British political think tanks

Hate filled Extremists in the political think tanks

The past few years has seen the emergence of a unified set of voices in various media and political institutions. They preach an extreme philosophy that would appear to many to foster hatred and division in society. They project themselves in an arrogant manner that seems to assume that their political ideology is superior to all others. They have a supremacist view, although they claim to be non-violent, they breed an atmosphere that allows violence to occur. They are the neo-conservatives, amongst who are members of the Policy Exchange and think tank and the Henry Jackson Society. Their supremacist view is one that is best summarised as advocating a pro-active approach to spread their extreme interpretation of liberal democracy in the world. The Henry Jackson Society is linked to many influential American neo-conservatives and its members have been enthusiastic supporters of U.S. President Bush's decision to go to war in Iraq. Hence, one could argue that they fostered an atmosphere that potentially led to the deaths, or at least justified the deaths, of over half a million civilians. As we will see, many of the key figures in these circles are linked to the current Conservative Party leadership. This week, the Policy Exchange issued a report, titled 'The Hijacking of British Islam'. It reads more like a document where the evidence has been sought to fit an argument than a piece of serious research. The author is Dr. Denis MacEoin, who according to Wikipedia is a novelist and former lecturer in Islamic studies. He sometimes writes under the pseudonyms Daniel Easterman and Jonathan Aycliffe. Under the pseudonym Easterman, he wrote 'The Name of the Beast' published by HarperCollins and described as a 'millenial occult horror of the emergence of the Antichrist in modern Egypt.' Again, according to Wikipedia, in recent years, he has become active in pro-Israel advocacy (hasbara).

The 'The Hijacking of British Islam' report was published by the Policy Exchange, who are often described as a centre-right think tank. Many would describe them as far-right, and certainly they contain people who amongst Muslims are (in) famously viewed as some of the most anti-Muslim and anti-Islam personalities in the UK. Their current chairman is Charles Moore, a leading conservative commentator who frequently writes hostile articles. He has written some of the most offensive and provocative questions about the Prophet Muhammad (saw) in an artcile in the Telegraph. Moore also described the Muslim woman's veil as "a hostile statement about the society in which the wearer lives", thereby potentially whipping up hatred against Muslim women.

Their former director was Michael Gove, a self-confessed neo-conservative once described as a "venomous media voice who thinks no Muslim is worth talking to" - which he of course denied. He is the author of Celsius 7/7, which has been described as ‘pernicious' and 'paranoid'. In it, he plays on the fears of the British public, trying to focus on the political aspects of Islam as the causes for violence in the world. Gove is widely believed to be one of the ideologues behind Cameron's Conservative party and its policies. He was unashamedly in favour of the massacre of hundreds of thousands in Iraq in order to remove Saddam Hussein.

Along with these two are Nicholas Boles MP, another of Cameron's lieutenants, and Dean Godson, the director of research. Mr Godson has written articles such as 'Do we have to treat Muslims as Muslims?' and 'You'll never guess who's to blame for 7/7' in which he tries to counter the idea that either Tariq Ramadhan or the MCB are moderates. He sensationally suggests that there is an 'Arabising' of Britain's Muslim community.

Many of these people are linked to the Henry Jackson Society, described by some as a neo-conservative think tank - a label they deny - who are dedicated to the spread of their interpretation of free market capitalism and liberal democracy across the entire planet. Whilst many view this as totalitarian and supremacist, their ranks include prominent neo-conservative supporters, and ‘liberal interventionists'.

It has many high-profile signatories to its statement of principles, Michael Gove, Edward Vaizey, David Willetts, Denis MacShane, Fabian Hamilton, Gisela Stuart, former MPs David Trimble, Jackie Lawrence, as well as Sir Richard Dearlove - former head of the British Secret Intelligence Service - and Irwin Stelzer, Rupert Murdoch's friend. Notable patrons include Richard Perle and William Kristol, two of the leading lights in the American neo-conservative movement, James Woolsey, former Director of the CIA and Tsakhiagiyn Elbegdorj, former Prime Minister of Mongolia.

These two organisations have echoes of the Project for the New American Century (PNAC), a US think tank that was extremely well co-ordinated and unified in purpose, which then in turn influenced the Republican leadership, in particular President George W. Bush. It was PNAC that led the call for the war in Iraq, and the US has paid the price ever since.

The Policy Exchange is more media savvy than most think tanks. It now has an impressive track record of co-ordinating its controvertial and some would say sensationalist ‘research' with political events and policy timetable. This report emerged in the week that Hazel Blears will address the governments position on ‘extremism'. A previous report on Islam and Muslims was released in the week Cameron set out his views on the subject about a year ago. A report commissioned by them from Martin Bright attacked the government's position on engagement with the MCB and promoted the Sufi Muslim Council (SMC) only days before the official launch of the SMC.

