Islamic knowledge

Who are the Strangers?

Description: We are not the first or only Muslims to ponder our strangeness.

Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said, “Islam began as something strange, and it shall return to being something strange, so give glad tidings to the strangers.”[1] It was asked, “Who are those strangers, O Messenger of God?” He replied, “Those that correct the people when they become corrupt.”[2] In another narration he said in response to the same question, “They are a small group of people among a large evil population. Those who oppose them are more than those who follow them.[3]

Just who are the strangers? Is it me or you or the neighbours; is it the people at the mosque, or the other mosque? Is it all of us or none of us? Are the strangers those who have converted to Islam? Or the born Muslim who suddenly grows a beard, or puts on a scarf for the first time? I think that many of you would agree that being Muslim in the 21st century makes you well acquainted with being strange. It might even be a metaphor for random, as in you have been randomly selected.

Seriously though, many converts to Islam will tell you about feeling as if they were strangers, before finding Islam. They will speak of feeling that they belonged somewhere else, that their lives were just slightly off centre. They often speak about a vague sense of knowing they were not like everyone else around them, feeling like a stranger in a strange land. Converting to Islam gives one a sense of coming home, of finally being normal, albeit sometimes still in a strange land.

It does not take long though before some converts begin to feel that they are still strangers and they start to wonder if this feeling of never quite being at ease, or at home, will ever end. Some conclude that it will not, at least not until they are in their true home – al Jennah, the Paradise. This feeling is not restricted to converts; often those who were born into the religion of Islam feel a sense of not belonging, of being out of place, of not fitting in, of being strange.

We are not the first or only Muslims to ponder our strangeness. The first Muslims in Mecca must have looked to their sisters, fathers and aunts and wondered why they just couldn’t see the truth. Why didn’t they see that Muhammad was the messenger of God? Finding and accepting the truth is a wonderful blessing but often the feeling of strangeness remains. And that is not such a bad thing.

Noted Islamic scholar Ibnul Qayyim said, Muslims are strangers among mankind; the true believers are strangers among Muslims; and the scholars are strangers among the true believers. And the followers of the Sunnah, those that abandon all forms of innovation, are likewise strangers.

The strangeness we feel is a sensation that was shared by the prophets and messengers before Prophet Muhammad. Prophet Noah preached the word of God to his people for 950 years yet he was rejected and mocked. Prophet Lot, Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Jonah, were abused, persecuted and humiliated. Prophet Moses was rejected not only by the Pharaoh but also by his own people when they rejected his call and worshipped the golden calf instead of God alone. Prophet Jesus and his disciples were ridiculed when they chose to worship God Alone and must surely have felt the strangeness that we feel today.

Imam Ibnul Qayyim suggested that there were three degrees of strangeness.[4] The first one he called ‘praiseworthy strangeness’, which is the result of adhering to the belief in One God. It is the strangeness of those who say, there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger. It is a comforting strangeness, that comes from knowing that there is no help except from God. He (God) says that most of mankind will not follow the truth. Those that worship God truly and correctly will be the strangers from among mankind.

And if you obey most of the people on Earth, they will lead you astray. (Quran 6: 116)

And most of mankind will not believe, even if you (O Muhammad) desire it eagerly. (Quran 12: 103)

And truly, most of mankind are rebellious and disobedient (to God). (Quran 5: 49)

But nay, most of mankind are ungrateful. (Quran 12: 38)

As to the second type of strangeness, ‘blameworthy strangeness’, Ibnul Qayyim said more than 600 years ago, words that are pertinent even today. “Their strangeness is due to their refusal to follow the correct and straight path of God. This strangeness is the strangeness of not conforming to the religion of Islam and, as such, it will remain strange even if its followers are numerous, its power is strong and its existence is widespread. These are the strangers to God. May God keep us from becoming one of them.”

The third category is the strangeness a traveller feels. It is neither praiseworthy nor blameworthy. It does however have the potential to become praiseworthy. When a person who lives in a place for a short period of time, knowing that he has to move on he feels strange, as if not belonging anywhere.

We are all strangers in this world, for we will all go one day to our permanent abode in the Hereafter. Understanding this means that we understand and embrace what Ibnul Qayyim called praiseworthy strangeness.

Prophet Muhammad said, “Live in this world as though you are a stranger or a wayfarer.” The strangeness that is felt by many Muslims is usually a good thing. It can be that praiseworthy strangeness that confirms our love for God and His Messenger. It reminds us to live our lives as if we are travellers at a way stop, waiting for God to call us home to our final abode.

The Purpose of Life (part 1 of 3): Reason and Revelation

Description: Is “Reason” a sufficient source in the search for the purpose of life?

Introduction

‘What is the meaning and purpose of life?’ This is, perhaps, the most important question that has ever been asked. Throughout the ages, philosophers have considered it to be the most fundamental question. Scientists, historians, philosophers, writers, psychologists and the common man all wrestle with the question at some point in their lives.

