issue 6 - counter current

8/6/2019 Issue 6 - Counter Current

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COUNTERCURRECountering The Currents Of Misinformation

Issue 6

Prophet Muhammad [ pbuh ] stated that God Almighty says:

“My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than the

obligatory duties I have enjoined upon him; and My servant continues to draw near

to Me with voluntary works, such that I [begin to] love him. And when I love him

I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand

with which he grasps and his foot with which he walks. [I take full control over his

actions.] Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were

he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything

as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates deathand I hate hurting him.”. [ Recorded by Bukhari ]



MissionThe aim of CounterCurrent is to engender God-consciousness and spirituality in a material-oriented society. It particularly aims to present the true picture of Islam and do away with the

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COUNTERCURRENT - ISSUE 06

editorial

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The world today is witnessing con ictsand bloodshed on a scale that if notunprecedented, is at least reminiscent of some of the darkest eras of human history.The frightening spectacle of the persecution

and victimization of the human race by thehuman race, inevitably throws the conceptof being civilized into an abyss of doubtand confusion. One is compelled to re ecton the whole notion of civilization – cancontinuous persecution of sections of thehumankind, expropriation of lands andexpulsion of vast numbers of indigenous

populations be attributed to a characteristicof being civilized? Yet the ‘civilized world’not only allows all this to happen, but, bysome perverted ideology and justi cation,supports it. This goes to the extent that thoseat the helm of political affairs consider acts of terror by States as appropriate and essentialacts of defence. The question that naturallyoccurs to every rational human being is –

Is this civilization or a travesty of such adigni ed word?

Needless to say, the truly civilized people areat odds with such tendencies and happenings,

but feel helpless to do much about it. But itis such mentality that induces inaction andapathy, which in turn accounts for why thegood, in recent times, have not been able to

hold sway over the evil.Every individual, regardless of faith and race,

is morally obliged to stand up for the noblecause of truth and justice; to de antly exposeand oppose the evil garbed in civilizedgarments, and do their utmost in checking the

propagation of hate and the resultant crimes.After all it had been individuals in our glorious

past who had resisted evil and effectedmiraculous changes in the world. History

bears ample testimony that individuals intheir individual capacities have played a hugerole in the advance of noble causes. Whether it be the great works of art and literature,astonishing inventions of science or peace-oriented political revolutions, the result andimpact, however great and timeless, wereeffected owing to the high aspirations and

rm convictions of individuals.

Margaret Mead once stated, “Never believethat a few caring people can’t change theworld. For, indeed, they are the only oneswho ever have.” And it was Dale Carnegiewho said, “Most of the important things inthe world have been accomplished by peoplewho have kept on trying when there seemedto be no hope at all.”

Nature or God?... Page 4

Muslims - Then and Now.. Page 6

Muhammad [pbuh]... Page 9

The Eloquent Qur’an... Page 12

My Entry into Islam... Page 14

CounterCurrent... Page 17

Prophetic Medicine... Page 18

Words of Wisdom... Page 20

IN THIS ISSUE




Nature or God?

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This world is undoubtedlythe handiwork of a beingfar more ingenious than thehuman mind can imagine.Atheism ignores the factthat the world is wondrouslyuniform and harmonious inevery facet of its existence.A haphazard emergencecannot be so uniform in lawand structure. To imagine so

is purely illogical. Just look at the harmony of things thatare so physically dispersedand apart. Look at the beastand its prey, the herbivoreand its fodder, the consistentnature of the water cycle,the elaborately interwovensystem of stars and other countless phenomena of this world alone, let alonethe hitherto undiscovereduniverse. If just a singleatom, with its mind-bogglingdesign and structure, canleave the best of humanminds wonder-struck, whatto say of the millions of structures formed therefrom,converging harmoniouslyto create various parts of

the universe. And what of their perfectly harmoniousrelationship with other

phenomena? And how well-tailored is one for the other.

Take the example of manhimself. He cannot subsistwithout water, and water has been supplied for him inabundance. He needs food tonourish and sustain himself.Edible food, markedlydistinct from inedible forms,in all its varieties and taste,

grows almost independently of him. At least hewas not the one and shallnever be the one to produceit, despite all his claims tointelligence and superiority.Man needs shelter, andthe best materials for the

purpose exist within thisworld. Bricks, stones, glassand timber were not things

he could have brought outfrom nothingness. Someonehas supplied him with it.His tiresome struggles of theday demanded restful nightsthat would envelop him with

peace and serenity and let himawake refreshed for another day’s work. That too wasduly arranged. The genius of God stares man in his face!

In short, all of man’s needshave been ful lled in sucha way that he can covetno more for a satisfactoryexistence in this world. Whathe covets and desires further is a re ection of his spiritualneed for another world, onewith unabated pleasures and

unbounded satisfaction. Sincesuch indulgent desire wascreated for another world,it needs to be suppressedhere, else it would wreak havoc, as we often witness.

The perfect harmonyof nature dissolves allarguments of unbelief. Isn’tit true that man to this daycontinues to probe nature andunearth discoveries whichcontinue to baf e him? Isn’tit also true that man has

always been and continues

to discover the ingenuityof nature; learning all thewhile how things functionin the natural world and howwonderfully they correlateto one another? Further,isn’t it also true that manyinventions of men are aclever replication of nature’sown creations? Does all thisnot demonstrate that thereexists an intelligence whichis far superior to man’s own?