One wonders when the moderates amongst advocates of liberal democracy will denounce these extreme voices, or when the world will wake up to the threat posed by people whom some will see as 'hate-filled radicals' bent on spreading their ideology across the world, even at the cost of innocent life.

Revival

Understanding Revival

If we study human history in depth we will notice how societies differ in the level of revival and decline. The historical texts are a record for the life of human societies, and when you compare these societies you will find a great difference between them.. We also notice the efforts of different thinkers, philosophers and politicians -, theoretically or by action, in their attempt-to achieve that revival in their societies, which resulted in success and failure. Till this day the issue of revial and decline has continued to be studied by many researchers, thinkers and politicians, which resulted in differing schools of thought and perspective, and they will continue to differ. We the Muslims are not isolated from this, and since the dawn of our history we have taken it as a goal to establish a high calibre society based on the tenants of Islam.Our predecessors have succeeded in establishing this goal since the time of our Prophet (saws), as Allah has obligated this upon them and Allah drew this path for them through what he revealed upon his Prophet (saws), Allah states

“Allah hath promised such of you as believe and do good works that he will surely make them to succeed in the earth even as He causes those who were before them to succeed; and that He will surely establish for them their religion which he hath approved for them;, and will give them in exchange safety after their fear. They serve Me. They ascribe nothing as partner unto Me. Those who disbelieve henceforth, they are the miscreants.” { 18 : 53 }

As for today in which our Ummah has reached an unenviable level of decline, it is essential to return to understand the correct methodology of revival, which is only the Islamic methodology(not the wahhabee methodology nor the Iranian revolution). There is no doubt that Islam has drawn for the Muslims the path for revival and establishing the true Islamic society. And it is essential that this revival cannot be understood and established before understanding the reality of society. Therefore the Islamic way of dealing with problems and giving solutions was described by Ibn-qayim al-Jawziyya“A Mufti or a ruler will not be able to present a righteous opinion except by use of two methods of comprehension. One method is the total understanding and comprehension of the realities and particulars of the case, with deduction of the outcome of the case by inference, comparison and evidence. The second method is the understanding of that which is obligatory for that particular case by comprehending Allah’s ruling in the Quraan, or by the tongue of His Prophet (saws), with regard to that particular incident, therefore applying a ruling on that basis.”

We hence deduce:

1. Understanding the reality accurately, deeply, and stopping upon the reality of the problem intended to be looked at.

2. The return to the texts to understand the divine texts dealing with that reality and problem upon shari’ah understanding, and the goal is knowing the ruling of Allah in that question point, and that is to get the solutions from revelation revealed upon our Prophet (saws).

3. Implementing these Shari’ah solutions upon that reality to solve the required issue.

Hence it is important to understand the reality of society, as well as defining it. Many people look at Society as simply as a group of individuals of people. And hence revival to them is merely correcting individuals to correct society. Let us judge this definition. For a definition to be correct it has to be Jami’ (applies upon all societies) Mani’ (Does not apply except to Society) i.e. everything required for that definition and excludes everything not part of the definition. Now let us judge this definition upon the reality of society. We find it is Jami’, as all societies have a group of individuals. But it is not Mani’, because it applies to other than society. This is because a group of individuals do not by necessity become a society. Let us strike an example:A group of people ride on a ship, this will never become a society regardless of their numbers, and it is agreed upon even if they are thousands they will never become a society. Are these not a group of individuals? Why are they not a society? This because the very definition is wrong by it’s essence. Yet on the other hand hundreds in a small village do constitute a society, and this is agreed upon. So the correct definition differentiates between the example of the ship and village. The essence of the difference lies in the fact that the people of the village had continuous relationships knitting them together and making their whole - not individuals - a specific personality and identity. While those riding a boat are counted thousands and they are nothing more than travel companions with no continuous relationship, as they will separate as soon as they reach their destination. Therefore, society is a group of individuals with continuous relationships, upon it will society become distinct. If these relationships were of a high calibre then this society will be of a high calibre and likewise the opposite. A point is raised:

How can these relationships be of a high calibre and of a low calibre? The answer is known by looking at the issues that judge these relationships. The deep look concludes that the reality of society shows us that what judges society’s relationships is three: concepts, emotions, and systems.

1.As for concepts: then this occurs when one’s behaviour is in accordance with what understanding he holds, so he does what he conceives correct, and leaves what he conceives wrong, so that relationship occurs between people there must be some common prevalent understanding, as people gathering upon a benefit. A relationship will not occur between the two sides except if a unity occurs in understanding the benefit, if a differing in understanding benefit occurs then no relationship will occur.

