| Mankind's Relationship with Allah, the Exalted (The Prayer) | The Prayer and the values of equality
2019-03-04 872
The Prayer and the values of equality
The writer Hurace Leaf from the
Islamic Magazine which is issued in English says: "Nothing is
there in the world which can convince me that any religion in the
world calls for promoting equality among the people though some
of them assume or pretend the pursuit of this
equality.
I have paid a lot of visits to many churches and temples and witnessed the immense differences between the interior and the exterior of such houses of worship and my belief of course, was at the time being, that the Islamic mosques were inevitably the same but my surprise was beyond measure when I highly felt equality at its peak between the Moslems during the "Fitr" Eid (festival) on my visit to "Walking Mosque" in London because there I found mixed people of various ranks and positions gathered together like brothers – all unified to establish the Eid of Al-Fitr prayer and I haven't seen such a scene like that before for there you can see a poor man standing beside a great man of authority or a famous Egyptian businessman or a politician from the Arab homeland greeting one another or shaking hands with him fraternally, without the least feeling of difference between them.
Nobody is there who looks down on his brother Moslem however high his social rank or prestige is. Really speaking, all feel equal to one another and no one would object to standing next to the poor one in the process of performing the prayer.
There you don't also find someone of high rank trying to trespass in between the crowded prayer performers for finding a splendid place for himself in the mosque. All are equal in Allah's Sight. There is no distinction at all in Islam. The hadith of the Messenger of Allah goes as such: " People are equal like the teeth of a comb."
But the prayer does not represent a phenomenon of the many phenomena of equality only, but rather directly represents an invitation to equality because it inculcates in the prayer performer and the whole society of performers feelings of equality tangible sensations of equality among the people.
In fact, it is not fair enough to consider equality as being achieved for the mere standing of the rich one next to the poor one reluctantly while in prayer or the ruler beside the convicted one discontentedly or that the powerful man beside the weak one grumblingly … because equality is a deep inner feeling in man which pushes him towards eradicating the difference between the wealthy man and the poor one. between the governor and the governed…between the strong one and the weak one…and as such… the rich won't feel arrogant and superior. nor the poor feel they are scorned and downcast ..nor the ruler feels his being authoritative and domineering …nor the governed feel depressed and suppressed, nor the powerful as being victorious and a winner…nor the weak as being helpless and compelled …but all, unanimously, will feel unified by harmony, understanding, brotherhood and consent which gather them together under the cover of mercy and contain them within the overwhelming spirit of obedience when their hearts meet together with their classes well arranged in organized long an straight lines in their congregational prayers.
In this way, the active Islamic movement managed to overcome the class struggle phenomenon and what explodes therewith in the heart of society of seditions, vexations and revolutions…
So, his zeal was devoted to sucking the causes of grudges and seditions when the embers of class struggle have flown up reaching a serious point to grow in its place: friendliness, mercy and harmony amongst the various communities of society…His endeavor has been concentrated on liquidating the upsurge of contradictions which remained manifest in the class struggle.
After that the roles will start distributing anew on the basis of sound integration so that each sector would fulfill its function whereof each group would take its right in a way that the young and the elderly really feel they are walking together side by side on an equal footing with one another on the way of production with the aim of achieving the greatest goals of Islam in life.
Building on the foregoing, and in the light of these reformative changes, there will be no space for injustice, deprivation of rights, nor grift or oppression in the whole society. Based on all this, every individual, will get to know his real value and holiness among his work-mates as long as doing his best in the service of Islam hoping meantime to make his efforts flow into the welfare and prosperity of the whole society.