All of man’s inventionshave come about throughmaterial already providedand have been devisedthrough minds already

provided. One may ask,‘indeed, what does belong

to man over which he takessuch pride?’ Even in theworkshops of human minds,thoughts, which are the

precursors of all inventions,come to man, and he doesnot create them. When youhit upon an idea or a clever

plan, do you create it? Theanswer inevitably is in thenegative. Supposing if manhimself was responsible for its creation, the questionis why did he not create itearlier? Indeed if one haswithin his possession the

possibility of somethinggood, why would he waitfor a certain time for it tomaterialize? The fact thatall ideas and all thoughts

nd their way to the mindrather than being broughton by the thinker points toan outside Source. And




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since all inventions of manare a result of thoughts, andthoughts are not the creationof people, the credit of alldiscoveries and inventionsrests with the Source that

provided the initial thoughts;and it is this Source towhom we refer as God.

Such ingenuity is artfullyattributed to ‘nature’

by those who choose todeny God. It is strange,however, how on the onehand someone can deny thecontribution of an externalSource, and yet on the other accept it too; albeit beingattributed to an unintelligible

phenomenon called ‘nature’.

If such is the case, wherewould one attribute theingenuity and intelligencewhich abounds throughout

the universe? A single act of intelligence can be creditedto accident, but what doyou say about a world, aslarge as ours, nay of theuniverse, the expanse of which boggles minds, freefrom a single unintelligibleor irrational phenomenon?

If scientists, with all their know-how and sophisticatedtechnology, unceasinglycontinue to unravel mysteriesof great ingenuity, wherewould you rank the Geniuswhose ingenuity it is thatis being probed? And whatwould you say of one wholives in and observes a worldof such perfect order and

precise chemistry and refusesto accept the Maker of it?

If modern atheism is to be accepted, it is akin to

believing in an explosion ona street that causes fragmentsof rubble to swirl into spaceand then suddenly, of their own accord, transform intothe most perfect system of life and existence. There are

perfectly sized balls of dustthat orbit with precision andorder. There is light and heatin perfect balance; there is lifewith all its requirements for sustenance and nourishment.There is not a single instanceof discrepancy or incongruityto be found within.Thousands of years pass bywithout any disruption tothe remarkable arrangementand order of this system. If such a hypothesis is to berejected, then atheistic beliefsregarding our universe,which is far greater than thishypothetical example, all themore deserve to be rejected.




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‘Read in the name of your Lord, whocreated; created man from a clingingclot. Read, and your Lord is the mostGenerous, who taught by the pen; taughtman that which he knew not.’ [Qur’an96:1-5 - The first revelation Muhammad (pbuh) received from God ]

These were the verses which catalyzed therevolution for which the subsequent Islamicworld was to be credited. It was to dispel thedarkness and gloom of ignorance that hadfor so long gripped the world.

Knowledge, worldly or religious, is deemednecessary, and the Qur’an exhorts peopleto acquire it for the benefit of all. Muslimsfrom earlier generations understood thisand surpassed other nations in scientificadvancement and carried the torch of knowledge for many centuries. On the basisof the teachings of Islam, they made greatadvances in all fields of knowledge. Butwhen failing to heed the message of theQur’an, they were gripped in the intellectualquagmire which they find themselves intoday. In this article we would like to makethe distinction between the terms ‘Islam’and ‘Muslims’ in this respect and portray a

picture of the earlier Muslims by contrast.We would like to begin with a few quotes.

T.W. Wallbank and A. Schrier write:“In medicine, mathematics, astronomy,chemistry and physics, Muslimachievements were particularly noteworthy.Well-equipped hospitals, usually associatedwith medical schools, were located in the

principal cities. At a time when superstition

still hampered the practice of medicine inWestern countries, Muslim physicians werediagnosing diseases, prescribing cures and

performing advanced surgery… Probablythe greatest of all physicians was the 9thcentury figure, al-Razi, known in the Westas Rhazes. He was the author of scores of scientific works, including a comprehensivemedical encyclopaedia and a pioneeringhandbook on smallpox and measles. A10th century physician, Avicenna, (IbnSina) compiled a huge Cannon of Medicinewhich was considered the standard guide inEuropean medical circles until the late 17thcentury. Important advances were madein algebra, analytical geometry and planespherical trigonometry.” [ Living World

History, Scott Forseman and Company,1990, p.191-2 ]

Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, made the following commentsduring her famous speech of Minneapolis:

“There was once a civilization that was thegreatest in the world. It was able to createa continental super-state that stretched fromocean to ocean, and from northern climesto tropics and deserts. Within its dominionlived hundreds of millions of people, of different creeds and ethnic origins. One of its languages became the universal languageof much of the world, the bridge between the

peoples of a hundred lands. Its armies weremade up of people of many nationalities,

and its military protection allowed a degreeof peace and prosperity that had never beenknown. The reach of this civilization’scommerce extended from Latin America

Muslims - Then And Now




and experimentation on the materials of theuniverse. These arguments and proofs willin themselves be a deterrent for polytheism,naturalism, heresy and all prevalent material

philosophies. The divine guidance in thisregard runs as follows:

“Behold! In the creation of the heavensand the earth; in the alternation of theNight and the Day; in the sailing of theships through the ocean for the profit of mankind; in the rain which God sendsdown from the skies, and the life whichHe gives therewith to an earth that isdead; in the beasts of all kinds that Hescatters through the earth; in the changeof the winds, and the clouds which theytrail like their slaves between the sky andthe earth;- (here) indeed are Signs for apeople that are wise.” [Qur’an, 2:164 ]

Abdul Aleem Siddiqui, in his book ‘Cultivation of Science by the Muslims’writes:“The stress which the Holy Quran haslaid on the scientific study of the universeis a phenomenon unique in the religiousliterature of the world. Repeatedly it callsour attention to the multifarious phenomenaof nature occurring around us. Repeatedlyit exhorts humankind that the pursuit of scientific knowledge is one of their religiousduties. Repeatedly it emphasises the greattruth unknown to the pre-Quranic world thateverything in nature is for the service of manand should be harnessed by him for his use.

“It exhorts us to study the structure andfunction of the human organism; thestructure, functions and distribution of animals; the form, structure, functions,

classification and distribution of plants, andthese are problems of Biology.“It exhorts us to study the order of natureand the general properties of matter as

affected by energy, which is the problem of modern Physics.“It exhorts us to study the properties of substances both elementary and compound,and the laws of their combination and actionone upon another which is the problem of modern Chemistry.“It exhorts us to study the structure andmineral constitution of the globe, thedifferent strata of which it is composed, thechanges that take place in its organic andinorganic matter, etc, etc., which are the

problems of modern Geology.“It exhorts us to study the construct of theearth, its physical divisions into seas, rivers,mountains, plains, etc., and the minerals,

plants and animals in each, and its politicaldivisions, which are the problems of modernGeography.“It exhorts us to study the causes which

bring about the alternation of day andnight, the variation of the seasons, themovement of the planets and other celestial

phenomena, which are the problems of modern Astronomy.“It exhorts us to study the movementsof winds, the formation and evolution of clouds and the production of rain, and other similar phenomena, which are the problemsof modern Meteorology.”

If such was the exhortation of the Qur’an,

what then led to the intellectual downfall of the Muslims in the field of Science? Thisis a rather extensive subject, which cannot

be dealt with satisfactorily here. However, briefly it can be stated that the blame has to be laid at the doors of Muslims themselves.It was their apathy, inaction and failure tocontinue in the footsteps of their predecessorsthat brought upon them the intellectual pall

of gloom which they find themselves under today. Despite centuries of stagnation, thecurrent situation, unfortunately, remains thesame.

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Recent events concerning the Islamicfaith, and more speci cally the ProphetMuhammad [ pbuh ], have led to many

people asking the question, “Who indeedis Muhammad [ pbuh ] and what makes himso beloved to a large group of the humanrace?” In an attempt to portray a truere ection of his personality and character,

this article was put together focusing onsome relevant aspects of his life.

Before discussing the life of Muhammad[ pbuh ], It seems appropriate to sharecomments of two leading Western

personalities of recent times regardinghis person. They too were unaware of thenoble qualities of this admirable personage

before they read his biography and studiedhis statements.

George Bernard Shaw, the British playwright, said:“The world is in dire need of a man withthe mind of Muhammad; religious peoplein the Middle Ages, due to their ignoranceand prejudice, had pictured him in a very

dark way as they used to consider him theenemy of Christianity. But after lookinginto the story of this man I found it to bean amazing and a miraculous one, and Icame to the conclusion that he was never an enemy of Christianity, and must becalled instead the saviour of humanity. Inmy opinion, if he was to be given controlover the world today, he would solve

our problems and secure the peace andhappiness which the world is longing for.”[Genuine Islam, Vol. I, 1936 ]

The British philosopher, Thomas Carlyle,who won the Nobel Prize for his book ‘TheHeroes’, wrote:“It is a great shame for anyone to listen tothe accusation that Islam is a lie and thatMuhammad was a fabricator and a deceiver.We saw that he remained steadfast upon his

principles with rm determination; kind andgenerous, compassionate, pious, virtuous,with real manhood, hardworking andsincere. Besides all these qualities, he waslenient with others, tolerant, kind, cheerfuland praiseworthy and perhaps he would

joke and tease his companions. He was just, truthful, smart, pure, magnanimousand present-minded; his face was radiantas if he had lights within him to illuminatethe darkest of nights; he was a great man

by nature who was not educated in a schoolnor nurtured by a teacher as he was not inneed of any of this.”[‘Heroes and Hero Worship and the Heroicin History,’ 1840 ]

Looking into the Islamic scriptures, onecan get a better picture of the character of Muhammad [ pbuh ], both through the

words of God Almighty in the Qur’an, andthrough the words of those who had beenaround him.

The Prophet Muhammad [ pbuh ] was anembodiment of mercy sent by God to theentire human race. His mercy encompassedall of humanity - men, women and children;

believers and non-believers alike. As a

family man, he raised four daughters,loving them and providing for them, andhe cherished the memory of their mother

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MUHAMMAD

By Shaikh Ibrahim Dremali





and his wife of 25 years,Khadijah, till the end of his life. Muhammad’smercy extended beyond thehuman race to all of God’screation, such as animalsand plants. He taught thatfeeding an animal cantake one to Paradise whilemistreating it can landone in the Fire. [There arenumerous narratives inregard to animal welfare,which we must omit for thesake of brevity.]

