Author: Obaidullah Nimruzi
The Philosopher of Afghanistan; Sayyed Jamal al-din Afghan (Part 22)
The Unity of Religions and Sayyed Jamal al-din’s Wish
Sayyed Jamal al-din Afghani believed in the equality of human beings and praised work and action for the good and happiness of mankind. He was against division in religion and believed that the religions of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity agree in terms of origin, belief, and monotheism of the One God (Allah). He wished that if the followers of these religions were united, human society would take a significant step towards world peace and tranquility.
Answering Doubts About Islam and the Backwardness of Muslims
Sayyed Jamal al-din narrates that a member of the Indian Parliament asked him about some doubts and tried to cast doubt on his Islamic beliefs. His most important question was: If the Quran is the word of God (Allah), and the verse: «لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ» Translation: “That He may make it prevail over all religions, even though the polytheists hate it,” is true, why is Islam so backward and decadent in this age?
The Sayyed replied: Every divine religion is true, and Islam is a name that means righteousness. If a person who calls himself a “scholar” is actually ignorant, does this render knowledge and virtue worthless? Similarly, if millions of people call themselves “Muslims” but do not fulfill the rights of Islam, should we deny the truth and virtue of Islam?
The Emergence of the True Religion, Not Just the Name of Islam
Islam is not an abstract name devoid of content but a truth that must be acted upon. Allah says: «وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ» Translation: “And the true religion to make it manifest,” but He does not say: «وَمَنْ تَسَمَّى بِدِينِ الْإِسْلَامِ لِيُظْهِرَهُ» Translation: “And whoever calls himself a follower of the religion of Islam in order to make it apparent,” meaning that the promised victory is for those who practice the truth of the religion, not for those who merely bear the name “Muslim.”
The Root of Today’s Muslim Problems
The problems that Muslims are facing today have nothing to do with the truth of Islam but rather stem from their ignorance and lack of awareness of their religion. The verse: «وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ» Translation: “And the religion of truth, that He may make it prevail over all religions,” indicates that the heavenly religions are interconnected, comprising the religions of Moses, Jesus, and Islam. Therefore, whoever belongs to these religions and fulfills their rights will be granted victory and sovereignty because the promise of victory is given to the religion of truth, not to abstract names such as Judaism, Christianity, or Islam.
Allah says in the Quran: «إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ فَاعْبُدِ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصًا لَهُ الدِّينَ أَلَا لِلَّهِ الدِّينُ الْخَالِصُ» This means the pure religion belongs only to Allah, and victory belongs to those who practice it sincerely.
Jamal al-din Afghani and His Views on Religion and the Unity of Religions
Dividing Religion into Acts of Worship and Transactions
Jamal al-din Afghani believed that religion is divided into two parts: acts of worship and transactions. Acts of worship are an individual matter that a person performs for his God (Allah) and should not be objected to by others. Just as one should not object to another’s acts of worship, everyone turns towards Allah, who is the Lord of all the worlds, not just the Lord of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. In contrast, transactions are general laws that apply to all people. Therefore, all groups and tribes are encouraged to unite and cooperate with each other for the good and prosperity of their homeland.
Efforts to Unite the Followers of Religions
Sayyed Jamal al-din Afghani dreamed of uniting the three great religions and developed a program to achieve this goal. He invited the followers of different religions and groups to walk on the path of unity and agreement. However, he soon realized that there were major obstacles to achieving this goal. He recognized that some groups and sects were using religion as a tool for personal gain and turning it into a business. In the meantime, religious and sectarian differences had spread to such an extent that unity had been impeded. As the famous poet Ma’arri has said: “Sometimes it happens that a person gets up and opens a business shop, and I too have opened a shop in matters of religion.”
Countering Division in Religion
Jamal al-din Afghani realized that anyone who resists division and calls people to unity and a return to the true principles of religion would be accused of infidelity and atheism. Such a person is often portrayed as a divisive figure. Nonetheless, these accusations did not deter him from continuing on his path. His goal was to expose the bad scholars who had not acted on their knowledge and had turned religion into a tool for their ventures.
His Views on Historical Disagreements Among Muslims
Jamal al-din Afghani states the following about the disagreement between Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with them): “If we accept that this disagreement was beneficial in its time, bringing it back to the social scene now, and reviving it after centuries will only cause harm and endanger the unity of the Islamic Ummah.” He believed that such disagreement no longer holds relevance in today’s world and will only lead to further division among Muslims.
The Need for Muslim Awareness and Awakening
Sayyed Jamal al-din Afghani finally calls on Muslims to become aware and awakened and asks: “Isn’t it time for Muslims to emerge from this negligence and save themselves from gradual death?” He emphasizes that Amir al-Mu’minin Ali ibn Abi Talib (MABH) would never be pleased with Shia and Sunni followers engaging in war. Likewise, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (MABH) would not be pleased with Sunnis rising to defend him while engaging in conflict with Shia. He considers this mindset contradictory to the spirit of the Quran, which commands that Muslims stand together like a strong wall and strive for unity.
Sunnis’ Position Against Rafezi’at
Sunnis have always had scientific differences with Shiites and have been firm and steadfast in their religious issues. However, they never compromise with Rafezi’at, for here the issue of faith and belief is at stake. Sunnis will not retreat even a single step from their position. Any appeasement in this regard will eventually lead to Modahene (compromise on doctrinal principles), which is unacceptable.
The Necessity of Harmony Between Religion and Science
Sayyed Jamal al-din Afghani has taken a step further by attempting to create harmony between religion and science, which he considers an urgent and fundamental need. He believes that religion does not reject scientific facts, and if it appears so on the surface, religious verses should be interpreted accordingly. Elsewhere, while criticizing some superficial interpretations of the Quran, he says: “So how can we not raise a voice of regret and say: ‘Alas!’ When someone tries to interpret the Quran, only to be overly focused on ‘Bismillah,’ immersing themselves in its discussion to the extent that they do not go beyond the limit of the letter ‘S’ in ‘Al-Sirat’! While the Holy Quran is rich with high worldly and otherworldly knowledge from which one should greatly benefit.”
Criticism of Intellectual Petrification and Scientific Stagnation
Afghani believed that ignorance and stupidity had spread in Islamic societies, and intellectual petrification has even affected those who wear the garb of scholars. He strongly criticizes those who consider the Quran to be opposed to definitive sciences, stating: “Science has proven the spheroid Earth and affirms its rotation. This is a scientific truth that does not contradict the Quran in any way but is completely in harmony with it. The Holy Quran, with its elevated status, is too great to contradict scientific facts, especially in the field of general sciences. Therefore, if we do not find an explicit ruling in the Quran that aligns with science, Quranic hints are sufficient and interpretation should be applied.”
Afghani believes that the Quran is compatible with the needs of the time and should be interpreted in a way that does not contradict civilization and contemporary conditions. In interpreting the verses, he emphasizes insight and the capacity to reason while rejecting pure imitation and blind reasoning.
Continues…
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