Understanding "Islamic" Axioms

Like all systems of the world, Islam too had to sustain the test of time, and the test of time is an amazing thing. Man's maturity level increases with time, which enables him to challenge the norms of his society, cultures clash, science revolutionarizes the thought process, biased interpreters cash in, memories grow weak, kings exploit it to suit themselves and local traditions and myths blend in.

How is Islam doing after 1400 years? To correlate with the above paragraph, man's maturity level has increased to such an extent that it no longer requires the Quran for guidance, honor killing is allowed in "Islam", science has discovered the god particle but still has not discovered God, Mullahs and Zakireens have gained mass following, people have forgotten what Abu Talib (AS) did for Islam, Yazeed (the impure and cursed) was given the throne by Allah so to oppose him was as to oppose Allah, and Shah Shams Tabrez brought the sun to the earth to heat his bar b q.

However, because Islam is the will of Allah, the efforts of Muhammad (SAW) and the sacrifices of his Ahlulbayt (AS), Islam's purest form will always exist and Allah will always be worshipped in the truest of senses.

The truest of senses is hands in hand with purity of all sorts, for Allah loves purity. Allah loves purity of the intention and those who purify themselves. He purified Muhammad (SAW) and the Ahlulbayt (AS). Muhammad (SAW) with aid of Ali (AS) purified Allah's house from all idols. Hussain (AS) purified the tauheed of Allah by declaring that human necessity (of food, water and security), life, family members and property is not Akbar (supreme) but Allah is.

Allah's deen is pure, Allah's Kalam (Quran) is pure and will stay this way;

Surely those who disbelieve in the reminder when it comes to them, and most
surely it is a Mighty Book: Falsehood shall not come to it from before it nor from behind it; a revelation from the Wise, the Praised One.
Quran [41:41-42]

As stated earlier, there are some impure men with impure motives and they cannot tolerate purity in any form, except the golds and the silvers.

Islam was a threat to these men. They wanted the throne, fame, pleasure. What did Islam give them? Islam forbade their business of alcohol, Islam told them they are equal to their slaves, Islam told them to give Zakat, Khums and charity in the name of Allah, Islam told them to shun their gods and treat their women with justice and love, Islam told them to achieve purity via worship, piety and patience and Islam told them how hard it was to achieve Tawba after a willful sin. Men did not want to go to hell (if it existed) and yet did not wanted to follow Muhamad (SAW) in its purest form because leaving the luxury and bliss of a sinful life was very hard, therefore these men wanted to modify Islam to such that it would suit their lifestyles.

These were the men who wanted Muhammad (SAW) to modify the Quran to their suiting;

And when Our clear communications are recited to them, those who hope not for
Our meeting say: Bring a Quran other than this or change it. Say: It does not beseem me that I should change it of myself; I follow naught but what is revealed to me; surely I
fear, if I disobey my Lord, the punishment of a mighty day.
Quran [10:15]

These were the same men who opposed purity in battlefields (of Badr, Uhud, khyber, Khandaq, Hunain, Jamal, Siffin, Nahrwan, Kerbala). Why did i include the battle of Jamal, Siffin and Nahrwan?

Ahmad Ibn Hanbal and al-Hakim recorded with authentic document from Abu Said al-Khudri, that the Apostle of God said to Ali: "Verily you will do battle for (implementation of) the Quran, as I have done for its revelation."
Tarikh al-Khulafaa, by Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, p173

These are the same men, who have propagated certain concepts as a part of their version of Islam, through ahadith (weak or fabricated), traditions and political and peer pressure. These concepts are some beliefs prevailing amongst the masses which are only a result of self-interest.

These are the "axioms", which are defined as a self-evident truth that requires no proof and are universally accepted principle or rule. These have achieved a dominant position in our beliefs, by tradition, enforcement and market dominance.

This paper will critically dissect and assess the following axions;

1. Axiom 1: It is a sin to challenge the axiom itself
2. Axiom 2: Fatwas in Islam; do it because Maulana Sahab / Ayatullah Sahab / Mufti Sahab said so.
3. Axiom 3: Hafiz e Quran (those who have memorized the Quran) will take seven generations to paradise, or, will be allowed to intercede for seven people, or, something of similar sort
4. Axiom 4: Robin Hood was a saint
5. Axiom 5: Everyone I know is a martyr
6. Axiom 6: The unlucky black cat
7. Axiom 7: Tabbaruk and Nayaz are Haram
8. Axiom 8: Mourning of more than three days is haraam 
9. Axiom 9: Shedding one tear in Majlis e Hussain (AS) grants forgiveness in the hereafter
10. Axiom 10: All Muslims and Only Muslims will go to heaven

It is our duty to critically analyze all such tales and conclude whether these hold any truth and purity or not. I am sure that the list i present below will have many literary references (outside the Quran, and thus challenge-able) which support them and which may not support them, however what does Quran have to say? What does a man's understanding have to say?

