ISLAM & NATIONAL INTERESTS

ISLAM & NATIONAL INTERESTS Should we be for a change asking Him and reading from Him, His answer as to how does He defines His Islam! It will help me addressing the second part of the title, ‘National Interests’. For asking Him, I need not be a Muslim, why should it be a MUST? As He claims to be Lord of mankind, King of Mankind رب الناس، الہہ الناس، ملک الناس)). Earnestly If I am in quest of learning, all my probes and searches should start with, none/nothing ((لا. This wiped clean and blank slate will help create a fresh space in my cluttered, prejudiced, hate-poked mental slate, reactive and jaundiced soul. Let me dare say, an atheist would be in a better position to learn and grow. And atheist does not mean the one who is anti-god, it is the one without god. The stepping stones to proceed ahead for Part I, would be as follows: a. The Definition and description of Islam. b. His statement as my manufacturer, as to who I am. c. My Job Description and what is my status and role, in His universe. d. The measure of my performance (Performance Appraisal) and Performance Evaluation. e. Who is sovereign? f. Has God divided His best creature on the basis of religions, geographical boundaries, languages, race, or any other basis of caste and/or creed? The Part II would be unfolded as follows: a. Thirty Years War – Treaty of Westphalia (1618-1648) b. Theories of International Relations. c. Allama Iqbal’s views on nationalism and nation states. d. Power-struggle and Rivalry for Supremacy. e. State and sovereignty. f. The Constitution of Pakistan and Founding Father’s Vision. P art I Q Definition & Description of Islam. Let me start with which we hardly hear or read from the Maulanas and those crowned to be religious. Quranic and Biblical references. No translation is Quran or Old Testament or the New Testament. A translation is the best effort of the learned scholar and his ability to understand His message, the level of his command over the two languages, and finally his purpose to translate. The translation given below is that of Marmaduke Pikthall. I would recommend the learned reader to consult other translations as well. Issue No.1. The Muslim, Christian and the Jew world. To answer the four questions to follow: a. 2: 62. Lo! those who believe (in that which is revealed unto thee, Muhammad), and those who are Jews, and Christians, and Sabaeans whoever believeth in Allah and the Last Day and doeth right surely their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve. b. 3:83. Seek they other than the religion of Allah, when unto Him submitteth whosoever is in the heavens and the earth, willingly, or unwillingly, and unto Him they will be returned. 84. Say (O Muhammad): We believe in Allah and that which is revealed unto us and that which was revealed unto Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and that which was vouchsafed unto Moses and Jesus and the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and unto Him we have surrendered. c. 6: 159. Lo! As for those who sunder their religion and become schismatic, no concern at all hast thou with them. Their case will go to Allah, who then will tell them what they used to do. Q.1. Do you believe in a Book and a Prophet to head and name your Religion? Q.2. How often have you consulted and used His books to help solve your problems? Q.3. Can you name yourself as Christians, Jews or anything else but Muslim? Q.4. Can you now have Muslim, Christian and Jew people or the countries? Issue No.2. The Definition a. 2: 285. The messenger believeth in that which hath been revealed unto him from his Lord and (so do) the believers. Each one believeth in Allah and His angels and His scriptures and His messengers We make no distinction between any of His messengers and they say: We hear, and we obey. (Grant us) Thy forgiveness, our Lord. Unto Thee is the journeying. b. 22:78. And strive for Allah with the endeavour which is His right. He hath chosen you and hath not laid upon you in religion any hardship; the faith of your father Abraham (is yours). He hath named you Muslims of old time and in this (Scripture) that the messenger may be a witness against you, and that ye may be witnesses against mankind. So establish worship, pay the poor due, and hold fast to Allah. He is your Protecting Friend. A blessed Patron and a blessed Helper! c. 5: 3. Forbidden unto you (for food) are carrion and blood and swine flesh, and that which hath been dedicated unto any other than Allah, and the strangled, and the dead through beating, and the dead through falling from a height, and that which hath been killed by (the goring of) horns, and the devoured of wild beasts, saving that which ye make lawful (by the death stroke), and that which hath been immolated unto idols. And (forbidden is it) that ye swear by the divining 32 arrows. This is an abomination. This day are those who disbelieve in despair of (ever harming) your religion; so fear them not, fear Me! This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favour unto you, and have chosen for you as religion AL-ISLAM. Whoso is forced by hunger, not by will, to sin: (for him) lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. d. 23: 52. And lo! this your religion is one religion and I am your Lord, so keep your duty unto Me. 53. But they (mankind) have broken their religion among them into sects, each sect rejoicing in its tenets. 