When he began calling thelocal people of Makkahto worship God alone asopposed to their manyidols, he faced immediateresistance from manysectors of his society,

including some of hisown relatives. When people began acceptinghis message, however,submitting themselves tothe worship of the one God,the Makkans only escalatedtheir resistance to him and

began actively persecuting

him and his followers.There are many accountsthat tell of the torture,humiliation and abusefaced by the rst believersand by Muhammad [ pbuh ]himself.

Once, when persecution

was escalated to anintolerable degree, hiscompanions asked him tocurse the perpetrators. At

this the Prophet [ pbuh ]replied, “I have not beensent to lay a curse uponmen but to be a blessingto them.” His opponentscontinued to treat him andhis companions unjustlyand cruelly, but he always

prayed for them. [ SahihMuslim ]

Almost ten years after leaving Makkah, theProphet [ pbuh ] returnedwith a force of 10,000 toretake the city. Knowingthat they could never ght or resist such a force, the very

people who had abused andtortured the Prophet [ pbuh ]and his followers wonderedwhat their fate would be.Would he execute them for

their long persecution andtorture, which even theyknew they deserved? Or would he exhibit the kindof response for which hehad been known all along.The Prophet’s responsewas to set them free,declaring Makkah to be a

city of peace, a sanctuaryand refuge for all. It wason that same day that oneof his companions said,“Today is the day of the

battle. Today God willhumiliate the people whodrove us out.” The Prophetimmediately objected to

this and corrected him by saying, “No. Today isthe day of mercy. TodayGod honours the Quraish

[Makkan tribe].” [ Sahih Bukhari ]

Years before that when hehad just started preachingthe call of Islam, the Prophet[ pbuh ] went to Ta’if, a lushtown of green palm treesand fruits, just south-eastof Makkah. He was hopingthat perhaps the people of this city would be receptiveto his message, which had

been rejected by most of the Makkans for more thana decade. However, the

people of Ta’if proved justas cruel and intolerant, andnot only did they scorn hismessage, but even turnedtheir youth against him whohurled stones and insults athim as he sadly left the city.

Bleeding from head to toe, battered and exhausted,Muhammad [ pbuh ] looked

beyond his own woundsand forgave them.

This is just one of manyexamples of how he whomGod described as a “mercy

to the universe” dealt withthose who opposed him.Indeed, the Prophet [ pbuh ]was true to the words hehimself used to adviseothers, such as his saying,The merciful are shownmercy by the All-Merciful.Show mercy to those on

earth, and He Who is theowner in heaven will showmercy to you” [ Abu Dawud,Tirmidhi ]

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It is narrated by Jabir ibn‘Abdullah [a companion,that once] a funeral

procession passed in frontof us and the Prophet[ pbuh ] stood up and wetoo stood up. We said, ‘OAllah’s Messenger! This isthe funeral procession of aJew.” He said, “Whenever you see a funeral procession,you should stand up [out of respect, regardless of thefaith of the deceased].”[Sahih Bukhari ]

This illustrates how anatmosphere of mutual lovecan be brought about inthe world only when weconsciously rise above allinsidious demarcation of caste, colour and creed.

Just as the Prophet [ pbuh ]did, we too must look at allmen as human beings whodeserve to be respected atall times.

The Prophet [ pbuh ] taughthumanity the qualities of mercy and justice at all

times, but more so duringtimes of war. This wasat a time when the worldwas steeped in barbarismand there were no treatiesor recognized principlesto regulate battle. He

prohibited abuse andmutilation, and forbade the

killing of women, childrenand innocent, as well as thedestruction of property andtrees. He also prohibited

targeting the religiousengaged in worship andreligious buildings. Heurged not to initiate war. Andif done so by the opponent,respect the principles of the

battle eld and ght onlythose who were engaged inthe offensive.

His mercy towards womenand children was alsoremarkable. He wouldstate, “I start the prayers,intending to lengthen them.I then hear a child crying,so I make them shorter,knowing that a mother will

be distressed by her child’scries.” [ Sahih Bukhari ]

It is related that once theProphet [ pbuh ] kissed his

grandsons on the forehead.A man who happened to be present remarked, “I haveten children, but I havenever kissed any of them!”The Prophet [ pbuh ] lookedat him and said, “He whodoes not show mercy willnot be shown any.” [ Sahih

Bukhari ]

On another occasion, theProphet [ pbuh ] was handedhis daughter’s son whowas dying, and again hiseyes lled with tears. Hiscompanion Sa‘d asked insurprise, “What is this, O’

Prophet of God?” He said,“This is [a re ection of]mercy that the Almightyhas created in the hearts of

His servants. And surelyGod is merciful with thoseamong His servants whoshow mercy to others.”[Sahih Bukhari ]

The Prophet [ pbuh ] wasnever too proud to walk alongside a widow or a

poor person and ful ll their needs. He used to visit thesick both from the Muslimcommunity as well as thenon-Muslim, and he treated

all orphans with mercy andkindness. A step further,he even advised peopleto sponsor orphans andtreat them with similar compassion and gentleness.Once, joining his index

nger with the middleone he said, “I and the

sponsor of an orphan will be like these [as close] inParadise.” [ Sahih Bukhari ]

The above-mentioned area few randomly selectedexamples of his life.To truly appreciate thegreatness of Muhammad

[ pbuh ], a detailed andobjective study of his biography is required. Oneshould judge the Prophet[ pbuh ] through his ownconduct and behaviour, andnot any other source.