2.As for emotions: The concepts which people carry, links it to emotions of it’s same type, for a relationship to occur between them, it is necessary that feelings unite towards a benefit that they gathered upon, so they are happy together for what they see correct and angry for what they see wrong. These feeling give rise to general traditions in a society.

3.As for systems: then every society has some form of authority that takes cares of its affairs, and organizes it’s relationships and judges in differences, all this in accordance to the adopted system and all individuals are necessitated to follow this system. So the systems have a great effect in society. From this it is clear that society is a group of individuals linked with thoughts, shared emotions, and systems. This society is categorized in terms of thoughts, shared emotions, and systems. So if it was capitalist then the society will be capitalist, and if Marxist then society will be Marxist and so on. For a society to have a specific identity then the whole thoughts, emotions, systems must be of a coherent type, with no contradiction between them. Hence Imam Taqideen Nabahani states (on the issue of those who believe revival is based on correcting only individuals)

“In addition to the cultural and charitable associations, ethical associations came into being to awaken the Ummah on the basis of ethics through preaching, guidance, lectures and leaflets, on the assumption that manners are the basis of the awakening. Much efforts and money were spent in these associations, but they achieved no important results, and they gave an outlet for the sentiment of the Ummah through these repetitive and boring speeches. The establishment of these as was based on the misunderstanding of the words of Allah, the Supreme, addressing the messenger (saws) "And Lo! You are of great manners", though this is a description of the person of the messenger and not of the society; and also on the saying of the Prophet (saws) "Allah has sent me to complete the good manners", and the saying of the prophet "Verily, I have been sent to complete the good manners", though these two Hadiths, and similar sayings are related to the characters of the individual and not of the group. It was also based on the error of the poet in his saying "Verily the nations are the manners as long they exist. If their manners disappear they would disappear." However the status of the nations is not decided by their manners, but by the creeds which they embrace and the ideas which they carry, and the systems which they apply. These associations were based also on a misconception of the meaning of society, they conceptualized it as comprising of individuals; but the society is a whole consisting of parts which are: men, ideas, feelings, and systems. Hence, its corruption stems from the corruption of ideas, feelings and systems, not from the corruption of man; and its reform is only achieved by reforming its ideas, feelings and systems."

Therefore if we assume that a society holds a mixture of thoughts of capitalism and Islam - as it is in Muslim countries - then this society will not have a specific colour nor specific identity and hence -as long it is upon this state- it will never know revival in any form. Also if in a society a split occurs between general traditions and systems implemented i.e. if the rulers implement systems contradicting with the concepts and emotions in society- as in the case in most Muslim countries - then we will have a unstable society with the fire of enmity occurring between those ruled and the rulers, and this is goes against any form of revival whatsoever.A society becomes a high calibre by the calibre of its thoughts, emotions, and systems and it declines with its decline. And these thoughts, emotions, and systems cannot be of a high calibre except if it is built on one basis of thought. This basis of thought must be an intellectual belief that gives a comprehensive idea on man, life, and the universe for it to become a correct ideology for all thought and the root for all systems.

In summary a society, will be a revived one if its general traditions - and that is thoughts and emotions - are based on an intellectual creed, and its systems emanate from it. And by this will its creed will be the basis on which the society will be built upon, i.e. the intellectual leadership that it will take to revival. So if we wish to create such a society that is blessed with the correct revival, then that will not occur except by establishing the Islamic society, i.e. by the existence of a society based upon the Islamic creed, by its thoughts, emotions, and systems being all Islamic. This because the Islamic creed is correct the rest is false. And if we look upon the reality of the Islamic countries we will see that it deserves the attribute of backwardness. This is because it’s thoughts, despite a lot being Islamic, are in great amounts non-Islamic, imported from the western world, such as separating Islam from the state and Democracy.As for emotions, despite the preservation of the Ummah of a lot of its Islamic emotions, a wave of disgusting emotions have entered, such as nationalism, tribalistic bonds and so on. As for systems then most systems implemented are systems of Kufr imported from man created laws. Therefore the society which Muslims live in have a mixture of thoughts, emotions, and the systems both Islamic and non-Islamic. Hence it is a declined society with no blessings of revival. Despite the fact that most Muslims in this society are Muslims, but the society is not Islamic, nor can it be attributed to Islam whatsoever.

The methodology of Prophet Muhammad (saws) in changing society.

Our Prophet (saws) was sent to an ignorant society, containing concepts, emotions and systems based on ignorance. So his task was to turn it to a new system altogether, and that is not by changing its individuals, nor by eradicating its individuals and bringing different ones altogether, but by changing its concepts, emotions, and systems, i.e. by replacing the thoughts of Kufr and emotions and systems and replacing them with those of Islam. So what is the method he (saws) adopted?By accurate looking at the seerah of the Prophet (saws) from the beginning of revelation, three stages become very clear:

A: The first stage: The stage of preparing the gathering based on Islam, and culturing them with Islamic culture.

