September/October 2014 Issue 23, Vol. 2 bi-monthly magazine islam today intends to address the concerns and aspirations of a vibrant Muslim community by providing readers with inspiration, information, a sense of community and solutions through its unique and specialised contents. It also sets out to help Muslims and non-Muslims better understand and appreciate the nature of a dynamic faith.
Editorial team Managing Director Chief Editor Managing Editor Copy Editor Health Editor Art Editor Layout and Design Design and Production
Mohammad Saeed Bahmanpour Amir De Martino Anousheh Mireskandari Kawther Rahmani Laleh Lohrasbi Moriam Grillo Raha Design Group Nasser Hasani
Contact us Information Letters to the Editor Article Submissions www.islam-today.net Follow us on Facebook
info@islam-today.net letters@islam-today.net submit@islam-today.net www.facebook.com/islamtodaymag
Contributors Ali Paya Jameel Kermalli Frank Julian Gelli Hamid Hadji Haidar Harun Yahya Julia Khadija Lafene Sabnum Dharamsi
Back Cover The mosque and mausoleum of Sufi Hani Northwest China. Built in mid -1300s
Publisher:
Islamic Centre of England 140 Maida Vale London, W9 1QB – UK
2
ISSN 2051-2503
Disclaimer: Where opinion is expressed it is that of the author and does not necessarily coincide with the editorial views of the publisher or islam today. All information in this magazine is verified to the best of the authors’ and the publisher’s ability. However, islam today shall not be liable or responsible for loss or damage arising from any users’ reliance on information obtained from the magazine.
C o n te n ts Life & Community 10
From the Editor 5
Islamic Education; A journey of Selfdiscovery
6
The Cube
ARTS
8
Ruh al-Alam - ‘House of God’ Shahida Ahmed - ‘Oneness’ Ahmed Mater - ‘Magnetism Installation’ Moustafa- ‘The Three Dimensions of Light (1997)’ Razwan Ul-Haq - ‘Illusion is in the eye only’
Help! It’s the new academic year The start of the academic year can bring many changes in a family. Expectation can run high in both parents and youngsters. Sabnum Dharamsi gives a number of tips to help both to keep abreast of change
Opinion 14
The insidious danger of 'physical and mental sloth' Have you developed an inclination towards postponing things all the time? Harun Yahya discusses the implication of such vice and the danger it poses for our faith
In the Spotlight Idris Khan - ‘You and only You’
16
Acquiring knowledge with a critical mind As many prepare to undertake academic studies, Ali Paya reflects on a theoretical and practical problem related to the acquisition of knowledge, particularly relevant for students and researchers in Islamic Studies
Masterpiece Walid Siti - ‘Perfect Formation’
Cover of knowledge and learning 20 AThefaith formation of spokesmen of the faith
9
requires Islamic knowledge obtained from authoritative Islamic centres with a recognisable reputation gained over centuries of scholarship and intellectual endeavour. Amir De Martino takes a brief look at the roles of seminaries
Addendum ‘To Muhammad, To Mecca’
Feature 24 Heritage
Unequivocal Justice: The ornament of a true leader The elusive theoretical concept of justice in leadership is virtue accorded to prophets and the selected few. Julia Khadija Lafene examines the life of Imam Ali and his personification of justice
‘Anis al-Hujjaj’ - The Pilgrim’s Companion
Faith Mixed Media Hanna Habibi
The Place to Be Mica Gallery
26
The Opened Doors to Salvation
30
Self-Building: A means to attain the perfect prayer
Who will be granted salvation at the end of time? Can we narrow it down to only a selected few? Hamid Hadji Haidar explains the Shi’a Islamic perspective and the various possibilities it offers to members of other faiths
To retain concentration during prayer is as important as prayer itself. Jameel Kermalli advise us on how to train our mind
3
C o n te n ts Interfaith 34
Fruits of intolerance: Persecution on grounds of religion Human intolerance towards members of other religions cuts across denominations. Revd. Frank Gelli looks at the dark side of Europe’s history of religious persecution to conclude that none of it accords with God’s Will
Health 38
In love with flavoured tobacco? Is smoking hookah not as bad as smoking cigarettes? Laleh Lohrasbi examines the reality of hookah smoking and its possible effects of our health
Listings and Events Theology in Islam: The Later Ash`ari Tradition - SOAS 42 Philosophical University Cartography between Europe and the Islamic world - Queen Mary University of London Syria’s Apex Generation - Ayyam Gallery ‘Another Day’ exhibition - Islamic Human Right Committee Benefit Evening – Muslim Institute Exhibition: South Africa’s Democracy — London School of Economics 'True to Life' - New Photography from the Middle East’ - Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery The World History of Rashid al-Din - University of Edinburgh Gendering the Social Sciences - London School of Economics Leeds Public Hearing: Commission on Religion and Belief in British Public Life The Question Concerning Economics -The Muslim Faculty of Advanced Studies, Norwich The Frontline Club Tribute Award Sport and Religion in Britain Today - Woolf Institute Symmetry in Sculpture: Recent Work by Zarah Hussain - Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery Songs of the Deserts - Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies Annual Lecture 2014 - The British Society for Middle Eastern Studies
Glossary of Islamic Symbols The letter(s) after the name of the Prophet Muhammad(s) stands for the Arabic phrase sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam, meaning: ‘May God bless him [Muhammad] and grant him peace’. The letter(a) stands for the Arabic phrase ‘alayhis-salaam, ‘alayhas-salaam (feminine) and ‘alayhimus-salaam (plural) meaning respectively: (God’s) Peace be with him/ her/ or them.
4
F rom the
Edito r
Amir De Martino
Islamic Education; A journey of selfdiscovery
Chief Editor
The teachings of Prophet Muhammad(s) and the history of Islamic civilisation remind us of the importance of education for Muslims, and the need to be learned, trained, educated and ready to take on not only religious responsibilities, but social, cultural and professional ones as well. The aim of Islamic education is to form individuals capable of growing culturally, socially, and above all, spiritually. Under the umbrella of Islamic teachings, a human being sets him/herself on a journey of selfdiscovery that would ultimately help him/her to recognise God in every action and moment of one’s existence. Educational and religious organisations, or family nucleuses, can educate people Islamically if their transmission of knowledge has a religious perspective and orientation based on the teachings of the Qur’an and the prophetic traditions - not only from a literal point of view, but also, particularly, from an inner and spiritual one. The Qur’an reminds us that: ‘Indeed, in the Messenger of God a good example has been set’ … (33:21). Any claimant of following Prophet Muhammad’s(s) way will ultimately have to live up to such a beautiful and all-encompassing example. To educate oneself Islamically does not end with teaching oneself – or others - some basic rules of Islamic practices or how to read Qur’an. It is not about trying to ‘Islamise knowledge’, but rather about ensuring that every subject taught, such as history, geography, mathematics, language, physics, chemistry, etc., are taught in such a way that the student learns about the world, and the rest of humanity, through an Islamic worldview. The religion of Islam is not a subject of study but a system and method of acquiring knowledge from which
Muslim scholars throughout the centuries have derived well-defined sciences of teaching and learning, essential for the intellectual and cultural development of every Muslim. In the cover story of this issue, I have briefly traced the map and history of the Islamic centres of intellectual learning across the Islamic world, focusing on the Shi’a Muslim seminaries known as the Hawzaat Ilmiyya, underlining the breadth and depth of their intellectual tradition. It is from these seminaries that great scholars were produced to serve the community of believers throughout Islamic history. With the growing Islamic presence in Western countries, there is a necessity to ensure that we continue to produce worthy scholars that are familiar with the new realities of an Islam which is now visibly present in the West. It is now possible to study Islam at the highest level in Western universities, and, while desirable, one has to remember that in such institutions Islam is learned as a subject from a non-denominational or secular outlook. There is an inherent danger typical of our ‘modern’ age to negate any metaphysical reality that is not understood by the modern discursive rationale. While this may be useful in an academic context, the Muslim community still needs individuals who have been trained according to an intellectual Islamic vision of reality. There is a clear distinction between knowledge of Islam and an Islamic orientation towards knowledge. Indeed, one has to make distinction here between Islam as a subject of study and Islam as a practiced faith. The devotional aspect of any faith can only be perceived, understood and known by someone who is involved in it. And since a good percentage of Islamic knowledge is acquired through acts of
worship, an understanding of Islam that does not include this element is limited. Yet at the same time, to be an expert on Islam does not require one to be a Muslim and indeed some nonMuslims could be said to have a better understanding of Islam acquired via a process of ‘objective’ study (observation, analysis, etc). On the other hand, for one to have an Islamic orientation towards knowledge he/she should have first internalised an Islamic worldview that sees this universe as an interconnected whole that manifests the existence of a Creator. Islam has kept a Unitarian vision of the sacredness of life in which there are no divisions between the spiritual sphere and the social one. Unfortunately for some this is considered a dangerous element. The Islam of Prophet Muhammad(s) has nothing to do with the peculiar faith held by some groups which have recently claimed statehood in the name of 'religion'. These groups are born from the most barren intellectual desert and are disconnected from long-standing Islamic centres of learning that have produced level-headed scholars among Sunnis and Shi'as. In its true essence, Islamic centres of intellectual learning are open spaces where knowledge is transparent, where we learn about ourselves at the same time we learn about the ‘others’ with whom we relate and dialogue in appreciation of our differences, be it historical, cultural or ethnical. This is even more so in the Western context. Today more than ever before there is a need for reputable centres of Islamic learning in both the Sunni and the Shi’a world to work together in order to curtail individuals or groups that promote a narrow and exclusivist understanding of the Islamic faith and arrogantly impose it on others.
.
5
ARTS Art Editor Moriam Grillo Presented below are selections of artists who have explored the theme of Hajj in their work. While some explore the theme more obviously than others, there is a common thread that runs through each artist’s work which conveys a journey, a testimony or a point of awakening.
The Cube
In classical Western art, there is a tradition of using particular forms or colours as a cultural reference point. Everything beginning with primary colours [red, yellow and blue] and primary forms [circle, triangle and square], for example. A famous impressionist painter once said that all objects are based on one primary form. These fundamental elements have delineated the visual heritage and accepted visual language for generations, forming the basis of all Western art forms. I would like to take this opportunity to briefly explore how form is interpreted in Islamic art. While Western art is led by iconography, Islamic art is more about abstract form. A case of identity versus integrity. As the theme this month is Hajj, I am presenting the work of three artists and taking a look at how they interpret form. The form in question is the physical focal point of Islamic practice, the Kaaba, which has become a traditional reference point for Islamic art. Let’s take a look at the work of six very different artists, and how each of them has interpreted the Kaaba. The Kaaba, which translates as ‘the cube’, is a six-sided form which depicts the sacred centrality of prayer and worship - a notion that each creative artist has chosen to portray differently.
