His Gift

STATESMAN REPLY#20

I agree with your view that we cannot choose one approach (science, for example) exclusive to all other ones (philosophy, human sciences, history etc.)when trying to understand Islam. And sometimes it is best not to refer to science when dealing with matters of divine faith.

However, you must understand that Islam is not a one dimensional religion. It is not a religion which is based solely on the gnostic feelings of human beings or limited to the relationship between God and man. This is just one dimension of the Islamic faith.

I did not attempt to give scientific explaination for dive revelations or ``wahi``. In fact, it was the other way around. Some people were trying to explain ``paranormal activity`` in light of Islam (giving ``wahi`` as an example), and I suggested that they should know Islam`s position on these matters well, before making such an attempt.

Is that fair enough?

Rishi#26

Havent you been in another post giving your opinion(as if anybody cares)about meaning of written scriptures with impunity & audacity.You go about with the yardstick given by your high school english teacher foolishly passing or failing people in your dream world.



``Lahore Diaries III by Rehan Ansari Replies

``So why was this county divided?

That was a mistake. Sorry. It won`t happen again.``



Rishi this an error of{ county} when it should be country,but people LIKE YOU will try to make such errors as

``Incoherent, rambling, juxtapositioned and inappropriate usage of words

does mar the message intended to convey.``Sure it does but we are not as meticulous here as we are in our profession.After all this a CHOWK,& if you have ever gone to any chowk in India or Pakistan they dont really speak the queens english.It used to be matter of great shame when one did not understand fully what is communicated, but NOW its a cop out for the superficials to say nonchantantly``I dont understand,i didnt understand,i quite cant follow you,what are you talking about???

re rishi

`...everyone seems to be complaining about the quality of the artiles...`

surely you mean articles, my friend

re zahra

its not how you said what you said but what you actually said

`...writing fiction is very different from writing based on ones observations and experiences.`

what else is the writer to write about if not of his personal observations and experiences as trite as it may sound write about what you know is an adage that still holds in any case one should always strive for truth which is not of course the same as writing about something that actually happened something might not have actually happened but that doesnt mean its not true i went a bit tangential there but i hope you get my point

Dear Mr. Baker and Other Concerned Readers:

I am just portraying the prevalent scenario. That is it. See, the replies are also catching the virus. :-)

Thanks for noticing the incoherence.

Regards

Here`s some information about ``wahy`` (revelations) that I picked up off a great Islamic Q&A site
(www.islam-qa.com) (Warning very long post follows!)

Q. A disbeliever regards Prophet Muhammad (sal) as a great scholar, a great person but not approving him as the prophet of God.

If we mention the prophecy made by Muhammad(sal) and in the Quran, he compares it with the prophecy made by some other persons like Nostradamus. How to clarify him?

A. Praise be to Allaah.

It seems that your friend, in his ignorance of the true nature of Prophethood, does not make a distinction between a Prophet and an astrologer, and so he compares the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the astrology of the French physicist Nostradamus who lived in the 16th century CE and composed books of fantasies and illusions. His books are written in ambiguous language about events that will happen up until the end of the world, which he expected would happen in the year 3797. A person like this needs to understand the true nature of Prophethood and why mankind needs to believe in it, and he needs to know that the Unseen can only be known through the Prophets who were chosen by Allaah. He needs to know that Prophethood is a gift from Allaah, may He be glorified, and it cannot be attained by a person’s desires or own efforts. Prophethood is a pure blessing from Allaah, as is indicated in His words (interpretation of the meanings):

“Those were they unto whom Allaah bestowed His Grace from along the Prophets, of the offspring of Adam, and of those whom We carried (in the ship) with Nooh…” [Maryam 19:58]

“Thus will your Lord choose you…” [Yoosuf 12:6]

“… I have chosen you above men by My Messages and by My speaking (to you)…” [al-A’raaf 7:144]

“… Allaah knows best with whom to place His Message…” [al-An’aam 6:124]

Then he should realize that the way in which Allaah conveys His message to His Prophets and Messengers is by wahy (revelation). Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, We have inspired you (O Muhammad) as We inspired Nooh and the Prophets after him…” [al-Nisa’ 4:163].

There is nothing wrong with explaining to him the three types or levels of wahy so that he may have a better understanding of this channel of communication between Allaah and His creation, which is so essential for mankind.

These three types or levels have been mentioned by Allaah in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning): “It is not given to any human being that Allaah should speak to him unless (it be) by Inspiration, or from behind a veil, or (that) He sends a Messenger to reveal what He wills by His leave. Verily, He is Most High, Most Wise.” [al-Shooraa 42:51]

These three types or levels may be further explained as follows:

1.Inspiring something in the heart of a Prophet in such a way that he has no doubt about it and is certain that it is from Allaah. It was reported in a hadeeth that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The holy spirit (i.e., Jibreel) blew into my heart that no soul dies until its provision (rizq) and appointed time have expired, so fear Allaah and be polite and reasonable when you seek to earn a living from others.” (Reported by Ibn Hibbaan). This type of revelation also includes the visions of the Prophets, which are true, as is proven in the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah Umm al-Mu’mineen (may Allaah be pleased with her)who said: “The first thing that happened to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) of wahy was true vision in his dreams: he did not see something but it would become as true as daybreak.” (Agreed upon).