B: The second stage: The stage of open Da’wah and interaction with society.

C: The third stage: Implementing Islam in reality through the Islamic State.

The first stage : The stage of culturing : This stage continued for three years, the Prophet (saws) built the Aqeedah (belief) in the heart of the believers, the Prophet (saws) used to strengthen their Imaan by absolute intellectual proofs and evidences. The Prophet (saws) would give them the living culture of Islam, and established for them proofs and evidences for the corruption of the beliefs, concepts and systems of ignorance. He (saws) would remind them of constantly remembering Allah, and contemplating about the universe to gain great levels of certainty in Allah as well as obedience to Allah, and he would build in them correct spiritualism in prayer, recitation, and late night prayers. Thus removing from their hearts the emotions of ignorance, like the tribalistic racism, and place in them the emotions of Islam together with a correct Islamic understanding. So he would place in them loyalty and love for Allah and his Prophet (saws) and the believers and forbid for them the loyalty for Satan and his allies, even if they be their fathers, their brothers, sons, and family, and establish in them the want for establishing the truth and destroying falsehood, until it reaches a stage were the belief cannot be kept imprisoned in themselves.As the Aqeedah will burn in their hearts, and the correct understanding will be implanted in their minds, and the reality which they live in its convictions, customs, traditions, systems will be like the night that cannot be allowed to stay as well as the corruption , from the most evil rulers, transgression of the oppressed, burying baby daughters alive, cheating in the market, usury, and fighting over tribalistic bonds.This is the reality pushing them for change. The Prophet (saws) stayed in this stage till he prepared a body of companions mature in Islamic culture, they now have the correct Islamic mind set. And the Prophet (saws) was pleased that he has now got a body of Islamic personalities with such high levels of maturity, he was certain that the body was prepared for openly declaring the Da’wah in front of the prevalent society in its corruption and ignorance.

Part two : The stage of openly declaring the Da’wah and interaction with society - In this vital stage the Prophet (saws ) continued to build a body and continued to increase its numbers, but he added to it many dangerous and difficult actions and these actions are :

1-Da’wah to the masses: openly calling for the spread of Islam and building the public opinion for Islam.

2-Ideological Struggle: against the beliefs of Kufr, its systems, thoughts, customs, understandings by showing its corruption and calling for people to leave it.

3-Political Struggle: This specifically applied to the leaders of Quraish for their stubbornness on Kufr and ruling the people upon the systems of Kufr and for standing in the face of the Islamic call. In the stage of opening declaring the da’wah, the Prophet (saws) carried the Da’wah and made the body that carried the Da’wah apparent Above all this the Da’wah in its essence contained a struggle against Quraish and the society in Mecca because it called for the Tawheed of Allah and the worship of him alone, and leaving the worship of idols and leaving the corrupt system. The clash with Quraish indeed was full and total, as our Prophet (saws) attacked their dreams, and idols, their cheap lives, and their corrupt ways of living. The Quran constantly is attacking them clearly

“Lo! Ye (idolaters) and that which Ye worship beside Allah are fuel of hell. Thereunto ye will come” And then Allah attacks usury “That which ye give in usury in order that it may increase on (other) people’s property hath no increase with Allah; but that which ye give in charity, seeking Allah’s countenance, hath increase manifold” As well as those cheating in the market “Woe unto the defrauders Those who when they take the measure from mankind demand it full but if they measure unto them or weigh for them, they cause them less”.(equivalent to today's stock market cheating)

Quraish stood in the face of the Prophet (saws), harming him and his companions by torture and isolation, as the call is against them and their religion, but still he attacks them, struggling against the wrong ideas, destroying their false beliefs, and struggling for spreading the Da’wah. The Prophet (saws) called to Islam with no compromise, despite what he received from Quraish from harm and hardship. The Prophet (saws) called to Allah with strength and Imaan, helping the Prophet (saws) to surpass the difficulties placed upon him by Quraish. The Prophet (saws) was able to reach the people and convey the message, and many accepted the message, until the truth began to overpower the falsehood, and the light of Islam began to spread everyday amongst the Arabs, and many idol worshippers and Christians entered Islam. Even the leaders of Quraish began to hear the Quraan and their hearts began to shake.In this stage the struggle occurs between idea and idea, between the Muslims and disbelievers, this started when the Prophet (saws) went out in a ordered march with his companions which his people never witnessed before, and as one body. From that period the Da’wah was declared open and public. This caused Quraish enmity and hate to increase and they felt the arrival of a new danger, and they began to plan resistance. The political struggle became even more apparent, as the verses were revealed attacking Abu-Lahab