‘And We have not sent

you but as a mercy tothe universe.’ [ TheQur’an - 21:107 ]

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The Holy Qur’an maintainsthe highest possible standardof rhetoric in its speech, tothe extent that it is literallyimpossible to nd its parallelin human works. Therules of rhetoric demandthat the words chosen for expression should be soexact in conveying the

message that they shouldnot express too much or toolittle for the occasion. Themore a description embodiesthis quality, and the moreappropriate the words areto the situation, the moreeloquent it is said to be.The Holy Qur’an ful ls allthe requirements of rhetoricto the highest standard.We present the followingarguments to prove our claim.

First ArgumentHuman eloquence, whether from Arabs or non-Arabs,usually concerns the

physical phenomena thatare closely associated with

those people. For instance,the Arabs are consideredto be great orators andeloquent in the description

of camels, horses, swordsand women. Poets, linguistsand other writers acquiredexterity and pro ciency insome particular eld simply

because poets and writers of all times have been writingand adding subtleties tothe subject, providing foodfor thought for subsequent

writers to open new avenuesin it. However, the HolyQur’an does not t this

pattern, owing nothing to precedent and being repletewith astonishing examplesof eloquence that wereunanimously acknowledged

by all the Arabs.

Second ArgumentIt is our usual experiencethat when poets and writersof literature try to adorntheir language with eloquentexpressions, they do notremain truthful. Anyonetrying to be absolutely true inconveying his/her messagecan do so only at the costof eloquence. It is therefore

said that untruth is the mainelement of good poetry.The famous poets Labidibn Rabi’ah and Hassan ibn

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Thabit could not maintainthe high standard of their

poetry after embracing Islam.Their pre-Islamic poetry ismore forceful and elegantthan their post-Islamiccompositions. The HolyQur’an presents miraculousexamples of eloquence inspite of being absolutely truein all that it says.

Third ArgumentGood poetry is consideredelegant and beautiful

because some of its versesare of a high standard of eloquence. Each and everyverse of that poetry is rarelyall of the same standard. The

Holy Qur’an, however, from beginning to end, is such anexample of unabated beauty,elegance and eloquence thathuman beings of all timeshave been unable to produceeven a small piece of equalstandard.

Fourth ArgumentAny writer or poet, whenrelating the same event morethan once, does not managein the repeated account to

be as elegant and beautiful

THE ELOQUENT QUR’ANIn order to appreciate the true eloquence and beauty of the Qur’an, one would have

to read it in the language in which it had been revealed – Arabic. Translations not onlytake away its glamour and attraction, but rather do great injustice to it. Translationsshould be taken for what they are and no more – a means of communicating themessage in the language of the reader. Equipped with the intelligence to learnand investigate, the excuse of people expressing their inability to learn Arabic andstudy the Qur’an is lame. What is even more scandalous is the behaviour of those

who have not given any time at all to understand the Qur’an, yet point to someof its verses without any consideration for the context, time and the prevailingcircumstances of its revelation. It is hoped that in this rational age, some rationality

would be observed when approaching a book as rational as the Qur’an. [ The Editor ]

Shaykh Rahmatullah Keranwi




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as he/she was the rst time.The Holy Qur’an repeatsversions of the same event,and of descriptions of thecreation and the end of theworld, and of the injunctions

and the attributes of God.Each description is differentin style and in size, buteveryone is of such highstandard that one cannot be

preferred to another.

Fifth ArgumentThe Qur’an talks of manythings like obligatory rituals,legal prohibitions, instigationto virtue, repudiationof worldly desires, and

preparation for the Hereafter and other similar themes.The description of thesethings does not lend itself toelegance and beauty and any

poet trying to compose poetryon practical injunctions of this kind would be hard

put to produce a passageof literary merit. The HolyQur’an deals with all thesesubjects with a high standardof eloquence.

Sixth ArgumentThe eloquence of every poetis con ned to a particular subject and when the same

poet speaks on other subjects,his beauty of expression andhis pro ciency is distinctlycircumscribed. Imru’l-Qais,the famous Arab poet, isknown for his descriptionof wine, women and horses.

No other poet is as eloquenton this subject. Nabigha isknown for his descriptionof fear and awful events,

Zuhayr for hope and so on.The Holy Qur’an, on theother hand, talks on all kindsof subjects with great force

of eloquence, beauty andelegance, and is found to

be miraculously eloquent ineach description.

Seventh Argument

Diversion from one subjectto another which in turnhas many branches usuallymakes it impossible for anauthor to maintain ow andcontinuity with the samegrandeur and majesty andtheir language usually losesits height of eloquence.The Holy Qur’an is full of such diversions, frequently

jumping from one event toanother, but miraculously itmaintains the same ow andcontinuity with all the other subjects under discussion.