    1. Axiom 1: It is a sin to challenge the axiom itself

Muhammad (SAW) did not tell the people to believe in his message because he (SAW) said so. He reasoned with them (as can be seen in the verse below which challenges the concept that a man born without a father is a son of God), provided them arguments, evidences, miracles, character and appealed to their reasoning and understanding.

Surely the likeness of Isa is with Allah as the likeness of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, Be, and he was.
Quran [3:59]

Same has been the case of past prophets;

Have you not considered him (Namrud) who disputed with Ibrahim about his Lord, because Allah had given him the kingdom? When Ibrahim said: My Lord is He who gives life and causes to die, he said: I give life and cause death. Ibrahim said: So surely Allah causes the sun to rise from the east, then make it rise from the west; thus he who disbelieved was confounded; and Allah does not guide aright the unjust people.
Quran [2:258]

So he broke them into pieces, except the chief of them, that haply they may return
to it. They said: Who has done this to our gods? Most surely he is one of the unjust. They said: We heard a youth called Ibrahim speak of them. Said they: Then bring him before the eyes of the people, perhaps they may bear witness. They said: Have you done this to our gods, O Ibrahim? He said: Surely (some doer) has done it; the chief of them is this, therefore ask them, if they can speak.
Quran [21:58-63]

The boss is always right. But the fact is, the boss is not always right. Allah has given man Aql, the power to think, analyze, judge and understand. Why is it that man is so reluctant to use his ability and bounty of understanding, that he shuts it down as per his own convenience?

And be not like those (disbelievers) who said, We hear, and they did not obey. Surely the vilest of animals, in Allah's sight, are the deaf, the dumb, who do not understand.
Quran [8:21-22]

The choice is ours, follow blindly (without verifying if that which is being followed is purely from Allah and his Prophet (SAW)), or follow with an understanding.

Verdict; Fail

    2. Axiom 2: Fatwas in Islam; do it because Maulana Sahab / Ayatullah Sahab / Mufti Sahab
                        said so.

A very frank and casual observation. Visit different countries, different cities, different villages, and you will find that almost everything is Halal in Islam because a fatwa exists. Mr A forbids one thing and Mr B allows the same thing. What do i do? I pick Mr A because I do not want to do it or i pick Mr B because i want to do it. Islam made easy, how convenient for me.

I have came across fatwas which allow a man to divorce his wife behind her back in a drunk condition without any witnesses, which forbid bananas to be eaten by women, Polio drops are haraam, looking at a zuljenah (horse shias decorate in memory of Kerbala) invalidates a man's marriage with his wife, the list just does not end.

That is not it, there are obscene fatwas which I cannot even refer here because the obscenity exceeds lewdness and fitnah in all contexts.

It is not unfortunate that such fatwas exist, what is unfortunate is that such fatwas are fully endorsed and gain mass following, specially of the insincere and the illiterate.

One must understand what a fatwa is.

All muslims believe that the Quran is a complete source of Guidance and Rasool (SAW) completed religion on the day of Gadeer;

..... This day have those who disbelieve despaired of your religion, so fear them not, and fear Me. This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as a religion; .......
Quran [5:3]

This means that after that day, nothing can be added in religion and nothing can be taken away from it. Whatever is added after this day cannot be termed as Islam. All haraams are told, all halals are told, all Farz are told and the Sunnat is clearly visible.

If this is true, then there is no place for Ijma (consensus of the muslim community), Qiyas (logical analogy) and Ijtehad (personal fatwa of a scholar) in the matters of religion.

Ijma is; if all Shia scholars say that Matam is haram, then it becomes haraam or if all sunni scholars say that saying Talaq 3 times in one go is valid, becomes valid. Qayas is; Because Alcohol is a toxicant and is haraam, cocaine which is also a toxicant should be haram, or because Rasool (SAW) killed all the men of Ban Qurayza, Muslims should also kill all captured
prisoners of war. Ijtehad is according to Imam Abu Hanifa, divorce in one go is halal therefore it stands halal.

