Islam and Islamic Preaching - Overview

General Characteristics of Islam

Islam was destined to become a world religion and to create a civilization which stretched from one end of the globe to the other. Already during the early Muslim caliphates, first the Arabs, then the Persians and later the Turks set about to create classical Islamic civilization. Later, in the 13th century, both Africa and India became great centers of Islamic civilization and soon thereafter Muslim kingdoms were established in the Malay-Indonesian world while Chinese Muslims flourished throughout China.

THE SPREAD OF ISLAM

      From the oasis cities of Makkah and Madinah in the Arabian Desert, the message of Islam went forth with electrifying speed. Within half a century of the Prophet's death, Islam had spread to three continents. Islam is not; as some imagine in the West, a religion of the sword nor did it spread primarily by means of war. It was only within Arabia, where a crude form of idolatry was rampant, that Islam was propagated by warring against those tribes which did not accept the message of God--whereas Christians and Jews were not forced to convert. Outside of Arabia also the vast lands conquered by the Arab armies in a short period became Muslim not by force of the sword but by the appeal of the new religion. It was faith in One God and emphasis upon His Mercy that brought vast numbers of people into the fold of Islam. The new religion did not coerce people to convert. Many continued to remain Jews and Christians and to this day important communities of the followers of these faiths are found in Muslim lands.

Holy Prophet MUHAMMAD (upon him be peace and blessings)

HOLY PROPHET MUHAMMAD’S (upon him be peace and blessings) CHARACTER AND HIGH MORALITY PROVE HIS PROPHETHOOD

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (upon him be peace and blessings) was the humblest at the zenith of his achievements If a man’s world-admired accomplishments or the wealth and fame he has gained do not change him, if he can remain as humble as he was at the beginning of his career, this shows that person’s strength of character, morality and virtue. Despite his unparalleled achievements, which force even his enemies to place him at the top of the greatest men of human history, The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, was poorer and more humble when he entered Makka victoriously than he was at the beginning of his mission.

Those who saw the Messenger would say: ‘One with such a face cannot lie.’

One’s face reveals one’s inner world and character. Those who saw The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings could not help but admire his appearance and, if they were unprejudiced, acknowledge his truthfulness. For example, ‘Adbullah ibn Salam, the most renowned Jewish scholar of the time, believed in him at his first sight of him, saying: ‘One with such a face cannot lie.’

Economics Guidelines and its Analysis

ECONOMICS GUIDE LINES AND ITS ANALYSIS

The research work Dr. Muhammad Masood Ahmad has done on Imam Ahmed Raza al-Qaadiri Bareilly is well known.  In the course of his research work Dr. Masood Ahmad focused his attention on his Economic Guidelines of Imam Ahmed Raza al-Qaadiri which he enunciated in his pamphlet “TADBEER-E-FALAH-O-NIJAT-WA-ISLAH” which was published from Calcutta in 1912/1331 AH.  The details of these guidelines are as follows:-

1)   Excepting those matters in which the state is intervening, the Muslims should settle their conflicts by mutual consultation, so that thousand of rupees which are squandered in unnecessary litigation may be saved.

2)   The rich Muslims of Bombay, Calcutta, Rangoon, Madras and Hyderabad-Decan should set up banks for their Muslim brethren.

3)   The Muslims should not purchase anything from non-Muslims.  They should have business dealings with Muslims only.

4)   They should be emphasis on the spread of Ilm-e-Deen (Islamic Teachings).

Apparently these four points or guidelines are brief but Dr. Masood Ahmad has entrusted the task of elucidating these guidelines to me as a humble student of Economics.  This task is stupendous.  Despite my twenty years teaching experience, I think my knowledge is limited.  In spite of my limitations, I have made up my mind to explain these guidelines to the best of my ability. Allama Iqbal says: Indeed these are the guidelines of a Mo’min who was saturated with the love of the Holy Prophet.

Before discussing these guidelines, I would like to say something by the way of Preface. In 1912 when these guidelines were published, the study of Economics as a distinct subject was not common.  In other developed countries of the world like England, America, France, and Germany a special group of intellectuals was engaged in acquiring knowledge of Economics.

There is no doubt that regular books on Economics were being published, but the masses were not interested in this subject.  The students used to avoid this subject, considering it to be dry.

Rightly Guided Caliphs - The Caliphate

The Rightly Guided Caliphs

Upon the death of the Prophet, Abu Bakr, the friend of the Prophet and the first adult male to embrace Islam, became caliph. Abu Bakr ruled for two years to be succeeded by 'Umar who was caliph for a decade and during whose rule Islam spread extensively east and west conquering the Persian empire, Syria and Egypt. It was 'Umar who marched on foot at the end of the Muslim army into Jerusalem and ordered the protection of Christian sites. 'Umar also established the first public treasury and a sophisticated financial administration. He established many of the basic practices of Islamic government.