“The power of Abu-Lahab will perish, and he will perish. His wealth and gains will not exempt him.He will be plunged in flaming fire”And attacking Walid ibn Mughia - the head of the propaganda machine of Quraish - “Nay! For lo! He hath been stubborn to our revelations*On him I shall impose a fearful doom*For lo! he did consider; then he planned*(Self-)destroyed is he, how he planned! (mudathir 16-26)

The harm was now increasing upon the Prophet (saws) and his companions. The Da’wah in open caused it to rise to a wider horizon, even if its carriers suffered all forms of strife. The fire increased in the heart of Quraish, as the Prophet (saws) attacked the transgression, that was dominant in Mecca, and exposing the conspiracies, and status and actions of the Kuffar, it was this stage that was the hardest of stages and phases.The Prophet (saws) established the body of the companions that openly called to Islam and created an environment for the call, from ignorance to Islam. This change of tradition was the important step in the process of change in society to turn it from ignorance to Islam, this tradition is nothing more than what the society carried from thoughts, emotions, that mould its behaviour, relationships and stances. As Islam spread and people began to adopt it in numbers in Mecca, slowly the general tradition was now based on Islam - if in a general form.

At this point nothing is left between the society becoming Islamic except placing the Islamic system in the place of implementation through the authority and power. Whether the people in power accepted Islam themselves or not and hence putting Islam in power normally, or through overthrowing by strength after allowing the general opinion in Mecca to be Islamic i.e. wanting to live under Islamic rule. But this was not achieved in Mecca, despite many Meccans entering Islaam, but they did not reach the stage in which it can be said the general opinion became Islamic.A stage was reached with the Prophet (saws) in Mecca when there was no more interaction between the call and the people because of the terror practiced by the leaders of Quraish towards Islam, and anyone who wanted to enter it. Which caused the Prophet (saws) to look for a new society to spread Islam in it, and maybe it will become a replacement for Mecca, the establishment point of the Da’wah is the point were the call is in the stage of establishment through power. The Prophet (saws) began to offer his call to the tribes coming to Mecca seeking power, till Allah enabled the people of Medina to be the people of nusra (support) for Islam and the Prophet (saws).

This occurred when a group from Medina entered Islam in one of the seasons of Hajj, and they returned to Medina to call its people to Islam and then to return the next year with many people who entered Islam, so they gave pledge to the Prophet (saws) at Aqaba, so he sent with them the companion Mus’ab ibn Umair, to teach them Islam and to spread its message in Medina. A year did not pass for the presence of Musab in Medina until the environment in Medina answered the call as many of its people and leaders entered Islam. The general Islamic environment in Medina had two pillars established i.e. of the pillars of an Islamic society, and they are concepts, emotions based on the Islamic creed, and nothing remained except for the Prophet (saws) to go to Medina to establish the system emanating from the creed through the power of authority. And like this was the Hijra of the Prophet (saws) to Medina ,after his arrival Allah legislated the systems of Islam in all aspects, whether in ruling, economy, social, education, punishment, internal and foreign policies. And through this he reached the third stage, the stage of implementation of Islam through authority, i.e. through the state.

Comments

In a famous couplet the Arab poet Ahmed Shawqi stated “By morality nations live; once devoid of it; no more they exist”The famous poet was mistaken as neither morals nor manners define a nation nor give it an identity as these morals and manners have no inherent value in themselves nor are they universal. By this the poet would mistakenly equate the believing nation with the disbelieving nation, as both are identified by values that inherently define themselves, and this is void, as belief does not equate itself with disbelief.Morals and manners are not defined by themselves, and as stated require an external criterion to exist that will in turn define certain morals and manners to be good or bad, its only value would be ascribed to that judgement. That criterion is an external thought, so the correct statement would be nations are revived by the thought they carry as this would in turn define manners along with all rulings that a nation carries to implement and carry to others.

It is enjoined upon us to follow only the method of Prophet Mohammed Sallalahu alaihi wassalam as the method for our revival.Other vague methods such as Bin Laden method,Wahhabee method are all invalid.And we should not seek the help of the kufr to create revolutions for us such as Iranian revolution.

