Blink your eyes! Why are you staring straight into the headline? There is no mistake, carry on! It’s just that I set upon to perform a novel survey and some of the findings are as follows:
I gave a short and simple book on seerah to Ahmad – my then classmate – who grudgingly accepted it. He was lazy number one in the class; in matters of reading, this laziness was far more noticeable. He hated anything extracurricular (that obviously does not mean that he loved his course books, it’s just that he had no choice in that respect). May be he thought it a sin to turn down an opportunity of going through a seerah book. Whatever the causes are, he nevertheless accepted the book though he was not very enthusiastic.
The reviews of my previously given books were pathetic. Regarding The Road to Salvation he said, “So boring… how could you read such stuff? Moreover, how could you expect me to read this? I barely read five pages and that too after leaving several paragraphs in between… and then I gave up.” He read none of the books that I had given him. I anticipated the same this time but was praying for a miracle. Astonishingly the miracle did happen. The very next day he came thumping the book to return and was ecstatic about it. “It was nice,” “how interesting,” “why you didn’t give me this one earlier?”, “I was enthralled”.
Truly, this came as a rude shock to me. To confirm that he really had read the book and is not merely bluffing, I asked, “What aspect of the seerah impressed you most?” Without delay of a second and even before completion of my sentence, he declared, “The Prophet’s keeping of his words, you know?” And then added, “Before even attaining the prophethood, once he was in conversation with a merchant regarding some trading deal, some emergency popped up and before concluding it the merchant had to leave. He promised that he would return in moments. He forgot the commitment. It was only three days later that he remembered it and returned to the place only to find that the prophet was still waiting for him – strange – isn’t it?”
Ahmed had truly read the book. Later I gave him several books on seerah, big and small but am sorry to say that Ahmed never keeps his promises. “Promises are made to break” is his famous adage. It looks like a dialogue of some Bollywood film, isn’t it? He never completed his home work during school days. Even now any work assigned to him, despite incessant reminders, could never be completed in time. If he says he is coming in a minute, he will never turn up before an hour. He never forgets to forget his promises, appointments and any given task. His family, his friends, his boss all are fed up with this attitude. One of his colleagues said to me confidentially that despite abilities and seniority Ahmed is not promoted only because of this carelessness.
*****
Asghar uncle is a wealthy retailer and distributor of big footwear brands like Bata, Paragon, Aerosoft, etc. He is also my distant relative. One day I visited him, had breakfast with him. He took me to his showroom. While talking, I asked him my favourite question, “Which aspect of seerah inspired you most?” He is a well-read man. He answered, “His (the Prophet’s) generosity”. He continued, “The way our prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) treated the lowly, his austerity and saintly living. He could have made mansions and a paradise-on-earth with the share of the war-spoils but he disposed of all that in the interest of the poor and needy. He didn’t shy off from taking loans to fulfil needs of others. Living such a life is IMPOSSIBLE today.”
As you would have guessed with his emphasis on the word ‘impossible’, I have learnt from my other relatives and also salesmen working at uncle’s shop that Asghar uncle is nicknamed ‘makkhichoos’ by one and all. First reluctantly and then openly salesmen told me that people coming to collect donations for mosques and madrasas never turn up in the shop even forgetfully. One hour later I saw all this practically happening before my eyes. An old lady was approaching the showroom, someone shouted from outside, ‘nayi ho kya?’ – are you new to the area? Turning a deaf ear to the cry, she entered the shop only to meet a deaf ear of my uncle and return empty-handed and disgruntled.
*****
Last year my friends organised a seerah programme in a mosque. They also invited a local Maulana to speak. He chose the topic, “the status of women before and after Muhammad (pbuh)”. He lamented the pitiable conditions of the women as slaves, pathetic conditions of women as wives, mothers, etc. unrestricted polygamy, no rights of divorce and inheritance, the evil of female infanticide, etc. among the Arab pagans. He then elucidated the prophetic injunctions regarding women, how he (the Prophet) treated his wives, loved his daughters, respected his foster sister and mother, and the status women acquired in his Medinite life, etc. Merely 15 days later after the Maulana made this speech, his house became the talk of the town. Why? Because his father had died and he refused to distribute paternal property among his old mother, four sisters and others under the pretext that the mother lives in his house (i.e. actually his father’s), two sisters are immature and the other two have been married off and their dowry nullifies their claim to inheritance.
*****
In an article written by my teacher in a state level Urdu newspaper I found her arguing how our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) is a mercy to mankind. How the Prophet forgave his adversaries each time he had the power to take revenge (citing examples of his forgiveness for the goons of Ta’if, sending help to Makkah in time of drought and general amnesty on the occasion of Makkan conquest, etc).