We must note that, Ijma, Qayas or Ijtehad are only present in shias or sunnis, when Islam remains silent on a certain issue. Initially we all believed that Islam is complete, then how come Islam remains silent on some issues and thus wants normal men who can sin, have sinned and do not have a perfect sense of judgment, are biased and whose knowledge to an extent is corrupted, these men to give their consensus, analogical analysis or verdict?

It means that on such problems, our men were not learned enough to extract the exact solution from the Quran and Sunnat itself and thus had to use their own minds in order to give an "Islamic" Verdict.

Whether it be an Ijma, Qayas or Ijtehad, all three remain an opinion of a Molvi, mufti, mullah, ayatullah, pseudo imam or scholar and opinions have no place in Islam.

And they have no knowledge of it; they do not follow anything but conjecture, and surely conjecture does not avail against the truth at all.
Quran [53:28]

When you ask a scholar the procedure to do wuzu, he refers to the Quran. This is not following the scholar but the Quran itself. When you ask a scholar the method to pray salaat and he refers to the life of Muhammad (SAW), this is not following the scholar but following Muhammad (SAW) himself. When you ask a scholar if organ transplant from a non muslim is allowed or not, the scholar may not give direct answer from the Quran or Shariah of Muhammad (SAW). He may answer based on his research, knowledge and share his opinion with you. If you follow the scholar blindly then you are following the scholar, however if he can convince his opinion based on his interpretations and knowledge, then again you are safe.

The conclusion is that the men who believe Islam to be complete and Quran to be a complete source of guidance, these men cannot extract solutions of many problems from Quran, Islam and Sunnat directly. These men then give their own opinions individually based on some research (Ijtehad), collectively (Ijma), or after analogical assessment (Qayas).

If we still had men with us who understood the Quran and knew the true ways of Rasool (SAW) himself (hinting towards Aimmah Tahreen (AS)), Ijma, Qayas and Ijtehad would only be innovations. Today these are merely opinions and opinions can be conflicting with other opinions, the truth does not conflict with another truth.

Are we bound to follow their opinions? Not until we are convinced because we are answerable for ourselves.

And most certainly they shall carry their own burdens, and other burdens with
their own burdens, and most certainly they shall be questioned on the resurrection day as
to what they forged.
Quran [29:13]

And a burdened soul cannot bear the burden of another and if one weighed down
by burden should cry for (another to carry) its burden, not aught of it shall be carried,
even though he be near of kin. You warn only those who fear their Lord in secret and
keep up prayer; and whoever purifies himself, he purifies himself only for (the good of)
his own soul; and to Allah is the eventual coming.
Quran [35:18]

That no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another- And that man shall have nothing but what he strives for-
Quran [53:38-39]

You are responsible for all your actions and beliefs, not your mufti. No one will bear the burden of your actions except you.

No disrespect to any scholar (who are honorable for us and listening to them is an honor for us), but the decision for our actions is ours and not the scholars. Therefore we are accountable for it. Look what the shaitaans have to say at Qayamah;

And they shall all come forth before Allah, then the weak shall say to those who were proud: Surely we were your followers, can you therefore avert from us any part of the chastisement of Allah? They would say: If Allah had guided us, we too would have guided you; it is the same to us whether we are impatient (now) or patient, there is no place for us to fly to. And the Shaitan shall say after the affair is decided: Surely Allah promised you the promise of truth, and I gave you promises, then failed to keep them to you, and I had no authority over you, except that I called you and you obeyed me, therefore do not blame me but blame yourselves: I cannot be your aider (now) nor can you be my aiders;surely I disbelieved in your associating me with Allah before; surely it is the unjust that shall have the painful punishment.
Quran [14:21-22]

No one has the authotiy over us, except that they can call us, opinionate us, advise us, but to act is ours and ours decision alone.

Allah will question whatever we do. Is this a sufficient answer; "I did it because my mother/father/brother/friend/spouse/maulana/mufti/ayatullah told me to do so?". You yourself know that it is not a sufficient answer. Why then do you want to be a witness against your ownself? Always do something in your life, for which you have an answer to, given that you have the purest of intentions and have exhausted all your options to know the truth.

When i tell you to invest in Engro's share, you will want me to convince you that it is the best option, by sharing stock market trends and financial reports with you, because your money is involved, you refuse to follow my advise blindly, but when i tell you that there is no zakat on paper money, you sit back in your home smiling converting all your gold to paper money as well. How convenient?