Ruh al-Alam
‘House of God’
‘Every Muslim artist who seeks to create art that is reflective of their faith will always come to do a piece on the Kaaba as it is the closest an artist gets to depict the most Divine’. - Ruh al-Alam
Shahida Ahmed ‘Clay, wooden cubes in varying sizes, heavy in form and in their monochrome glaze, this huge installation exquisitely juxtaposes the most avant-garde modern style to illuminate an ancient and eternal effect. But in their precise formation one is drawn through each layer of beauty to a point of singular transcendent completeness. I continue to be inspired by simplicity and the beauty and perfection of geometry.’ Shahida Ahmed
‘Oneness’ (Ceramic and mixed media installation)
6
Ahmed Mater ‘Ahmed Mater’s Magnetism gives us more than simple simulacra of that Ancient House of God. His counterpoint of square and circle, whorl and cube, of black and white, light and dark, places the primal elements of form and tone in dynamic equipoise. And there is another dynamic and harmonious opposition implicit in both magnetism and pilgrimage – that of attraction and repulsion. The Kaaba is magnet and centrifuge: going away, going back home; [it] is the last rite of pilgrimage. There is, too, a lexical parallel: the Arabic word [which means] ‘to attract’, jadhaba, can also on occasion signify its opposite, ‘to repel’. (‘In Arabic, everything means itself, its opposite, and a camel,’ somebody once said; not to be taken literally, of course, although the number of self-contradictory entries in the dictionary is surprising.) And yet all this inbuilt contrariness is not so strange: “Without contraries,’ as William Blake explained, "there is no progression. Attraction and repulsion . . . are necessary to human existence”’. - Tim Mackintosh-Smith
‘Magnetism Installation’ - Prototype I (Magnets and Iron Filings 2008)
Ahmed Moustafa
(Inspired by chapter 3 verse 69 of the Holy Qur’an, Oil and watercolour on handmade paper 100 x 82 cm) ‘The Three Dimensions of Light (1997)’
‘It is an uncontested fact that any perfect cube has six equal square sides. Everyone is perpendicular to the other in their interrelationship. This, however, gives rise to the formation of eight apexes, each one being a meeting point of the three sides of the cube, and at the same time is the top of a triangular pyramid; the base of which is the equilateral triangle constructed by the three diameters of the aforementioned three sides. The project is an objective representation of the inherent relationship between the One and the Many, an embodiment of the well-known narration: ‘God has ninety nine names, one hundred minus one. Whoever enumerates them enters Paradise’. Text courtesy of Feenoon.com
Razwan Ul-Haq ‘Is it a cube? Or is it a three dimensional pyramid? What we see is not what it is. What we see is what the eye sees. The soul gives its definition. Islamic minimalism has its inception in the empty Kaaba. Islam is clear on form: There is none worthy of adulation but the Divine. From this sacred formula, namely, la ilaha illa-llah [there is no god but God], the spring of meaning gushes forth. The desert around Makkah is spartan, and just like the beauty of the Japanese aesthetic, the openness of space provides the perfect backdrop for the elaboration of concepts. Minimalism then returns the Art to the star-filled Arabian nights, where there is no distracting golden frame but just the flourish of the Divine Word. Unfettered. And unhindered. There is no frenzy of redundant form here. Simply the evocation. And the hushed touch. Stone and rock frame the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad(s). And on my first visit to Makkah, I reflected upon this unreal reality. This is fundamental to a return to the minimalist method.’ - Razwan Ul-Haq
‘Illusion is in the eye only’
7
In the Spotlight Idris Khan
8
‘You and only You’
Masterpiece Walid Siti
‘Perfect Formation (2012)’ (Nails, thread on MDF 240x320x8cm)
Born in 1978 in Birmingham, West Midlands, Idris Khan graduated with a Masters in Fine Art from the University of Derby in 2000. His piece entitled, ‘You and Only You’, reminds me of Hajj and the gathering of many hearts to a single unified point. Made up of hundreds of lines of text, Khan’s piece achieves the same end. With all words, letters, being drawn together to convey a meaning which journeying toward a single central point of focus, the heart of the matter. Through its simplicity, this work successfully conveys the significance of Hajj, as a personal journey and consolidated struggle. Khan’s work is inspired by a range of different elements, namely, religion, art and literature. An interesting mix which culminates into powerful and thoughtprovoking outcomes. Khan was initially inspired by his father to photograph every page of the Qur’an. This led to a multi-layered ‘experiment of all-encompassing composites’ which Khan describes as ‘compressed memories’. It is a collective installation of sacred words, creating a juxtaposition which is both momentous and profound, and is a theme that runs loyally through Khan’s work, whether referencing the Holy Qur’an, the classical composer Ludwig van Beethoven or the esteemed English painter JMW Turner. Khan’s work is a creation of deeplylayered meaning, much like the narrative of each of our individual lives. Where other artists endeavour to create meaning through conceptual intervention, Khan’s work produces them through the physical embodiment of collective experience. With the possibility of being both abstract and figurative, two as well as three dimensions, his work addresses narratives of history, and cumulative experience. Condensing them into a single experience or moment of time.
Walid Siti was born in 1954 in Duhok, Iraqi Kurdistan. He graduated from the Institute of Fine Art in Baghdad and went on to complete a masters in fine art in Slovenia. Siti creates work which is a response to the atrocities of war in the history of his country. He says his art is a reflection of the violence and political upheaval endemic in conflict. And as life informs art, Siti believes his work has been consequently infiltrated by these themes. Although his work is principally the portrayal of chaos and conflict, his more recent works convey an ordered and peaceful message which engenders a sense of calm and quietude. For this reason, Siti’s work has been included in exhibitions which depict narratives such as contemplation, reflection and spiritual transformation. A positive resolve for something that began as an expression of loss and sorrow. And a reminder that duality is a driving force in all of our life experiences. For me, Perfect Formation is an enchanting composition that does two things. Firstly, it draws me into its centre, gently forcing me to focus on its core. When my eyes tire from such diligent observation, the rest of its form, splayed out like the wings of a large butterfly or moth become apparent to me. It was first, while studying film at university, and then, sitting in the company of learned scholars, that has led me to now look for a deeper sense of meaning in the world around me, and has given me an awareness and understanding that, with purity of intention, can only lead one back to God. I call this piece enchanting, because observing it takes me on a journey, one of discovery and awakening. From a distance, it conveys an abstract wingspan, but upon looking closer, one is reminded of a nucleus, or a central focal point, akin to the heart of a flame. It is these conceptual thoughts that leads me to consider the analogy of our natural dispensation to seek Truth and journey toward God - an act which is beautifully epitomised in the movement of a moth toward the light or a single, naked flame.
To Mohammad! To Mecca! plays on a universal icon - the Coca-Cola logo. The graphic metal construction flips the logo backwards to confront a conspiratorial rumour that the logo conceals an anti-Islamic message in Arabic: No Mohammad! No Mecca! However, the glowing, red neon sign reveals that the exact opposite interpretation is as obvious: To Mohammed! To Mecca! The backwards logo replaces the negative reading with a positive, inclusive one which symbolises a celebration of Islam every time one observes the iconic sign.
Heritage ‘Anis al-Hujjaj’ - The Pilgrim’s Companion (India, possibly Gujarat c. 1677-80AD Ink, watercolour and gold on paper Persian text in Nasta’liq script)
Addendum
Anis al-Hujjaj ‘To Muhammad, To Mecca’ (Double sides neon Light-box / Material: metal box, neon light / Dimensions: 87 x 260 x 20 cm / Installation view: Kiasma: Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki – 2010)
Written during the year-long pilgrimage undertaken by the author, Safi ibn Vali, in 1676-77, Anis al-Hujjaj, or The Pilgrim’s Companion, is a manual of advise giving clear instructions for every aspect of the journey. It is a work of art and a treasured piece of antiquity.
The Place to Be
Mixed Media ‘I feel that if only the voices of Muslim women were presented a little more by the media, rather than simply being "talked about", we would all benefit and become a little more understanding of one another’. - Habibi Hanna Habibi Hopkins is an artist and designer born in Bristol in 1982. Hopkins came to prominence after winning the 3FF Urban Dialogues Artist Award for her works ‘Illumination’ and ‘Chasing Paradise’ in 2011. In 2012 she was short listed with a special mention for ‘My Place on the Isle’, in the nationwide competition organised by Mica Gallery. Her work is daring, vibrant, and, more than anything, youthful. A fusion of Islamic ideology and pop art, Habibi’s work brings an energy to the world of Islamic art which is unique and exciting. Far from conservative, her work, quite literally, dares to go where none have gone before. Using the female form as a basis, Habibi tackles notions of identity, spirituality, and the stereotypes surrounding Muslim women. Habibi should be applauded for bringing her wit to challenge politically-driven connotations of womanhood. While questioning and redressing the situation with fervour and rewriting an invigorated perception on gender identity (that can traverse the language of two very different worlds), she creates the possibility of common understanding and mutual respect.
Mica Gallery is an art gallery located in Knightsbridge, London. The gallery was founded by Designer and Entrepreneur Reedah el-Saie in 2007. Mica Gallery specialises in Modern Islamic Interiors & Contemporary Art. It has successfully created a vibrant niche market in Modern Islamic art from a wide range of international artists, highlighting the work of young emerging talent. The gallery comprises 1, 500 square feet of exhibition space and specialises in Modern Islamic and Contemporary art.
.
Moriam Grillo is an international artist. She holds Bachelor degrees in Photography, Film and Ceramics. She is also a freelance broadcaster, photographer and writer.
