Saviours of Islamic Spirit

Saviours of Islamic Spirit

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© White Thread Press 1436/2015

First Revised Edition November 2015 All rights reserved. Aside from fair use, meaning a few pages or less for non-profit educational purposes, review, or scholarly citation, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner.

Published by White Thread Press White Thread Limited London - Santa Barbara www.whitethreadpress.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Nadvi,Abulhasan 'Ali, 1913-1999, author. [TarCk_h-i da'vat 0 azimat. English] Saviours of Islamic spirit / Shaykh Abu 'I-Hasan 'Ali Nadwi ; revised & edited by Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf Mangera. volumes cm Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-933764-13-9 (softcover: alk. paper) 1. Muslims-Biography. 2. Islam-History. I. Ibn Yusuf,Abdur-Rahman, 1974editor. II. Title. BP70.N31713 2015 297.092' 2-dC23 [B]

2015033573 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data. A catalogue record for this book is also available from the British Library. Printed and bound in the United States of America on premium acid-free paper. The paper used in this book meets the minimum requirement of ANSI/ NISO Z39-48-1992 (R 1997) (Permanence of Paper). The binding material has been chosen for strength and durability.

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Book design and typography by ARM

They wish to put His light out with their mouths. But He will perfect His light, even though the disbelievers hate it. The- Glorious Qur'an.. 61:8

Islam has a staying power above that of all other religious faiths. Its scripture remains intact and uncorrupted in the original language of its revelation over fourteen centuries ago. Its Prophet is loved and revered as much as he ever was. Its way of life is faithfully adhered to by many. It is the religion of at least a fifth of the world's population. It is an active mechanism that binds a diverse multi-ethnic community across the world as one Umma.

Despair ought never to be a quality of the believer. A Qur'anic Maxim.

TRANSLITERATION KEY ,11\1 ' (A slight catch in the breath. It

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$alla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallamused following the mention of the Messenger Mul:,1ammad, translated as, "May Allah bless him and give him peace:' !!lJ> 'Alayhi 'I-salam-used following the mention of a prophet or messenger of Allah, translated as, "Upon him be peace:' Ra4iya 'Llahu 'anhu-used ~ following the mention of a Companion of the Messenger \ii, translated as, "May Allah be pleased with him." Ra4iya 'Llahu 'anha-used ~ following the mention of a female Companion of the Messenger . , translated as, "May Allah be pleased with her:' Ra~imahu 'Llah-used following ~ the mention of a scholar or pious individual, translated as, "May Allah have mercy on him:' Ra~imahumu 'Llah-used J& following the mention of more than one scholar or pious individual, translated as, "May Allah have mercy on them."

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8

Contents

1.

Introduction, Preface-'

29

c'Umar ibn, :Jlbd al-:Jlzlz

35

13

Revival Efforts of the First Century 35; Religious Teachers of the Vmayyad Period 36; Political Revolution 37; Accession of 'Vmar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz 37; Character of 'Vmar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz 39; Solicitude for Moral Reformation 42; Compilation of I:Iadiths 43; Defender of Faith 44; Propagation of Islam 49; Financial Reforms 50; 'Vmar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz's Death 51 2.

1,fasan, al-'Ba~rl

53

Decline of Faith and Rise of Moral Decadence 53; Endeavors to Combat Evil 54; Capabilities of I:Iasan al-Ba~ri 54; Sermons of I:Iasan alBa~ri 56; Fearlessness 59; Hypocrites 60; Indication of Hypocrisy 61; Death of I:Iasan al-Ba~ri 62; Revolts against Tyranny 63 3.

'The" 1,fadUh Masters & Jurists The Abbasids 65; Some Preachers of Baghdad 66; Two Urgent Problems 67; Compilation of I:Iadith 69; Diligence of the I:Iadith Masters 69; Biographical Evaluation 70; Trustworthiness of I:Iadith Masters 71; Retentive Memory of I:Iadith Masters 72; Popular Enthusiasm 73; The Six Authentic Collections (~ibiib Sitta) 73; Compilation of Jurisprudence 74; The Four Jurists of Islam 74; Disciples of the Four Jurists 75; Benefits ofJurisprudence 76

4.

.Jl.~mad

ibn, 1,fanbal

77

Metaphysics 77; Mu'tazilism 78; Imam Al:J.mad ibn I:Ianbal 79; Dispute over the Createdness of the Qur'an 86; Calamity Befalls Al:J.mad 87; Al:J.mad's Account of His Sufferings 88; Steadfastness of Al:J.mad ibn I:Ianbal 90; Achievements of Al:J.mad ibn I:Ianbal 90 9

SAVIOURS OF ISLAMIC SPIRIT

5.