Guess why were many people eager to kill Imam Hussain (AS)? There was a fatwa labeling him (AS) as a rebel.

Verdict; Fail

    3. Axiom 3: Hafiz e Quran (those who have memorized the Quran) will take seven
                        generations to paradise, or, will be allowed to intercede for seven people,
                        or, something of similar sort

My first reaction after i read the news that Imam Sahab (defacto Hafiz Sahab / Qari Sahab) raped a young boy, killed him and then recited his funeral prayers, will the justice of Allah even let such a tyrant smell the fragrance of paradise, let alone take seven generations of his impure-self to paradise, irrespective of what they have done in this world? Either Allah is not just, or Hafiz sahab is not hafiz enough, is the only conclusion.

Everything thing has a purpose in this world. A microwave oven heats, can i store ice cream in it? A fridge cools, what will happen if i start putting food in it to warm it? Definitely people will show me the way to a mental assylum.

The purpose of the Quran is not to send 7 generations of a person to paradise magically. There is no magic in Islam. Musa (AS) defeated magic and established that authority belongs to Allah and his will. The Quran is the will of Allah; What is its purpose?

Those to whom We have given the Book read it as it ought to be read. These
believe in it; and whoever disbelieves in it, these it is that are the losers.
Quran [2:121]

Allah thus makes clear to you His communications that you may understand.
Quran [2:242]

Follow what is revealed to you from your Lord; there is no god but He; and withdraw from the polytheists.
Quran [6:106]

This Book, there is no doubt in it, is a guide to those who guard (against evil).
Quran [2:2]

First, you read the Quran (yourself) the way it is ought to be read, then you understand the Quran (yourself), then you follow what you have read and understood. Then Quran will guide you.

When did Quran promise prosperity and success by keeping it on heads of brides or by taking oaths upon it?

Surely We have revealed it-- an Arabic Quran-- that you may understand.
Quran [12:2]

Quran itself has said that it came in arabic, easy for people, so that they could understand it. Why are then you teaching the youth of today that Allah rewards memorization of a book rather than following it?

Parrots are an interesting creature. They are the smartest of animals after humans and dolphins. A parrot can count numbers, recognize shapes and colors. But research shows that although the parrot imitates the sound, it fails to understand the meaning of the sound it makes. For example, a parrot can realize that the shape you are holding is of number 2, but it cannot understand what two signifies. It is because of this limitation the parrot cannot show complex and superior intellectual behavior.

How is then a man different from a parrot, who has memorized the complete Quran, without comprehending a single word? Unfortunately such parrots have hijacked religion in our part of the world and have crashed Islam so badly, that the damages maybe irreversible till Qayamah. Imagine a parrot driving a speed car? Now Imagine its outcome and you will understand the damages i am talking about.

Do you know why google will not go to paradise? (Google has memorized millions of Quranic translations and interpretations). Because google could not act on what it had memorized.

However, there is another side to the story. Memorizing the Quran was a need of time to ensure to preserve it. Allah in his infinite wisdom contained in Quran another of his miracle;

And certainly We have made the Quran easy for remembrance, but is there anyone who will mind?
Quran [54:17]

When the arabs memorized the Quran, they naturally understood it as well. When those who memorized the Quran understood the Quran for the purest of intentions as well, if you ask me, the glory of the Quran would fill their hearts with glory and fear of Allah (and thus would be reflected in their actions) and would purify their blood and loins such, that their seven generations would only produce pious and believing off-spring. No wonder they would all be destined for paradise.

I for one believe that a Hafiz e Quran will intercede for many, and take to paradise with him, many, but the condition is that he memorizes the Quran purely. Rasool (SAW) was Hafiz e Quran, Mawla Ali (AS) was Hafiz e Quran. Can you show me a Hafiz e Quran today?

Verdict; Pass

    4. Axiom 4: Robin Hood was a saint

Literally, muslims do not believe in the myth of Robin hood, who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. However, the concept that doing good via bad means is acceptable and a saintly act as well, prevails in our minds, as orthodox muslims as well as humans.

Because Mr A does not give zakat and I am very poor, it is not allowed for me to rob his home and take away what is rightfully mine. As much as Mr A is accountable for not giving Zakat, i will be as much accountable for theft.

Allah has not given any man a license to commit the haram in order to achieve a halal. If Allah wills for the halal to occur, he will make for it a Halal way himself. Who has given you the authority to exceed the limits set by Allah and his Prophet (SAW) irrespective of any situation and circumstances?