The result of such reforms will create a positive atmosphere within which the laborer will not feel that he is inferior before his master or boss or other fellow workers '' 'nor the servant feels lazy before his master nor the poor fellow feels deprived before the rich one… or perhaps, these people feel they have done a favor to those ones because the basic distinction in Islam among individuals is "piety" and the degree of such nearness to Allah (Glory be to Him) "O Mankind! We have created you from a male and a female and you into nations and tribes that you may know one another." Verily, the most honorable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa (i.e. he is one of the Al-Muttaqin (the Pious) Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, Well-Acquainted (with all things)." (Al-Hujurat:13)
And in our glamorous history, there are excellent examples which visualize for us some scenes of equality under the shade of Islam.
Allah's Messenger (Peace of Allah and blessings be upon him and his progeny) says: "Allah, the Blessed and the Glorified has removed by Islam the stubborn zeal of the pre-Islamic era and its pride in their forefathers. O people! You are but from Adam and Adam is from the earth, and the most honorable of you is the most pious"!
History tells us that Imam Al-Ridha (P.B.U.H.) has held a feast to which he invited, a number not to be sneezed at, of Sudanese loyalties and others, where one of his companions said: "May I be sacrificed to you! You had better isolate a special tray of food for them, to which the Imam answered: " Allah, may He be blessed and glorified, is but One and the mother is One, too and the reward lies in deeds."
Imam As-Sadiq (P.B.U.H.) said: "When Imam Ali (P.B.U.H.) sat up on the pulpit, thanked and praised Allah, he then said: " I have no intention to take from your spoils one dirham as long as I am staying as a ruler in Yathrib.
"Would you believe yourselves that I would deprive you of your due rights or do you wrong?" "Don't you see me depriving myself and giving you your rights?" He said. At this, his brother Aqeel stood up and said to him: " Allah! I wonder if you mean regarding me as equal in rank as a negro?" He (P.B.U.H.) said: "There is nobody here speaking except you and… what is your favor upon him except perhaps for a deed of your previous charity or an act of piety.
"History narrates to us, too that Sawadah bin Qais said to the Prophet (P.B.U. H.) during the days of his illness: "O Allah's Messenger! You. when you left At-Taif, I welcomed you while you were mounting on your lame camel with a thin long stick in your hand wanting to aim at the camel but unfortunately the stick hit my abdomen O Messenger of Allah! The Prophet, on hearing that story, ordered him to avenge himself and said: "Uncover your belly, O Messenger of Allah:" I seek refuge with Allah at the position of likewise punishment for fear of Allah on Doomsday.
At this point, the Messenger of Allah said to Sawada bin Qais: "O Sawadah bin Qais! Would you punish or pardon? He, then said: "But I pardon O Messenger of Allah!"
The Messenger of Allah said: "O Allah! Pardon Sawada bin Qais as much as he pardoned your Prophet Muhammad. "We can hardly imagine the extent of the Islamic ability in imposing the principle of equality on all the conflicting tribes and the opposing classes unless we get to be acquainted with the image of the ignorant people whom Islam has produced out of them a nation at the peak of advancement, progress and civilization.
There has been no allusion to the existence of equality to have been known before the light of Islam came into sight whether among the people of the Arab Peninsula or among the peoples of Casri and Caesar; so, there emerged the class distinction, tribal and kinship differentiations as well as the varied colors which have constituted a prominent and distinguished phenomenon and prevalent features by which man's honor and personality in life were measured until the emergence of the brilliant dawn of the Quran which came to abolish and replace what was customary during the pre-Islamic period and to determine the unification of the whole of mankind on the solid basis of man's being created of one human self: "O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him Adam, He created his wife (Hawaa) (Eve) and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allah from Whom you demand (your mutual rights) and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely Allah, is ever an AII-Watcher over you."(An-Nisa: 1).
In the light of this truth Islam started the widest process of change that history has ever witnessed where, out of injustice it coined equality and of hostility, love and out of class struggle peace and integrity and the spread of the principles of immortal equality in all fields with regard to: equality of duty and of right and between all classes and equality of penal judgment, equality of humanity – that no difference is there between man and woman, between the master and the slave because all in the view of Islam are equal like the teeth of a comb…and that all are of Adam and Adam is of this same earth."