.7lbu 'l-1fasarL al-.7lsh cari

93

The Crisis of Mu'tazilism 93; The Man Demanded by the Faith 94; Imam Abu '1-I:Iasan al-Ash'ari 94; Ash'ari's Zeal to Propagate and Establish the Truth 95; The Achievements of Ash'ari 96; The Middle Course of Ash'ari 97; Ash'ari's Works 100; Profound Knowledge and Piety 101; Abu Man~ur al-Maturidi 101; Later Ash'aris 102 6.

fJ)ecline> of 'Theology & .7lscendency ofJ{ellenistic Philosophy

105

Philosophic and Esoteric Schools 105; Popularity of Hellenistic Philosophy 106; Arab Philosophers 106; The Brethren of Purity (Ikhwan al-Safa') 107; The Mu'tazilis and Philosophers 107; The Ba!inis (Esoterics) 108; Esoteric and Exoteric Interpretations of the Scripture 109; The Traitors ofIslam 111 7.

.7lbu1famid al-Ghazali

115

Ghazali's Intellectual Crisis 116; From Seclusion to Public Life 121; Ghazali's Revival Efforts 123; Encounters with Philosophy 123; Effect of Tahafut al-Falasifa 126; Attack on the Ba!inis 126; Ghazali's Social Critique and the I~ya' 126; Ghazali's Critique of Society 128; The Religious Scholars 129; Critique of the Rulers and Kings 135; Other Classes of Muslim Society 139; Purpose of the I~ya' 142; Ethical Philosophy of Ghazali 143; Yearning for Honor 144; Introspection and Self-Critique 148; Critics of the I~ya' 152; Ghazali and Theology ('Ilm al-Kalam) 153; Ghazali's Refusal to Return to Baghdad 155; Ghazali's Death 157; Two Outstanding Qualities of Ghazali 158; Impact of Ghazali 160; Reformers after Ghazali 160; The Two Preachers of Baghdad 162 8.

".7lbd al-Qfldir al-Jilani Popular Enthusiasm 163; Moral Excellence 164; Reassurance to the Dejected 165; Teaching and Propagation Work 166; Certitude of Knowledge 167; Trust in Allah 168; Love of Humanity 169; The Times of ~bd aI-Qadir 169; Sermons of ~bd al-Qadir 171; Oneness of the Divine Being 171; Refuge of the Brokenhearted 174; Worldly Pleasures 175; Critique of the Kings 176; Concern for Moral Rectitude 177; Reform and Renovation 178; ~bd al-Qadir's Influence 180; His Death 181

10

Contents 9.

.Jlbu 'lJFaraj 1brL al-Jawzi Early Life 183; Passion for I:Iadith 184; Prolific Writings of Ibn al-Jawzi 184; Piety and Inclination to Worship 184; Profile and Character 186; Lofty Aspiration and Encyclopedic Knowledge 186; Popular Enthusiasm 188; Critical Literary Endeavors 189; Critique of Scholars and Administrators 189; -5ayd al- Khatir (Captured Thoughts) 193; Dialogue with the Self 195; Importance of Studying the Lives of the Pious Predecessors 198; Writing the Biographies of the Righteous 199; Importance of Studying History 199; HistoricaI Writings 201; Oratory ofIbn al-Yawzi 201; Death 202

10.

'Nur alJDirL Zangi & Sala~ al-'DirL al-.Jlyyubi

203

The Crusaders 203; Atabek 'Imad ai-Din Zangi 205; AI-Malik al-'Adil Niir aI-Din Zangi 206; Character of Niir aI-Din 207; Unflinching Faith 209 SULTAN

~ALAl;I

AL-DIN AL-AYYlJBI

210

Transformation of His Life 211; Enthusiasm for Jihad 211; Conclusive Battle of Hattin 212; Religious Ardor of the Sultan 213; Conquest of Jerusalem 214; Benevolence of SalaQ. ai-Din 214; The Third Crusade 216; Negotiations of Peace 216; Death ofSaIaQ. aI-Din 218; The Saintly Sultan 219; Character of SaIaQ. ai-Din 220; Courage and Fortitude 222; Knowledge and Scholarship 224; Collapse of the Fatimids 224 11.

(1zz al-'DirL ibrL '.Jlbd aI-Salam

229

Scholarship of (Izz aI-Din 229; Righteousness of 'Izz aI-Din 230; Courage of 'Izz aI-Din before the Ruler of Syria 232; 'Izz ai-Din in Egypt 234; Fearlessness of'Izz aI-Din 234; Jihad with the Crusaders 235; Auctioning the State Dignitaries 236; 'Izz ai-Din and the Kings of Egypt 237; Sublime Character 238; Enjoining Virtue and Forbidding Evil 238; Writings of'Izz aI-Din 240; (Izz al-Din's Death 240 12.