Taqwa

The True Meaning of Taqwa

"O you who believe! fear Allah as He should be feared and die not except in a state of Islam." [TMQ 3:102]Allah (swt) in the Quran emphasises the concept of Taqwa to us many times in the Quran.Taqwa is one of the most profound concepts in Islam. Taqwa is an avenue by which Muslims relate to one another in society and a means to channel their actions. Because of the great importance of taqwa, it has been referred to numerous times in the Qur’an and Sunnah in order to emphasise its relevance and significance to the Muslims. Allah (swt) strongly emphasises the rewards of people with taqwa in this life and the Hereafter. It is these muttaqeen that Allah (swt) grants assistance, victory and provides for. Thus, understanding the concept of taqwa is vital and mandatory for every Muslim.Unfortunately, this is the very concept which some of us have left behind, as a result of intellectual decline. The disbelievers in the distant past, as well as in present times, have understood the importance of taqwa and the Islamic creed, and how it could jeopardise their interests. They realised how taqwa and the Islamic creed (‘aqeedah) were the roots of power to the Muslims. Today we see a campaign to destroy the concept of Taqwa by making us divide the Deen from the Dunya, to secularise our understanding of Islam such that we limit it to personal Ibadat and akhlaq (morals) and detach from any other aspect of life such as economics, politics or social affairs. Allah (swt) warned us in the Quran about their continuous attempts to extinguish his light i.e. Islam, He (swt) said:"They wish to extinguish Allah's Light with their mouths, but Allah will not allow but that His Light is perfected even though the kuffar may detest it." [TMQ 9:32]Unfortunately due to the influence of the idea of separating the Deen and Dunya, we can see many misunderstandings amongst us as to who is defined as the Mutaqqi. A picture of a person who over emphasises prayer, fasting, and things such as donating to the masjid, while living a secluded and isolated life would be the one with taqwa, even though the same person would deal with usury, lie and do nothing towards reviving the Ummah. Due to this idea, people look to Islam as a religion like the other religions who are not complete Deen’s that have come with solutions to every aspect of life. So if I were to ask anyone from amongst the general population of Muslims, ‘what are the rules of Salah?’ I am sure most people would be able to answer this question. But if I was to ask ‘what is the ruling or economic system of Islam?’, ‘what are the Shariah rules relating to contracts and company structures’ or ‘what is our shar’iah responsibility towards the Muslims around the world who are being attacked such as in Iraq and Palestine?’ then I think many people would not know the answers to these questions, we must ask why? Didn’t Allah (swt) reveal to us a complete Deen covering all aspects of life? Didn’t Allah (swt) say in the Quran:“And We have sent down to you the Book as an explanation of everything, a guidance, a mercy and glad-tidings for those who submitted themselves to Islam.” [TMQ 16:89]So let us understand the true meaning of Taqwa. In contrast to the distorted picture that people have today, the Qur’an and Sunnah defines the idea of taqwa as protecting oneself from the Hellfire by following the orders of Allah (swt) by doing what He (swt) has commanded and avoiding what He (swt) has forbidden. Many ayat in the Qur’an point to this:“And unto Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth. And, verily, We have recommended to the people of the Scripture before you, and to you (O Muslims) that you (all) fear Allah, and keep your duty to Him, But if you disbelieve, then unto Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, and Allah is Ever Rich, Worthy of all praise.” [TMQ An-Nisa’ 4: 131]Taqwa comes from the word 'waqiya', which means to protect. It is protection from the Anger of Allah (swt) and His (swt) punishment. This is why Taqwa is used to describe the performing of actions, which pleases Allah (swt) and abstaining from all actions that displeases Him (swt). Taqwa in essence means god consciousness, being conscious of Allah (swt) in all our actions and affairs.Also, in the Prophet’s (saw) last khutbah he said, “I ask you to fear Him (swt), listen to Him (swt), and obey.” Both the ayah, as well as the hadith, are commanding Muslims to have taqwa. A person should have taqwa as a barrier between himself and the Anger and Displeasure of Allah (swt). Through taqwa, the Muslim strives to obey Allah (swt) and abstains from His prohibitions.The son of ‘Ali (ra), Al-Hasan (ra) once said, “The people who have taqwa (al-muttaqoon) are the people who avoided whatever Allah (swt) has prohibited and have done whatever Allah (swt) has ordained.”