It seems that this bold, decisive attitude of such strong and active message has made the wealthy masters and owners of interests defiantly stand, like stubborn and abhorrent enemies, against the voice of right and truth, to that degree of ugliness, abomination and cruelty that there has been no match for hostilities in the world.
In this noble verse of the holy Quran there you find a highly valuable and civilized indication which uncovers to us that the principle of equality in Islam has exceeded all the sectarian barriers and the differences that often arise among religions and as such the basic equality with him is humanistic before it has been Islamic.
So, where can we place the systems of the contemporary century and the laws of the modern age if compared with the humanity of the Islamic legislation and the mercy of Islam?!
Right from here, and through this immensely deteriorated and corrupted reality, we got to feel the urgent necessity of returning to the prayer hoping meantime to discover the causes of our loss, severance and dispersion in addition to our being far aloof from the spirit of Islam so that we can cure our wounds and get our remnants together and finally get back to our senses, get ourselves guided and see our way in life together with renovating our heritage and restoring the brilliance of our faces because this fake colorful mask has blinded our eyes from seeing the truth, the sense of good and beauty.
It is inevitable for us to get back to the prayer to give a rebirth to the human spirit under the shade of love, cooperation and equality but the prayer did not spread in our society the feelings of equality as long as no one of us perform the prayer except the poor people, laborers and the needy.
If we want the prayer of Islam to achieve the message of equality for the nation, it necessitates that all should get together like a full bunch of colorful flowers in the……. of faith and prayer to get together in the House of Allah - the rich and the poor - officials - bosses - servants - workers and educated people, …..only in this way can we see in our atmospheres: perfumes and odorous smells to fill our world with the purity of brotherhood and the mercy of equality - for there is no assembly in the world like Islam which can be as wonderfully successful as Islam in familiarizing such human contradictory gatherings together in one long line or queue whose basis is equality, so if you place the conflicts which arise among the states of the peoples of the east and the states of the peoples of the west for any settlement, they can't get a long - term of peaceful existence together except inevitably resorting to Islam for the sake of uprooting the causes of their conflict as a final solution".
I have paid a lot of visits to many churches and temples and witnessed the immense differences between the interior and the exterior of such houses of worship and my belief of course, was at the time being, that the Islamic mosques were inevitably the same but my surprise was beyond measure when I highly felt equality at its peak between the Moslems during the "Fitr" Eid (festival) on my visit to "Walking Mosque" in London because there I found mixed people of various ranks and positions gathered together like brothers – all unified to establish the Eid of Al-Fitr prayer and I haven't seen such a scene like that before for there you can see a poor man standing beside a great man of authority or a famous Egyptian businessman or a politician from the Arab homeland greeting one another or shaking hands with him fraternally, without the least feeling of difference between them.
Nobody is there who looks down on his brother Moslem however high his social rank or prestige is. Really speaking, all feel equal to one another and no one would object to standing next to the poor one in the process of performing the prayer.
There you don't also find someone of high rank trying to trespass in between the crowded prayer performers for finding a splendid place for himself in the mosque. All are equal in Allah's Sight. There is no distinction at all in Islam. The hadith of the Messenger of Allah goes as such: " People are equal like the teeth of a comb."
But the prayer does not represent a phenomenon of the many phenomena of equality only, but rather directly represents an invitation to equality because it inculcates in the prayer performer and the whole society of performers feelings of equality tangible sensations of equality among the people.