Is Reason a Sufficient Guide?
‘Why do we eat?’ ‘Why do we sleep?’ ‘Why do we work?’ The answers we would get to these questions would be similar. ‘I eat to live.’ ‘I sleep to rest.’ ‘I work to support myself and my family.’ But when it comes to what the purpose of life is, people are confused. We see their confusion by the type of answers we receive. Youths may say, "I live for booze and bikinis." The middle aged professional might say, "I live to save enough for a comfortable retirement." The old man would probably say, "I’ve been asking why I’m here most of my life. If there’s a purpose, I don’t care anymore." And perhaps the most common answer will be, "I really don’t know!"

How, then, do you discover the purpose of life? We basically have two options. The first is to let ‘human reason’ - the celebrated achievement of the Enlightenment - guide us. After all, the Enlightenment gave us modern science based on careful observation of the natural world. But have post-Enlightenment philosophers figured it out? Camus described life as "absurd"; Sartre spoke of "anguish, abandonment and despair." To these Existentialists, life has no meaning. Darwinians thought the meaning of life was to reproduce. Will Durant, capturing the predicament of postmodern man, wrote, "Faith and hope disappear; doubt and despair are the order of the day… it is not our homes and our treasuries that are empty, it is our ‘hearts’." When it comes to meaning of life, even the wisest philosophers are just guessing. Will Durant, the most noted philosopher of the last century, and Dr. Hugh Moorhead, a philosophy professor at Northeastern Illinois University, both wrote separate books titled ‘The Meaning of Life.’[1] They wrote to the best-known philosophers, scientists, writers, politicians, and intellectuals of their time in the world, asking them, "What is the meaning of life?" Then they published their responses. Some offered their best guesses, some admitted that they just made up a purpose for life, and others were honest enough to say they were clueless. In fact, a number of famous intellectuals asked the authors to write back and tell them if the purpose of life was discovered!

Let the Heavens "Speak"
If the philosopher has no definitive answer, perhaps the answer can be found within the heart and mind that we ourselves possess. Have you ever looked at the open sky on a clear night? You will see an incalculable number of stars. Look through a telescope and you will see gigantic spiral galaxies, beautiful nebula where new stars are being formed, the remnants of ancient supernova explosion created in a star’s final death throes, the magnificent rings of Saturn and the moons of Jupiter. Is it possible not to be moved by the sight of these countless stars in the night sky shining like diamond dust on a bed of black velvet? Multitudes of stars beyond stars, stretching back; becoming so dense that they appear to merge into delicate wisps of sparkling mist. The grandeur humbles us, thrills us, inspires a craving for investigation, and calls for our contemplation. How did it come into being? How are we related to it, and what is our place in it? Can we hear the heavens "speak" to us?

"In the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day, there are surely signs for all who are endowed with insight, who remember God when they stand, and when they sit, and when they lie down to sleep, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: "O our Lord, You have not created this without meaning and purpose. Limitless art You in Your glory…" (Quran 3:190-191)

When we read a book, we accept that an author exists. When we see a house, we accept that a builder exists. Both of these things were made with a purpose by those who made them. The design, order, and complexity of the universe as well as the world around us are evidence of the existence of a supreme intelligence, a perfect designer. All the heavenly bodies are controlled by precise laws of physics. Can there be laws without a lawmaker? Rocket scientist Dr. von Braun said: "The natural laws of the universe are so precise that we have no difficulty building a spaceship to fly to the moon and can time the flight with the precision of a fraction of a second. These laws must have been set by somebody." Paul Davies, a professor of physics, concludes that man’s existence is not a mere quirk of fate. He states: "We are truly meant to be here." And he says regarding the universe: "Through my scientific work, I have come to believe more and more strongly that the physical universe is put together with an ingenuity so astonishing that I cannot accept it merely as a brute fact. There must, it seems to me, be a deeper level of explanation." The universe, the earth, and living things on the earth all give silent testimony to an intelligent, powerful Creator.

If we were made by a Creator, then surely that Creator must have had a reason, a purpose, in creating us. Thus, it is important that we seek to know God’s purpose for our existence. After coming to the realization of this purpose, we can choose whether we want to live in harmony with it. But is it possible to know what is expected from us left to our own devices without any communication from the Creator? It is natural that God Himself would inform us of this purpose, especially if we are expected to fulfill it.

Alternative to Speculation: Ask God
This brings us to the second option: the alternative to speculation about the meaning and purpose of life is revelation. The easiest way to discover the purpose of an invention is to ask the inventor. To discover the purpose of your life, ask God.

Core Teachings of Prophet Muhammad
Classical scholars of Islam have condensed the teachings of Prophet Muhammad into a few statements. These comprehensive statements touch every aspect of our lives. Some of them are:

1)Actions are judged by the intention behind them.

2)God is Pure and does not accept anything unless it is pure and God has commanded the faithful with what He commanded the prophets.

3)Part of a person’s good observance of Islam is to leave aside what does not concern him.

4)A person cannot be a complete believer unless he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.

5)One should not harm himself or others.

6)Don’t let your focus in this life be to amass worldly gain and God will love you. Don’t be concerned with what people have, and they will love you.