‘Umar ibn Abdul Aziz (ra) once said, “Taqwa is not by fasting the day and not by praying the night. And its not by mixing between the two of them. But taqwa is leaving what Allah (swt) has made Haram and by doing what Allah (swt) has made Fard. After one has done this, Allah (swt) will provide good things for that person.”Ibn Juzayy said in his dictionary of terms from the introduction to his tafsir: "Taqwa's meaning is fear, clinging to obedience to Allah and abandoning disobedience to Him. It is the sum of all good."A true muttaqoon is a person who strives to possess a solid understanding and knowledge of the rulings of Allah (swt) through the Qur’an and Sunnah. Without proper knowledge of the Islamic rulings, a person would not know what is asked of him/her. Therefore, it is a must to understand Islam properly as well as to have the proper intention of pleasing Allah (swt) in carrying out these actions.Imam Ahmad mentions a hadith, narrated by a Sahabi, whereby a person once asked, “Oh Messenger of Allah, give me some advice.” The Prophet (saw) responded, “I advise you to fear Allah (swt) because it is the head of everything.” In another occasion the Prophet (saw) replied, “Fear Allah (swt) because it is the collection of all goodness.” Allah (swt) also promises to be with those who have taqwa. Allah (swt) says,“Truly, Allah is with those who fear Him, keep their duty unto Him, and those who are muhsinun (doers of good for Allah’s sake only).” [TMQ An-Nahl 16:128]Also taqwa constitutes a reason, that Allah (swt) has provided, in order to help one who is experiencing hardship and distress. Allah (swt) promises,“Whoever fears Allah, Allah will grant him a way out of hardship.” [TMQ At-Talaq 65:2]Allah (swt) had also promised forgiveness of sins to those people who are muttaqoon.“And whoever fears Allah, and keeps his duty to Him, He will forgive his sins from him and will enlarge his reward.” [TMQ At-Talaq 65:5]Allah (swt) has given the glad tidings for those who have taqwa. The news of paradise is assured to such people, giving hints at the vast rewards to those who take Allah (swt) as their Lord in their actions.“Verily those who are fearful of Allah (have taqwa ) are the people who, when an evil thought comes to them from Shaitan, they remember Allah and indeed they then see aright.” [TMQ Al-A‘raf 7:201]“And he (Muhammad) who has brought the truth and those who believe therein, those are al-muttaqoon (the pious and the righteous).” [TMQ Az-Zumar 39:33]Hence, from what Allah (swt) has outlined through the wahi, we can see that a person who possesses taqwa is not one who lives an isolated life, only praying, fasting and maintaining good character alone. Instead, the muttaqoon are those who fear Allah (swt) and look to what Allah (swt) has ordained in carrying out his actions to avoid His (swt) displeasure and anger. These people are involved with the Ummah, active in his/her life, concerned with the affairs of the Muslims, while at the same time praying, fasting, spending in Allah’s cause, having good morals and are forgiving. All these descriptions can be attributed to a person who has taqwa.The Deen has come to regulate the Dunya, not be separated from it. There is no concept of monasticism in Islam i.e. being like a monk. The Prophet (saw) said, “There is no monasticism in Islam.”Umar ibn al Khattab once looked at those praying and said, "The great number of times any of you raises and lowers his head does not deceive me. The [real] deen is being cautious and meticulous in the deen of Allah, and refraining from what Allah has forbidden, and acting according to what Allah permits and forbids.” Narrated Abu Huraira, the Prophet (saw) said, "The dunya is a prison for the believer and Paradise for the kafir (disbeliever)," [Sahih Muslim, vol.4, #7058]This means that we live within the prison of the Shariah, that every single action we undertake is based upon the revelation of Allah (swt). This means we must accept Islam completely and all of its rules including the rules relating to society, economics and Khilafah. This does not mean that we deny the world and that seeking material development and advancement according to the rules of Shariah is wrong. In fact once when Imam Ibn Hajar al Asqalani, a famous scholar in the past who died in 852 AH, who wrote the commentary of Sahih al Bukhar entitled ‘Fath al Bari’, was walking with his grand entourage through the town, they came upon a miserable, poor and dejected Jew. When the Jew recognized Ibn Hajar, he called out to him, "O scholar of Islam! Is it not true that your Prophet has said that this life is a prison for the believer and Paradise for the kafir? How is it that you are living in lavish wealth being a so-called believer, and yet I live this meagre and miserable existence?" Ibn Hajar responded, "What you say of the Prophet (saw) of what he has said is true. You should know that this opulence you see me living in, is a prison compared to what awaits for me in the Hereafter. And, you should know that what you are living is Paradise compared to what Allah has prepared for you in the akhira."We must realise that that every Muslim is obliged to believe in the Islamic Shari’ah as a whole otherwise we would be Kafir. Therefore the concept of secularism i.e. to separate the Deen from the Dunya is a Kufr concept. It is Kufr to deny the AHkam Shari’ah as a whole, or any definite (qaT'ai)detailed hukm of them. This is the case whether these ahkam (rules)are connected with worships (ibadaat), transactions (mu'amalaat), punishments (uqoobaat), foodstuffs, etc. So the rejection of the verse:"So establish regular prayer"[Al-Baraqah:43]Is the same as rejecting the verses:"But Allah has permitted trade and forbidden usury,"[Al-Baraqah:275]"As to the thief, male or female, cut of f his or her hands,"[Al-Ma’idah:38]And is the same as rejecting the following verse calling the