In fact, it is not fair enough to consider equality as being achieved for the mere standing of the rich one next to the poor one reluctantly while in prayer or the ruler beside the convicted one discontentedly or that the powerful man beside the weak one grumblingly … because equality is a deep inner feeling in man which pushes him towards eradicating the difference between the wealthy man and the poor one. between the governor and the governed…between the strong one and the weak one…and as such… the rich won't feel arrogant and superior. nor the poor feel they are scorned and downcast ..nor the ruler feels his being authoritative and domineering …nor the governed feel depressed and suppressed, nor the powerful as being victorious and a winner…nor the weak as being helpless and compelled …but all, unanimously, will feel unified by harmony, understanding, brotherhood and consent which gather them together under the cover of mercy and contain them within the overwhelming spirit of obedience when their hearts meet together with their classes well arranged in organized long an straight lines in their congregational prayers.
In this way, the active Islamic movement managed to overcome the class struggle phenomenon and what explodes therewith in the heart of society of seditions, vexations and revolutions…
So, his zeal was devoted to sucking the causes of grudges and seditions when the embers of class struggle have flown up reaching a serious point to grow in its place: friendliness, mercy and harmony amongst the various communities of society…His endeavor has been concentrated on liquidating the upsurge of contradictions which remained manifest in the class struggle.
After that the roles will start distributing anew on the basis of sound integration so that each sector would fulfill its function whereof each group would take its right in a way that the young and the elderly really feel they are walking together side by side on an equal footing with one another on the way of production with the aim of achieving the greatest goals of Islam in life.
Building on the foregoing, and in the light of these reformative changes, there will be no space for injustice, deprivation of rights, nor grift or oppression in the whole society. Based on all this, every individual, will get to know his real value and holiness among his work-mates as long as doing his best in the service of Islam hoping meantime to make his efforts flow into the welfare and prosperity of the whole society.
The result of such reforms will create a positive atmosphere within which the laborer will not feel that he is inferior before his master or boss or other fellow workers '' 'nor the servant feels lazy before his master nor the poor fellow feels deprived before the rich one… or perhaps, these people feel they have done a favor to those ones because the basic distinction in Islam among individuals is "piety" and the degree of such nearness to Allah (Glory be to Him) "O Mankind! We have created you from a male and a female and you into nations and tribes that you may know one another." Verily, the most honorable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa (i.e. he is one of the Al-Muttaqin (the Pious) Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, Well-Acquainted (with all things)." (Al-Hujurat:13)
And in our glamorous history, there are excellent examples which visualize for us some scenes of equality under the shade of Islam.
Allah's Messenger (Peace of Allah and blessings be upon him and his progeny) says: "Allah, the Blessed and the Glorified has removed by Islam the stubborn zeal of the pre-Islamic era and its pride in their forefathers. O people! You are but from Adam and Adam is from the earth, and the most honorable of you is the most pious"!
History tells us that Imam Al-Ridha (P.B.U.H.) has held a feast to which he invited, a number not to be sneezed at, of Sudanese loyalties and others, where one of his companions said: "May I be sacrificed to you! You had better isolate a special tray of food for them, to which the Imam answered: " Allah, may He be blessed and glorified, is but One and the mother is One, too and the reward lies in deeds."
Imam As-Sadiq (P.B.U.H.) said: "When Imam Ali (P.B.U.H.) sat up on the pulpit, thanked and praised Allah, he then said: " I have no intention to take from your spoils one dirham as long as I am staying as a ruler in Yathrib.
"Would you believe yourselves that I would deprive you of your due rights or do you wrong?" "Don't you see me depriving myself and giving you your rights?" He said. At this, his brother Aqeel stood up and said to him: " Allah! I wonder if you mean regarding me as equal in rank as a negro?" He (P.B.U.H.) said: "There is nobody here speaking except you and… what is your favor upon him except perhaps for a deed of your previous charity or an act of piety.
"History narrates to us, too that Sawadah bin Qais said to the Prophet (P.B.U. H.) during the days of his illness: "O Allah's Messenger! You. when you left At-Taif, I welcomed you while you were mounting on your lame camel with a thin long stick in your hand wanting to aim at the camel but unfortunately the stick hit my abdomen O Messenger of Allah! The Prophet, on hearing that story, ordered him to avenge himself and said: "Uncover your belly, O Messenger of Allah:" I seek refuge with Allah at the position of likewise punishment for fear of Allah on Doomsday.