Eighth ArgumentAnother distinct feature of the Qur’anic diction is thatit encloses a vast range of

meaning in a surprisinglysmall number of wordswithout losing its charm andmajesty in the least. Chapter Sad’s opening verses are agood example of this. TheHoly Qur’an here describesa large number of subjects invery few verses, including adescription of the unbelieversof Makkah, their rejectionof the Holy Prophet,admonitions to them withreference to historical eventsof previous people, their distrust and astonishment atthe revelation of the Qur’an,a description of their envious nature, threats andinstigations, the teaching of

patience and a descriptionof events related to theProphets David, Solomon,Job, Abraham and Jacob. Allthese diverse subjects have

been dealt with a force andeloquence that is unique tothe Qur’an.

Ninth ArgumentMajesty and grandeur,

elegance and beauty arecounteracting qualities thatare rarely found together in a single work. Thesetwo opposite qualities areseen divinely combinedtogether throughout theQur’an in a way unknownto human genius. This againis a strong argument for themiraculous eloquence of the Qur’anic diction, whichis absolutely absent fromhuman writings.

Tenth ArgumentThe language of the Qur’ancontains all possible kinds of eloquence, metaphor, similes,comparisons, transitions,inversions etc., but at the

same time it is free of anyhint of verbiage like falseexaggeration, hyperbolicalstatements and other defectsof falsehood. Human writingdoes not usually combine allthe aspects of eloquence inone work. People have triedin vain to accommodate allthese qualities. The HolyQur’an, however, does sosuperlatively.

These ten arguments areenough to prove the claimthat the Qur’anic language isso sublime that it cannot bemeasured by human genius.The more one is acquaintedwith the Arabic language,the more they will nd the

words of the Qur’an burninginto their heart, and itsthought breathing into their soul.





When and how did you start your journey towards Islam?

It was way back in 1989when I, along with mysister, conducted a tour of some of the countries of Middle East. During our stay in Bahrain, we wereaccorded a very warmwelcome. There I happenedto meet some children andhad a light chitchat withthem. I put certain questions

to them and they ung atme their innocent queries.During the course of thisinteraction, they inquiredabout my religion. I toldthem, “I am a Christian.” Iasked them of their religion.A wave of serenity took over them. They replied in

one voice: “Islam”. Their enthusiastic answer reallyshook me from within.

Then they started tellingme about Islam. They weregiving me information,much in piece with their age. The pitch of their voicewould reveal that they werehighly proud of Islam. Thisis how I began my pace

toward Islam.A very short interactionwith a group of childrenultimately led me to havelong discourses about Islamwith Muslim scholars. Agreat ripple had taken place

in my thought. I madefailing attempt to consolemyself that nothing hadhappened but I could notconceal this fact any longer from myself that at heartI had converted to Islam.This I disclosed rst tomy family friend, Qunber

Ali. The same Qunber Alimanaged to take me toRiyadh, capital of SaudiArabia. Till that time, Idid not know much aboutIslam. From there, in thecompany of a Saudi family,I proceeded for Makkahfor the performance of

“Umrah” [A lesser type of pilgrimage]. There I made public for the rst time thatI had become Muslim.

What were your feelingsafter you proclaimed that

you were a Muslim?

Having embraced Islam, Ifelt as if I were born again. Ifound in Islam the answers

to those queries which I hadfailed to nd elsewhere.Particularly, it was Islamalone that provided asatisfactory answer to thequestion relating to the

birth of Christ. For therst time I was convinced

about religion itself. I praymy family members mightappreciate these facts.

What happened when you got back to the US after embracing Islam?

When I returned toUSA, American mediaorchestrated heinous

propaganda against Islamand Muslims. The gossipswere let loose on me whichreally disturbed my peaceof mind. Hollywood washell-bent upon maligning

the Muslims. They were being projected as terrorists.There are many thingswhere there is consensus

between Christianity andIslam, and Qur’an presentsHoly Christ as a virtuousProphet. Then, I wondered,why Christian Americalevels baseless allegationsagainst Muslims? Thismade me gloomy. I made

14

My Entry Into Islam Interview of Jermaine Jackson, brother of the late Michael Jackson




up my mind that I woulddo my best to dispel thewrong image of Muslims,

portrayed by the Americanmedia. I had not the

slightest idea that theAmerican media wouldnot digest the news of myaccepting Islam and raisesuch a great hue and cry.It was virtually actingagainst all its tall and much

publicized claims aboutfreedom of expression and

freedom of conscience.So the hypocrisy of American society came tosurface and lay uncovered

before me. Islam unknottedmany complications for me. As a matter of fact, Icame to think of myself asa complete human being,

in the literal sense of theword. After becomingMuslim, I felt a tremendouschange in me. I discardedall things prohibited inIslam. This made thingsdif cult for my familytoo. In short, the Jacksonfamily tumbled altogether.Threatening letters pouredin, which further intensi edthe worries of my family.

What was the reactionof your brother Michael

Jackson?

On my way back toAmerica, I brought anumber of books fromSaudi Arabia.

15

Michael Jackson askedme himself for some of these books for study.Before this, his opinionwas in uenced by the

propaganda of Americanmedia against Islam andMuslims. He was notinimical towards Islam,

but he was not favourablydisposed towards Muslimseither. But after readingthese books, he would keepmum and not say anything

against Muslims. Perhapsit was the impact of thestudy of Islam that madehim divert some of his

business interests towardsMuslim traders.

It was said earlier that Michael Jackson was

against Muslims, and thenthere were rumours that he had become Muslim.What is the real story?