believers brothers regardless of their colour, language or ethnic origin – thus prohibiting nationalism i.e. to believe that we are better than others based upon our ethnic origin. So the Muslims in Iraq, Palestine and Iraq are our brothers just as the Muslims in Delhi, Bangkok or Jakarta:“The believers are nothing else but brothers” [TMQ Al-Hujurat: 10]Or the verses to do with ruling by what Allah has revealed, which we see the rulers in the Muslim world today ignoring, such as:“And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the Zaalimun (unjust, oppressors).” [TMQ 5:45] “And rule between them by that which Allah revealed to you, and do not follow their vain desires away from the truth which came to you.” [TMQ 5:48]In fact Allah (swt) has explicitly told us in the Quran that we are not believers unless we accept all of the rules of Islam. He (swt) said:"But no, I swear by your lord (allah), they will have no Iman, until they make you, (o prophet) rule between them in whatever they dispute amongst themselves, and then they find no resistance in their souls from what you have decided, instead they submit with absolute submission". [TMQ An Nisa: 65]Allah (swt) warned us of only taking Islam partially, He (swt) has condemned us if we think that politics is not part of Islam or that economics is not part of Islam, or that Islam has nothing to say about the current world situation. We must accept Islam as an Aqeeda and a system. Allah (swt) said:“So do you believe in some part of the Book and disbelieve in some. The penalty awaiting those who do this is nothing but humiliation in this life and the severest of punishment on the day of Judgement.” [2:85]Allah (swt) has revealed to us the best system to regulate the affairs of the Dunya so why are many of us even unaware of it?Let us look at some examples of Taqwa from the Sahaba: Al-Bukhari reported on the authority of Ibn Abi Awfa (may Allah be pleased with them both) who said: “We were struck by extreme hunger on the nights of Khaybar. On the day of Khaybar we found some domestic Asses so we slaughtered them. When the pots began to boil the caller of the Messenger of Allah called out to us and said: overturn your pots and do not eat anything of the meat of donkeys. ‘Abd Allah said: we said that the Prophet forbade them because the Khumus (i.e. a fifth of the spoils) had not been taken out of it. He said others said that he has prohibited them completely. I asked Sa’eed b. Jubayr who said, he has prohibited them completely.”Al-Bukhari reported on the , he said:authority of Anas b. Malik: “I was serving drinks to Abu Talha al-Ansari, ‘Ubaidah b. al-Jarrrah and Ubayy b. Ka'b prepared from unripe dates and fresh dates when a visitor came and he said: Verily liquor has been prohibited. Thereupon, Abu Talha said: O Anas! Stand up and break this pitcher. I stood up and (took hold) of a pointed stone and struck the pitcher with its lower part until it broke into pieces.”Al-Bukhari reported on the authority of ‘Ayisha (may Allah be Pleased with her) who said: “We have been told also that when Allah revealed the order that the Muslims should return to the pagans what they had spent on their wives who emigrated (after embracing Islam) and that the Muslims should not keep unbelieving women as their wives, 'Umar divorced two of his wives.”Al-Bukhari reported on the authority of ‘Ayisha (may Allah be pleased with her) who said: “May Allah have mercy on the Muhajir women. When Allah revealed the verse: “And let them draw their headscarfs all over necks and bosoms” [TMQ An-Nur:31] they tore their wrappers and concealed themselves with them.”Abu Dawud reported on the authority of Safiyyah bint Shaybah who reported on the authority of ‘Ayisha (may Allah be pleased her) that: She (‘Ayisha) mentioned the women of Ansar, praised them and said good words about them. She then said: “When Surat an-Nur came down, they took the curtains, tore them and made head covers of them.”Ibn Ishaq said: “…Al-Ash’ath b. Qays came to the Messenger of Allah as part of the Kindah delegation. Az-Zuhri informed to me that he came with eighty riders from Kindah. They entered the mosque of the Messenger of . They had long hair and put kohl (in their eyes). They wore Jubbahs with silk hems. When they entered the presence of Allah’s Messenger he said to them: did not you embrace Islam ? They said: Yes. He asked: ‘then what is this silk put around your necks? So they tore the silk and threw it away.”Hanzalah b. Abi ‘Aamir (may Allah be pleased with him) who was bathed by the angels heard the call to the battle of Uhud. He hurriedly responded to the call. He was martyred on the day of Uhud. Ibn Ishaq said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said:“Your companion is being bathed by the angels, ask his family what happened to him?” His wife was asked. She had been a bride on that night. She said he went out in a state of impurity when he heard the call. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “That is why the angels have bathed him”.So let us be the ones who have Taqwa in its true meaning. Let us take Islam completely. Let us take heed from the words of Allah (swt) and may He (swt) strengthen us so that we can follow what He has said."O you who Believe! Enter into the Fold of Islam completely. And follow not the footsteps of Satan, for he is to you a clear enemy" [TMQ 2: 208]