Therefore the Prophet and Friend of Allaah, Ibraaheem, hastened to sacrifice his son when he saw that he was commanded to do so in a dream. He took this dream as being a revelation to him, as Allaah tells us(interpretation of the meaning):

“So We gave him the glad tidings of a forbearing boy.

And, when he (his son) was old enough to walk with
him, he said, ‘O my son! I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you (offering you in sacrifice to Allaah), so look what you think!’ He said: ‘O my father! Do that which you are commanded, in sha Allaah (if Allaah will) you will find me of al-saabireen (the patient ones).’

Then, when they had both submitted themselves (to the Will of Allaah), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead (or on the side of his forehead, for slaughtering), And We called out to him: ‘O Ibraaheem! You have fulfilled the dream (vision)! Verily, thus do We reward the muhsinoon (good-doers). Verily, that was a manifest trial, And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice (a ram).” [al-Saaffaat 37:101-107]

2.Speaking to His Messengers from behind a barrier. Allaah spoke thus to Moosa, upon whom be peace, as He says (interpretation of the meanings):

“And when Moosa came at the time and place appointed by Us, and his Lord spoke to him…”
[al-A’raaf 7:143]

“And when he came to it (the fire), he was called by name, ‘O Moosa! Verily, I am your Lord! So take off your shoes, you are in the sacred valley, Tuwa. And I have chosen you. So listen to that which is inspired to you.

Verily, I am Allaah! None has the right to be worshipped but I, so worship Me, and perform
al-salaat (prayer) for My Remembrance.’”[Ta-Ha 20:12-14]

3.Revelation to a Prophet via an angel. This is what Allaah refers to in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “… or He sends a Messenger to reveal what He wills by His leave…” [al-Shoora 42:51]. This messenger is Jibreel, upon whom be peace.

The angel came to the Prophet in three forms as is proven in the shar’i texts.

These three forms are:

a.The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) saw him in the form in which Allaah
created him. This happened to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) twice.

b.The revelation came with a noise like the sound of a bell, which went away after the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had understood what he had said.

c.The angel appeared in the form of a man and spoke to him, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) understood what
he said. This was the easiest of the three ways for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him). This what happened the first time Jibreel came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in the Cave of Hira’.

Then you should tell your friend something of the evidence of the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his miracles (see Question # 2114), the chief of which is the Qur’aan. There is no harm in giving him a copy of the translation of its meanings...

Fairdinkum:

Please do not misconstrue me. You are wrong to say that I was suggesting psychics` abilities are on a par with what happened to the prophets in Islam and other religions. What I did say was that what the prophets experienced could be classified as paranormal.

``Paranormal - Beyond the scope of normal scientific investigation etc.`` (Oxford Dictionary and Usage Guide of the English Language)

Besides, I also said that psychic dreams are only one of the forty-six branches of prophethood. There are forty-five other conditions that one would have to fulfill in order to be elevated to the status of a prophet (and that is a moot point since Muhammed s.a.w was officially the last one anyway).

Look before you leap!

Djiin. Djiin. Djiin! I wanted to get that right.

Zahra: I went to the newsletter that you suggested but I must say I found the writing and the ideas there to be quite mediocre. Yes, debate on a recent Dawn article, descriptions of pot luck dinners and the like are very pleasant and engaging, but I certainly did not come away from there stimulated or otherwise enlightened. Remember that there is more to writing than just having opinions - it is a craft that any half-decent writer spends years perfecting. Like they say, those who can`t write (or perform, or act, etc.) become critics!

Re:

while everyone seems to be complaining about the quality of the artiles, it is also noteworthy that the quality of the replies also seem to be falling downhill.

Incoherent, rambling, juxtapositioned and inappropriate usage of words does mar the message intended to convey.

- Rishi

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that should have been `found only two articles to be of any real quality` not `found only two articles that i found to be of any real quality` which is of course repititious and the `that` is of course incorrect

goodness the bad writing here seems to be rubbing off

Dear D.J.I.I.N:

I am sorry I went into my Persian mode without realizing that the audience was English.

Take Care

zahra

`But when it comes to portrayal of writings by women from our origin ``Pakistan``, I can tell you very different perspectives. The ones who have been writing here are just one side of the picture there is another side far more intense, genuine and thought provoking. That does not imply that the writers here lack that. But that tells a lot what is not said and is covered in the fine garb of ``Words by Sanfae Nazuk``.`

im not exactly sure what you`re saying here

`Well, I ended up telling you that BECAUSE writing fiction is very different from writing based on ones observations and experiences.`

or here

but i took a look at the front page of chowk and found only two articles that i found to be of any real quality sakinas untitled and binas his gift but then what the hell do i know

djiin (not djiian or djinn)

Mr. Baker:

As I have reiterated previously that I have hard time understanding your writings(My ignorance)! But your other post made me laugh and I happened to write what I felt than just pose Oh, what a great piece of writing from thy Highness (Humor and Sarcasm Intended)

Mr. Baker: Just to let thee know that I have a habit of adding humor to my responses and due to your dry arguments if you were unable to realize that ....Your Problem :-)

On another note, if you have not heard the verses that I have quoted, Sir, I am sorry I cannot spoil the beauty of the verses by translating them word by word for you. I really cannot do that!You should either guess or send a note to a ``Kutab Khana`` in India or wherever you hale from and request them to send you a ``Lughat``.

