Ayezah Jehan, Germany
“I think, therefore I am.” This famous sentence by the French philosopher Descartes permanently shaped the way of modern Western philosophy. His starting point was that the rational individual must first doubt himself and his thoughts to prove their existence, which in turn is proof of the existence of the individual itself.
Now, Descartes is not only your usual philosopher of the Renaissance. In fact, Descartes also reasoned that the proof of the existence of God is easier to find than mathematical evidence. For Descartes, nothing is sooner and easier to recognise than Him, the one and only God. Thus, making him a believer in the Islamic concept of Tauhid. (Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge & Truth, p. 42)
The Enlightenment’s findings are not new but have already been challenged by Ancient Greek philosophers like Socrates, a philosopher who has much more in common with the teachings of Islam Ahmadiyyat than you might think. A philosopher who was ready to give up his life for his faith in the one God. Ahmadi Muslims today are also similarly martyred in Pakistan, giving up their lives for the sake of their beliefs.
The persecution of Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan reached a turning point in 1974. Per the amendment, they were declared non-Muslims by the Pakistani National Assembly. Since then, many laws have been made, even justifying the death penalty due to the charge of blasphemy allegations for Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan.
Oppression of “disbelievers” has always existed and could be seen as a sign from God that proves the truthfulness of a person or group. This also dates back to Ancient Greece.
Socrates, one of the most influential Western thinkers in history, was also betrayed and sentenced to death by his fellow citizens. He, who always regarded the Athenian society and legal order as the best of all orders, was in the end double-crossed by that exact system. Similarly, Ahmadi Muslims have historically proven to have contributed to the founding of Pakistan, but ended up being persecuted and marginalised by their own people.
Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmadrh describes Socrates as the “genuine description of a prophet who combines in him a perfect balance of revelation and rationality”. (Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge & Truth, p. 73) And while Socrates himself left no written texts, his life and work were handed down through his students Plato and Xenophon.
In 399 BC, he was sentenced to death in Athens because of allegedly “spoiling the youth” and “inventing new gods”. Plato’s dialogue Crito tells the story of his verdict and how his friend Crito tries to persuade him to escape prison. Socrates, who found his sentence unjust and wrong, nevertheless thought it was equally wrong to escape his judgment and flee. (Crito, 50a-54e)
Similarly, Ahmadis in Pakistan continue to face harsh persecution and imprisonment simply for existing. Nevertheless, they continue to act upon their faith. Not once has there been a case of Ahmadis defying the unjust law enforcement. Instead, they stay true to their beliefs and accept these unjust punishments. The sentences can range from a hefty fine to the death penalty.
But on what legal grounds was Socrates punished and executed? As previously mentioned, Socrates was accused of spoiling the youth. He was known for talking directly to the people in the streets of Athens and trying to engage them in deep philosophical conversations. He aimed to try to make the people think by asking them questions and responding to their answers with even further questions.
This made them question their thought process and, in some inadvertent cases, the government. Socrates’ students often saw him expose the great figures of Greek democracy, and he therefore had quite an influence on the younger generation. His high standard of morality and justice was seen as a threat.
In The Republic, Socrates, through the words of Plato, described the true nature of justice and how it can be meted out. Justice is neither for the weak nor the wealthy and powerful. Rather, it serves a purpose for everyone. To truly accomplish justice in a society, everyone must take part in that society. Nobody shall be excluded.
That doesn’t mean that everyone has the same tasks and should do the same amount of work. But rather, everyone should contribute to the common good to the best of their abilities. Similarly, Allah the Almighty states in the Holy Quran:
وَلَا يَجۡرِمَنَّكُمۡ شَنَـَٔانُ قَوۡمٍ عَلَىٰٓ أَلَّا تَعۡدِلُواْ ۚ ٱعۡدِلُواْ هُوَ أَقۡرَبُ لِلتَّقۡوَىٰ
“And let not a people’s enmity incite you to act otherwise than with justice. Be [always] just, that is nearer to righteousness.” (Surah al-Ma’idah, Ch.5: V.9)
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah and Mahdias, emphasising this teaching, writes, “treat your brothers and fellow humans with justice and not to exceed in taking from them what is due to you and establish yourself upon justice.” (Izala-e-Auham, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 3, p. 551)
Islam’s teachings put justice and righteousness as a top priority. It is seen as the pillar of a functional society. Additionally, without true justice, no sustainable peace can be established. Peace and justice can be seen as two sides of the same coin. Thus, the parallels between Socrates’ thinking and Islam’s teachings are very linear.
Recently, MTA News made a three-part documentary about Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan who have been imprisoned because of their faith. Abdul Shakoor Sahib, a simple optician, was accused of terrorism and blasphemy. Tahir Mahdi Sahib, a publisher, was also accused of blasphemy for simply publishing a peaceful religious newspaper. Muzaffar Malik Sahib, an engineer, was jailed after being wrongly accused of throwing a bomb in a mosque.
These men tried their best to contribute to Pakistani society with their occupational skills while still trying to uphold their faith in Ahmadiyyat. But even that was too much for these so-called clerics in Pakistan. So, they introduced new criminal offences just to punish Ahmadi Muslims specifically. Thus, we can see that even self-proclaimed Muslim countries fail to serve justice to their own people and refuse to follow Islam’s teachings.
The criminal charge for which Socrates was punished was termed “Asebia”. He was accused of “desecration and mockery of divine objects” and of “irreverence towards the state gods.” In Ancient Greek society, most people believed in the twelve deities – Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter, Apollo, Artemis, Athene, Ares, Aphrodite, Hermes, Hephaistos and Hestia – making the belief a polytheistic religion.
Socrates questioned the plurality of Greek mythology and was a true believer of the Unity of God, which made him an enemy of most Athenians. This steadfast belief in God, his belief in Divine revelation, made him give up his life happily and with such tranquillity that only a man of God could possess. (Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge & Truth, pp. 78-79)
“Even if you are sentenced to the gallows, then embrace the noose. But I have complete trust in my God,” said Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh in a letter to one of the Ahmadis who was supposed to be punished with the death row in Sukkur. If one holds a committed and dedicated conviction in the one true God, even death becomes a sweet salvation.
Rationality and revelation are not opposites, as manifested in the character of Socrates. May we all realise that this temporary life is simply a preparatory phase for the life to come after. May we all be allowed to serve our faith to the end, like the martyrs before us. Amin!