As Muslims, we’re encouraged to think out of the box, to Ponder, to go beyond the ritualistic aspects….. To a deeper Islam.
Kalima, Namaaz, Roza, Zakaath, Hajj and nowadays, even jehad – is the way, they say, that leads us to paradise. If you read between the lines then you would realize that this is not completely true..
What about that aspect of Islam which nobody dares to talk about – that aspect where reason fails, figures lose their count, time has no tick or tock, where the dead come to life and the living are dead, where wrong is no longer wrong and right is no longer right, where heaven is hell and hell is heaven – that aspect of Islam which is so obvious yet so difficult to grasp…
Moving on – that aspect of Islam which all the military might of the world could not destroy – that aspect of Islam which a million words could not express, yet a simple gesture would– that aspect of Islam which when a person follows makes him seem so “un-Islamic” to the the standard Muslim..
The Quraan talks about this aspect of Islam in the form of a true story – the story of Hazrath Moosa Alayhis Salaam’s encounter with Hazrath Kisar Alayhis Salaam. Hazrath Moosa (AS) asked Allah SWT if there was anyone more knowledgeable than himself and when Allah SWT told him that there was, he wanted to meet this person. The story is related in Suratul Khaf (18) verses 60 to 82. (Actual verses below)
A dead fish comes to life in this story. There is no when and where. A knowledgeable pious person commits murder and it is regarded as a virtue. This person shows no appreciation to the people that have done him a favour, instead he causes damage to their property and this is regarded as a good deed. Leave alone a normal Muslim, even Hazrath Moosa Alayhis Salaam thought that this pious servant of Allah was a cruel person and what he did was unreasonable.
The story may seem simple but on closer inspection it is extremely complex and it is full of intrigue, jealousy, toil, struggle and competition between people.
This type of knowledge did not end with Hazrath Kizar Alayhis Salaam. The Prophet Salallahu Alayhe Wasallam possessed this type of knowledge in abundance: “Have We not expanded thee thy breast” (O Prophet (SAW) 94\1.
There are many ahadith as well that bare testimony to the fact that the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhe Wasallam possessed this type of knowledge and he passed it on to some of his companions.
There were those special companions of the Prophet Salallahu Alayhe Wasallam, who practiced this deeper aspect of Islam and they were called the Ashaabe Suffa. They in turn passed on this knowledge onto their companions. Even today, there are those special people that possess this type of knowledge.
A Muslim of this caliber has amazing ability. Although the entire universe is at his command (By the will of Allah) he is still able to live an ordinary life and sometimes be killed or even disgraced in the community. Just as easily as they can fly in the sky they can also grovel in the mud – it all depends on what Allah wants. At the end of the story Hazrath Kizar (AS) explains his actions thus: “…I did it not on my own accord….” 18/82. Whatever he did was what Allah had instructed him to do.
Hazrath Moosa (AS) could not understand Hazrath Kizar (AS). There were many other pious people in history that were misunderstood by the people around them. Remember the story of Hazrath Hassan Basrie (RA), a companion of the Prophet Salallahu Alayhe Wasallam, and his encounter with the pious one when the ship was sinking.
Hazrath Hassan Basrie (RA) also thought badly of this person and misunderstood him. Many of the pious people were murdered by the so-called Muslims that lived around them. Hazrath Shamsodeen Tabreez (RA), Mansoor Annal Haq and Hazrath Soofie Sarmath (RA) are such examples.
There is more to Islam than the five pillars. Apart from ‘Emaan’ and Love, wisdom and knowledge is also important. Read the Quraan and you would notice that it stimulates you to think and ponder. The Prophet (SAW) has said: “The corrupt learned man and the illiterate worshippers will be the cause of destruction of my people.”
In the time of the Prophet Sallal lahu Alayhe Wasallam there were men that tried to claim superiority over the Prophet Salallahu Alayhe wasallam by claiming they prayed more and fasted more. One even built a mosque to attract people towards himself.
Today we see this happening. People create an impression of piety around themselves by dressing up piously, praying to show off, building mosques and ‘jamaath khanas’ and then criticizing the way others practice the religion. This is ‘bidath’, that is shirk… All this to make themselves out to be special. Self worship.
