Unlearning Jahliyyah & Re-Learning IslamDr. As1ad Zaman, VC PIDE

REVISED version of talk on Unlearning Required for Islamic Enterpreneurship given on 22 March, 2016 Day 2 (Tue) at AMAN CED IBA KarachiSee: http://bit.do/az786 for short articles on diverse toics by Dr. Asad Zaman

Abu-Jahl was known to his contemporaries as Abul Hakm the father of Wisdom. The wisdom of the west is the Jahiliyyah of Islam. Iqbal has expressed this well:

The Greatest MISTAKE & SIN: Today I have perfected your Deen for you, and have completed my favor upon you, and have chosen Islam [surrender to the will of Allah] as a way of life for you.PERFECTION:EXCELLENCE No FlawsCOMPLETENESS No Omissions

UnlearnQuranic Guidance is INCOMPLETE:Progress today requires different approachWe must follow West to progressQuranic Guidance is IMPERFECTSome Islamic Laws are obstacles to progressWe need to modify Islam, find loopholes to get around prohibitions of interest, and update the religion to make it compatible with requirements of modern timesLearnIslam provides perfect and complete guidance.Islam BY ITSELF transform the early Muslims. Taking them from the most backwards people, to the leaders of the world.QUESTION: What was there in the message that created this revolution?QUESTION: Does the message have the same VITALITY today?

UNLEARN: What they have is betterSa`eed ibn Sulaym radiyal-laahu `anhu: "If a person who has acquired knowledge of the Quran considers another person who has been gifted with something else to be more fortunate than himself, he has shown disrespect to the blessings of Allah ta`aalaa bestowed on him on account of his learning of the QuranLearn: OUR Message is Most powerfulCan western knowledge create the revolution we want?Can ISLAMIC TEACHINGS create a revolution?Ignorance of our treasureLonging for fools gold

UNLEARN: CATCHING up with West

DO NOT be deceived by the apparent free movement [luxury, comforts, power] of those who reject the truth. This is for a brief moment. Worldly Riches & Power is NOT the Goal

And were it not that [boundless would make] all people one [evil] community,We would have provided for those who [now] deny the Most Gracious roofs ofSILVERfor their houses, and SILVER STAIRWAYSwhereon to ascend, - 43:33

Admiration, Envy, Desire to Imitate

UNLEARN: neglect of the most importantNO MENTION OF THIS QUESTION IN WESTERN EDUCATION!!Answers given WITHOUT discussion.Everything that is mentioned as important is a purpose.Career, Wealth, Fame, Women, Efficiency, Skills, AthleticsMeaning of life left to chanceUnderlying MESSAGE: Life is meaninglessLEARN: the meaning of lifeIslam provides clear explicit answers.BECAUSE we have neglected teaching of Islam, these are NOT part of the syllabus.People know about the seven habits of successful peopleBUT NOT about the Umpteen habits of successful MuslimsWhat is the purpose of Life?

UNLEARN: Imitative GoalsWealth, Money, Worldly Goods Pleasures, Luxuries, ComfortsFame, PopularityPowerLife has no meaning DISTRACTIONS: To prevent us from thinking about the SERIOUS implications.

LEARN: The Eternal TRUTHSLife is PRECIOUS.Every moment is PRICELESSEvery moment is UNIQUE Never occurred before, and will Never occur again.HOW can we get the MOST out of EACH moment ONLY a SMALL number of moments.

Poisonous Ideas Have Penetrated our Hearts

Humans have potential to rise above angelsWe created Man in the best of formsAnd then reduced him to the lowest of the low.

And the potential to be lower than the beastsUNLEARN: Preference for BEASTLY attributes

Nafs Ammara prefers the badNafs Lawwama has conscience, blames self for wrongdoingNafs Mutmainna is content with connection to Allah

LEARN: Preference for ANGELIC attributes

Seest thou not how Allah sets forth a parable? - A goodly word like a goodly tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches (reach) to the heavens,- of its Lord.How can the seed of eeman within our heart grow into the GREAT tree?UNLEARN: Contentment with current spiritual stateACQUIRE: The DESIRE to struggle HARD for spiritual advancement

CHANGE our goals for life: Develop our potential for excellence Who hath created life and death that He may try you, which of you is best in conduct; and He is the Mighty, Forgiving

UNLEARN: EXTERNAL GOALS: Fame, Fortune, Popularity, House, Food, RankLEARN: INTERNAL GOALS: How to become a HUMAN BEING, the greatest among the creations of AllahSTRATEGY: Hadeeth: Look at these behind you in worldly affairs. Look at those ahead of you in religious affairs.

Shift the Domain of Struggle

Say, (O Muhammad, to mankind): If ye love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. UNLEARN: The race for riches of this worldLEARN: The race for the AkhiraAyat is ADDRESSED to those who LOVE Allah and tells them what they must do in order to win the GREATEST PRIZE: The Love of Allah.

Strive for EXCELLENCEHow to achieve EXCELLENCE in conduct? Allah is not asking for MEDIOCRE performance, but for the BEST! We have only one chance! Give it our best shot! Those who fail:

Unlearn Goals Learn ProcessUNLEARN:Setting Goals and Striving to Achieve Them They are forever out of reach.If attained, they do not bring what they promise.If a man is given a valley of gold, he will desire another. LEARNSuccess lies in fulfilling the commands of Allah we can reach, or fail to reach, EVERY MOMENT.The test is from moment to moment, and success lies in living every moment with the Awareness & Consciousness of God.During the process of continuous struggle on our journey to God, we will be GIVEN the knowledge we need.

