The True Revolution – Part 17: Tahrik-e-Jadid and the social teachings of Islam

English translation of Inqilab-e-Haqiqi

An address by Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad^ra, Khalifatul Masih II, al-Musleh al-Mau‘ud

Delivered at Jalsa Salana Qadian on 28 December 1937

The Purpose of Tahrik-e-Jadid

In the first phase of the [establishment of] Tahrik-e-Jadid, I initiated certain steps and delayed addressing certain aspects that were meant for the second phase and asked you to reflect in your hearts on what prevents us from defeating our enemies in the realm of actions, despite having triumphed over them in the domain of beliefs.

I am sure that people have given this a great deal of thought on this matter, but my intention was to discuss certain aspects of the second phase of Tahrik-e-Jadid during the annual convention [Jalsa Salana], when a majority of the members will be present before me, and I will inquire whether they are prepared to act upon these instructions or not.

Today, I wish to announce [and draw your attention to the fact] that the Holy Prophet^sa has said: 

اَلْاِیْمَانُ بِضْعٌ وَسَبْعُوْنَ شُعْبَةً اَفْضَلُھَا قَوْلُ لَا اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ وَاَدْنَا ھَا اِمَاطَةُ الْاَذٰی عَنِ الطَّرِیْقِ¹

In other words, the Noble Messenger^sa said, ‘Although you who are Muslims say ‘لَا اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ’ and assert that, all praise be to Allah, you are believers and Muslims, he stated that such an assertion is utterly false and a grave misconception [if one does not act on all the requirements of faith]. Firstly, simply uttering ‘لَا اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ’ in words is of no consequence. And even if it were, remember that ‘اَلْاِیْمَانُ بِضْعٌ وَسَبْعُوْنَ’ – faith consists of more than seventy parts, all of which it is essential for you to implement.’

The words بِضْعٌ وَسَبْعُوْنَ (over seventy) imply abundance or multitude, and it’s an Arabic idiom. Similarly, in Urdu, when someone wants to emphasise that they’ve said something repeatedly, they say, ‘I have told you a hundred times.’ This phrase doesn’t imply a literal count of a hundred, but rather signifies abundance or multiplicity. Similarly, the Holy Prophet^sa said, ‘Faith has more than seventy branches or departments, meaning it has numerous aspects.’ Among these, the most superior is declaring [and believing in] لَا اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ (There is none worthy of worship save Allah.). This is followed by countless other parts of faith which proceed from this to the extent that even a seemingly minor aspect of faith includes removing harmful objects from people’s path, such as removing thorns from the road; clearing stones and pebbles and eliminating any source of trouble or discomfort. Faith is not one distinct thing. The Holy Prophet^sa has clarified that various righteous deeds constitute faith and until they are all fulfilled, faith cannot be completed. The smallest of which is the removal of an impediment lying on a path. Thus, the Holy Prophet^sa has explained that the term ‘faith’ as implied by people or in which they take pride does not mean any one thing. It comprises of hundreds of actions. The term ‘faith’ refers to the cumulative whole of these deeds. And until the four walls of these actions are fully constructed, the edifice of faith cannot reach its perfection. Among these actions, even the smallest and most mundane deed is removing obstacles from the path meaning clearing the way and removing filthy or troublesome objects. In short, the Holy Prophet^sa has taught us that Islam is not just one thing, but rather a comprehensive system comprising numerous aspects such as belief in the unity of God, divine decree, the Prophets, life after death, heaven and hell, the acceptance of prayer and belief in the divine attributes. It also includes the observance of prayer, fasting, Hajj, zakat, giving charity and alms, acquiring and imparting knowledge, looking after one’s parents, serving humanity through physical acts of kindness, displaying honour, thankfulness, thinking well of others, bravery, preservance, patience, compassion, dignity, diligence, living a simple life, adopting the middle course, acting in a just and kind way, generosity, loyalty, developing a spirit of sacrifice, forgiveness, treating others with respect, displaying good manners, obeying those in authority, looking after the moral upbringing of others and to educate them, keeping away from national enemies, love of Allah, trust in Him, spreading the message of truth, telling the truth, avoiding gossip, eschewing abusive language, deception, betraying trust, not acting unjustly or spreading disorder, not stealing, not making false allegations against others, not looking at others with contempt, not ridiculing others, not remaining idle and not being slothful or lazy and acting with wisdom. These and thousands of similar virtues make up faith to the extent that the removal of an impediment such as stones or pebbles from a path is also part of belief. Hence do not assume that merely uttering the words لَااِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللہ مَحَمَّدٌ رَسُوْلُ اللہِ (There is no God but Allah and Muhammad^sa is His messenger.) or اٰمَنَّا بِاالْمَسِیْحِ الْمُوْعُوْدِ (we have believed in the Promised Messiah^as) and the observance of prayer and fasting makes you a believer and grants you faith. Faith is the embodiment of Islam’s beliefs, principles, worship, civilisation, economy, justice, politics, ethics, and social norms, manifesting in one’s life and the world at large. The greatest aspect of faith is the kalimah and the smallest part of faith is removing a thorn from a path. Whosoever does not strive towards this is not a believer nor have they made any effort to establish the religion of Islam.