54. So leave them in their error till a time. e. 30: 32. Of those who split up their religion and became schismatic each sect exulting in its tenets. f. 42: 13. He hath ordained for you that religion which He commended unto Noah, and that which We inspire in thee (Muhammad), and that which We commended unto Abraham and Moses and Jesus, saying: Establish the religion, and be not divided therein. Dreadful for the idolaters are that unto which thou callest them. Allah chooseth for Himself whom He will, and guideth unto Himself him who turneth (toward Him). Q.1. Does it suffice all the requirements of a Definition? Q.2. Who named Islam, Islam, and when? Q.3. Should you be adding something or deleting something out of it? He claims He has perfected it. Q.4. Can you sub-class or sub-divide it and give names, like sunni, shia or scores more; found in use? Issue No.3. The difference or gradation among the Prophets a. 4:150. Lo! Those who disbelieve in Allah and His messengers, and seek to make distinction between Allah and His messengers, and say: We believe in some and disbelieve in others, and seek to choose a way in between; 151. Such are disbelievers in truth; and for disbelievers We prepare a shameful doom. 152. But those who believe in Allah and His messengers and make no distinction between any of them, unto them Allah will give their wages; and Allah was ever Forgiving, Merciful. b. Genesis 37-38. …Judah son of Jacob …. [Judah 4th son of Jacob and Leah. Jacob had four wives, Rachel, Bilhah, Zilpah and Leah.] Peace be upon all His Prophets. Q.1. Could one set priorities or gradation among the prophets, and yet be a Muslim? Q.2. Could one name his/her religion after the name of a prophet, or the son of a prophet (Judah), or the brother of a prophet? Issue No.4. Race, nationality and pedigree a. 4:1. O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord Who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate and from them twain hath spread abroad a multitude of men and women. Be careful of your duty toward Allah in Whom ye claim (your rights) of one another, and toward the wombs (that bare you). Lo! Allah hath been a Watcher over you. b. Genesis 27-28. So created man in His own image; in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase, fill the earth and subdue it, … c. 7: 189. He it is who did create you from a single soul, and therefrom did make his mate that he might take rest in her. And when he covered her she bore a light burden, and she passed (unnoticed) with it, but when it became heavy they cried unto Allah, their Lord, saying: If thou givest unto us aright we shall be of the thankful. Q.1. Whose son or daughter is anyone in this world, except that of Adam pbuh? Q.2. Can mankind be graded based on pedigree? Q.2. Where from and how to trace the differences and grade a race or a nation as superior to the other? If you can recall Holocaust! Issue No. 5. Place of Man in His creatures, status and the Job a. 95: 4. Surely We created man of the best stature. b. Genesis 27. So created man in His own image; in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them… c. 2: 30. And when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am about to place a viceroy in the earth, they said: wilt Thou place therein one who will do harm therein and will shed blood, while we, we hymn Thy praise and sanctify Thee? He said: Surely I know that which ye know not. d. 3:190. Lo! In the creation of the heavens and the earth and (in) the difference of night and day are tokens (of His sovereignty) for men of understanding, 191. Such as remember Allah, standing, sitting, and reclining, and consider the creation of the heavens and the earth, (and say): Our Lord! Thou createdst not this in vain. Glory be to Thee! Preserve us from the doom of Fire. e. 45:12. Allah it is Who hath made the sea of service unto you that the ships may run thereon by His command, and that ye may seek of His bounty, and that haply ye may be thankful; 13. And hath made of service unto you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth; it is all from Him. Lo! herein verily are portents for people who reflect f. 98:7. (And) lo! those who believe and do good