9
From The
Counsellor’s Chair
10
This is the time of the year when both parents and youngsters need to adjust to new circumstances that will affect then both. Sabnum Dharamsi provides a few tips to cope with changing situations
11
Are you ready for the upcoming academic year? Did you do everything you meant to do? Are you organised? It’s easy to underestimate the challenges the academic year brings. As with any new beginning, there are opportunities to start again, to apply oneself with fresh energy, and even rectify the mistakes of the previous year. But this is easier said than done. These good intentions get overlaid with other factors and before you know it you’ve found yourself in the same low-flying pattern as before. So what’s the best way of getting into gear? I have three tips to get you up and moving. The first and most important is to just take a pause and breathe. Give yourself a break from the unrelenting pace of your life and you will begin to see how pressurising yourself is draining your energy. Recognise how demanding the holiday period can be. Time for fasting and domestic tasks, for rest and relaxation, family and friends mean summer’s long expanse disappears and here you are with no time left for preparation. If this is you, you probably start the academic year feeling ruffled, that you are already behind and playing catch up is draining. Pausing and breathing allows you to gather yourself. My second tip is to give your feelings the honest attention they deserve. Whether it’s tiredness, disappointment or frustration over ‘should have dones’, acknowledging emotions big and small is as important as practical preparations. To understand what I mean, let’s take a look at Farid, typical of many young people I come across. He avoids the preparation he knows is necessary. He’s not grasped what’s happening yet, nor is he too concerned. His reasoning is his last year was very stressful and he needed a break from work. But something is bubbling beneath the surface - a worry that he
… summer’s long expanse disappears and here you are with no time left for preparation. If this is you, you probably start the academic year feeling ruffled, that you are already behind, and playing catch up is draining. 12
won’t do well. Not facing his feelings means it’s also hard for him to concentrate. He has a gnawing sense that something isn’t quite right. Soon Farid starts to entertain feelings of doubt about his ability. He procrastinates further, and now his parents are starting to worry. When they encourage him, he doesn’t believe them, and when they tell him off, he reacts badly. Soon everyone’s blaming everyone else, and Farid’s now so fearful that he’s losing confidence with teachers and peers. This in turn impacts on his grades and even social interactions. Feelings of failure have turned into a reality that’s getting harder to break. Farid’s situation shows how easy it is for feelings to get out of hand. It also shows how important it is to deal with emotions intelligently, hopefully before they become intractable. Some feelings are hard to deal with because they aren’t pleasant. Yet working through them is not only the key to being prepared for the academic year, but also learning about learning, an essential part of any student’s skill set. For many people, the act of learning takes a conscious effort. So acknowledging your emotions, however painful, is the key to managing learning. With this awareness you often find that emotions you were avoiding are not as bad as you thought. Amazingly, there is a part of us that knows we are running away from the truth, if we have the courage to face it. God says: ‘No! The human is witness over its own self, Even if it offers excuses’. (75:14-15) My third tip is to profit from new insights by directing your energy more beneficially. There’s many ways of doing this; it’s really whatever helps you. When you have the intention to help yourself, when you’ve prepared the emotion-
al ground so you are open, God guides you to just the right resource that meets your needs. It could be a verse in the Qur’an that leaps out at you, or it might even be through deep reflection. Whatever it is, allow that inner wisdom to come through by listening to yourself and acting on it. Another good way is talking with someone who won’t judge you, who’s trained to help you to see blind spots and overcome things you’re stuck with. School or college counsellors are accustomed to working with student issues, and teachers and parents can also really support this process. By putting your insights into action, you not only make it harder to fall back into old habits, you also build on what you’ve discovered and start to find new strategies to help with learning. The other important factor is the interaction between parents and young people. The beginning of the academic year acts like a pressure cooker, pushing everyone’s feelings into each other. Although it’s the young person that’s starting school or college, parents are also under pressure. Parents also can benefit from the three tips outlined above. Pause and breathe, otherwise things can easily escalate. As we can see in Farid’s case, anxiety often manifests in trying to find someone to blame. The parent blames the young person, they blame the parent, and sometimes both blame the teacher and school, and so it goes round. This is known as the ‘blame game’ – not because there isn’t any truth in what’s being said, but the underlying motivation is fear, to protect oneself from difficult feelings of possible failure. Blame is a shortterm fix in that a victim doesn’t need to take responsibility, but in the long term it also prevents us from taking steps to change things. You blame someone else, feel temporarily better, but your life gets stuck where For many people, the act of learning takes a it is. conscious effort. So acknowledging your emotions, Again, even for parents, however painful, is the key to managing learning. ‘giving their With this awareness you often find that emotions feelings honest attention’ you were avoiding are not as bad as you thought. is important. It is hard in-
deed when the stakes are so high; education is very often a passport to a good job, economic success and social status. In Farid’s case, his parents accept and love Farid for who he is, but like many parents, they also feel huge responsibility for him. They’ve worked hard and invested energy, love, and resources so naturally their hopes are that he’ll do well and surpass their achievements. This isn’t wrong – high aspirations for children can be beneficial, motivating them to achieve more, but it’s confusing to know what to do when they fall. Parents can feel helpless and anxious in relation to school failure and negative aspects of behaviour. Children’s achievements can be a source of pride, a reflection of their upbringing and genetic heritage, but it works the other way too. If they do badly, parents can feel vulnerable and ashamed. It’s a fine line, knowing when to push children and when to give them space, but it’s also so easy for parents to become ‘pushy’ without realising because they are being driven by anxiety or anger because they feel ashamed. In Farid’s case, his parents’ criticism was something he couldn’t face at that point. The more vulnerable he felt, the less he could admit his difficulties to himself, let alone his parents. He needed some space to work things out for himself, but his parents also needed space and to develop their emotional intelligence. They too needed to look at their own motivations, and act accordingly. There’s no denying this is hard work – facing our blind spots, letting go of blame and experimenting with new ideas. But whatever your circumstances, it’s never a mistake to look clearly and compassionately at yourself and your family, especially at the beginning of the school year, when clarity has the potential to reap huge rewards.
.
Sabnum Dharamsi is a therapist and co-founder of Islamic Counselling Training.
13
Opin io n
s u o i d i s f n i o e r h e T dang ical s y h 'p d an ntal me th' slo
An inclination towards idleness or apathy can be a warning sign that sloth is settling within our inner self. Harun Yahya explains the dangers that sloth can bring to our religious life and why it stands at the opposite side of a good believer
14
Sloth is typified by not wanting to do anything, by weariness and by apathy; these moral negativities are all too widespread in our modern era. Sloth is a severe behavioural defect, even though many people regard minor laziness as harmless. However, since they fail to appreciate its adverse effects, they are unable to grasp the true nature of the danger it presents.
Sloth literally numbs people The great majority of people imagine that physical and mental sloth will bestow agreeable lives upon themsevles. This is a grave error, however, because sloth literally numbs a person and makes him forget the reason for his presence in this world. Sloth must not be understood in purely physical terms; it is a disease needing to be purged both physically and mentally. For example, intellectual laziness, which typically appears with such traits as not thinking deeply about matters, always choosing the easy path and preferring to copy others - instead of finding one’s own likes, dislikes, solutions and positions - is a deeprooted disorder in the human soul.
The harm of intellectual laziness The adverse effects of intellectual laziness frequently emerge when someone does not use his conscience and intelligence. This will soon affect his will, and sloth will eventually dominate his entire lifestyle. Since that person will be unable to demonstrate any will or determination in any matter, he will possess numerous moral defects because one can only be a virtuous person and behave well by demonstrating determination. The state of mind of a slothful person means that they eventually will not even be bothered to do what needs to be done on matters concerning themselves, such as going to the doctor when they are sick or striving to succeed in anything, and preferring to remain as they are rather than trying to improve themselves in any
area (culture, manners, morals, etc.). If a person suffers from severe laziness in thought or will, it is impossible for him to live by the moral values revealed in the Qur’an because Quranic values require zeal, determination and a powerful will. Even if one has no physical work, a Muslim’s mind will always be full of goodness and a desire to serve Islamic values. He will always be looking for something that will benefit believers. He will always strive to propagate the religious values revealed by God, to warn people to support the truth and to command goodness and oppose evil. It is impossible for such a person to engage in idleness of either mind or body.
... intellectual laziness, which typically appears with such traits as not thinking deeply about matters, always choosing the easy path and preferring to copy others - instead of finding one’s own likes, dislikes, solutions and positions - is a deep - rooted disorder in the human soul. People who contract the illness of sloth do things in the manner they are always used to doing things. They never look for a better or more appropriate way of doing things; they simply imitate what they have seen. The solutions they find to problems also reflect their intellectual laziness. They are unable to produce new solutions since they never reflect on any issues. Such people suffer much harm in their daily lives. However, there are even more important matters, which failing to reflect upon, will inflict them with grave and eternal disappointment. Failure to reflect on the reason for one’s creation in the world and ignoring the fact that death is inescapable - and that the Day of Reckoning will eventually follow
it - represents the source of that disappointment. Almighty God calls on us to reflect on these important truths in the Qur’an: ‘Those are the people who have lost their own selves. What they invented has abandoned them. Without question they will be the greatest losers in the Akhirah [The Day of Judgement]. As for those who have iman [belief] and do right actions and humble themselves before their Lord, they are the Companions of the Garden, remaining in it timelessly, forever. The likeness of the two groups is that of the blind and deaf and the seeing and hearing. Are they the same as one another? So will you not pay heed?’ (11: 21-24)
The false comfort of laziness does not substitute for a clear conscience God informs us of the morals of believers with the following verse, ‘So when you have finished, work on' (94:7). True serenity is not with laziness, but by working on earning the good pleasure of God and the false comfort that comes out of laziness is never a substitute for a clear conscience. Therefore one should be very vigilant against all the whisperings from Satan - or even heeding the base temptations of his lower self. The conscience of a true Muslim always prevails over the lower self. This moral attribute of Muslims is mentioned in a verse in the Qur’an: ‘And among the people there are some who give up everything, desiring the good pleasure of God. God is Ever-Gentle with His slaves’. (2:207) That is why, by God’s leave, it is a great asset to be hard working and reasoning, to put into practice what one thinks, and to be continually productive as for one’s own benefit as well as for the benefit of others.
.