O you who believe! Allah will certainly try you in respect of some game which
your hands and your lances can reach, that Allah might know who fears Him in secret;
but whoever exceeds the limit after this, he shall have a painful punishment.
Quran [5:94]

By hook or by crook? There is only one right answer.

Verdict; Fail

    5. Axiom 5: Everyone I know is a martyr

When i was in college, my very close friend (from Saudia, and a follower of Al Wahab) told me that people who die of a stomach disease is also a martyr. I did not bother looking up for the hadith because i was more than convinced that such a hadith (fabrication) would exist.

Just think, he who lays down his life for the way of Allah willfully is equal to him who buys a samosa from the outskirts from haram money, catches a stomach disease and dies timelessly purposelessly. Are these two equal? Are we making fun of Allah and Islam?

When you read the Quran, you will understand that people who died and towns which were destroyed of natural disasters, accidents and diseases were as a result of punishment of Allah.

Accidental death?

And his (abu lahab's) wife, the bearer of fuel, Upon her neck a halter of strongly twisted rope.
Quran [111:4 - 5]

Natural Disaster?

So We sent on them a furious wind in unlucky days, that We may make them taste the chastisement of abasement in this world's life; and certainly the chastisement of the hereafter is much more abasing, and they shall not be helped.
Quran [41:16]

So when they saw it as a cloud appearing in the sky advancing towards their valleys, they said: This is a cloud which will give us rain. Nay! it is what you sought to hasten on, a blast of wind in which is a painful punishment,
Quran [46:24]

Possible meteorite shower?

So when Our decree came to pass, We turned them upside down and rained down upon them stones, of what had been decreed, one after another.
Quran [11:82]

Bush fire / infertility of productive land?

Surely We will try them as We tried the owners of the garden, when they swore that they would certainly cut off the produce in the morning, And were not willing to set aside a portion (for the poor). Then there encompassed it a visitation from your Lord while they were sleeping. So it became as black, barren land.
Quran [68:17-20]

Show me one prophet or Imam who died accidentally or of a natural disaster or some disease? You cannot. When the Quran has clearly identified that a martyr is one who is slain in Allah's way, why then do we want to blaspheme agaisnt the holy blood of martyrs who laid down their lives as a sign of sacrifice to Allah?

And do not speak of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead; nay, (they are)
alive, but you do not perceive.
Quran [2:154]

Islam only knows one martyr, he who is slain in Allah's way, who knew the risks of the path he is taking and acknowledged that if he loses his life in the way of Allah, even then his mission is worth it. Badr produced martyrs, Uhud produced martyrs, Kerbala produced martyrs.

How can he be a martyr who died in a political rally and attended it for social and political gains, or he who died in a suicide blast in a market where he had gone to buy movies, or he who was going to another city to make a commercial deal involving Riba but died in a plane crash, or he who succumbed to injuries during a stampede at Hajj?

I wish martyrdom was as easy as eating diseased samosas. 

Verdict; Magnificent Fail

    6. Axiom 6: The unlucky black cat

Sighting of the moon of the third Islamic day is unlucky, number 13 is unlucky and if a black cat crosses your way is unlucky. Jantris and numerological experts have written books in the name of Ilm e Jaffar telling how a red shirt will bring me success and how changing the spellings of my name will make me the president of the country.

My question. Did any such saying or Ilm come from Rasool (SAW), Mawla Ali (AS) or was developed later? Is it the same as Hindus who make and match kundlis? Is 13 really an unlucky number given the birth of Mawla Ali on 13th Rajab? Moon of the third Islamic day, remember 3rd shabaan being the birth of Mawla Hussain (AS) which brought happiness to the house of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) himself?

Do we believe in supremacy of Allah and his will which regulates our destiny, or numbers and colors?

On the way to Nahrwan Ali(AS) passed a monastery. An old Christian monk who also claimed to be an astrologer of some repute called out, “ O’ army of Islam, ask your leader to come to me. Upon hearing this Ali (AS) turned his horse towards the monastery and approached the monk. Where do you go ask the monk. To fight the enemies of Islam, replied Ali(AS). Do not fight now, because at this moment the stars do not favour the muslims. Wait for a few days when the stars will become favourable for you. Ali (AS) replied, do you defy Allah for this action we are taking on the orders of Allah and for His Deen.