The Holy Prophet^sa said,

اَلْاِمَامُ جُنَّةٌ یُقَاتَلُ مِنْ وَّرَائِہٖ²

[An Imam is like a shield (for Muslims). They should seek his protection to fight (their enemies).]

Until I made this announcement, people enjoyed considerable freedom, but now, only those who adhere to the Holy Prophet’s^sa directive – standing behind the Imam to defend Islam – can be considered members of the Community.

Responsibility of Ahmadiyya Community

I, therefore, announce that the time has come for our Community to recognise its responsibilities and strive to revive the sunna and sharia. Until I made this announcement, people were not accountable, but now that the Imam has proclaimed the time for reviving the sunna and sharia. None of us should be lethargic. If we become negligent of our obligations, we will not be able to achieve anything in the future. Very few of the companions of the Promised Messiah^as are left amongst us. We must accomplish our task in their lifetime. If we [become stagnant and] allow them to depart from us, all will be lost.

The Social Teachings of Islam

Morality

The Holy Prophet^sa said:

 ³اِنَّ الْخُلُقَ وِعَاءُ الدِّیْنِ

[Religion is preserved in the cup of morality.]

Can milk exist without a container? It’s possible to have a container without milk, but impossible for milk to exist without a container. Similarly, good morals (Akhlaq-e-Hasna) are the vessel of faith. Without good morals, one cannot claim to possess faith. If he claims so he utters falsehood. The Holy Prophet^sa further said:

اِنَّمَا بُعِثْتُ لِاُتَمِّمَ مَکَارِمَ الْاَخْلَاقِ⁴

[I have been raised to perfect standards of human morals.]

Conduct

With reference to how people should conduct their affairs with one another the Holy Prophet^sa said:

اَشْرِفُ الْاِیْمَانِ اَنْ یَاْمَنَکَ النَّاسُ وَ اَشْرَفُ الْاِسْلَامِ اَنْ یَّسْلَمَ النَّاسُ مِنْ لِّسَانِکَ وَیَدِکَ⁵

[The highest virtue of faith is when people feel secure from you, and the greatest principle of Islam is that others are safe from your words and your actions.]

In essence, the highest form of belief is demonstrated by ensuring the safety and well-being of others through actions that cause no harm or distress and the pinnacle of Islam is reflected in safeguarding others from oneself, by refraining from verbal abuse and physical harm.

Serving one’s Nation

It is related in a Hadith that with regards to national service the Holy Prophet^sa said: 

اِنَّ صَبْرَ اَحَدِ کُمْ سَاعَةً فِیْ بَعْضِ مَوَاطِنِ الْاِسْلَامِ خَیْرٌ لَّہُ مِنْ اَنْ یَعْبُدَ اللہَ اَرْبَعِیْنَ یَوْماً⁶

Anyone who dedicates even one hour to serving Islam selflessly, without seeking personal gain, earns a reward greater than that of forty days of meditation and worship.

Lawful means of Livelihood

With regards to lawful sustenance, the Holy Prophet^sa is reported to have said:

اَلْعِبَادَةُ عَشَرَةُ اَجْزَاءٍ تِسْعَةٌ مِّنْھَا فِیْ طَلَبِ الْحَلَالِ⁷

That is to say, worship of God Almighty consists of ten parts. The first of these parts comprises of prayer, fasting, the Hajj and the zakat. The remaining nine consist of attaining one’s living in a lawful way. A person who prays, fasts, performs the Hajj and pays zakat, but is dishonest when it comes to earning their living irrevocably harms their faith and their worship is wasted. It’s akin to adding nine parts of impurity to a single part of milk. For example, someone who manipulates the price of a product valued at one paisa or is careless even slightly in weighing or measuring corrupts the remaining one-tenth of their worship. Through that minor lapse or clever deceit, he wastes a lifetime’s worth of prayer, fasting and other such acts because these only constitute one-tenth of worship; the other nine-tenths comprise of lawful means of living.

Industry and Effort

With regards to working with diligence and perseverance, [the Holy Prophet^sa has] said:

اِعْمَلُ عَمَلَ امْرِی ءٍ یَظُنُّ اَنْ لَّنْ یَّمُوْتَ اَبَدًا وَاحْذَرْ حَذْرَ امْرِی ءٍ یَخْشٰی اَنْ یَّمُوْتَ غَدًا⁸

When dealing with worldly matters, remember that Islamic teachings encourage people to work with diligence and vigour, as if they were to live. One should never think that because we all eventually succumb to death, there is no need to work hard in this life, as the ultimate fate is death. He says: Do not approach worldly tasks with indifference, but with dedication, as if death were no concern. Yet, in matters of faith, act with urgency and caution, as if you might pass away tomorrow. [The spectre of death should not be an obstacle to hard work]. One should strive to live one’s life earning these two principles. One’s material life ought to be lived with such vigour and unwavering diligence as if they are going to exist forever and their religious life with such profound reverence as though it will end tomorrow.

