THE other day I heard a debate between Tony Blair and the author Christopher Hitchens on the BBC on whether religion had done more harm than good. Blair is an ardent Catholic, Hitchens an atheist. Blair doesn't have much of a formal education; I presume Hitchens does. Both, however, are intelligent and experienced. I know people with fantastic degrees who are uneducated idiots and I know people who cannot read or write but who have great wisdom. As I once said, wisdom doesn't wear a suit. Anyway, I was surprised that both gentlemen were using the words ‘religion' and ‘faith' interchangeably, as if they had the same meaning. They do not. There is a vast difference between religion and faith that even most ardent believers in God are not always aware of. Faith or iman has to do with belief in whatever it is that one believes in, be it God or the opposite, the absence of a Supreme Creator. Religion, or mazhab, is a collection of customs and rituals (and sometimes man-made laws) reduced to dogma run by a bureaucracy called clergy in a formal or informal, de jure or de facto institution called a church. These rituals and customs have been superimposed on the Holy Scriptures of every faith and have come to be regarded as part of the faith, like honor killings, though such things find no mention in the Holy Qur'an. In Arabic, mazhab is pronounced madhab and refers to which Shariah one follows. Within a mazhab there are many sects divided into numerous groups and sub-groups following different schools of interpretation and different movements, which is why there are different laws in different mazahib. What is the faith of a true Muslim? 1. Belief in One God, without beginning or end, the Supreme Creator of all the universes and everything therein. 2. God has no equal or partner. 3. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah – there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. 4. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the last Messenger of Allah. 5. The Qur'an is the Word of Allah as passed on to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) by the Archangel Gabriel. 6. Belief in the Day of Judgment and life in the Hereafter. 7. One should observe prayers, fast during Ramadan, go on Haj if and when one can afford to and pay alms or Zakat. That is all. All the above fall in the category of Haqooq Allah (Man's duties to Allah) except Zakat, which also can simultaneously come under Haqooq ul-Ibad (Man's duties to God's creation of which humankind is the greatest – ashraful makhluqaat). Those who observe Haqooq Allah do themselves a favor – God does not need favors from us. Those who observe Haqooq ul-Ibad do a favor to God's creations and to themselves again, for God says that if someone is good to My creation I Am in his debt. Islam is a revolutionary religion that brought in revolutionary concepts. For the first time not only women and children were given rights, but so were animals. Rules of war and the treatment of prisoners of war were determined just before the first battle of Islam at the wells of Badr. One of the most revolutionary ideas was that all wealth belongs to Allah and what we have we hold in trust to be used for the benefit of mankind after we have catered for our families and ourselves. The other is that there is no intermediary between man and God and thus there is no need for clerics; when there is no need for clerics there is no need for a church. One can, however, go to true and qualified Islamic scholars for advice, which one may accept or reject. One should do Ijtihad or interpretation with analogy if it concerns only oneself. If it has any effect on society one needs consensus or Ijma and that only qualified scholars can do. WE are all members of an Ummah that comprises all monotheists within which is the Muslim Ummah. Fatwas or edicts can only be issued by those qualified to do so and they should preferably be members of an institution recognized to issue fatwas, which is called Dar ul-Ifta. Ideally, there should be one central Dar ul-Ifta for the entire Muslim Ummah; without it every two bit cleric can arrogate to himself the right to issue fatwas and his semi-literate flock will take it as the gospel truth, which has done Islam great damage. The fulcrum of an Islamic society is adl, which means balance. In a balanced society there is justice with due process and egalitarianism where all men are equal before the law regardless of their station in life. Ah! Justice! It seems so distant from this Islamic republic of ours. Due process is intrinsic to justice; without it justice is just a sham. It means an accused has the right of defense, to furnish evidence in his defense, to produce and examine witnesses. Only after he has been heard to his satisfaction can a qualified judge pass judgment. So important is due process that Allah says that on the Day of Judgment He will call upon our limbs, organs and senses to bear witness as to what we did. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Seeing. He knows what is in men's hearts. He does not need witness, but nevertheless He promises to produce them so that we are satisfied that justice has been done to us. That is how important due process is. Now put Salman Taseer's brutal murder by one who he trusted to guard him in this context. What a betrayal. What does it tell you? That some men – far too many – have taken upon themselves even more than what God does by acting as judge, jury and executioner without even bothering to go through due process. “Kiya hua jo tairay mathay peh hain sajdon kay nishan. Koi aisa sajda bhi kar jo zameen peh nishaan chor jaye” – Allama Iqbal (What if there is a mark of prostration on your forehead? Do one prostration that leaves a mark on the earth.) – The writer is Op