Ali (AS) said, “ since you profess knowledge of the stars, tell me about the movement of such and such star.” The old man said, By God, I have never heard the name of this star. Ali(AS) asked him another question about the skies and when the old man failed to reply, said “ It is now known that you do not know about the skies. Shall I ask you about the earth? Tell me what is buried beneath your feet at the spot where you stand. I do not know said the old monk., “There is a vessel filled with so many silver coins and the coins bear such and such emblem. How do you know enquired the monk”. “ By God’s grace.” said Ali (AS). Then Ali proceeded to say that in the ensuing fight, less than ten persons of Islamic army would be killed where as less then ten persons from the opposing army would escape. The old monk listened astonished. As per Ali’s command, when the earth beneath the feet of the monk was dug, a vessel filled with silver coins was found exactly as described by Ali (AS)

Ali (AS) proceeded to Nahrwan and in the ensuing fight, the khawarij were thoroughly defeated. Out of the four thousand men of the khawarij only nine escaped and only nine men of the Islamic army were killed in this battle. Returning from the battle Ali(AS) passed the monastery and when the monk heard the full story he embraced Islam immediately.

Ali(AS) also admonished him about his belief in astrology. He said “ do you think you can tell the hour when a man goes out and no evil befall him. Whoever testifies this falsifies the Qoran and becomes unmindful of Allah in achieving his desired objective and in warding off the undesirable.” Then Ali (AS) addressed to his own soldiers and said “ Beware of learning the science of stars except that with which guidance is sought on land or sea, because it leads to divining and an astrologer is a diviner, while a diviner is like the sorcerer, the sorcerer is like the unbeliever and the unbeliever’s place is in hell.”
Story of the Holy Ka’aba And its People, By S.M.R. Shabbar, Chapter 4
http://www.al-islam.org/kaaba14/4.htm

Read about Iqbal's famous stanza;

Nigah e Mard e Momin say badal jaatee hain Taqdeerein
" The gaze of a believer has the power to change destinies"

Who is the believer and what is the message? When one has the grace of Allah and his name in his heart and the stamp of Rasool Allah (SAW) in his intentions, then he must not care about the outcome, for whatever the outcome is, will be will of Allah and accepting it is an act of worship. Then numbers, colors and stars do not matter.

Rasool (SAW) did not see which day it was, what date it was, what color he was wearing, what his name signified, when he (SAW) marched out for badr. It was the same people with the same leader (SAW) who marched for Uhud and met a different result. The difference was not in numbers and names, but intentions.

Remember, Allah is guardian of the believers.

They shall have the abode of peace with their Lord, and He is their guardian because of what they did.
Quran [6:127]

Allah has promised protection to his believers;

For his sake there are angels following one another, before him and behind him,
who guard him by Allah's commandment; surely Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition; and when Allah intends evil to a people,
there is no averting it, and besides Him they have no protector.
Quran [13:11]  

Then the believer must only believe in guardianship of Allah and be satisfied. Names, numbers and colors become Kufr.

However, not all of us are believers in the purest of sense. Because our faith is weak in Allah, and we believe that the black cat will bring bad luck to us because Allah is not powerful enough to protect us from the magical misfortune of the black cat, Allah takes away his protection from us and thus we are prone to the misfortune which our own hands have earned us. Who can protect us when Allah does not? End result; the black cat indeed brought us bad luck.

Verdict; Pass

    7. Axiom 7: Tabbaruk and Nayaz are Haram

Many people, mainly the wahabi and the deoband, do not eat of the Tabbaruk, Nayyaz and Mannat people offer, be it of a shia majlis in Muharram, or a sunni Milad in Rabil awal. To explain, the tabbaruk or nayaz is the food served during majalis and milads "in the name of Rasool (SAW) or Imams (AS)" and the mannat can be the food served after the prayer of some one is accepted.

Very few people know that the concept of Mannat exists in Quran;

And there are those of them who made a covenant with Allah: If He give us out of
His grace, we will certainly give alms and we will certainly be of the good. But when He gave them out of His grace, they became niggardly of it and they turned back and they withdrew.
Quran [9:75-76]

These alms may or may not be in forms of food.

As far as the Tabbaruk or nayaz or food relics are concerned, then note that whatever is cooked is slaughtered in the name of Allah and not Muhammad (SAW) or Ali (AS) or any of Allah's other blessed creatures. How can then this food be not in Allah's name?

