Moral Strength Versus Military Strength

Moral Strength Versus Military Strength

Dr. Muhammad Fazlur Rahman Ansari (R.A.)

We have seen through the annals of history many a mighty nation crumbling down into ruins while many other weak and insignificant nations rising to undreamed of glory. During the heyday of the Persian Empire none would have imagined that this mighty empire would one day be defeated by the Greek shepherds. But it did happen. If the military strength alone were enough to maintain power and prosperity, the mighty nations which claimed sway over many a small and insignificant nation in different periods of time would never have lost their sway and vanquished. But it appeal that there is a power more effective than military strength. The deeper one probes into this matter, the surer one becomes that this super power is no other than moral perfection. It is the power which turns weaker nations into formidable powers while the lack of it turn great powers into moth eaten oaks which fall down under the pressure of the winds.

When moral power is accompanied by the power of faith and piety, it is multiplied malty fold and becomes impregnable. It is an infallible means of success, both in this world and the Here-after. The Holy Qur’an says :

وَالْعَصْرِ ﴿١﴾ إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ ﴿٢﴾ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ ﴿٣﴾

“By (the token of) time (through the ages), verily man is in loss, except such us have Faith and  do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual washings of Truth, ,and of Patient and constancy”. (Sarah: 103)

The moral power which is a sure means of success should be associated by the power of sound faith to ensure success in this world and Here-after. Only such people who are qualified with these attributes have been recognized as those who prosper by the Holy Qur’an, and the rest of the Humanity has been condemned as the looser. The Holy Qur’an further says:

مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِنْ ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنْثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً ۖ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُمْ بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

“Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has faith, verily, to him will We give a new  life, a life that is good and pure, and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions”. (16 : 97).

According to Hadith, Islam is founded on five basic principles which are to have faith in God and His Messenger, to perform five daily prayer, to fast during the month of Ramadan, to pay Zakat and to perform Hajj. But the essence of Islam is the conformity with moral values. The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) has said:

انما بعت لٲتمم مکارم الاخلاق

“Verily, I have been commissioned to perfect the moral values”.

It is a great saying based on deep wisdom. The teaching of Islam as a whole tend to leading humanity towards moral perfection. A Muslim who is regardless of moral values can be said to be lacking in Islam in exact proportion with his disregard to moral values.

What are moral values? They are not mere abstract properties on the very contrary, the moral values are solid, palpable and practical facts. They are contained in the following Hadith:

“Tamim bin Aus says that the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) has said:

“Religion contains in good-will”.

We asked: “Good will for whom, O Messenger of Allah”?

He replied: “Good will for God, for His Books, for His Messenger, for the leaders of the Muslims and for Muslims in general”. (Muslim).

According to this Hadith, the essence of religion, the underlying spirit of moral values, is to have good-will for all. It is a wise saying, because it is not humanly possible for anyone to be practically good to all; what is practicable is to have goodwill for all and to do good to as many as possible. The idea has been presented still more clearly in yet another Hadith:

“Abu Hurairah narrates that the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) has said :

“Whoever helps a Muslim in the problems of his worldly life, God will help him in his problems on the Day of Judgement. Who ever provides a Muslim with ease at a time of hardship, God will provide for him ease both in this world and in the Hereafter. Who ever covers a Muslim (with clothes), God will cover him (with His Mercy) both in this world and in the Hereafter. God helps his servants as long as they mean to help their brethren". (Muslim).

The Hadith mentioned above sets the acts of charity as the acts of great merit. There is yet another Hadith which renders it essential for every Muslim to perform a large number of meritorious and charitable deeds every day.

“Abu Hurairah narrates that the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) has said:

“Each day when the sun rises, it becomes essential for people to perform as many acts of charity as there are joints in their bodies. To settle disputes with justice is a charitable deed, to help a person mount his steed or to hand him his goods is an act of charity, to say a good word is an act of charity, when one goes to the mosque for prayers, each step one takes is an act of charity and to remove harmful objects from the road is an act of charity”. (Muslim).

Apart from the divine service (prayers etc.) which is meant for the purification of soul, the teachings of Islam constitute the most perfect system of moral law. Islam gives each individual the best he deserves and protects him from any harm that might come to him through the selfishness of others. There is no exploitation in Islam: The best of one’s earning is what one gets through the labour of his own hands. Usury is therefore prohibited while honest trade has been blessed. Since the field of commerce claims a large share of human activity, Islam has paid much importance to purifying it of evil and immoral practices tending to cause harm to society. None is allowed to earn out of the ignorance or inexperience of others. All such practices which are outwardly quite lawful but ultimately turn to be harmful to the society have been branded as unlawful, like hoarding etc. All such bargains which might result in the loss of the one or the other of the parties have been rendered as unlawful, like the fish in the net which has not yet been pulled ashore. No government and no religion known to man has paid such a great importance to Moral laws in the field of commerce.

The modern society is based on exploitation and the worst of it is the exploitation of almost one half of the human race, namely that of the fairer sex. Islam has granted each sex the rights and privileges which it claims by the right of its sex. The fairer sex for instance, has been burdened by some additional responsibilities—pregnancy, nursing the infants, etc. As such they have been exempted from the responsibilities of earning, though they have the right to inherit and possess properties of their own, while their husbands have been made responsible to provide them with their necessities of life. This is the most natural adjustment of the affair. But the modern civilization aims at the exploitation of womanhood through a series of arguments and inducements. It begins by claiming to uphold the equality of the sex, then it encourages women to compete with man in every field of human activity. As a result, the fairer sex has been made to undergo the drudgery of the factories and workshops. Now the womanhood is groaning under the burden of her two-fold responsibilities—those imposed on her by man and those entrusted to her by nature—while man sits playing his fiddle at his fire-place.

Is this moral‘? As we have already said, the moral values are not mere abstract values, having nothing to do with practical life. They, on the contrary, are closely related with life and tend to make life happier for all. All moral values turn finally into material benefit. When we make a thorough study of the teachings of Islam, we will come to know that the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) meant by saying: “Religion is good will”, and what he meant when he said: “Verily I have been commissioned to perfect the moral values".

It will not help us to be Muslims in the name and ignore the moral aspect of the teachings of Islam. We can never progress and prosper unless we mould our lives and actions in absolute conformity with the moral code of our Faith.