'The-' 'Tartars: 'The-' Scourge-' of God Causes of the Tartar Invasion 243; Khwarizm Shah's Folly 250; The Tartar Invasion 251; Sack of Baghdad 254; Mongol Conversion 258

Bibliography Index

11

243

1ntroductiOrL

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH Most Gracious Most Merciful. All praise is to Allah Almighty, through whose subtle power acts come to be, through whose benevolence and generosity hopes are achieved, through whose decree events occur, by whose will states change; and to Him is our return and with Him is the final abode. Glorified is He, the enduring without end, transcendent of place and movement, knower of the unseen and the seen. We praise Him for the bounties and gifts He has poured on us, praise that is not outweighed by mountains, to the amount of the heavens and the earth, and perpetually for all time. We invoke blessings and peace on His Messenger, the Prophet of Mercy, our Ultimate Benefactor, Mul).ammad son of 'Abdullah, possessor of elegance, beauty, knowledge, and perfection. May Allah bless him, the angels, the prophets, their pure descendants, and the family of Mul).ammad, his companions, and those who have followed him in excellence. May He forgive us our trespasses and gather us in the company of the righteous, and grant us adherence to the prophetic path so long as we live. Throughout history, the Umma has faced many challenges, with periods of immense greatness, as well as stagnation and upheaval. It has faced countless attacks, in which enemy forces conspired to bring about its destruction and corrupt it from within. Its cities have been razed to the ground, its Deity accused of violence, its scripture misunderstood, its prophet scorned, its history deplored, its heritage maligned, its community condemned, its scholars slain, its activists persecuted, its well-wishers silenced, its teachings distorted. It has suffered from internal assault. Many of its own followers have brought it into disrepute, misinterpreted its teachings, misapplied its force, and committed injustices in its name, thereby contributing to the environment of Islamophobia and further invigorating those who seek to annihilate it. History has recorded this oscillation in detail, and any avid reader of history would not be surprised to see the cycle in motion yet again.

13

SAVIOURS OF ISLAMIC SPIRIT

Despite being taken many times to the brink of destruction, Islam has always re-emerged as a force to be reckoned with. Islam has a staying power above that of all other religious faiths. Its scripture remains intact and uncorrupted in the original language of its revelation over fourteen centuries ago. Its Prophet is loved and revered as much as he ever was. Its way of life is faithfully adhered to by many. It is the religion of at least a fifth of the world's population. It is an active mechanism that binds a diverse multi -ethnic community across the world as one Umma. Saying the salam, the universal Islamic greeting of peace, to another Muslim anywhere in the world breaks down barriers, elicits a friendly smile, and emanates a feeling of comfort and security. Muslims are able to break bread together in the name of Allah (bismillah) and eat from the same platter, regardless of their ethnicity, race, or socioeconomic background. During a recent visit to Senegal, a group of Britons of South Asian descent, myself among them, sat alongside several guests of various African tribes, eating couscous comfortably with our hands from the same platter as our African host, whom we had met for the first time only an hour earlier. A scholar of eighty-two years in Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania, told us that the only reason he had decided to meet us was our faith, and that was our motivation in meeting him as well. Muslims the world over still unite on the formula of taw~id, "There is no god but Allah, and MUQammad is His Messenger." Eternally binding the Umma is faith in Allah and His Prophet ~. Allah says in the Qur'an, "The believers are brothers" (Q 49:10). The stronger the faith, the greater the bond of brotherhood. The Prophet of Allah ~ said, "The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with sleeplessness and fever" (Bukhari, Muslim). Thus, with faith comes compassion, kindness, and sympathy. People of other faiths often find it difficult to comprehend the love that Muslims have for their Prophet and why they care so deeply for anything perceived as an attack against him. Anyone who so much as glances through a biography and the teachings of the Prophet ~ with true objectivity should at least recognize that his character, compassion, empathy for humanity, and complete moral rectitude make him an exceptional human being. For the believer, these qualities create a love of awe and esteem, and the continual discovery of his excellent qualities deepens this love still further.