To the best of myknowledge, MichaelJackson has never saidanything derogatoryagainst Muslims. Hissongs, too, give messageof love for others. We havelearnt from our parents tolove others. Only those whohave their own axe to grindhurl allegations on him.When there can be a nastyuproar against me when I

became Muslim, why canit not be so against MichaelJackson. But, so far, the

media has not subjectedhim to scathing criticism,although he is threatenedfor his getting somewhatcloser to Islam. But who

knows what would it look like when Michael Jacksonembraces Islam.

What are the views of therest of the members of

your family about you?

When I returned to

America, my mother hadalready heard the news of my conversion to Islam.My mother is a religiousand civilized woman.When I reached home, she

put forth only one question,“have you taken thisdecision all of a sudden, or

is it the outcome of somedeep and long thinking?”“I have decided after a lotof thinking,” I replied. Letme say we are known as areligious family. Whatever we possess is due to the

blessing of God. Then whyshould we not be gratefulto Him? This is why weactively participate incharitable activities. Wedispatched medicines to

poor African countries.During Bosnian war, our aircrafts were engagedin supplying aid to thoseaffected most. We aresensitive to such things

because we have witnessedabject poverty ourselves.




We used to live in a housewhich was hardly a fewsquare metres capacious.

Have you ever discussed

about Islam with your sister, pop star Janet Jackson?

Like other members of my family, my suddenconversion to Islam wasa great surprise for her.In the beginning, she was

worried. All her negative perceptions about Muslimswere based on polygamy.When I explained thatthis permission granted byIslam was with referenceto the state of the presentAmerican society, sheunderstood. This is a

fact that promiscuity andin delity is very commonin the Western society. Inspite of being married,Western men enjoyextramarital relations too.This has caused devastatingmoral decay in thatsociety. Islam safeguardsthe social fabric from thisdestruction.

As per Islamic teachings,if a man is emotionallyattracted towards a woman,he should honourablygive this relation a legalshape, otherwise he must

be contented with onlyone wife. On the other hand, Islam has laid down

16

would come when theworld would be obliged toaccept this reality.

Can you maintain a

linkage between your Islamic personality and the culture of your family?

Why not? This linkagecan be kept up for theachievement of many goodthings.

Who has infuenced you so far as Islam isconcerned?

Many people haveimpressed me. But the factis that the very rst thingI always do is turn to theHoly Qur’an, therefore

I do not run a risk of getting strayed on the way.However, there are manyIslamic scholars that onecan be duly proud of.

Are your wife and children Muslims too?

I have seven sons and twodaughters, who, like me,are fully Islam-oriented.My wife is still studyingIslam. I trust Insha-Allah[God-Willing], she wouldsoon join Islam. MayGod Almighty give us thecourage and perseveranceto remain on this truereligion. (Aameen)

so many conditions for second marriage that Ido not think an ordinaryMuslim can afford to meetthese conditions. There ishardly a single percent of Muslims throughout theIslamic world who havemore than one wife. Tomy view, a woman in anIslamic society is just likea well-protected ower which is safe from thestray penetrating looks

of the viewers, whereasthe Western society isdevoid of the vision thatwould allow them toappreciate this wisdomand philosophy.

What is your take on the Muslim society of today?

For the larger interest of humanity, Islamic society

presents the safest place onthis planet. For instance,take the example of women. American womenare clad in their out ts insuch a manner that givestemptation to the male for harassment. But this isunthinkable in an Islamicsociety. Besides, the

prevalent sins and viceshave dis gured the moralfabric of Western society.I believe if there is any

place left where humanityis still visible, it cannot

be anywhere other than inan Islamic society. Time




Man has severed his relationship withhis Lord and forgotten his duties for which he was liable. The obsession withlife’s transient pursuits and possessionshas overtaken all meaningful goals.Spirituality has become meaninglessand virtues such as ethics andrighteousness have lost their glamour.Abandoned is the message of God

brought by all revealed religions; notleast the nal revealed message, Islam.Far from studying the religion with anobjective outlook, modern man hasfallen a prey to malevolent forceswishing to malign it. Unfoundedclaims and baseless assertions arenow increasingly nding an audience,thanks to media misportrayal of it.Consequently, what we get is anextremely negative perception of the

17

COUNTERCURRENT - WHAT AND WHY

faith in the minds of those whose dailydiet is the mainstream media and cannot

nd time to explore for themselveswhere the reality lies. This publicationis a humble effort in this direction. Itseeks to engender God-consciousnessand spirituality in a material-orientedsociety. It also aims to develop criticalthinking in minds accustomed to

seeing the one side of the coin. Itattempts to provide the readers withan alternative source of information.This publication is distributed freeof charge to major public places, aswell as other smaller establishments.It is also distributed individuallywherever appropriate. To ful l our ambitions and further our cause werequire your assistance. You can help

by doing one or more of the following.

You can become part of this projectthrough the following methods

Support us morally and spiritually.•

Provide support through your professional services and / or •distribution.

Support us nancially. We require consistent funds to keep this•project running. To ensure this we have begun a scheme of small-sumsponsorship. We ask you to donate at least one pound a month for thisnoble cause. You can obviously x a larger sum if you wish.

If you think you can help in either of the above please contact usat the email / postal address on page 2.




