The Exigency of Muslim Reform

By Syed N Asad, New Age Islam 17 June 2018  In most of the Muslim communities debate always centres around whether a rational and practical approach to the practice of Islam is required or even possible. We confront different opinions on this question. For example, most Muslims who adhere to the rules of traditional Sharia are convinced that there can never be reform because they see Islam as a complete and perfect way of life that is unalterable. There are others who may not be devout practitioners yet are opposed to reform because they believe that any attempt to reform translates into acquiescing to the demands of the West. For them, this is a societal defeat for the Muslim civilization. There are others still who consider the word reform to be problematic because for them...

The Importance of Zikr

By S. Arshad, New Age Islam 15 June 2018 The remembrance and utterance of the name of the Creator of the Universe is prescribed in all the religions of the world. The Psalms, the Torah, the Bible and the oldest scriptures of the world --- the Vedas – sing hosanna to the Divine Creator. The tradition of uttering the name of God is also found in other religions like Manichaeism which was in vogue in Iran in the ancient times. The prophet of Manichaeism was Mani. Many modern folk religions like Sikhism, Nath Panth, Kabir Panth and Vaishnavism etc give importance to remembrance of God, rather remembrance and utterance of the name of God forms the basic practice of these religions. In these religions, remembrance alone is considered...

Is Violence the Only Way Out क्या हिंसा ही अंतिम रास्ता है?

मुश्ताकुल हक़ अहमद सिकंदर, न्यू एज इस्लाम 8 मई 2018 पिछले एक दहाई के दौरान कश्मीर में प्रतिरोध के एक आला कार के तौर पर बन्दुक के इस्तेमाल की परंपरा को एक नया रुझान हासिल हुआ हैl प्रतिरोध के एक सक्रीय काम करने के तरीके के तौर पर बंदूक का इस्तेमाल साम्राज्य विरोधी विभिन्न संघर्ष का हिस्सा रहा हैl हिंसा मानव इतिहास का एक आवश्यक अंग हैl मर्किसिज्म सहित विभिन्न दृष्टिकोणों में हिंसा परिवर्तन का मूल कारण रहा हैl दूसरी तरफ इतिहास ने हिंसक संघर्ष की सीमित सफलताओं का भी मुशाहेदा किया हैl इसके अलावा अब रियासत, फ़ौज और लड़ाकों की प्रकृति भी बदल चुकी है और अब राज्य ने हिंसा के इस्तेमाल का अंतिम औचित्य हासिल कर लिया हैl रियासती और गैर रियासती तत्वों के जरिये हिंसा के इस्तेमाल के बारे में कानूनी बहस में उलझे बिना इस हकीकत को स्वीकार कर लिया जाना...

Humility (Khusu) and Modesty (Tawadu) in Islam- A Source of Attaining Divine Pleasure and Maintaining Peace

By Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam 14 June 2018 The Arabic words ‘khusu’ and ‘tawadu’ literally mean humility and modesty. Both signify the state or quality of being humble. The virtue of humility or modesty is the opposite of arrogance, pride and haughtiness. Arrogance is an evil act in which a person praises himself instead of Allah, or he considers himself superior to others. Humility involves the idea that we are powerless and whatever we have is because of Our Lord Almighty and that we all human beings should not boast to one another.  The humble are praised in the Quran. Allah Almighty says, “And the servants of the Most Gracious who walk upon the earth humbly, and when the ignorant address them [harshly] they answer,...

The Left-Liberals, Muslim Leadership and the State, Sadly: A Reply to Harsh Mander and Ramchandra Guha

By Arshad Alam, New Age Islam 22 March 2018 Recently, the editorial pages of the Indian Express witnessed a debate on the Muslim situation by two very well-known and respected minds of India. Harsh Mander (Sonia, Sadly) lamented that even the Congress had abandoned the Muslims politically, although much of his analysis veered around how the RSS’ and BJP’s majoritarian agenda have almost reduced the Muslims to the status of second class citizens. Guha’s rejoinder (‘Liberals, Sadly’) reminded Mander that in large measures the Muslim present is the result of lack of an enlightened and liberal leadership within the Muslim community. Both arguments are valid and important but the reality of the Muslim condition today is perhaps more complicated:...

How China and the Call to Caliphate Are Re-Writing the Script in Kashmir

By Arshad Alam, New Age Islam 02 April 2018 Since the killing of Burhan Wani, Kashmir has seen a fresh wave of militancy. What marked out the post Burhan agitation in the valley was increasing participation of common people from all strata, particularly youth. The funerals of militants today have been attended not just by the local village community but also by armed militants. Some of these militants are masked, and have indulged in sloganeering eulogizing the Islamic state. Zakir Musa, the current face of the IS in the valley, is a much remembered name amongst such sloganeering. Despite the state media telling us that militancy is under control in the valley, latest figures tell us that more number of youths have joined the ranks...

The Jinnah Redux in AMU; This Time as a Farce

By Arshad Alam, New Age Islam 12 June 2018 Aligarh Muslim University is in the news again. This time for punishing three of its students for consuming beer! The facts of the case seem to like this: three AMU students along with a common friend decide to have a good time by having beer. During the month of Ramzan, when members of Muslim community abstain from food and drink, this group not just decided to break this taboo but also ‘dared’ to advertise this through the social network site Facebook. The pictures drew wide condemnation, particularly within the AMU fraternity. Some students, particularly those who thought that there was a political career to be made out of this, filed an FIR against these three students. The AMU establishment...

Home’s Not Permanent Here

By Roshan Shah, New Age Islam 09 June 2018 There is no other like the Lord—there is no equal to Him. He embellishes this world and the world hereafter, and He gives us our permanent home there. He rescues us from the world-ocean; never again do we have to run the cycle of reincarnation. (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, p. 136) Tira had been living in the city for over a decade. In this period, he had changed houses half a dozen times. Tira was tired of shifting every now and then. He didn’t want to continue living as a tenant in someone else’s house. As a tenant, you never knew when your landlord might ask you to vacate. Tira really wanted to have his own house. “How I wish I could have a place which I’d never have to leave!”, he would think. One day, Tira was with his friend Boki and...