Adnan Oktar, also known as Harun Yahya, is a Turkish author and an Islamic creationist
15
Acquiring knowledge with a critical mind As many students prepare to undertake higher academic studies, Ali Paya reflects on a theoretical and practical problem related to the acquisition of knowledge, particularly relevant for students and researchers in Islamic Studies
16
17
A look at the educational system a misguided conception of science Since the second half of the last in Islamic centres of learning will and technology. This misconception century, a new trend, known as the show that over the past centuries is, to a large extent, due to the wrong Islamisation of knowledge/science, the method of rote learning has models of science propagated since has gained popularity in many become an integral part of the the mid-nineteenth century in the Muslim countries. traditional system of education in West. On the one side we have the Muslim world. In general terms, the positivists, with their emphasis The ‘Islamisation of rote learning is a process of learning on empirical data and scientific Knowledge’ based on the memorisation and methods, and on the opposite side The encounter between a declining repetition of information. The major we have the so-called culturalists Islamic civilisation which was at its problem with this system is that it and the interpretivists with their lowest point and a powerful Europe does not promote Rational, critical relativist ontology, who maintain put in motion a chain of complex thinking. that reality is socially constructed by and complicated reactions which Rational, critical thinking is about means of discourses and meaning has continued to this day. One being active (as opposed to passive) structures. of these reactions was the call for in our learning. It means that when What must be understood is that producing a new knowledge based we approach an idea, we do so with science/knowledge and technoloon Islamic teachings which was freed an inquiring and probing attitude, gy are both man-made. They are from the influences of the modern rather than with unquestioning also closely related in their modern acceptance. Therefore, manifestations. Yet they we’re always questioning are distinct entities, with whether the ideas, argudifferent aims and objecIn order to promote critical thinking in the context ments and findings we’re tives and characteristics. coming across are adThe aim of science/ of Islamic studies, and to find an alternative to equately representative knowledge is to respond the positivists or interpretivists paradigms, one for the intended purpose to our cognitive needs; and we remain open to that is to say, its aim is suggestion which has been proposed would be to new discoveries. our desire to know about look in the direction of critical rationalism. The set of traditional disvarious aspects of reality. ciplines which somewhat Technologies, on the misleadingly is called the other hand, respond to sciences. This reaction is known as ‘Islamic sciences’ was developed our non-cognitive needs or act as the ‘Islamisation of Knowledge’. within the intellectual eco-system mere tools to assist and facilitate The advocates of the project of of Islamic culture during the past our cognitive pursuits. Chairs, cars, the ‘Islamisation of Knowledge’ centuries. These disciplines, like and cloths are examples of the first have described it as a novel way similar disciplines developed in othtype of technologies; computers, for putting an end to the decline er cultures in which particular texts telescopes, and books are of the scientific spirit in Muslim were regarded as privileged docuexamples of the second type. Some communities. This project was first ments, were, to some extent, relying technologies, like mobile phones, discussed in a systematic way by on memorisation techniques and combine both functions. the likes of Isma‘il Faruqi, Sayyed rote learning as one of their main Hossein Nasr, Sayyed Naquib aleducational approaches. In such an Critical Rationalism Attas, Fazlur Rahman, and many approach, the emphasis is mostly In order to promote critical others since the late 1960s and on the retention and transmission thinking in the context of Islamic early 1970s . of the content of the views of a ‘figstudies, and to find an alternative The advocates of the Islamisation ure of authority’, i.e., those who are to the positivists or interpretivists of science/knowledge maintain that regarded as experts in expounding paradigms, one suggestion which modern science takes people away the privileged texts. Comments and has been proposed would be to from God, and for this reason a new elaborations are mostly for the purlook in the direction of critical science which restores the place of pose of further elucidation on prior rationalism. the sacred in the grand scheme of meanings without much deviation Critical rationalists have tried to things must be developed. from them. correct the mistakes introduced Despite the pious intentions of the Rote learning is not the only by positivists and their detractors. advocates of the Islamisation of shortcoming of the systems of They have also taken some steps to science/knowledge, it can be shown education in Muslim society. highlight the misconceptions related that their whole project is based on 18
to the theory of the Islamisation happening in the Islamic culture * Our conjectures, no matter of science/knowledge. The main since the advent of Islam: the how accurate they are, always fall tenets of critical rationalism can be understanding of Muslim scholars short of fully capturing reality. summarised as follows: of the meaning of the texts has been Simply because reality, as the * The quest for knowledge and subject to never-ending changes and critical rationalist explains, is truth, for ‘emancipation through improvements; scholars have been indeterminately infinite, whereas knowledge’ and ‘spiritual freedom’. trying to shed light on the meaning we are finite creatures with limited * The critical attitude that seeks of the texts from new angles and cognitive abilities. undogmatically to subject all in the face of newly-emerged attitudes, ideas, institutions, and challenges. The net result of these Recommendations traditions, along with so-called efforts has been the enrichment of To promote critical thinking among knowledge and so-called freedom, to the network of the meaning of the students of Islamic Studies (and also critical examination and appraisal. texts. in other academic disciplines), some * Willingness to learn from others. Students should learn that achievmisconceptions must be dispelled Critical rationalists emphasise the ing certainty (yaqin), far from beright from the beginning. Students need to recognise everybody with ing the ultimate goal of acquiring must be taught that many of the whom one communicates as a poknowledge, is not an epistemic aim disciplines developed under the tential source of argument and of at all. Certainty belongs to the categeneric rubric of ‘[Classic] Islamic reasonable information and take gory of personal psychology and has the attitude that one nothing to do with epismay be wrong and temology. The reason is they may be right, and that certainty can easily be one may get nearer achieved by means of exThe only difference between various scholars is that to the truth by effort. ternal factors: brain-washtheir interpretations of the meaning of the texts are As a methodological ing, persuasion, propaganframework critical da, obtaining the same informed by various types of ‘knowledge claims’ and rationalism upholds result by means of drugs, ‘lived-experiences’ which, though they may have the following theses, and many other causal facamong others: tors. overlaps, are not identical. * All knowledge is Epistemology, on the other conjectural and yet it hand, has nothing to do Sciences’ are not science in the is not impossible to get closer to a with external causes; it is all about proper sense of the term. They are true understanding of reality, whethinternal reasons. In the realm of mostly techniques or technologies. er natural or socially constructed, epistemology we seek to investigate Some important cases in point here through our own mistakes and by the ‘reasons’ used for developing are fiqh and usul a-fiqh. reflecting on the mistakes made by arguments and examine whether None of these techniques, practices others. All observations are theosuch reasons are conducive to the and disciplines - as well as ry-laden; Justification, of all sorts and conclusions in question. techniques, practices and disciplines type, is impossible; induction, as a The importance of developing a developed in the modern world method of inference is invalid and critical rational approach to our should be regarded as ‘sacred’ or, as a method of discovery impossible. acquisition of knowledge becomes as it were, ‘beyond reproach’. They even more important in the ever * Knowledge advances in two are all man-made devices and expanding world of e-learning. complementary ways: via negativa as such are in constant need of Since this method is student-led and via positiva. The former concerns improvement. and student-based, it is of utmost what we learn from dis-proofing the The only difference between various importance for students in this assumptions made about the reality scholars is that their interpretations system to make sure that they are of things. We learn that reality is not of the meaning of the texts are fully capable of applying the critical the way these assumptions explain. informed by various types of rational way of thinking to all The latter pertains to assumptions ‘knowledge claims’ and ‘livedsubject-matters they study. which so far, and despite our best experiences’ which, though they efforts to refute them, have proved may have overlaps, are not identical. resilient and remained affirmed. This is why they have come up with Ali Paya is Professor of Philosophy at the Islamic College, London; Senior Visiting Research Fellow Such claims are regarded as our interpretations which (at least to at the University of Westminster, and Professor of best provisional candidates for some extent) differ from each other. Philosophy at the National Institute for Science Policy in Tehran. knowledge about reality. This is exactly what has been
.
19
Cover
20
Graduation ceremony of religious scholars in Qum
A faith of knowledge and learning The formation of spokesmen of the faith requires authoritative Islamic knowledge obtained from authoritative Islamic centres with a recognisable reputation gained over centuries of scholarship and intellectual endeavour. Amir De Martino takes a brief look at the roles of seminaries Religions that have come to provide a code of conduct and a model for living for humanity have, over the centuries, developed complex and sophisticated discursive theology with detailed compendiums of practices to guide the believers in many aspects of their lives. The accumulation of such a body of knowledge has made it necessary to train groups of dedicated individuals whose main objective is to undertake the acquisition of religious knowledge in order to assist those communities who wish to live a faith-based existence. The monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam have all developed recognised centres of learning to train future scholars and experts in their respective faiths. In the Islamic context, the educational and intellectual activity of the community began during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad(s) under his supervision. Ali ibn Abi Taleb(a), who was brought up and educated directly by the Prophet, acquired a high reputation in Islamic learning. He lectured and expanded on many aspects of Islamic knowledge. Ali(a) and his cousin Abdullah ibn Abbas rose to be the greatest intellectual figures of their age. Before the rise of the Abbasid Caliphate, Makkah and Madinah were the most important intellectual and educational centres in the Islamic world. The famous Mosque of the Prophet in Madinah maintained its predominance for many centuries. It is in the Madinah of the Prophet that consecutive
descendent from his progeny - the Ahl alBayt(a) - established their centres of learning. The city was graced by the presence of such intellectual giants in all fields of Islamic knowledge. such as Imam Ali ibn Husayn(a), Imam Mohammad al-Baqir(a), and Imam Jaafar al-Sadiq(a). Even during the glories of the Abbasid Caliphate, Harun al-Rashid had sent his sons Amin and Mamun to Madinah to obtain education in religion, traditions and language. From the four corners of the vast Islamic world students flocked round Imam Jaafar al-Sadiq(a) in Madinah in order to be enlightened by his scholarly discourses. As the political circumstances forced the Ahl al-Bayt(a) to migrate from Madinah, the city lost its predominance in knowledge. New centres of learning sprung up across the Islamic world. With time, some of these centres of learning acquired great fame and prestige becoming the first universities of the Middle Ages. Some of the most famous centres for religious instruction still exist today, though not in their original form. These are: Al-Azhar University in Cairo, the University of al-Qarawiyyin in Fes (Morocco), Al-Zeituna University in Tunisia or the famous Bayt al-Hikmah (the House of Wisdom) in Baghdad. Gradually their curriculum of studies changed to incorporate the experimental sciences too. These institutions are considered by historians the precursors of modern universities and served as models for the European universities of the eleventh and 21
twelfth centuries. As the body of knowledge expanded, a need for specialised centres of learning focusing explicitly on religious subjects arose, hence the emergence of various seminaries across the Islamic world. In Shi’a Islam, such seminaries are known by the name of ‘Hawza Ilmiyya’ or simply ‘hawza’. Today the most famous hawzas are in Najaf (Iraq) and Qum (Iran). Both places have maintained a degree of continuity since their official foundation around the 10th century CE. Presently, hawzas are also found in Isfahan and Mashhad (Iran), Lucknow (India), Lahore (Pakistan), Jakarta (Indonesia), Europe (London) and North America. Undertaking the study of Islamic subjects in the Hawza Ilmiyya is a rewarding but equally demanding task and students who intend to
Scholars from Al-Azhar University
22
become religious scholars will have to successfully pass through a number of stages and levels just like in a university. It is estimated that a proficient Islamic scholar would have spent at least 12 years studying in the seminaries. During a course of study the student is expected to acquire religious knowledge as well as Islamic virtues. Material acquisitions of privileges or degrees are not considered the correct motive to undertake these type of studies. In his ‘Introduction to the Islamic Seminaries of Qum’, HujjatulIslam Dr. Muhammad Ali Shomali explains, ‘Students in the seminary have a determined attitude towards learning and it is not one [which] rush[es] to finish. Students do not say: “I am going to the seminary for four years and then I want to find a job”. On the contrary, many of the students are so devoted to learning
that they interrupt their studying only for such reasons as being sent somewhere to preach because of the utmost necessity’. There is a perceptible difference between the learning in the Hawza Ilmiyya and in other secular institutions. In the system of the hawza, despite modern restructuring, the transmission of knowledge has a personal aspect, in that the student has enthusiastically submitted himself to a chosen teacher. There is a type of reverence between the teacher and student, because, for the student, the teacher is their parent and ultimate authority. In this relationship, the teacher not only guides the student through his course of study, but acts as mentor and advisor in the personal areas of the student’s life. However, as Dr Shomali explains: 'The reverence the student maintains for his teacher does not
infringe on the learning process. In fact, teachers encourage students to question them and consider it essential to the learning process. Within the seminary, the barriers of censorship are virtually nonexistent; students can question the arguments for the existence of God or the authority of the Qur’an because the goal of the seminary is to deliver understanding. This contrasts greatly with much of Eastern culture in which many subjects are considered taboo’. A glance at the subjects studied at the hawza gives us an idea of the intellectual commitment required by its students. Knowledge of the Arabic language in its classical form is a must for for any type of hawza study. Arabic is the language of revelation and many primary sources are originally written in Arabic, therefore intensive language courses are scheduled right from
the beginning. Other subjects include jurisprudence and the study of its principles, the exegesis of the Qur’an, Islamic history, and theology, as well as intellectual sciences such as logic, philosophy and theoretical mysticism. There is a distinctive favour towards the use of rational science in the hawza seminaries. This reflects the development within the Jaafari school of thought through the teaching of the Imams of Ahl alBayt(a) with their distinct emphasis on the rational and intellectual approach towards the studies of Islamic disciplines. One has to remember that the acquisition of religious knowledge can be for entirely private reasons that are to satisfy one’s own personal desire to know. The finality of such acquired knowledge would be to serve one’s own selfdevelopment and not necessarily
to help the community. While the effort to obtain such knowledge is commendable, the use of it in a limited form is reproachable. As Prophet Muhammad(s) reminded us: ‘The zakat (levy) of knowledge is to teach what one knows to others’. In this spirit, the student of the ‘hawza’ knows that every step that he/she takes towards the acquisition of knowledge becomes a step towards a greater responsibility. And this responsibility is multiplied when the successful student who has completed the full cycle of study decides to wear the traditional gown of the scholar, accepting the onerous duty of becoming an official representative of Islam and of Prophet Muhammad(s).
