after the above verse: it clearly describes the quality of companions of our Prophet so clearly and so nicely, that Only a Divine can produce and divine lover can taste.
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating [in prayer], seeking bounty from Allah and [His] pleasure. Their mark is on their face from the race of prostration. That is their description in the Torah. And their description in the Gospel is as a plant which produces it offshoots and strengths them so they grow firm and stand upon their stalks, delighting the sowers –so that He may enrage by them the disbelievers.
Read the following verse from surah al-Jumah verse 2:
It is He who has sent among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves reciting to theHis verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom – although they were before in clear error.
Note the sequence of event towards excellence: first recitation of Quran which raises emotions and established connection with the Divine, this conncetion entails action on the ground that results in purification of the heart when the heart respects Allah and worships him alone with love and sincerity, then comes the second pass through Quran where the teaching elements comes. Jews went into this element only, and the Christians stopped at the first element only. Muslims went through the process from beginning to the end.
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Indeed, We have sent down for you (O mankind) a Book, (the Qur'ân) in which there is your reminder (and Honor). Will you not then understand? [Quran al-Anbiay (21):10]
