ASK MAULANA

Your Questions Answered

Which clauses of the Quran do you think are the most misinterpreted ones in today’s world?

The most misinterpreted aspect of the Quran is jihad. Jihad, in reality, is peaceful activism but it has been misinterpreted as violent activism. Jihad is a fact of life. What is called ‘effort’ or ‘struggle’ in English is called ‘jihad’ in Arabic. Jihad is not something mysterious nor is it synonymous with violence. It simply means making great efforts or striving for a particular purpose.

What do Muslims have to do to remove Islamophobia from people of other faiths?

I do not believe that ‘Islamophobia’ exists. The irony is that this term has not been coined by other communities—it has been so named by the Muslim community themselves. Thus, Islamophobia is simply an allegation and not a real phenomenon.

In Islamic terms, this is a case of ‘calling others by offensive nicknames’ and is forbidden by the faith. Thus, first of all, Muslims must abandon using this term for others for the Quran states:

Believers, let not some men among you ridicule others: it may be that the latter are better than the former; nor should some women laugh at others; it may be that the latter are better than the former; do not defame or be sarcastic to each other, or call each other by [offensive] nicknames. How bad it is to earn an evil reputation after accepting the faith! Those who do not repent are evil-doers. (49: 11)

The fact is contrary to what Muslims think. Why do Muslims say that the West has Islamophobia? The reason is that Muslims give a negative interpretation to an event involving Islam and the West. However, the West does not actually mean anything negative. In this case, the responsibility goes to the Muslims, and not the West. So, in reality, if there is something, it is Muslim-o-phobia. The resentment is not towards Islam but against the un-Islamic practices of Muslims. We must contemplate and become more introspective about our actions and their effect on others. If Muslims introspect and rectify their course of action, they would no longer remain a problem-community for anyone.

What should be the approach of a Muslim towards verbal attack over social and other media?

These kind of talks on social and other media are based on vested interests and political motivations. Muslims should not retaliate on any negative remarks and should instead focus on positive dissemination of ideas. They must remain peaceful, polite, and take guidance from the following verses of the Quran:

Good and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is better; then you will see that one who was once your enemy has become your dearest friend. (41: 34)

The true servants of the Gracious One are those who walk upon the earth with humility and when they are addressed by the ignorant ones, their response is ‘Peace’. (25: 63)

To what extent are Islam and secularism reconcilable?

Islam and secularism are fully compatible. As per the encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, secularism is a policy of non-interference in religious matters. In a secular government, every religious community has the right to follow its own faith. This was demonstrated even by the Prophet Muhammad when he drafted the Madinah charter, according to which different religious groups were allowed to have their own personal law. The true meaning of secular personal law has been alluded to in the following verse of the Quran, according to which, people of other faiths could follow their own Holy books to judge their matters:

We have revealed the Torah, in which there is guidance and light. By it the prophets who were obedient to Us judged the Jews, and so did the rabbis and the priests, according to God’s Book which had been entrusted to their care; and to which they were witnesses. (5: 44)

But why do they come to you for judgement when they have the Torah, which enshrines God’s own judgement? (5: 43)

The Quran and the life of the Prophet Muhammad make it clear that secularism and the teachings of Islam are alike. Groups that claim otherwise are completely mistaken in promoting un-Islamic ideas of religious superiority.