18

Prophet Muhammad [ pbuh ]

said, “Within the body thereis a piece of esh. When itis sound, the whole body issound; and when it is corrupt,the entire body goes corrupt.Behold, it is the heart.”[Sahih Bukhari ]

The Messenger of God[ pbuh ] came as a mercyfor the entire creation - for

their souls and their bodies.Therefore, the above sayingcan carry both spiritual and

physical interpretations.

Today, due to the so-called‘modern and civilized’ wayof life, there are thousands of chronic diseases that cripplemillions of people and killmany in the prime of their lives. The deviation from‘ Fitrah ’ - natural way of life -has created epidemics of whatwere once known simply as‘Degenerative diseases’. Wewill look at these (ModernEpidemics) and see howthe medicine of the Prophet[ pbuh ], and in particular,the use of honey can help incuring them. In the presentarticle we will discuss theleading killer of adults in theindustrialised Western world- heart disease.

Although there are manydifferent types of heartdiseases, there is one whichis potentially fatal. Before welook at the statistics, it would

be wise to try and understandthis modern killer. The termCoronary Heart Disease or C.H.D, is used to describe adisorder of the heart musclesresulting from narrowing

or blockage of the coronary

arteries. These arteries supply blood to the heart muscles.Because of the narrowness,the heart muscles may notreceive suf cient blood. Aninadequate blood supply iscalled ‘Ischemia’. The term‘Ischemia Heart Disease’ issynonymous with coronaryheart disease. Often,the blood supply is only

insuf cient when demandson the heart are increased dueto overwork, stress, etc. Thistransient Ischemia may causea chest discomfort or paincalled ‘Angina’ ( waj‘i qalb ),which characteristicallydisappears on resting. Whenthe reduction in blood supplyand vital force is so severeas to cause death of themuscle cells, it is known as‘Myocardial infarction’. Ineveryday language it is calleda heart attack. Heart attacksaffect over a quarter of amillion people in the U.K.each year. Angina attacksover two million people eachyear in the U.K. Coronarydisease is a leading cause of death in the U.K. Men aremore likely to have a heartattack; and out of all groups,Asian men have the highestrecord of death from heartattacks in UK.

There are many and variedreasons behind the epidemiclevels of heart diseases. Theserange from everyday stress,worry, to poor diet, especially

junk food, pollution, lack of physical exercise or activity.Heart diseases were although

present during the early eratoo, but rstly they were rare

and when they did occur,

Prophetic remedies werethere to help.

The use of honey has been prescribed for many typesof illnesses in the Propheticmedicine; it has also beenrecommended as a wonderfuldietary supplement for healthy people too for the

preservation of health.

Regular use of honey helps prevent heart diseases. Afamous physician, lbne Sina,the author of the medicalclassic, ‘Al-Qanoon l-Tibb’, used to give honeyand pomegranate to his heart

patients. I, too, followingin his footsteps, prescribehoney and Sana (Sana Maki )

for such patients. Honey is aheart tonic which tones theheart muscles and providesenergy as well as a wholerange of vitamins andminerals. Honey also removesimpurities and toxins fromthe arteries. The poisonsare removed faster whenSana Maki is used alongsidehoney. For heart diseases, teamade from Sana Maki andsweetened with pure honeyis highly effective. Regular use of honey in warm water

before breakfast also actsas a tonic for the heart. For those who have survived aheart attack, the combinationof honey, Sana and Ajwaa (aquality date grown in parts of Madeenah ) should speed uprecovery.

Dr. Salim Khan can becontacted at: clinic@ mohsinhealthgroup.co.uk

Dr. Muhammad Salim Khan M.D.{M.A.}D.O.M.H.



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Tibb - holistic herbal medicine - is an original tradition of natural health care.Mohsin Clinic of natural medicine uses this ancient wisdom and tradition to help

deal with modern problems and illnesses. The primary emphasis at the Clinic is on preservation of health. The unique diagnostic methods of natural medicine such as

iridology and pulse reading allow for an early detection of illness.

Hakim M. Salim has attained the reputation for being a world renownedherbalist with over thirty years successful clinical experience.

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Words of Wisdom[of Prophet Muhammad pbuh ]

“A Muslim who meets with others and shares their burdensis better than one who lives a life of seclusion

and contemplation.” ( Sahih Muslim )

“ God does not look at your appearance or your

possessions; but Helooks at your heartand your deeds.”

(Sahih Muslim )

“ God [Himself] is One and [therefore]likes Unity.” ( Sahih Muslim )

“He is not a Muslim who eats to his fll while

his neighbour goes hungry.” ( Baihaqi )

“Whoever desires to meet God, God desires tomeet him [too].” ( Bukhari )

“Much silence and a good disposition; there are no twothings better than these.” ( Bukhari )

“Verily, God is lenient and is fond of leniency, and Hegives to the lenient what He does not

give to the harsh.” ( Sahih Muslim )

“The worldly comforts are not for me. I am like a traveller,who takes a rest under a tree shade [for a short while]

and then continues his journey.” ( Tirmidhi )

“Once a man, passing through a road, found a thorny branch of atree obstructing it. He removed it, and in appreciation,

God forgave his sins.” ( Bukhari )

“It is better to sit alone than in the company of the evil;and it is better still to sit with the good than alone.

It is better to speak to a seeker of knowledgethan to remain silent; but silence is better

than idle words.” ( Bukhari )

issue 6 - counter current

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