Prioritizing the THREE Loves:UNLEARN to prioritize the love of:Elders, youngsters, community,family, kith & kin, tribes, nationsWealth, glittering gold and silverBusiness. Love of profits, fear of lossLuxurious Dwellings

INSTEAD:Love of ALLAHLove of the Prophet Mohammad SAWLove of Striving in the Path of AllahNOTE WELL: we must value and love the efforts to establish Deen in the hearts of mankind ABOVE all other worldly loves!

UNLEARN: Our lives dont matterI am too small to change the worldMy life is worth the money I makeI am for sale to the highest bidder.Waste our cheap life in meaningless distractions, movies, games etc.BECAUSE we dont know how to USE this life in the best way. LEARN: TREMENDOUS Importance of human lives. The Entire Planet Material AND Human resources, CANNOT pay for ONE LIFE! Every human has the potential to change the world, to change the course of history.It is a CRIME to neglect this potential, to waste our times in trivial pursuits, when we could be doing great things instead. Selling ourselves short

Jannah is precious beyond price, cannot be obtained cheaply.

We have to strive with everything we have got, sell everything we have, in order to benefit from the bargain with Allah.

Value of Action is determined by INTENTIONWhat do we intend to do with our lives?All for the sake of Allah? Or just partially? Say: Lo! my worship and, my sacrifice and my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the Worlds. Can we give our all, beyond our best, for the sake of Allah? THIS is the challenge!Allah Taala does not want LUKEWARM and PART-TIME Muslims

(2:208)O you who have attained to faith! Surrender yourselves wholly unto God,

Ye will not attain unto piety until ye spend of that which ye love. And whatsoever ye spend, Allah is aware thereof O ye who believe! Spend of the good things which ye have earned, and of that which we bring forth from the earth for you, and seek not the bad to spend thereof (in charity) when ye would not take it for yourselves save with disdain; and know that Allah is Absolute, Owner of Praise. - 2:267

We must give our BEST to Allah Today, we give leftovers, and bad thing, which we would not ourselves accept in charityOurselves, Our BEST time is given to pursuit of desires. Grudgingly, hurriedly, we give some time to Allah as well.

To serve Allah, seeking NOTHING for self!Requires COURAGE:

And TRUST: and provides for him in a manner beyond all expectation;[9]and for everyone who places his trust in God He [alone] is enough. Verily, God always attains to His purpose: [and] indeed, unto everything has God appointed its [term and] measure. [and such will always be His way with] those who convey Gods messages [to the world], and stand in awe of Him, and hold none but God in awe: for Allah is sufficient to care of their accounts! - 33:39

The ENEMIES OF CHANGESHAITAN:

NAFS: Rewards beyond all expectation and calculationShaitan will scare you: You will become poorThe Nafs will REBEL at this denial. He whoDESIRESmight and glory [ought to know that] all might and glory belong to God [alone]. Unto Him ascend all good words, and the righteous deed does He exalt.A radically different WAY OF LIFE (DEEN)! (2:268)Satan threatens you with the prospect of poverty and bids you to be niggardly, whereas God promises you His forgiveness and bounty; and God is infinite, all-knowing, You may desire the fleeting gains of this world-but GodDESIRES[for you the good of] the life to come: and God is almighty, wise

Maximizing the profit of the Akhirah!Example of Umar RA and Abu-Bakr RAThe contribution for TaboukHelping the Old LadySahaba vying with each for doing the best of deeds.Sahabi cries upon being thrown into boiling oil: I have only one life to sacrifice for Allah!

Waqf: Maximizing ReturnsService overtakes IbadahHow to serveALA HUBBEHI!The Business in REVERSE Earn Profits to MAXIZE ServiceMBA: Provide Service to Maximize Profits.Facebook Zuckerburg. Sears Roebuck.

Habits of Successful MuslimsAcquiring the EYE for profits of the AkhirahDoing things PURELY for the love of Allah ala hubbehiIf you devote yourself to service, then you will be used by Allah.A different way of PLANNING.You will be guided, and provided with means necessary to do what is required of you.

The Potential for Greatness is built-inRemember the seed: It knows how to make leaves, stem, fruit, barkBut very few succeed.Because Shaitan and Nafs are our great enemies.Shaitan promised to mislead us, and has been very successful

Resources?

Success is being saved from your desires!59:9[read in context] (5And [it shall be offered, too, unto the poor from among] those who, before them,[12]had their abode in this realm and in faith - [those] who love all that come to them in search of refuge, and who harbour in their hearts no grudge for whatever the others may have been given, but rather give them preference over themselves, even though poverty be their own lot:[13]for, such as from their own covetousness are saved - it is they, they that shall attain to a happy state![14]- 59:9(Asad)

(64:16)Remain, then, conscious of God as best you can, and listen [to Him], and pay heed. And spend in charity for the good of your own selves: for, such as from their own covetousness are saved it is they, they that shall attain to a happy state![14]- 64:16(Asad)

Service to Mankind, For the Love of AllahThis is the spirit which drives Islamic Entrepreneurship.Doctor is driven by he who saves a life, it is as if he has saved the whole world.Can we save lives with our business? Of course. Look at Edhi, Look at Indus Hospital.These are hugely profitable (Akhira) businesses outside of Harvard MBA Paradigms.

Fazail of ServiceThe heaviest of the Good Deeds will be those of service excellence in conduct.One step in service of needs of brother is ten years of Aitkaf.

The Greatest Puzzle: Spectacular Rise of MuslimsFrom ignorance to leadership of the world in 30 years. HOW?CLUE: First Wahi: Allah Taala is the provider of knowledgeSpecial Knowledge was given to Muslims.Desired for Learning was placed within their hearts.

Knowledge of Excellence in ConductThis path is always open to us.No blocks to learning Excellence.Shaitan frightens, Nafs distracts, need strong Eeman to counteract.Tableegh provides the training required to acquire the strong Eeman.

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