14

1ntroductiOrL

This book, by the late Indian historian and intellectual, Shaykh Abu '1-I:Iasan

'Ali Nadwi (may Allah be pleased with him), is a story of the ebbs and flows of this Umma; the challenges, the setbacks, and most importantly, the successes. It is a poignant story of the accomplishments, attainments, and triumphs that propelled the Umma forward. It is a story told through extraordinary figures: the revivers, men of courage, vigor, and zeal, an elect group who were graced with divine determination to safeguard the spirit of God's religion on earth. In other words, they were the saviours of the Islamic spirit. Through the arduous efforts of these saviours, Islam is very much intact and will continue to thrive, as divinely foretold. "They wish to put His light out with their mouths. But He will perfect His light, even though the disbelievers hate it" (Q 61:8). This is a clear promise of Allah that has remained unbroken for over fourteen centuries. Our purpose in republishing this book is to offer comfort and muchneeded perspective, given the current situation of Muslims around the world. We aim to inspire Muslim youth and others to goodness and love of Allah, and to provide role models of intellectual and spiritual excellence, at a time when people are looking for motivation from other sources, such as popular culture. Many people live in the vacuum of modern times-a low period, in the view of many, for ethics, culture, and religion. Looking back at the immediate past does not provide much optimism, as it appears to be filled with despair. However, studying the history of the centuries beyond reminds us that we are not in the direst of situations. In fact, we have confronted much worse in history. If the Aqsa Mosque is currently under siege, then in the past it was stripped from Muslim control for nearly a century. From 1099 to u87, it was lost to the Crusaders, during which time thousands of Muslims were killed inside its sacred precincts after falsely being promised refuge, an orgy of death in which the Crusaders boasted of being knee high in blood. During this period no call to prayer sounded from its minaret, no Qur'an recital reverberated around its dome, no sermon embellished its pulpit, no forehead touched down in its niche, while its walls yearned for its worshippers to return. A golden cross was mounted atop the Dome of the Rock, which was renamed the Templum Domini, and the Aqsa Mosque was turned into a palace. The adjoining areas were used as royal stables. If Baghdad has been damaged by the shock and awe of recent campaigns, it has experienced much worse. The Tartars, after ravaging many of the Muslim cities in Transoxiana and Khurasan, leveling them to the ground, advanced 15

SAVIOURS OF ISLAMIC SPIRIT

to commit huge massacres in the capital of the Muslim empire. Records indicate that well over a million people were slaughtered in Baghdad alone, and the caliph was rolled up in a carpet and beaten to death. The Muslims of Baghdad were compelled to participate in drinking bouts during the month of Rama Tartars: The> Scourge> of God The blood of the progeny of Mul:,1ammad's uncle Is shed on the very earth where the sultans placed their heads. Colored with blood, the waters of the Tigris will turn the ground red If it flows to irrigate the desert oasis of Batl:,1a'.' Defaced by the calamity it has had to suffer, Wrinkles of waves are seen on the face of the Tigris. No elegy is really befitting the elevated souls, Whose minimum reward is the bliss of Allah in Paradise. I am shedding my tears only in sympathy, For Muslims they were, and I hold them dear. 2

From Baghdad, the Mongol hordes marched on to Aleppo, sacked the city, and turned to Damascus. They captured Damascus in Jumada 'I-Ola 658 (April 1260). The Christian inhabitants of the city came out with presents to greet the conquerors. Ibn Kathir, a native of Damascus, portrays the Christians' elation and the Muslims' helplessness in these words: The Christians came back by the Gate of Toma, carrying the cross over their heads and shouting slogans. They were praising Christianity and openly disparaging Islam and the Muslims. They bore flasks of wine, which they sprinkled in front of the mosques and on the faces of Muslims they happened to pass by, ordering the Muslims to pay homage to their emblem. Muslims could not restrain themselves for long and gathered in large numbers and pushed them back to the Cathedral of Mary, where a Christian clergyman delivered a speech praising Christianity and denigrating Islam and its followers.3

Thereafter Ibn Kathir continues his description on the authority of Qutb al-Din al-Yiinini's Dhayl al-Mir'at, The Christians then entered the mosque with wine in hand. They intended to pull down a number of mosques in case the reign of the Tartars continued for some time more. Scholars, judges, and other Muslim notables repaired to the citadel of the Tartar governor, Ibil Siyan, to make a complaint about the excesses of the Christians, but he turned them out. Ibil Siyan gave audience to the Christians, however. To Allah indeed do we belong and to Him shall we return. 4 1

2

Madlna Munawwara. Sa'dl, Qa§ifid wa Dfwan, 56-57.

3 AI-Bidaya wa 'l-Nihaya, 13:219-20. 4 Ibid., 8:219-20.

257

SAVIOURS OF ISLAMIC SPIRIT

After the fall of Syria, the Mongols wanted to carry their arms to Egypt, which was the only Muslim country still out of their reach. The sultan of Egypt, AI-Malik al- Mu~affar Sayf al-Din Qutuz, knew that his country would be the Mongols' next target, and that it would be difficult to hold those savages off if they were allowed to make adequate preparations for invading his lands. He therefore decided to attack the Mongols in Syria before they were able to consolidate their power. The forces of Egypt accordingly met the Mongols at 'Ayn Jahit, a town below Nazareth in Palestine, on 25 Rama