.
Amir De Martino is Chief Editor of islam today magazine and a lecturer in Islamic Studies.
23
Fe a tu re
Unequivocal Justice: The ornament of a true leader Considering the virtues of an Islamic leader, Julia Khadija Lafene discusses the importance of justice as practised by Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb(a), the exemplary personification of Quranic and Prophetic teachings
24
Writing about a virtue of Imam Ali(a) as a leader, I realised that he had so many virtues that I would find it difficult to choose one. Upon reflection, it became clear that he had one virtue, upon which all the others depended, and which he himself recognised was the source of his extraordinary qualities of leadership. At a time when leaders could easily become tyrannical and dictatorial, the Imam restrained himself because of his taqwa (consciousness of God, with a sense of awe), bearing in mind at all times that his authority was delegated to him. ‘He (God) cannot be called to account for whatever He does, whereas they will be called to account’ (Qur’an 21:23). Ali(a) himself explains this virtue in his letter to Malik alAshtar, the governor of Egypt: ‘..treat them, those who are under your protection with your pardon and forgiveness, just as you would like and want God to treat you with His pardon and forgiveness, for surely you are above them, and the guardian who has authority over you [Ali ibn-Abi Taleb] is above you, and God is above whoever has appointed you as guardian! And it is He who has given you authority over them, and tests you through them, so do not let yourself declare war on God....and do not say, “It is I who am in authority, so I must be obeyed”’. (Nahj al-Balagha). The Imam not only gave such advice, but followed it himself. He called himself and his governors ‘guardians’, not rulers, and certainly not sultans and kings. They only had the right to rule under the law of God, which meant following Quranic injunctions and the example of the Holy Prophet(s), of which he had encyclopaedic knowledge. We may be familiar with hundreds of accounts of the Imam’s exemplary behaviour as a leader but mentioning a few of them and relating them to the relevant Quranic verse, as well as to modern situations, would be noteworthy. One of the most difficult aspects of leadership is knowing when compromise is justified, when to be lenient and when to be strict in the administration of justice. The best leader cannot be weak, but his power must never be tyrannical. The Imam has been criticised for
being uncompromising on some occasions, but usually he was following the injunctions of the Holy Qur’an as exemplified in the verses (6:162-165) - or he was following the Prophet(s). This required the caliph to be ultra-scrupulous in his administration and not to be swayed by claims of kinship or selfinterest. In this respect, the Imam would not compromise on the use of the Bayt al-Mal, the resources of the state treasury. When it was suggested he use it to gain the support of influential people, he replied: ‘Even if it were my own property, I would distribute it with justice, and why not, when it is the property of God and when I am His trustee?’ When his brother requested money from the treasury, he told him it was ‘the worst type of robbery’. He also ensured that money misappropriated from the treasury was repaid, even if it pre-dated his rule. This was closely connected to the Imam’s insistence on justice. He would not overlook previous injustices. His statement, ‘A long standing right does not become invalid’, meant that he would never ignore an old injustice, knowing full well that God would not do so [14:42-47]. In modern times, this is very relevant to the issue of Palestine. He also said that justice was superior to generosity, because ‘justice governs everyone, whereas generosity concerns only a few.’ Indeed, justice was perhaps the most important virtue resulting from Imam Ali’s awareness of God. Rules were laid down for controlling civil servants and fighting corruption and oppression among officers of the State. In commercial activities, profiteering, hoarding and black marketing were prohibited. Importance was attached to the equitable distribution of wealth, the upbringing of orphans and the maintenance of the disabled. On the battlefield, the Imam was always mindful of Quranic injunctions [8:39-40; 16:125-127] to give the enemy every chance to come to agreements, especially noticeable in the case of the war with Mu’awiya, where he was reluctant to make war on fellow Muslims. He sent many letters offering negotiations, even when
Mu’awiya denied water to his forces at the Battle of Siffin, he did not retaliate in the same way after he had won the battle. For Muslim and other rulers in modern times, it is significant that the United Nations has cited Imam Ali(a) as an example of good leadership. This is particularly relevant when a state is not homogeneous, as few are nowadays. Once Muslim rule began to expand, they could not base their rule on tribal or racial affiliation, as some had tried to do. The Imam was most noted for opposing any discrimination of Arab against non-Arab, or Muslim against Christian and other religions, provided they kept their agreements and did not attack the Muslims. As he advised Malik, ‘people are of two categories: they are your brothers in religion and/or your fellow human beings’. In government, the Imam recommended to his governors to use the Quranic principle of consultation [42:38], and he encouraged them to consult the young, whose minds were sharper, as well as the more mature, who had more experience. He wrote to Malik: ‘Have a time set aside for those who need to see you, so that you can deal with them personally; and sit with them in a gathering which is open to everyone, and act with humility in it for God who created you; and keep your army and your bodyguards away from them, so that they are not wary of you or pressurised by you.... for surely I heard the Messenger of God say, “A nation in which the weak are unable to claim their rights from the strong without fear will not be blessed”’. This was truly ‘Islamic democracy’ in action! In conclusion, although modern leaders are not selected in the same way as they were in the past, the principles of just and equitable rule as exemplified by Imam Ali(a) are eternally valid, and based on humility and the consciousness of a Greater Power.
.
Julia Khadija Lafene has a degree in Modern History from Oxford University. Born in India, she lived and taught in Nigeria for 16 years and has worked as a lecturer in Language and Learning Support in the UK. Since embracing Islam she has studied Islamic psychology and self-knowledge.
25
Fa ith
The Opened Doors to Salvation
26
Many religious groups throughout the ages have claimed exclusivity of salvation, negating this possibility to outsiders. Hamid Hadji Haidar explains the authoritative theological position of Shi’a Islam and the various options it offers There have always been controversies among religious people of all persuasions as to who is qualified as a good person and who goes to Paradise. A parallel disagreement has also persisted among secular people on the conception of the good life worth being pursued by human beings. Questions are raised among religious people such as: What are the major requirements for salvation? Is goodness and righteousness defined in terms of a strict monistic criterion exclusive to a particular religion, or even to a particular sect within a particular religion? Or are there plural criteria for righteousness manifested in different religions? It seems that controversies over the pattern of the good human life can be settled neither among secular people, nor among religious people, not to mention between secular people and religious people. From the Islamic point of view, I shall introduce a perspective held by Shiite Muslim scholars on this crucial issue. In the history of Shi’i Islamic thought, the most explicitly narrow-minded perspective has been proposed by the great Shi’i theologian, Allama Bahrul ‘Uloom (1742-1798 CE). According to his views, only Shi’i Muslims can be conceived of as being righteous and eligible for salvation. In other words, the doors of Paradise are exclusively open to Twelver Shi’i, or Imamite Shi’i Muslims, rather than to all Muslims, let alone to non-Muslims. According
to this perspective, not only did Islam abrogate all previous Divine religions, but it also manifested itself in Shiism. This exclusivist, narrow-minded perspective can be found among ordinary believers even in other religions. A second perspective, which is much more friendly towards nonMuslims, not to mention other non-Shiite Muslims, is proposed by three prominent Shi’i scholars Muhammad ibn Hassan al-Tusi (9951067 CE), Mulla Sadra (1572-1635 CE), and Allama Muhammad Hussein Tabataba’i (1902-1981 CE). It should be noted that al-Tusi is the first great Shi’i theologian and interpreter of the Qur’an, and has broadly been recognised as the master of Shi’i theologians in the whole history of Shi’i Islam. As for Mulla Sadra, not only is he recognised as the founder of a new school of thought in the history of Islamic philosophy, he also, undeniably, is the master of all Shi’i philosophers in the last four centuries. Lastly, Allama Tabataba’i is the most prominent philosopher in the contemporary Shi’i world, as well as the most prominent interpreter of the Qur’an in the entire history of Shi’i Islam. These three figures share the view that not only is ‘righteousness’ not confined to Shi’i Muslims, but it includes other Muslims as well, and should also be applied to practitioners of other faiths. According to these
27
28
theologians, the criterion for The three above scholars explain cannot be rationally condemned righteousness lies not in subscribing that this verse disregards the names for the rejection of Islam, the latter exclusively to Judaism, Christianity, of this or that religion, and rather are rationally condemned for not or Islam; rather, it lies in two puts its emphasis on general faith submitting to what they know as general principles. The first general in God and the Afterlife, along the final Divine religion, which has principle is faith in God and the Day with the doing of good deeds. abrogated all previous religions. He of Judgement, whereas the second What accentuates their openfurther makes a speculation in this general principle is practising good minded interpretation of the regard and proposes that most Jews deeds. Hence, whoever has faith preceding Quranic verse lies in their and Christians are found in the first in God and the Day of Judgement, affirmation that this verse has not group. Hence, according to Imam and practises good deeds, whether been abrogated by other apparently Khomeini, since most non-Muslim Jewish, Christian, Muslim, or other, conflicting verses of the Qur’an, religious people are excused for is recognised as a good person and not to mention by any tradition. not submitting to Islam, the doors is eligible for salvation. The doors Therefore, any Quranic verse that of Paradise will be open to them, of Paradise are thus open to all seems to be restrictive in this regard provided that, like pious Muslims, practising faithful, accordingly. ought to be interpreted in such a they have sincere faith in the truth Among the three aforementioned way as to be compatible with this of their religions and practise their scholars, Mulla Sadra is more verse, which establishes a definite religious duties. It is noteworthy that explicit on the view that subscription and general criterion for salvation. Imam Khomeini makes a particularly to a particular religion severe attack on Allama has no crucial part in Bahrul ‘Uloom’s narroweligibility for salvation. minded view. ...assuming that a person did not meet ...nor heard In his interpretation of Conclusion the Holy Qur’an, Mulla about Prophethood at all, or lived in the era when Among the great Shi’i Sadra explicitly expresses there was no Prophet among the people, but Muslim theologians that the major purpose and philosophers, there of sending Prophets nevertheless believed in God and the Hereafter and are two open-minded and Holy Scriptures to practised good deeds, then such a person would views on the issue of humanity was to establish the salvation of nonfaith in the Source achieve happiness and salvation. Muslims. Whilst one of and belief in the end these views is advocated of the world, as well as by at least three great promoting the doing of Shi’i scholars, the second is Imam good deeds. Hence, assuming that It should be noted further that, Khomeini’s view. I propose to call a person did not meet any Prophet confirming the existence of ‘a broad the first three scholars’ perspective from among all the Prophets nor paths to salvation’, as I would prefer as ‘the-broad-path-to-salvation ’ and heard about Prophethood at all, to call it, is not the only openImam Khomeini’s perspective as or lived in the era when there was minded view on the crucial issue ‘the-alternative-paths-to-salvation’. no Prophet among the people, but of the salvation of non-Muslims. The former is grounded in a Quranic nevertheless believed in God and An alternative open-minded view verse, which is not susceptible to the Hereafter and practised good in this regard comes from Imam abrogation by other apparently deeds, then such a person would Khomeini (1900-1989 CE) who conflicting verses, whereas the achieve happiness and salvation. It grounds his view on ‘the decree latter is grounded in human reason should be added that their evidence of reason’ and ‘the fundamental and the fundamental doctrines of for such an open-minded view on doctrines of Shi’i Islam’. In his book Shi’i Islam. According to these two the criterion for righteousness and entitled al-Makasib al-Muharrama, perspectives, all practising faithful salvation is derived from a Quranic Imam Khomeini distinguishes people could be considered as being verse which states: ‘Surely those between two groups: (1) those who righteous and eligible for eternal who believe [Muslims], and those due to their enculturation in their happiness in Paradise. who are Jews, and the Christians, particular communities or societies and the Sabians, whoever believes turn out to be Jewish, Christian, or Dr Hamid Hadji Haidar is an Honorary Research in God and the Last Day and does Muslim, but nevertheless believe Associate at the Department of Political Science, good, they shall have their reward sincerely in the truth of their religion, University College London. He is the author of from their Lord, and there is no and (2) those who are aware of the Islam and Liberalism: Practical Reconciliation Between the Liberal State and Shiite Muslims fear for them, nor shall they grieve’ exclusive absolute truth of Islam. (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008). (2: 26). He argues that while the former
.
