Qur’an Reciter Thrown Out Of Parliament?
3rd April 2022
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
How could they kick out the man who recited Qur’an at the opening of the country’s parliament? This happens, even in Ramadan, the month of Qur’an.
In Pakistan, Malaysia, Kuwait, Sudan, Egypt and other Muslim countries, the opening of a parliamentary session, a majlis session of the ruling council or some other state event sometimes starts with a sheikh reciting from the Book of Allah (swt). Then, he leaves as legislators debate and decide the important matters of state and society.
It is as if the Guidance and solutions from Allah (swt) were never recited minutes earlier. It is as if the whole Qur’an is not recited to us every Ramadan.
Should Bollywood and Western culture be promoted? How do we raise taxes to fund services? Do we implement the kharaj, ushr, jizya and other wealth-based taxes mentioned in the Prophetic hadith and implemented by the Khulafah? Or do we implement income tax and Value Added Taxes (VAT) which we copied from the capitalist economic model and which contradict the shariah rules? Do we implement the Islamic Khilafah ruling system or democracy?
Similarly, for an individual, the question could be; should I follow the Islamic inheritance laws when dividing my father’s wealth, or should I go to the civil court in order to get a bigger share?
As we pray taraweeh and hear the recitation of verses covering every aspect of life, we see that in parts of our personal life and in the society in Muslim countries, these verses are not implemented.
Some of us, and all Muslim countries have embraced the western secular division between Mosque and state, relegating Islam to aspects of personal life.
The constitutional crisis in Pakistan, hunger in Afghanistan, war in Yemen or the plight of the Uyghurs are seen as matters which the shariah has no solutions for. It is as if the Qur’an, revealed by the All-Knowing Creator has nothing to say about life’s matters.
The Qur’an is a conversation between us and Allah (swt). It is not merely about listening to the Qari’s beautiful recitation at taraweeh or in the parliament building.
Allah (swt) speaks to us, points out the contradictions in our lives and gives us solutions to implement and address our problems.
So, the Muslim should listen with an attentive ear, seeking to understand Allah’s words, and to appreciate the contradictions Allah highlights in our lives. We then embrace Islam’s solutions to problems and rush to implement them – seeking Allah’s Pleasure.
Hearing إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ [Al-Fatiha 1:5] ‘You ˹alone˺ we worship and You ˹alone˺ we ask for help’ should make us look at our lives and ask if we truly worship Allah alone or if our ego, materialism, some person or system (like capitalism and secularism) command our obedience, veneration and worship instead of Allah, The Almighty.
When we hear that interest‘ riba is haram’ وَأَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ [Al-Baqarah 2:275]‘But Allah has permitted trading and forbidden interest’, don’t we look at every Muslim country and see that the capitalist economic system has been embraced and riba has been normalised? Does that agitate us? Does it motivate us to avoid interest in our dealings and call for the Islamic Khilafah system that implements the shariah instead?
This Ramadan, we must ask ourselves if listening to the Qur’an without implementing its guidance is acceptable for us as individuals or Muslim societies? Allah (swt) warns us in Sura Baqarah 2:85
أَفَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِبَعْضِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَتَكْفُرُونَ بِبَعْضٍ ۚ فَمَا جَزَآءُ مَن يَفْعَلُ ذَٰلِكَ مِنكُمْ إِلَّا خِزْىٌ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَيَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰٓ أَشَدِّ ٱلْعَذَابِ ۗ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَـٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
‘Do you believe in some of the Book and reject the rest? Is there any reward for those who do so among you other than disgrace in this worldly life and being subjected to the harshest punishment on the Day of Judgment? For Allah is never unaware of what you do.’
The current approach means abandoning huge parts of the Qur’an as guidance. It means we choose what we will take from the Qur’an. It means going against our very purpose in life as slaves who submit to the Creator (swt) and seek His Pleasure.
As we connect with the recitation of the Qur’an in the blessed month, we must also reflect and rule by it in our lives as fathers, mothers, traders, sons and workers. We must also pray for and strive to re-establish the Islamic Khilafah system in the Muslim world so the guidance from the Qur’an and sunnah are again implemented in society as a whole.
Please share the newsletter. Thanks.
Love and salams,
Taji
🧔 What have I been up to?
I started a short daily twitter space, Ramadan Readings. I share something from the Qur’an, hadith or something that motivated me. Listen to the first one DAY 1 Ramadan Readings: It’s who you become, not what you do. Listen here.
📖 Ayah and Hadith
يَمْحَقُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ وَيُرْبِى ٱلصَّدَقَـٰتِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ أَثِيمٍ
“Allah has made interest fruitless and charity fruitful. And Allah does not like any ungrateful evildoer. [Sura Al-Baqarah 2:276]
Quote of the Week
“My heart is at ease knowing that what was meant for me will never miss me, and that what misses me was never meant for me.” -Imam Shafi (ra)
❤ My Favourite Things
Podcast – Islam at a Crossroads in West Africa, an episode from The Making of the Islamic World podcast series.
Life in the Mamluk Sultanate, an episode from The Making of the Islamic World podcast series.
How the military personnel or mamluks employed by the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt overthrew that dynasty. Also looks at the institutions and structures established in the city of Cairo as displays of power and charity by Mamluk elite, and considers many other matters and facets of life and politics in that society.
Read past newsletters at tajimustafa.com