``And here I am not even an Urdu Speaking(to myself)requested to assist the knowledge and wisdom personified ones(to myself again)``

:-)

Take Care

_____________________

To djiian:

Thanks for your valid point. I agree what may be a masterpiece in the eyes of others may appear rubbish to some and vice versa.

But when it comes to portrayal of writings by women from our origin ``Pakistan``, I can tell you very different perspectives. The ones who have been writing here are just one side of the picture there is another side far more intense, genuine and thought provoking. That does not imply that the writers here lack that. But that tells a lot what is not said and is covered in the fine garb of ``Words by Sanfae Nazuk``.

I will invite you to please read the Newsletters that IOPWE has on its site. IOPWE - International Organization of Pakistani Women Engineers.

Well, I ended up telling you that BECAUSE writing fiction is very different from writing based on ones observations and experiences. Personally I have liked some articles on Chowk and some writers have certainly the mettle to stimulate ones thoughts to think and devise an action plan or agree/disagree but the current front page is dull and boring!

Later,

Regards

Zahra J

fair dinkum#19



Our age is not an age to worship things we do not know...................................... One`s personality is balanced by

what one knows in proportion to what one believes. Beliefs alone are not

virtues. If we believe in something and do not know it, it has no value

because virtue comes from knowing what we believe in well. We believe in

Islam. We are therefore obliged to know it well before we can interpret

or attempt to explain any phenomenon (psychic activity, for example) in....................

I dont know why instead of discussing mind ,brain,psychology of ordinary people we are explaining wahi,gibrael,divine revelations,``meerage``&millions of celestial miracles.I personally would never try to explain Islam ONLY on the basis of science,my diminutive understanding,or challenges thrown at me by my non muslim friends!To christians i ask how did virgin mary give birth to jesus ?to hindus i pose how 5-10 heads on one neck or half elephant 1/2 human ganesh.All of these are inexplicable by common sense or by SCIENCE,understanding!Its better to NOT expect or give scientific explanation in matters of divine faith.

Well, I do not know if psychics are fairdinkum (ture) or not, or if they at all exist and can really see the things a normal person like me can’t. May be they do exist & may be some of them sometimes do experience the paranormal, and may be sometimes some of them really are misguided and indeed soft in the head. I do not wish to indulge myself in this discussion.

The reason for writing this reply is that some people (see Fauzia`s reply which has also been endorsed by Bina herself) have tried to use revelations (Wahi) made to Mohammad (PBUH), and other Prophets of Allah through angel Gabriel as an example of psychic or paranormal activity.

The fact that Mohammad was an illiterate, and yet uttered words of such eloquence as Quranic verses has been implied to be his psychic ability or as an example of paranormal activity. “Wahi” that was sometimes delivered in the form of a dream (instead of using angel Gabriel) to various Prophets of Allah has also been mentioned as an example of psychic dreams. In short, it is implied that it all, some how, is equivalent to psychic or paranormal experiences of the present day psychics.

Our age is not an age to worship things we do not know. This is particularly true for those who are educated. Their responsibility is even heavier when confronted by the sacred. It is not only an Islamic duty, but a scientific and humanitarian one as well to find a meaningful approach to the understanding of Islam. One`s personality is balanced by what one knows in proportion to what one believes. Beliefs alone are not virtues. If we believe in something and do not know it, it has no value because virtue comes from knowing what we believe in well. We believe in Islam. We are therefore obliged to know it well before we can interpret or attempt to explain any phenomenon (psychic activity, for example) in light of Islam.

I suggest that you guys study and cover the following areas:

The definition of “wahi”



The difference between instructions that are received by animals(such as Honey Bees)and revelations of Allah to his Prophets(two different forms of ``Whais``).

The difference between “wahi” and the psychic abilities of so called psychics.

The difference between “wahi” delivered via dreams(instead of through angel Gabriel) and the psychic dreams of people who are not Prophets of Allah.

We can then have an informed debate on this matter.

The question of why Mohammand was ``Ummi`` or illetrate is entirely a different issue.

Cheers,

Fairdinkum

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re zahra

`Lack of Originality is so damn apparent that I have requested some friends to create ripples by sending their beautiful and original thoughts to this ezine.`

but i wonder zahra will these thoughts see the light of day here what with the very questionable editorial policy in effect chowk is deluged with thousands of articles on a regular basis i find it hard to believe that alot of what actually makes it is the cream of the crop id love to have a look at chowks cutting room floor