29
S at
m e A a : n s g t n o i d l i u B le f- the perfect prayer n i ta
30
Attention is like a muscle. Initially, when you try and hold your attention on something, it may feel that you are using more and more energy, and it is easy to become fatigued. That perception is actually quite sound, as you have to use energy to maintain attention. However, the more you flex your attention, the stronger it becomes, and thus is easier to maintain. From the moment you are born your mind functions every second, every minute, every hour, and every day of your life. It is active both day and night - extensively while awake, less so while you’re asleep, nevertheless it is continually working. It is therefore apparent that the train of thought would continue while you are saying your prayer unless you make some changes to the way you perform your prayer. In his book Self-Building, Ayatollah al-Amini suggests that a secluded place, removal of all obstacles, strengthening of faith, remembrance of death, and readiness as four main ways to develop and maintain one’s attention in prayer. He also concludes that: ‘If one does not succeed in the very first attempt, instead of getting disappointed, he should become more determined and serious in trying again, until attaining domination over the self gradually; after all, such kind of devoted attention is possible. The mind should be cleansed thoroughly from scattered thoughts and should be motivated to pay attention towards to God Almighty'. To have firm intention and belief that whatsoever the case you will never be mislead in prayer, you need to be confident and accept with full heart that Satan’s forces are weaker than what you have been endowed with by your loving Lord, the Most High. Moreover, it is only you who will be in turmoil on the Day of Judgement when Satan will exclaim: '...I called you and you responded to me. So do not blame me, but blame yourselves. I cannot respond to your distress calls,neither can you respond to my distress calls. Indeed I disavow your taking me for [God’s] partner aforetime. There is indeed a painful punishment for the wrongdoers.’ (Qur’an14: 22)
Understanding and appreciating God’s presence
Praying is one of the most fundamental ways to connect to our Creator and thus should be done with the utmost presence of mind. Jameel Kermalli provides a few tips on how to keep our concentration during prayer
It is always to your benefit if you were to ponder the Existence of God and His Power, Signs and Decrees related to this world and the next before engaging in prayer. Appreciating His presence is one way of bringing humility into your heart and humbling yourself in prayer, performed with attention and concentration. It is only He Who looks at you mercifully during your prayer, and you ought to keep 31
Appreciating His presence is one way of bringing humility into your heart and humbling yourself in prayer, performed with attention and concentration. It is only He Who looks at you mercifully during your prayer, ... 32
this in mind every time you say your Prayer. Sheikh al-Saduq quotes the following tradition about God: ‘He is a Thing, but not like other things. He is Unique, an Eternal Refuge; He begets not lest He may be inherited, nor is He begotten lest He may be associated with others. There is no one like Him. He has no equal or opponent, compeer or consort. Nothing can be compared with Him. He has no rival, no partner. Human eyes cannot behold Him, while He discerns the power of eyes. The thoughts of men cannot compass Him, while He is aware of them. Slumber overtakes Him not, nor sleep’. Therefore, piety, perseverance and appreciation of the Lord and His Mightiness are effective ingredients in developing and maintaining your attention in prayer. This way, you can willingly humble yourself in your Prayer. A good example is from the Prophet who used to treat prayer very seriously and gave his full attention and concentration. He appreciated and knew his Creator well enough to fear His Presence and attend with full concentration when standing before Him. Imam Jafar al-Sadiq(a) is reported to have given the following advice to one of his trusted companions: ‘ ... When you offer prayer, pray like someone who bids farewell and fears that he will never return. Then fix your gaze on the point of your prostration. If you know that there is someone on your left or right, you take more care in offering your prayer; then know that you stand in front of Someone Who sees you, even though you don’t see Him’. We have to remind ourselves of God. One of the reasons why Adhan and Iqamah ('the calls to prayer') have been much emphasised before prayer is to establish a strong link between the worshipper and his Creator before he ventures into this sacred journey of prayer and is in direct communication with the Almighty. This way, you start reminding and convincing yourself of the presence of God before you begin. An alert state of mind is one of the many vital ingredients of prayer. Arrange your time to have a rest
before time of prayer so you are not tired and exhausted. Make sure you have full attention and you are ready to stand in front of your Lord.
Understanding what we recite It is clear that if you don’t strive to learn and appreciate the meanings of the verses and glorifications you proclaim in your prayer, you stand very little chance of developing and maintaining the concentration you need to focus in prayer. Focusing on the meanings of what you recite would generally keep your mind busy and involved. The Arabic language is considered one of the sweetest of all the languages. So, reciting prayer with proper makhaarij (proper pronunciation) and tajweed (following the rules of the Arabic Language) and learning the rules of reciting the Qur’an would make your efforts in maintaining attention a lot easier. Listen to your own tone of voice (and of others). You should try and work with changing your tone to a more appropriate one. Combining the rules of recitation and the frequency of your voice is what is required and needs to be practised. These qualities were what made people stop and listen to the Prophet reciting the Qur'an.
Building self-confidence Self-confidence is arguably one of the most important traits you can possess. Self-confidence reflects your assessment of your own selfworth. It will play a large part in determining your level of attention and concentration in prayer. Building self-confidence and defeating the distracting thoughts in prayer takes time and effort. Goalsetting is probably the most effective way of building self-confidence. By setting measurable goals, achieving them, then setting new goals, achieving them and so on, you prove your ability to yourself. You are able to prove to yourself that you are able to perform and achieve effectively. You can see, recognise and enjoy
your achievement, and feel real selfworth in that achievement. Self-conditioning and contemplation are essential pre-requisites for a seeker of truth who is battling with themselves. Self-conditioning or stipulation means binding oneself with the resolution not to do anything against God’s commands. As the late Ayatollah Khomeini said: ‘This is the time to see whether you have been honest to the Giver of all, to whom everybody is accountable. If you have been faithful to Him, you should be thankful to Him that He has made you successful in your intentions’.
Exercises to develop attention - meditation Meditation is an effective way to enhance alertness in prayer. It is popularly known as the practice of uncritically attempting to focus your attention onto one thing at a time. It is important to understand that the heart of meditation in prayer lies not simply in focusing on one entity to the exclusion of all other thoughts, but rather in the attempt to achieve good focus. The nature of our minds is such that it does not want to stay concentrated. A myriad of thoughts will appear and seemingly interfere with your prayer. Therefore, repeating liturgies, contemplating on the nature of God, His creations, and natural phenomena are effective ways to reap benefits from this kind of exercise. There are many other strategies which can help us to have full attention when praying. Eliminating senseless conversations are also important. Let it be known that, there is no worship superior to silence. Prophet Muhammad(s) has been recorded saying that silence is part of wisdom. It is a sign of every virtue. It is the way of the devotees of God because He likes it. It is the style of the Prophets.
.
Jameel Kermalli holds a BSc in Psychology from the University of Southampton, UK. His doctorate is in Naturopathic Medicine. He teaches Islamic Studies within the community.
33
In te rf iath
Fruits of intolerance: Persecution on grounds of religion
Despite claims of righteousness, intolerant expressions of religiosity that have inflicted pain and suffering throughout the ages, and across humanity, cannot be in harmony with God’s Will, explains Frank Gelli A tourist walking in East London along colourful Brick Lane will admire the sight of Jamme Masjid, on the corner with Fournier Street. Before being a mosque, however, the fine rectangular building had been a Jewish synagogue. Before that, it was a church serving a French Christian community called the Huguenots. Both the Jews and the Huguenots had come to Britain centuries ago as exiles to escape intolerance and persecution in continental Europe. The Huguenots had fled France after the massacres perpetrated against them by the Catholics during the notorious Night of St Bartholomew in 1572. 34
The Jews had come to England in large numbers later on after pogroms in Tsarist Russia. Britain boasts a proud tradition of giving asylum to victims of intolerance, but the unfortunate tendency is to ignore this country’s own historical dark side. Roman Catholic monarchs like Queen Mary Tudor did burn plenty of Protestants at the stake in the 16th century, but Protestant rulers like Elizabeth I and James I also imprisoned, tortured and burned Catholics. The English Civil War of 1642-49 saw Protestants, Anglicans and Puritans butchering and oppressing each other. Religious
discriminations remained rampant after the 1689 Bill of Rights. Even philosopher John Locke, author of the famous Letter on Toleration, excluded Catholics from full rights. Priests could be arrested at the denunciation of any common informer. Merely running a Catholic school meant life imprisonment. When in 1778 a moderate Catholic Relief Act was passed, massive riots followed. The London mob hated religious toleration. It fell to the great Duke of Wellington, Prime Minister in 1829, to pass an Act of Parliament removing most disabilities from Catholics seeking public office, yet the Universities of
Britain boasts a proud tradition of giving asylum to victims of intolerance, but the unfortunate tendency is to ignore this country’s own historical dark side.