And do not eat of that on which Allah's name has not been mentioned, and that is
most surely a transgression; and most surely the Shaitans suggest to their friends that they should contend with you; and if you obey them, you shall most surely be polytheists.
Quran [6:121]

O you who believe! do not forbid (yourselves) the good things which Allah has
made lawful for you and do not exceed the limits; surely Allah does not love those who
exceed the limits.
Quran [5:87]

Are such people exceeding the limits of Allah by blaming others of shirk while they themselved could not understand the meaning of Tauheed?

At my birthday, is the cake which you eat in my name? Do you recite bismillammar (nawuzbillah) instead of Bismillah before eating that cake simply because it is associated with my birthday? Similarly the food of valima is not in the name of Allah but the bride and groom? The meat distributed on Eid ul Adha is in the name of Ibrahim (AS)?

The food served in majalis and milad serves two purposes;

1. Feed the participants;  It is a sign of hospitality, ethics that one to serve the people of his community, specially at gatherings. Is this not what Islam has taught us?
2. Relic;  A relic is also defined as a souvenir or something kept in remembrance. One remembers that Hussain (AS) with his family were martyred in thirst and hunger. It also goes hands in hand with Imam Hussain's (AS) orders that those who come to visit his grave after him must be kept as guests for three days and be amply fed as a sign of remembrance of the hunger and thirst of the Imam and his children (AS) and the mission for which they agreed to bear the suffering. Same was the practice of Imam Sajjad (AS) who after returning to Medina, cooked collective meals and fed the participants who came to condole the Imam, through poetry, remembrance and silence.
3. Nayyaz e Hussain; Rasool (SAW) said that after the demise of a person, three things will help him. Knowledge, property which helps others after him, and pious offspring who pray for his forgiveness. When nayyaz is served, the message is clear. Were it not for majlis e Hussain (AS), you would not have received this tabbaruk. I know of people who only eat meat and other mouth watering delicacies only at two instances in the entire year. One is at the sacrifice of Ismail (AS) by Ibrahim (AS) (Eid ul Adha), and the other is at the sacrifice of everything by Imam Hussain (AS) at Kerbala. The food is therefore dedicated to Imam Hussain (AS) and his mission and therefore the reward of feeding the poor, the needy and the participants is also dedicated to Imam (AS), not that he is in need of this reward.

I recently took some nayyaz to my father's friend. He refused politely saying that they only eat on what Allah's name is taken. I replied that this nayyaz also has Allah's and only his name taken on it but people have misconceptions. He replied, that they only eat of what is purely in the name of Allah alone. I told him that sir, even the Kalimah is not purely in the name of Allah.

Verdict; Fail

    8. Axiom 8: Mourning of more than three days is haraam 

First, the opposers of Azadari e Hussain (AS) claim that crying for the martyrs is bidat. When given the mourning of Rasool (SAW) at martyrdom of Hamza (RA), they say that ok, maybe crying for loved ones is natural, but mourning for more than three days is not.

However, they must understand that the Quran respects the value of pure human emotions;

And they say: Glory be to our Lord! most surely the promise of our Lord was to be fulfilled. And they fall down on their faces weeping, and it adds to their humility.
Quran [17:108-109]

Weeping is a witness to the purity of one's heart.

Furthermore, Imam Zainul Abideen (AS) had responded that when Yaqub (AS) wept for his life and lost his eye sight in the love of one of his sons, how could the Imam not cry blood for the loss at Kerbala?

And he turned away from them, and said: O my sorrow for Yusuf! and his eyes became white on account of the grief, and he was a repressor (of grief).
Quran [12:84]

Apparently, this tradition looks fabricated to fuel the differences amongst the school of thoughts, however, let us look at it in a different way.

May Allah never show a father the demise of his youth and children in his own lifetime for the sadqa of Hussain's (AS) son Ali Abkar (AS), but have you ever seen the reaction of people who have suffered so, of a mother who lost her son in the NATO strike or father who lost his son in Kashmir? These people mourn, they do not eat, drink, their world is lost, they forget their salaat, they forget what they are wearing, they lose consciousness, this is mourning.

What kerbala witnessed, know one can mourn it in the purest of forms, for no one cannot shed blood as Imam Sajjad (AS) did. Azadari e Hussain (AS) has an element of mourning attached with it which is the natural shedding of tears, but a major element is associated with tableegh, with making people realize the message of Islam and the spirit of Kerbala.

During Muharram and Safr, people go to their jobs, work, observe proper hijab, eat, drink, sleep. How then can this be associated with the three day mourning?