At this point, the Messenger of Allah said to Sawada bin Qais: "O Sawadah bin Qais! Would you punish or pardon? He, then said: "But I pardon O Messenger of Allah!"
The Messenger of Allah said: "O Allah! Pardon Sawada bin Qais as much as he pardoned your Prophet Muhammad. "We can hardly imagine the extent of the Islamic ability in imposing the principle of equality on all the conflicting tribes and the opposing classes unless we get to be acquainted with the image of the ignorant people whom Islam has produced out of them a nation at the peak of advancement, progress and civilization.
There has been no allusion to the existence of equality to have been known before the light of Islam came into sight whether among the people of the Arab Peninsula or among the peoples of Casri and Caesar; so, there emerged the class distinction, tribal and kinship differentiations as well as the varied colors which have constituted a prominent and distinguished phenomenon and prevalent features by which man's honor and personality in life were measured until the emergence of the brilliant dawn of the Quran which came to abolish and replace what was customary during the pre-Islamic period and to determine the unification of the whole of mankind on the solid basis of man's being created of one human self: "O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him Adam, He created his wife (Hawaa) (Eve) and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allah from Whom you demand (your mutual rights) and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely Allah, is ever an AII-Watcher over you."(An-Nisa: 1).
In the light of this truth Islam started the widest process of change that history has ever witnessed where, out of injustice it coined equality and of hostility, love and out of class struggle peace and integrity and the spread of the principles of immortal equality in all fields with regard to: equality of duty and of right and between all classes and equality of penal judgment, equality of humanity – that no difference is there between man and woman, between the master and the slave because all in the view of Islam are equal like the teeth of a comb…and that all are of Adam and Adam is of this same earth."
It seems that this bold, decisive attitude of such strong and active message has made the wealthy masters and owners of interests defiantly stand, like stubborn and abhorrent enemies, against the voice of right and truth, to that degree of ugliness, abomination and cruelty that there has been no match for hostilities in the world.
In this noble verse of the holy Quran there you find a highly valuable and civilized indication which uncovers to us that the principle of equality in Islam has exceeded all the sectarian barriers and the differences that often arise among religions and as such the basic equality with him is humanistic before it has been Islamic.
So, where can we place the systems of the contemporary century and the laws of the modern age if compared with the humanity of the Islamic legislation and the mercy of Islam?!
Right from here, and through this immensely deteriorated and corrupted reality, we got to feel the urgent necessity of returning to the prayer hoping meantime to discover the causes of our loss, severance and dispersion in addition to our being far aloof from the spirit of Islam so that we can cure our wounds and get our remnants together and finally get back to our senses, get ourselves guided and see our way in life together with renovating our heritage and restoring the brilliance of our faces because this fake colorful mask has blinded our eyes from seeing the truth, the sense of good and beauty.
It is inevitable for us to get back to the prayer to give a rebirth to the human spirit under the shade of love, cooperation and equality but the prayer did not spread in our society the feelings of equality as long as no one of us perform the prayer except the poor people, laborers and the needy.
If we want the prayer of Islam to achieve the message of equality for the nation, it necessitates that all should get together like a full bunch of colorful flowers in the……. of faith and prayer to get together in the House of Allah - the rich and the poor - officials - bosses - servants - workers and educated people, …..only in this way can we see in our atmospheres: perfumes and odorous smells to fill our world with the purity of brotherhood and the mercy of equality - for there is no assembly in the world like Islam which can be as wonderfully successful as Islam in familiarizing such human contradictory gatherings together in one long line or queue whose basis is equality, so if you place the conflicts which arise among the states of the peoples of the east and the states of the peoples of the west for any settlement, they can't get a long - term of peaceful existence together except inevitably resorting to Islam for the sake of uprooting the causes of their conflict as a final solution".
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