She described how he was merciful for his own companions citing several examples including forgiveness to a companion who committed a war crime by making an attempt to disclose a war secret. How lovingly he behaved with children citing at length examples of his treatment with Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), his attitude of never scolding and beating but treating the children with love and care, always stopping in the street to play with children and saluting them first, etc.
But alas! Hundreds of palms and cheeks are witness to the brutality of the concerned teacher. She hit so mercilessly that pens and tongues are unable to describe. Once when Akram had written the Table of 15 only three times and not five times as was ordered; then despite the fact that he memorised well the Table she broke two sticks on his palm and backside. She was known as bandit queen in the school, her ruthlessness vindicates this pseudonym.
*****
I can count on and on, after reading these incidents I am sure that you would also be able to add to the list a few more instances from your life. If you are unable to recollect and doubt my findings I challenge you to set upon the survey yourself. Select randomly some people younger and elder as per your choice; ask the same question and inspect their personalities for a few days. I am sad but dead sure that you will endorse my ‘research’. You will find a person impressed by how ardently the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) propagated Islam. He may also cite examples of Ta’if and approaching a caravan for propagation despite being severely ill, but the person will plead his inability if you call him to do some dawah work with you.
You will find someone impressed by the Prophet’s farsightedness in his instructions for the preservation of the environment. For example, his injunctions to soldiers not to cut and burn trees, not to devastate crops and not to slaughter any animal except for eating; also his exhortation to preserve water and use it with care even when you are at a river – but don’t be astonished if you find the same person wasting water while brushing his teeth, while heating water for a bath, while washing his car and even while making ablution.
You may find someone impressed by the fact that even the Prophet’s enemies referred to him as “Al-Sadiq” the truthful and “Al-Amin” the trustworthy – but please do not laugh if you find out that the same person is known as a “liar” and “fraud” in his own circle.
You may find some big personality or political leader claiming in his speeches that he is impressed by how our prophet preferred his own community to his person and family. Even citing his refusal to allot a slave to his daughter Fatima who was badly in need of one, and instead distributing them amongst fellow Muslims. But I bet that if you go a little deeper you will find him taking bribes or selling the interests of the community in some or the other way. He will never compromise with his own luxuries; will allot party ticket to his own sons, daughters and in-laws despite the availability of other well deserving candidates etc.
Likewise you may find some Muslim youth who is impressed by prophet’s chastity, character, honesty, intelligence, devotedness and anxious quest to find the truth as a youth but if you examine that youth you will find carelessness, lies, insincerity, lavishness, girl friends etc are his preoccupations.
If so, and it is so, then an Urdu poet has rightly described the state of Ummah of the Prophet in this manner:
Pairvi baatil ki aur nudhat Rasulullah ki
Kya munafiq hogayi ummat Rasullullah ki
(Irony is that) people are following the falsehood but praising the prophet orally
Is it that the Ummah of the prophet has turned hypocrite?
I am not claiming and one can never claim that all Muslims are as characterless and as indifferent to the prophetic wisdom and his message as above mentioned people are. But no one will deny that this is the general scenario. It is in this respect that I urge you that;
Please! Don’t read Seerah… please don’t make a mockery of it. Do not charge me of any blasphemy. I am simply making an argument:
Don’t read Seerah as a novel.
Don’t read Seerah just as a biography of a great personality.
Don’t read Seerah for the sake of amusement or pastime.
Don’t read Seerah just to quote incidents in your articles, speeches or to memorise and impress your teachers, parents and friends with your knowledge and loquaciousness.
When you read Seerah you may attain any of the above mentioned things but your prime motive should only be: how best you should emulate him? His conduct, his character, his lifestyle….
Unless we imbibe the uncompromising and determined attitude of the prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be with him) – who said to his enemies, “even if you put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left; I will never budge from performing this task (of propagation of Islam) until I achieve success (for the truth) or am perished in the endeavour” – unless we are ready to sacrifice all that is ours for the cause of truth like the prophet who abandoned his home, his property, his family and migrated, who risked his life in wars etc – in short; unless we adopt the prophetic wisdom; an end to our nightmares of decline, disunity, powerlessness and suppression is mere a dream, nay bluff; a wanton ambition, nay a utopia.
I think this much is enough to discern the biggest irony that is inflicting the Ummah of the prophet which was told explicitly, “Surely there is a good example for you in the Messenger of Allah, for all those who look forward to Allah and the Last Day and remember Allah much” (Al-Ahzab: 21).
Now if you resolve that you will fulfil the responsibility assigned to you as witness unto mankind, if your love for your prophet is strong enough that could lead you to the straight path without any deviations and would immediately enthuse you to repent if you erred (which is human); then continue and enhance your quest for learning about Seerah and imbibe the Prophetic wisdom in your daily life and propagate the same to your relatives and friends. But if you have any other motive then please don’t….