“Straight Path” Why We Call it a Golden Period

As a Pakistani national and as a Pakistani Muslim, we follow Islam in a way that is different from other parts of the world. Muslims with all schools of thoughts are living all over the world. It means the way Islam is practiced as a religion in our region is having some Islamic rituals that may not be seen or present among the other Muslims living around the world with different school of thought.

The question we must ask to ourselves before we come to any conclusion how Islam came to our ancestors and reached us and the simple answer is no matter where we live in the world, we follow our parents and elders and learn that version of Islam that our parents taught us and their parents got it from their parents and so on. It is the inherited version of Islam for each one of us it depends where we are born or brought up in a different mindset similar to our parents and family.

The religion Islam is practiced as a ritual and has many of the cultural values added to it as it’s a journey that started 14 centuries ago. We got its inherited version of Islam because by each passing by generation, we did add some new addition that was not there but got it from our culture or may be created ourselves and kept it considering it as part of Islam or part of Islamic ritual it’s a reality and a mere truth, we all must acknowledge.

This addition is also classified into two categories some are acceptable and may not go against the teachings of shariah and some may have to be abandoned some are permissible and some not permissible but it’s not our domain we must seek guidance from our own ulema and follow shariah in spirit not only Islamic rituals. We have Faraz, Wajib, Sunnah and mustahab. Our ulema’s prime responsibility is to guide common man that they should refrain talking against each other like if some doctor is using his medical terminology a patient may not get to know everything but what he is supposed to know is only the advice the Dr gives for his recovery and better health. The reason is he or she is unaware of enough medical knowledge to comprehend and understand the crux. We must give equal respect to all ulema no matter to which school of thought they belong to but we can follow the ulema that we want to who are qualified and have credentials like affiliation with reliable renowned institutions of Islamic teachings. We as Muslims must also produce ulema who can guide us and can provide us with all the teachings of Islam and can guide us with shariah rulings and can provide guidance needed to follow our complete life in accordance to sunnah. Secondly, we must not consider others who follow other schools of thought to be less religious or pious or question their piety or reliability. It’s also not our domain. We are no one to validate or reject any school of thought.  All are equally learned must be respected equally that is the beauty of Islam. They have spent 8-10 years with scholars and senior ulema understanding Islam just to guide us and give us the right explanation so that we can follow the sunnah of our Nabi Salalah-o-Alayah-e-was Salim.

The reason being we relate our version of Islam to Sufi culture of Islam is because Islam was spread in this region some time ahead of the golden period of Sahaba who were direct descendants of Nabi Salalah-o-Alayah-e-was Salim, Tabayeen descendants of Sahaba and Taba Tabayeen descendants of Tabayeen. The best period we say belongs to Sahaba because they themselves were spreading Islam and were the companions of our beloved prophet Salalah-o-Alayah-e-was Salim and had learnt work of dawah (Kalema) directly from the last messenger of Allah Tallah. The Sahaba were spreading this Kalema by becoming a practicing Muslim an example a role model and lead their lives closest to sunnah and had the highest level of Imaan and therefore we call it the golden period of Sahaba and khalifah-e-Rasheedah.

Islam was spreading with no geographical boundaries set in the way all super powers of the world either surrendered or had to accept the new way of life or had to follow the new system of Islam that was far better in every way and was changing lives of people who were accepting Islam not due to the mighty power hold but Islam came to liberate people once they entered Islam, they knew it is a religion of piece, equality and justice for all. The khalifah was not above the law and was held responsible for anything that was his responsibility and if there was misuse of power, he was also accountable to the public to prove his innocence. Islam was spreading and changing lives of people like never before everyone who accepted Islam was because Islam provided a better way of life it became a brand that was touching everyone’s heart and the teachings of holy prophet Salalah-o-Alayah-e-was Salim were present in every Sahabi and once somebody asked what your Quran says the Sahabi (RA) related to it as it’s the life of a Sahabi standing in front of him the Quran was practically present in every Sahabi’s (RA) life and every Sahabi knew it was his primary and foremost responsibility to feel and own the effort of dawah spreading Kalema was his core responsibility as no Nabi (A.S) will come to guide or do the effort of deen for people to come till day of Qayamat.

We all are aware that one day, we all have to leave this world and we have an afterlife. The truth that nobody can deny even if he is a disbeliever or atheist, he also will eventually die at any time as it’s written in our destiny that only Allah Tallah knows best. Islam is a code of life for every Muslim. To become a practicing Muslims, we have to follow the straight path that we all pray for in surah e Fathia and in every salah five times a day is to follow the footsteps of Nabi Salalah-o-Alayah-e-was Salim and Sahaba as this is right path the golden era a period when sun was shining like a day light the night was gone and people were coming inside the deen-e-Islam as source of hidayet in multiple groups across the world. As one of the saying from our Nabi Salalah-o-Alayah-e-was Salim in simplified words it says “All Sahaba (RA) are like stars for all of us as Muslims no matter whom we follow it will lead us to hidayet”. The way ulema elaborate it is that in olden times and even now a days the stars are used to find the right direction or path that will lead you to your destination at night when there is no reference point it’s all dark all around and you are all alone. We have to follow the sunnah and see life of Sahaba as well as its part of the complete deen that we call shariah the way Sahaba (RA) learnt and understood and followed the footsteps of Nabi Salalah-o-Alayah-e-was Salim. The Sahaba (RA) used to ask and follow each sunnah of our beloved Nabi Salalah-o-Alayah-e-was Salim as Sahaba were all time companions throughout his life. May Allah Tallah guide us all towards the straight path. Ameen!

Tags: featured, indian muslims, islam, islamic democratic state, islamic state, muslim culture, muslim martyrs, Muslim women, pakistan culture, religion, religious right, subcontinent

Category: Religion