The highest rank that a person can acheive in the sight of Allah is to love for the sake of Allah SWT. The second highest rank is through knowledge (providing he\she teaches others). The third highest rank is by charity (a wealthy person that spends their wealth in the course of Allah and His Rasool (SAW), without seeking anything in return).
A knowledgeable person that misleads others has the lowest rank and a wealthy person that hoards has the second lowest rank.
These are the verses pertaining to Hazrath Moosa Alayhis Salaam’s encounter with Hazrath Kizar Alayhis Salaam.
18|60|And (recall the time) when Moses said to his (sincere) young (comrade), `I will not stop till I reach the confluence of the two rivers (the Niles at Khartoum); even if I must have to go on (journeying) for years.’
18|61|But when they reached the confluence (where the two rivers met) they forgot (all about) their fish (which they had brought with them) so that it took its way straight into the river burrowing (in to it).
18|62|And when they had gone further he said to his (sincere) young (comrade), `Bring us our breakfast; indeed the journey of today has been very tiring for us.’
18|63|He (- the young comrade) replied, `Did you see (what happened) when we betook ourselves to the rock for shelter, I forgot (all about) the fish; and none but satan made me forget to mention this (to you) and behold! it made its way into the river. What a wonder (that I should thus forget)!
18|64|(Moses) said, `That is (the place) which we have been seeking.’ So both of them returned retracing their steps.
18|65|So that they found a (noble and great) servant of Ours to whom We had granted mercy from Us and whom We had taught (great) Knowledge from Ourself.
18|66|Moses said to him, `May I follow you so that you may teach me (some of) the ways of rectitude which you have been taught?’
18|67|He (- the great man) said, `(Yes, but) while keeping company with me you will never be able to bear (and keep company) with me in patience,
18|68|`And how can you have patience about things the knowledge of which you do not comprehend.’
18|69|(Moses) said, `You will find me patient, God willing, and I shall not disobey you in any matter.’
18|70|He (- the great man) said, `Well, if you would follow me, (mind that) you shall ask me no question about anything unless I myself broach the subject to you.’
18|71|So both of them set out until when they embarked in a boat he scuttled it. (Thereupon Moses) said, `Have you scuttled it that you may drown (its) occupants? It is indeed a strangely grievous thing you have done.’
18|72|He replied, `Did I not say that you would not be able to bear with me (and keep company with me patiently).’
18|73|(Moses) said, `Do not take me to task for what I forgot; do not be too hard on me for this lapse of mine.’
18|74|Then they both set out again till when they met a boy, he (- the great man) slew him. (At this Moses) said, `Why have you slain an innocent person without (his having slain) any one. Most certainly, it is a strangely wondrous act you have committed.’
18|75|He (- the great divine being) said, `Did I not tell you that you would not certainly be able to bear with me patiently?’
18|76|(Moses) said, `If I question you about anything after this keep me in your company no more, for (in that case) you shall have reached the extent of being excused by me (- I shall have no excuse to offer).’
18|77|So both of them again set out till when they came upon the inhabitants of a town they asked them for food, but they refused to entertain them as guests. Then they found therein (- the town) a wall which was on the point of falling down and he (- the divine being) repaired it. (Moses) said, `If you had wanted, you could have charged for it.’
18|78|(The divine being thereupon) said, `This is the parting (of the ways) between me and you. Now I shall tell you the significance of that with which you could not have patience:
18|79|`As for the boat it belonged to (certain) poor people who worked on the river, and in their rear there was a (brutal) king who seized every (good) boat by force, so I chose to damage it (the boat).
18|80|`And as for the boy, his parents were believers and we feared that he should involve them in trouble through transgression and disbelief,
18|81|`So we desired that their Lord should give them in his place (a child) superior to him in virtue and purity and more regardful to attend to the right of relationships.
18|82|`As for the wall it belonged to two orphan boys of the town and under this (wall there) was a treasure belonging to them and their father had been a righteous man. So your Lord desired that they should attain their (age of) full strength and then take out their treasure; a mercy from your Lord, and I did not do it of my own accord, (whatever I did was the will of the Lord). This is the significance of that which you were not able to bear with patience.’