Maybe mourning is not allowed more than three days, as man has to realize the will of Allah, be grateful and accept destiny and return back to his life and fulfill his obligations and social duties. For this, three days are sufficient for man to gain back his senses and let time heal his loss.

But there is no prohibition for Zikr e Allah, Zikr e Muhammad (SAW) and Zikr e Hussain (AS), for the zikr is pride of Tauheed itself. Does it matter if a few tears come out because the heart understands the mazloomiyat of Imam (AS) and the chest wants to show its solidarity with his (AS) mission?

Verdict; Pass

    9. Axiom 9: Shedding one tear in Majlis e Hussain (AS) grants forgiveness in the hereafter

This is the message given to people by zakireens and muallims during majalis. But think again, the Imam (AS) who gave everything for the sake of the message of his grandfather (SAW), how can he accept you or me despite our tear if we have mutilated the same message?

Allah is powerful and can forgive anyone he wants to, but he will take account into the smallest of the good deeds and the smallest of the evil deeds. Rasool (SAW) is Rehmatul Aalimeen and by will of Allah he (SAW) and his (AS) Ahlulbayt (AS) may intercede for anyone they want to, who am I to challenge this authority and this mercy and blessing of Allah?

The thing in question is not if the tear will grant forgiveness in the hereafter for that is between Allah and the Rehmatul Aalimeen (SAW), but the message this statement gives. The message this statement give is the same message given to christians by the crucifixion of Isa (AS) and to the Maulana by memorizing of the Quran; a license to kill. We can do anything in this world and get away with it simply because we cried. The fact is no one can get away with anything they do.

Furthermore, the message also corrupts the human emotion of pure sorrow when one hears about the tragedy of Kerbala. People cry because Kerbala is worth the tear and not because the tear will grant people paradise. Maybe Zaakireens should stop gauging the success of their majlis by the number of people mourning.

That tear which is purely shed in the memory of Imam Hussain (AS) will grant forgiveness in the hereafter, which melts the heart of the mourner and opens his heart to realization, of all the sins he had committed against which Imam (AS) himself stood, the tear which makes one realize his purpose in this life and how he has to assist the Imam (AS) with the resources he currently has.

Verdict; Pass

    10. Axiom 10: All Muslims and Only Muslims will go to heaven

This is another one of those licenses to kill. Some muslims will go to heaven Inshallah, some will be punished for their sins and then be sent to heaven, while there will still some remain which would be a lost cause.

From where has the above idea generated?

Muslims will not be the only ones going to heaven.

Surely those who believe and those who are Jews and the Sabians and the
Christians whoever believes in Allah and the last day and does good-- they shall have no fear nor shall they grieve.
Quran [5:69]

As per Surah Asr, all of the following will go to paradise;

I swear by the time, Most surely man is in loss, Except those who believe and do good, and enjoin on each other truth, and enjoin on each other patience.
Quran [103:1-3]

One must remember paradise will have ranks and levels. Everyone will be in loss in some context who do not follow the above. Maybe a person ends up in paradise, but failed to achieve a higher level and thus more bounties due to some of his acts. This would be termed as an opportunity lost, a loss of its own kind.

A muslim will always go to Paradise depends on how do you define a Muslim. Remember that no one of us has seen Allah or his glory as closely as the Shaitaan has. We do not know if Allah is one, we are told so. Shaitaan has seen the unity of Allah. Iblees had worshipped Allah for countless years before even our creation. If only faith is the name of being a muslim, then no one deserves paradise more than shaitaan, if worshipping Allah is the name of being a muslim, then no one deserves paradise more than shaitaan. But the truth is that submission to will of Allah is being a muslim, and irrespective of their worldly name, Muslims will be successful in the hereafter.

When his Lord said to him, Be a Muslim, he said: I submit myself to the Lord of the worlds.
Quran [2:131]

All those who submit themselves purely to the lords of the worlds, like Ibrahim (AS) did, "THE" muslims, are undoubtedly the inheritors of paradise.

Verdict; Pass

This is only a list of axioms which are prevailing amongst us and will further be incorporated in our children. The message should be very clear. Allah made us humans, we must act as humans. It is human to think and challenge, and it is human to bow down before the will of Allah.

 

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The Précis

Man has a tendency to question only what interests him and his monetary benefits, to other things, man is not even bothered to question.

There are prevailing norms of our society which are embedded as a part of Islam because they suit us and psychologically relieve us from the pressures of doing good.

An insight on some axioms for us to determine their integrity and be answerable for what ever we choose to do.