'Hanging Humans' by Jacques Callot - licensed under public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Oxford and Cambridge still barred Catholic students for many years. Today the monarch, by law, cannot be a Catholic. Of course, to fully understand putative rationales for some religious persecution, the wider context is important. In this country Catholicism was often perceived not simply as a rival faith but as a type of treason. If you were a Catholic, you were under suspicion and thought to be a disloyal, treacherous subject, an agent of foreign powers like Catholic Spain and France and so not to be trusted. Pope St Pius V did not help the condition of English Catholics when in 1570 he excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I. By doing so he terribly aggravated the plight of his flock. Because a Christian is
not bound to oath or loyalty to a heretical sovereign, Catholics were regarded as potential traitors, and the punishment for a traitor was only one: death. Even peaceful people like the Quakers later were under a cloud of suspicion because they refused to swear oaths in a court of law. Hurting or oppressing people because of their religious faith is not a matter of the past, alas, a it appears to be mounting worldwide. It is perhaps natural to prioritise persecutions against one’s own coreligionists but fairness requires that the picture should not be onesided. Christians at times claim to be ‘the most persecuted religion in the world’, citing examples in countries like North Korea, China, Sudan and Saudi Arabia but Muslims can also
adduce plenty of instances pointing to their own sufferings. Burma, Kosovo, the killings, terrorism or discriminations against Shia minorities in Pakistan, Northern Iraq, Indonesia and Egypt show all too dramatically how Muslims are victims as well. And there are other minorities that lay claims to be targeted by fanatic and intolerant regimes. There is a deeper problem, however. What is to be done when a minority holds religious doctrines and beliefs, which are deeply opposed, even offensive to one’s own deepest convictions? Here a distinction should be drawn between an individual response and a public one, namely that of the state. The dominant Western political paradigm is that religion 35
is a private affair, not a matter for the state to meddle in; providing the upholders of a particular faith are good, law-abiding citizens in all other respects the state does not interfere or repress, yet this position is not without difficulties. Where do you draw the line between a religious belief and practice which can be neatly assigned to the private sphere or the public one? Take the example of polygamy. As a religious belief, does it belong to the private conscience or to the public realm? In the United States, polygamy, or 'plural marriage' waswidely practiced until the end of the previous century by the Mormons, a sect emanating from Protestantism. The Federal Government banned polygamy. It ferociously persecuted the Mormons, imposing upon them crippling financial fines and confiscations so that eventually they were forced to give up the practice. It was a religious persecution, if anything ever was. Yet the First Amendment to the American Constitution prohibits making any law impeding the free exercise of religion. It seems that the secular state permits the free expression of religious beliefs and practices only insofar as they are not in opposition to the state’s own dogmas! Not quite a luminous example of religious tolerance. A tricky dilemma arises
when a minority of fringe believers like Jehovah’s Witnesses are said to refuse blood transfusions for their sick children: could that be ever justified? Or should the state prevent it? The Jehovah’s Witnesses refer to the Bible, which forbids the eating or ingesting of blood. They therefore consider it as a God-given duty not to accept a blood transfusion. Quite apart from Scriptural exegesis, the question is whether there is a hierarchy of duties. Most religious scholars belonging to a Holy Bookbased tradition regard the duty of saving a human life superior to almost all others. Particularly in the case of children, who cannot speak for themselves, it can be argued that the state has a clear, overriding right to intervene to save those young lives. On the level of the individual person, things stand a bit differently. I may be put out, as a Christian, by the bizarre doctrines of sects like Jehovah’s Witnesses, but I would never wish to outlaw them, or to prevent them from practicing their far-out beliefs if no one is physically harmed or corrupted. Those who insist on demanding repression of harmless minorities like that betray, to my mind, a sense of deep psychological insecurity. Is their God so small that they feel obliged to ban any conception of the Divine
that does not agree with their own? If they feel so threatened by alternative religious ideas it shows how they are not all that trusting in their own ideas, perhaps. Religious leaders especially should feel an obligation to preach to their flocks a duty of tolerance and respect of other people’s beliefs, never mind how outlandish. A masterpiece of silent cinema I always remember is director D.W. Griffith’s exceptional megamovie, Intolerance - a blockbuster consisting of four stories, all about persecutions. One is about the destiny of Jesus Christ, rejected and persecuted by his own people. Another shows the misery of workers under the heel of ruthless capitalists. The connecting link between the episodes is the figure of a mother rocking a cradle a perfect expression of love. A love that eventually outlives and triumphs over hatred, intolerance and oppression. A profound, practical message, I submit. The best answer to persecution is love. True throughout the ages and true more than ever now. Let love triumph over prejudice, fear and murder. Because surely that perfect, saving love ultimately accords with the Will of God.
.
Sainght Bartholomew's day massacre, Painting by François Dubois - Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Common
36
Massacre at Drogheda’ by Mary Frances Cusack Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Common
Revd Frank Julian Gelli is an Anglican priest, cultural critic and a religious controversialist, working on religious dialogue. His last book ‘Julius Evola: the Sufi of Rome’ is available on Amazon Kindle.
37
H e a lt h Health Editor Laleh Lohrasbi
h t i w e In lov d e r u o v a fl ? o c c a tob In an effort to find a pastime that does not conflict with their religious beliefs, Muslim youth are lured into the seemingly innocuous hobby of smoking hookah. Laleh Lohrasbi looks at the health hazards of this nowfashionable type of leisure activity
38
The hookah, also known as ghalyan, shisha, narguileh or water pipe, is an instrument used to smoke aromatic tobacco. It consists of a a smoke chamber, a bowl, a pipe and a hose. Specially made flavoured tobacco is placed on a small chamber at the top of the hookah, which is then heated by charcoal. When inhaling, the smoke passes through the water via the rubber hose before reaching the mouthpiece or pipe. The use of these water pipes originated centuries ago in Persia and India. In fact the term hookah comes from the ancient Indian word hukkah, meaning coconut, which is what the first hookahs were made of. It later become a regular feature across the Islamic and Arab world under a variety of names. They were found in tea houses or cafĂŠs where men would
gather during the day or after work hours to discuss nearly anything from politics to regular daily events while drinking tea and smoking. As people’s lifestyles changed, so did the popularity of tea houses as regular gathering places. With the introduction of cigarettes, smoking water pipes lost their appeal and were gradually phased out. Cigarettes were easy to handle, making them more compatible with the faster modern lifestyle that was evolving at the time, while smoking hookah reduced in popularity and remained as only an occasional practice. In the last decade there has been a revival of this traditional form of pastime from the Middle East which has since landed on our shores. Water pipes have been gaining popularity around the world, in places like Britain, France, Russia,
and the United States with cafĂŠs and restaurants offering colorful hookah pipes and a variety of flavoured tobacco. Many youth from Middle Eastern and Asian backgrounds are attracted to smoking hookah; both boys and girls who are looking for more culturally and religiously acceptable pastimes have begun engaging in what they believe is a harmless activity. The popularity of hookah smoking in the UK alone has brought about an increase in the number of specialist bars, which has seen a rise of 210 percent since 2007. Interestingly enough, young girls who do not smoke cigarettes are the most likely users. While most people may be aware of the danger of smoking cigarettes, smoking hookah is mistakenly considered harmless, and as 39
a lighter version of smoking cigarettes. The common belief is that when smoke passes through the water it cools down and is purified from toxins. But in contrast to this common belief, although water can clean the smoke from the particles of matters such as ash or small bits of unburned materials, its real role is to humidify and cool the smoke to create a ‘smoother’ sensation. The important thing to remember is that the smoke still prematurely. will contain high levels of toxic compounds, including Flavoured carbon monoxide, heavy metals, and cancer-causing tobaccos which chemicals. On the other hand, tar, which is produced are used with hookahs while tobacco is burning, is not water-soluble, so are one of the reasons hookah smokers will still receive significant amount that make people believe of tar, an ingredient whose carcinogenic effects are hookah smoke is less invasive. The well-established. tobacco used for the hookah is usually There are numerous health problems caused by flavoured with fruits or floral flavours such smoking hookah. Here we shall mention a few. By as coconut, apple, vanilla and rose... Fruit far the most important health issue for hookah flavours mask the bad taste of tobacco, making smokers, as well as cigarette smokers, is the high risk it easier to start using tobacco products. Once people of contracting diseases such as cancer of mouth, lung, begin to use one tobacco product, however, they are stomach and oesophagus. It also contributes to a more likely to experiment with others. The worst part is reduction in lung function, decreased fertility, clogged that the essences used to make the tobacco flavoured arteries and heart disease. are usually synthetic aromatic compounds which also Hookah smokers actually inhale more tobacco smoke have established carcinogenic effects. than cigarette smokers do because of the large As well as smoking cigarettes, hookah smoking volume of smoke they inhale in one smoking session, may also affect men and women’s fertility and foetus which can last as long as 60 minutes. The amount development. Hookah smoke contains heavy metals of smoke inhaled during a typical hookah session is such as arsenic, chromium, lead and cobalt. The about 90,000 millilitres (ml), compared with 500–600 presence of even a trace of these heavy metals in semen ml inhaled when smoking a cigarette. A typical oneis found to decrease sperm motility. Hookah smoking hour session of hookah smoking exposes the user to can result in the production of unhealthy sperm, thus 100 to 200 times the volume of smoke inhaled from reducing the sperm lifespan. It also affects the ability of a single cigarette. men to produce sperm, which results into low sperm The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed production. In the long run, smoking hookah can cause that a one-hour hookah session can be as harmful as genetic changes which can affect the offspring. smoking 100 cigarettes. Further, it has been proven Pregnant women who inhale hookah smoke, increase that the daily use of hookah, where an average of 20 the risk of giving birth to babies with birth defects, and g of tobacco per pipe is consumed, will produce a they are also more likely to catch infections due to their nicotine absorption rate of about 10 cigarettes a day. hindered immune system. Harmful heavy metals and Studies have shown that people who smoke hookah toxins can be excreted in occasionally (i.e. an average the breast milk, which can of 20g of tobacco per pipe also affect the newborn in a 4-day period), absorbed While most people may be aware of the danger with an increased risk for a nicotine level of about respiratory diseases. two cigarettes a day. of smoking cigarettes, smoking hookah is Like cigarettes, smoking In addition to addictive hookah can increase the effects, nicotine is a wrinklemistakenly considered harmless, and as a risk of premature labour, causing substance which is lighter version of smoking cigarettes. stillbirth and other comfound in tobacco. Nicotine plications.Hookah smoking causes the narrowing of can also harm the unborn the blood vessels in the baby’s development. The smoke from hookah decreasoutermost layers of the skin. This impairs blood flow es the oxygen concentration in the mother’s body, which to the skin which prevents it from getting sufficient ultimately results in the shortness of breath of the foeoxygen and important nutrients, such as vitamin A. tus, which could lead to the baby’s death. Babies born to The cocktail of chemicals (more than 4,000) present mothers who smoke one or more fill of water pipes a day in tobacco smoke also damages collagen and elastin, during pregnancy have lower birth weights (at least 100 which are fibres that give skin its strength and grams less) than babies born to non-smoking mothers. elasticity. As a result, skin begins to sag and wrinkle 40
Hookah smoke can also increase a woman’s risk of blood clots. Another possible danger of hookah pipes which are used in hookah bars and cafés is that they may not be cleaned properly, risking the spread of infectious diseases. Secondary smoke from hookah also poses a serious risk for nonsmokers, particularly because it contains smoke not only from the tobacco but also from the heat source (e.g., charcoal) used in the hookah, and even though in the UK restaurants and coffee bars that offer hookah smoking must have an outdoor area, secondary smoke can still effect those who don’t smoke. Hence, it might be time for our youth, especially our young girls, to think about the dangers of all types of smoking, before puffing away on a hookah.
