Hadith
Cont’d to page 2
It is obvious that the modernist and the traditionalist theses
canceled each other. Furthermore, the modernists have to explain
why the Turkish experiment with Westernized modernization failed.
They also have to explain why developed Western societies such as
the United States and Europe have been undergoing a multi-faceted
crisis since the First World War, and why a new philosophical trend
of thought critical of Western-type modernization has developed
in Europe and America.
The traditionalists, on the other hand, must explain the failure
of their system from the beginning when it was first formulated
around the third, fourth and fifth centuries of Islam. Some Arab
countries have hardly modernized and |
had been practicing the traditional
system for centuries—why have these not progressed? If they
have not progressed, it is idle to expect Muslim countries to progress
if they implement the traditional system.
The answer lies in our hypothesis. The early Muslims rose to the
pinnacles of success precisely because they were in possession of
and practiced the powerful and dynamic Islamic ideology as preached
in the Quran. They subjected other knowledge, local and foreign,
to the discriminative teachings of the Quran. As long as they did
this, they progressed. A time came when other teachings, local and
foreign, gained the upper hand and submerged the Quran, as witnessed
by the following Quranic prophecy:
The messenger will say, “My Lord, my people
have deserted this Quran.” We thus appointed for every prophet
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enemies from among the
criminals, and God suffices as Guide and Protector. (25:30-31)
After about three hundred years, extraneous harmful teachings not
taught by Prophet Muhammad but skillfully attributed to him gradually
gained a foothold in the Muslim community and turned them away from
the dynamic invincible ideology that initially brought them success.
This ideology, as we shall show, is precisely the hadith. This is
the main cause of their downfall. It therefore follows that the
purging of this harmful ideology, and with it other foreign modern
ideologies, from the Muslim community, and their return to the original
ideology brought by Muhammad in the Quran is the sine qua non for
the regeneration of the Muslim community and for a new Muslim Renaissance.
Kassim Ahmad |
Masjid Tucson Activities
Food Drive
Some members of the community participated in a food drive for
the Community Food Bank. They volunteered to help collect canned
and non-perishable food donations in the last week of September,
1996. The Food Bank, one of the largest charitable organizations
in Tucson with low overhead, distributes the donated items to the
needy people throughout the year.
Soup Kitchen
We participate in an ongoing project to help feed the hungry in
our town in cooperation with Casas Adobes congregational church
and Temple Emmanuel synagogue. Representatives from the three communities
get together during one weekend every other month, to buy, prepare
and distribute food at a soup kitchen operated by the Salvation
Army. The last soup kitchen participation was on November 9-10,
1996. Hot meals were served to a total of 230 needy people.
Thanksgiving Service
The 2nd annual Interfaith Thanksgiving service was held on November
28, 1996 at Temple Emanuel in Tucson. The event was sponsored by
the Inter-Religious Council of Southern Arizona of which we are
a member. The idea is to use this American holiday of giving thanks
to our Creator as a chance for people of different faiths to come
together, united in the worship of God. We read Quranic verses of
appreciation and thanks. The Christian readings from the New Testament
included Jesus reminding his disciples not to worry about the things
of this world: “Your heavenly Father knows all that you
need. Seek first His kingship over you, His way of Holiness, and
all these things will be given to you besides.” (Matthew
6:32-33) There were Jewish Thanksgiving Blessings, a prayer of thanks
in the language of the Indian tribe of the Tohono O'odham, and thanksgiving
prayers by other religous groups. It was a wonderful chance to see
all that we have in common.
He decreed for you the same religion decreed for
Noah, and what we inspired to you, and what we decreed for Abraham,
Moses and Jesus: “You shall uphold this one religion and do
not divide it.” (42:13)
Your Lord has decreed: “The more you thank
Me, the more I give you.” (14:7) |