An extension lecture was organised by Idara-e-Tahqeeqat-e-Islami (ITI), Aligarh on March 27. Dr. Rashid Shaz, who has recently published the second volume of his widely acclaimed book Idrak-e-Zawal-e-Ummat, delivered an elaborate talk on Islam: Between Mission and History. The programme was presided over by Prof. Masoodul Hasan, a renowned scholar and retired professor of Department of English, AMU, Aligarh and attended by scores of intellectuals, academicians and scholars. The lecture was followed by a question-answer session.
Discussing the causes of decline of Ummah, he alleged that Ummah has embraced its history as sacrosanct which is the main cause of the differences among the followers of Islam; the entire Ummah is divided in different sects on the issue of an inherent faith of the sanctity of the only sect that he/she follows, although the different sects interestingly emerged after the third century Hijri. The Sunnis are critical of the Shias for their belief in12 Imams but they themselves are the followers of four Imams.
History may be instrumental to understand the rise and fall of the nations and it may also revise itself but if taken as sacrosanct and a sacred entity that cannot be altered then it will behave differently. And the Muslim Ummah has been afflicted with the idea of sanctity of history and that the whole ethos descended on them can’t be altered. As a result, a group of Ummah agreed upon the sanctity of four caliphs although the name of Caliph Ali was not included in the Juma Sermon (khutba) till the Umayyad period and it was included only on the insistence of Ibne Hambal in the period of Motawakkil. Similarly, the term salf was also considered to be sacred and the names of the scholars of relatively later periods such as Shaokani, Ibne Hazm and Ibne Taimiyah, etc. were also included in the list of aslaf. Ilm (knowledge) was not divided in the period of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) but in the 4th century A.H. Khwarzimi divided it into two and subsequently the titles such as Malekul Ulema and Shamsul Ulema were bestowed upon a group of Ulema and scholars. The word Imam was in use for khaleefa but it was later on generalised for Ulema and Muhaddiseen. Because of these reasons the Ummah was afflicted with the consecrated history and as a result is bearing the burden of history and is on the wane.
The learned speaker raised a question on the four sources of Shari’ah and opined categorically that except the Qur’ān none of the sources is fully reliable. Hadith has come through the history; analogy (Qiyas) is the route cause of differences while consensus (Ijma) is nonexistent.
All the books written after the Al-Risala of Imam Shafai are based on its corroboration. The entire Ummah is captive of disruptive disputes. Different sects are rebutting each other. It is warranted therefore that we come out of the toy-houses and prevent ourselves from becoming a prey to repudiation like others.
After the lecture, the speaker took up the questions put by the audience and answered them with an enormous degree of clarity.
The president of the programme, Prof. Masoodul Hasan appreciated the speaker for his marvellous presentation and praised his serious writings. He said that Dr Shaz has raised some important questions and described numerous problems that invite our thoughtful consideration.
At the end Dr Safdar Sultan Islahi secretary ITI thanked the speaker and the audience.