The welfare of people

With reference to the welfare of people, [the Holy Prophet^sa ] said:

عَلٰی کُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ صَدَقَةٌ فَاِنْ لَمْ یَجِدْ فَلْیَعْمَلْ بِیَدِہٖ فَیَنْفَعُ النَّاسَ⁹

[Every Muslim has to give charity. If someone has nothing to give, they should work with their hands and benefit society.]

It is incumbent upon every Muslim to give charity. Often when people are asked to donate money to the Jama’at they say that they have nothing to give and are themselves in need of help. It is hence said that such [underprivileged] people should assist the society through industry of their efforts as they cannot excuse assisting physically. It is easy to excuse oneself from giving money but more difficult to avoid helping through one’s efforts. The Holy Prophet^sa spoke of charity in a much broader context than it is usually accorded. In his view, charity was the preserve of both the well-off and the underprivileged. Both were obligated to extend their help and charity to the Community either through their wealth or their efforts. That is why I have instructed you to extend your support to Tehrik-e-Jadid through your efforts and endeavours. Those who cannot even do this should at the very least pray for its success.

Cleanliness

It is related that the Holy Prophet^sa said:

النَّظَافَةُ مِنَ الْاِیْمَانِ¹⁰

Cleanliness is part of faith.

He further said:

اَخْرِجُوْا مِنْدِیْلَ الْغَمَرِ مِنْ  بُیُوْتِکُمْ فَاِنَّہٗ مَبِیْتُ الْخَبِیْثِ وَ مَجْلِسُہٗ¹¹

Cloths used for domestic cleaning that have become greasy and stained should be discarded after some time, for they are impure and a breeding ground for filth, attracting flies, and insects, and fostering diseases, and can cause infections and disease. 

Today, however, surprisingly, people think that it is virtuous to not even wash a dishcloth until it is worn out and tattered.

Truthfulness

The Holy Prophet^sa said:

اِیَّاکُمْ وَالْکَذِ بِ فَاِنَّ الْکَذِ بَ  لَا یَصْلُحُ فِی الْجِدِّ وَلَا بِالْھَزْلِ وَلَا یَعِدِالرَّجُلُ صَبِیَّہٗ ثُمَّ لَا یَفِیْ لَہٗ¹²

Abstain from speaking a lie that is not permissible even when you are telling a joke; nor should a father make a false promise to his children.

That is, one ought not to deal in lies, either in jest or in important matters. Often people excuse themselves by referring to their lies as jokes. The Holy Prophet^sa has strongly admonished against this and urged greater caution. He said:

لَا یَعِدِالرَّجُلُ صَبِیَّہٗ ثُمَّ لَا یَفِیْ لَہٗ¹³

Too often people promise their children certain treats or candy in order to stop them crying. However, when the child calms down, the promise is not fulfilled. The Holy Prophet^sa said that this too was a form of lying and unacceptable in any circumstance. 

Endnotes:

1. Faith has over seventy branches, the most excellent of which is the declaration that there is no god but Allah, and the humblest of which is the, removal of what is injurious from the path. (Sahih Muslim, p. 38-39, 2000, Riyadh, Hadith 153) [Publishers]
2. Sahih al-Bukhari, p. 489, 1999, Riyadh, Hadith 2957 [Publishers]
3. Kanzul-‘Ummal, Vol. 3, p. 3, 2012, Damascus, Hadith 5137 [Publishers]
4. Kanzul-‘Ummal, Vol. 3, p. 16, 2012, Damascus, Hadith 5217 [Publishers] 
5. Kanzul-‘Ummal, Vol. 1, p. 37, 2012, Damascus, Hadith 65 [Publishers]
6. Kanzul-‘Ummal, Vol. 4, p. 454, 2012, Damascus, Hadith 11354 [Publishers]
7. Worship [of God Almighty] consists of ten parts. The nine of them consist of attaining one’s living in a lawful way. (Ihya ‘Ulum id-Din, Imam Ghazali, Vol. 3, p. 90, Beirut) [Publishers]
8. Live as if you believe you’ll never die, but be mindful as if you might pass away tomorrow. (Al-Jami Us-Saghir, Vol. 1-2, p. 77, 2002, Beirut, Hadith 1201) [Publishers]
9. Al-Jami Us-Saghir, Vol. 1-2, p. 338, 2002, Beirut, Hadith 5464 [Publishers]
10. In Sahih Muslim, the words are: ‘الطھور شطر الایمان’ i.e., ‘Cleanliness is part of faith.’ (Sahih Muslim, p. 114, 2000, Riyadh, Hadith 534) [Publishers]
11. Discard the cloths used for cleaning at homes for it is impure and a breeding ground for filth and disease. (Al-Jami Us-Saghir, Vol. 1, p. 11, 1321h, Egypt) [Publishers]
12. Ibn Maja, p. 7, 1999, Riyadh, Hadith 46 [Publishers]
13. Ibn Maja, p. 7, 1999, Riyadh, Hadith 46 [Publishers]

Click here for part 16

To be continued…

(Translation by Fazl-e-Umar Foundation, English Section)