.
Dr. Laleh Lohrasbi is a pharmacologist. She has worked as an editor for the medical section of Hamshahri, a daily newspaper in Tehran.
41
Lis tin g s a nd Ev e nts 1 - 3 September Philosophical Theology In Islam: The Later Ash`ari Tradition The Ash’ari school is the dominant and most influential school of theology and philosophical theology in pre-modern Islam, and still exerts considerable influence, mostly implicit, on contemporary Islamic thought. In many respects, however, it remains sorely understudied. Emerging in the 10th century as a school of rational theology (kalam), Ash‘arism developed during the 12th century into a school of philosophical theology, which continued to thrive across the Muslim world until the advent of modernity. Focusing on the later phase of the school’s history, this conference will offer an array of perspectives, ranging from investigations of philosophical and theological theories to explorations of regional, institutional and socio-political contexts within which the school developed. Convenors: Ayman Shihadeh and Jan Thiele Venue: SOAS University, Russell Square: College Buildings, Kamran DJAM Lecture Theatre Registration Deadline: Tuesday, 26 August 2014. Online registration is required for 2 & 3 September. Fees: One day £25 (£15 Concessionary) Two days £40 (£25 Concessionary) Email: 542487@soas.ac.uk Tel: +44 (0) 20 7898 4343
Generation, an exhibition featuring recent works by artists Nihad al-Turk, Abdul Karim Majdal al-Beik, Othman Moussa, Mohannad Orabi, and Kais Salman. Curated by art historian and Ayyam Gallery Artistic Director Maymanah Farhat, the exhibition will spotlight a new school of Syrian painting in the midst of expansion despite the disintegration of the Damascus art scene, its original centre. Syria’s Apex Generation will be accompanied by an eponymous publication authored by Maymanah Farhat. Venue: Ayyam Gallery, 143 New Bond Street, 1st Floor, W1S 2TP, London Time: 6PM - 8PM Tel: +44 (0) 207 409 3568 Email: london@ayyamgallery.com
30 September ‘Another Day’ Exhibition This exhibition features the documentation of Sara Russell’s recent trip to Palestine, in which she travelled as part of a delegation last year. Entry is free. Venue: Islamic Human Rights Committee (IHRC), 202 Preston Road, Wembley HA9 8PA Time: Monday – Friday from 9AM– 5PM and on Saturdays from 10AM – 6PM Telephone: +44 20 8904 4222 Email: info@ihrc.org Web: www.ihrc.org.uk
Muslim Institute Benefit Evening
8 - 9 September Cartography Between Europe And The Islamic World The International Leverhulme Network’s ‘Cartography between Europe and the Islamic World, 1100–1600’ is a major conference of its kind, which brings together experts in the history of European and Islamic cartography to develop innovative, comparative approaches to maps made in Europe and the Islamic world between 1100 and 1600. Venue: ArtsTwo Building, Mile End Campus, Queen Mary University of London Time: 8 September 9:15AM - 7:30PM and 9 September 9AM - 5:30PM More info: http://www.cartography.qmul.ac.uk/
Through 12 September Syria’s Apex Generation Ayyam Gallery is pleased to announce the United Kingdom debut of Syria’s Apex
42
A special evening of spoken word poetry, comedy and other entertainment at Rich Mix in London’s Shoreditch to raise funds for the Muslim Institute and Numbi Arts. The evening will include a charity auction of exclusive artwork by high-profile and emerging contemporary Muslim artists in the UK. Venue: Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London, E1 6LA Time: 7PM to 10PM Tickets: £10 in advance or £12 on the door Booking: samia@musliminstitute.org
From September Exhibition: South Africa’s Democracy — Mandela’s ‘Cherished Ideal’ This exhibition brings together photographs, documents and artefacts illustrating the unique story of South Africa’s journey into democracy — President Mandela’s ‘cherished ideal’. It marks the twentieth year of the new country and the fiftieth year since Mandela and his co-
accused were sentenced to life imprisonment at the Rivonia Trial. This exhibition is open to all, no ticket required. Venue: London School of Economics, Atrium Gallery, Old Building Time: 10AM- 8PM, Mon-Fri (excluding bank holidays) email: arts@lse.ac.uk or call 0207 849 4909
1 October Gendering the Social Sciences: The Gender Institute Orientation Public Lecture This lecture takes an interdisciplinary and transnational perspective to highlight the persistence of gender inequalities, the power relations that support these inequalities, and the everyday processes through which such inequalities are reproduced and normalised. By addressing inequality in this way, it is possible to obtain a fuller understanding of contemporary economic inequality and what to do about it. This event is free however entry is on a first come, first served basis. Speaker: Diane Perrons - Gender Institute director and a professor of economic geography and gender studies at LSE. Chair: Naila Kabeer, professor of gender and development at LSE. Venue: London School of Economics, Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building Time: 6.30 PM - 8 PM More info: events@lse.ac.uk Tel: 0207 955 6043
2 October Leeds Public Hearing: Commission on Religion and Belief in British Public Life The third hearing for the ‘Commission on Religion and Belief in British Public Life’ (Full title: Commission on Religion and Belief in British Public Life: Community, Diversity and the Common Good) will be held in Leeds. Convenors: Dr Edward Kessler, Mohammed Abdul Aziz More info: please see the Commission’s Official Website or contact: Mohammed Aziz at maa74@cam.ac.uk
4 & 5 October The Question Concerning Economics The first of a two weekend module by MFAS – The Muslim Faculty of Advanced
Studies (The second weekend scheduled for December). Each weekend consists of six lectures. The module comprises study of the place of economics in the world today and in history, an examination of its philosophy and psychology, the major schools of economic thought and the most traditional understanding of Islamic modalities, the buyu’ (buying and selling). It will also look at the effect the engagement with usury has had on Muslims. Venue: The Muslim Faculty of Advanced Studies, 17 Chapelfield East, Norwich, NR2 1SF Course fee: £180 for two weekends including refreshments, lunch and dinner. More info: http://themuslimfaculty.org/ question-concerning-economics/
are interesting parallels between the two. Both athletic prowess and some forms of religious life seem to depend on the regular and conscious disciplining of body and mind. And elite athletes - with their celebrity status and media coverage - are increasingly bringing religion into the public domain, praying in public and thanking God for their sporting victories. Speakers: Dr Ed Kessler (Chair), Prof Michael Berkowitz, Dr Mahfoud Amara, Omar Salha, Salma Bi. Venue: Room G.21 [Faculty of Classics] Woolf Institute, 12 Grange Road Cambridge CB3 9DU Time: starts at 5PM More info: Dr Emma Harris at eth22@cam. ac.uk or +44 (0)1223 741 115
16 October
From 23 October
The Frontline Club Tribute Award
Songs of the Deserts
The Frontline Club Awards seek to recognise new emerging talents and established names who have shown integrity, courage and independent spirit in their work. The awards, now in their seventh year, are given by industry peers, the winners being decided by panel of judges. The award acknowledges lifetime achievement or work that has not received the acclaim that it deserves. It is judged on a lifetime of work and is decided by the panel of judges. This year’s award is for an aspiring British foreign correspondent to spend six weeks abroad, researching and reporting a foreign news story, while on a fellowship with The Times newspaper. Applicants should have at least two years journalistic experience, be under the age of 30 and have a professional command of English. The 2014 awards ceremony will be hosted by Channel 4 News anchor Jon Snow. Further details of the evening will be announced soon. The deadline is midnight (GMT) on Friday 19 September 2014. More info: millicent.teasdale@frontlineclub. com
A celebration of the desert in mosaic, calligraphy and storytelling. Artists: Elaine M Goodwin (mosaic), Mohamed Abaoubida (calligraphy), and author Richard Hamilton.
22 October Festival of Ideas Panel Event: Playing and Praying? Sport and Religion in Britain Today Sport is often talked about as a 'religion' and large sporting events as popular rituals where personal devotion and group identity merge a mass of collective emotion. Sport and religion are not the same thing, of course, but there
Organised by Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies Venue: University of Exeter
28 October Annual Lecture 2014 The British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (BRISMES) Rt Hon Jack Straw, MP, will be talking on ‘The Future of British Foreign Policy in the Middle East’ 'All welcome'. Venue: The Arthur and Paula Lucas lecture theatre’ on the Strand campus of King’s College, London WC2R 2LS Time: starts at 6 PM followed by a reception. Tel: +44 (0)20 7836 5454# More info: http://www.brismes.ac.uk/ events/147-annual-lecture-2014
Through October ‘True to Life? New Photography from the Middle East’ Featuring contemporary photographs by internationally acclaimed artists from the Middle East, the exhibition encourages visitors to question the authenticity of what appears to be represented in photography, and explores what is real, staged or imaginary. From Tunisia to Iran, ‘True to Life?’ takes
visitors on a journey investigating the role of photography in the Middle East and considers debates surrounding migration and the representation of women. Venue: Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham B3 3DH Time: 10.00 AM – 5.00 PM Entry: Free
The World History of Rashid al-Din 1314: A Masterpiece of Islamic Painting This exhibition highlights the Jami’alTawarikh (‘World History’ or ‘Compendium of Chronicles’) of Rashid al-Din, one of the masterpieces of medieval Islamic manuscripts. Celebrating the 700th anniversary of its production (1314/2014), the exhibition features 17 folios complemented by the material culture of fourteenth-century Iran. The 1314 Arabic copy of the Jami’alTawarikh featured in the exhibition represents a history of the world as it was then known and offers a fascinating insight into the multi-cultural, multi-religious society of the Islamic Iranian world under the Mongols. Curater: The Al-Waleed Centre for the Study of Islam in the Contemporary World. Venue: University of Edinburgh Main Library, 30 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9LJ Time: Mon-Sat 10.00 AM – 5.00 PM Entry: Free More info: http://libraryblogs.is.ed.ac.uk/ blog/2014/07/14/
Symmetry in Sculpture: Recent Work by Zarah Hussain Presenting sculpture based on the geometric patterns used in Islamic art, this exhibition showcases work by one of the UK’s most exciting British-Pakistani artists. Zarah Hussain is inspired by complex patterns that emerge from simple repeating shapes and echo the natural beauty of the universe in all its timeless forms. Her new three-dimensional wall sculptures transform these patterns into clean, minimal structures precisely arranged to reveal new ways of seeing shadow, colour and light. Supported by Arts Council England. Free entry. Venue: Gallery 20, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery Website: http://www.bmag.org.uk/ events?id=3205
Disclaimer: islam today does not necessarily endorse or recommend any of these events, their contents and individuals or groups involved in them. We are not responsible for changes to times, fees or venues. Further information should be sought directly from the organisers.
43