works are the best of created beings. Q.1. Am I not like Modi, Trump and Veena Malik and all His chosen people, the best of His creature, by birth? Q.2. Am I not, by my creation and the purpose, His viceroy, His vice-reagent or the Chief Executive Officer on earth, for the tenure permitted? Q.3. Isn’t it my job to raise question, ponder and research to yield, deliver and be benevolent, for His universe? Q.4. Has He laid down any geographical boundaries or classes and categories among His creatures and any parameters to grade and divide? Can I be choosy whom to benefit, if I am a Muslim? Issue No. 6. Sovereignty; who is sovereign? a. 5:120. Unto Allah belongeth the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth and whatsoever is therein, and He is Able to do all thing. b. 67:1. Blessed is He in Whose hand is the Sovereignty, and He is Able to do all things. 2. Who hath created life and death that He may try you, which of you is best in conduct; and He is the Mighty, Forgiving, 3. Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any rifts? Q.1. Is state sovereign? Q.2. Are you not under test, all the time, for the nature and quality of your conduct? Also see 98:7 above. Q.3. Is Islam a matter of, continuous and exhibited behaviour or a dogma, and adoption of name or title? Part II Thirty Years War – Treaty of Westphalia. “Several thousand books and articles have been written on the subject of Thirty Years’ War…”(Parker. (ed). 1984/1987. p.225). Europe was living between war and peace from 1555 to 1618. There were no nations and the state boundaries, as known to be today. The war ensued in 1618, to be known as Bohemian War, followed by Dutch phase, then Danish phase and many more to follow. It was a war of Emperors and Kings, the Catholics (Fundamentalists) and Protestants (Progressives) were two fundamental rivals. It was war between people and territories loyal to Church in Rome, and those seeking freedom from it. It was war between dynasties and princely holds. The terms and concept of ‘Territoriality’ and that of ‘Terra Nullius’, ‘Supra-national’, (Chomsky and Foucault, 2006) was still fresh. Terra Nullius can be closely related to the term ‘no man’s land’. A king or a war lord or a prince at the head of strong forces could add to his territory, till resisted, by an opposing people or force. ‘cius regio cius religio’ meant it was the king who would decide which religion his kingdom would have. Or the religion is which the king adopts. 1628 King of Sweden Gustavus Adolphus declared that all wars afoot in Europe are, in fact a single war. However, Catholic Europe had a different view point. Oct 1648 finally the Treat of Westphalia was signed. (Croxton, 2013) Yet, war went on for another 9 years between France and Spain to decide on where to mark the boundary pillars between the two; and thus create two nations. Treaty of Westphalia is a far more significant a watershed in global politics than the end of World War II or the demise of USSR, marking the end of Cold War. It laid down the birth of nation states. It started shaping the scope of governments of nation states and the goals [National Interests] (Croxton, 2013. p.107). It would be interesting to study and examine, the ‘national interests’ of fifteen break-away states of USSR, and Russia, as of today. Theories of International Relations. Starting from 1919 with the birth of Theory of Liberalism (Liberal Internationalism), I can go on and list another ten. Theory of Realism followed, then came the Neo-Realism, to follow were English School, Nationalism-Imperialism, Capitalism, Marxism, and its derivatives, Critical Theory, Globalisation, Post-Modernism, Constructivism, Problem-Solving theories etc. Under all these the premise was that world is ‘anarchic’ i.e., without a singular law making and law-enforcing authority. And ‘state’ was the biggest factor in the matters of the world. Since only state was sovereign. Starting from the times of The Prince (Machiavelli, 1532) to the current times of Kenneth Waltz, Samuel Huntington and Francis Fukuyama, the world was seen thru the lens of and handled in some form or shape of ‘Realism’. Liberalism (the rule of values like equality and justice), which were closer to His world order, died between 1919 and the Hitler’s conquest of Europe in 1939. Diagrammatically here are three ‘S’ of Realism (Morgenthau, 2005) . Hence God, and state are the two claimants of Authority and Sovereignty. Allama Iqbal’s Views on Nationalism and Nation States. This is what he had to say about the country, (ones country or the state), as a political concept. Excerpts from his poem (وطنیت) to follow: اس دور میں مے اور ہے جام اور جم اور ساقی نے بنا کی روش لطف و ستم اور مسلم نے بھی تعمیر کیا اپنا حرم اور تہذیب کے آزر نے ترشوائے صنم اور ان تازہ خداؤں میں بڑا سب سے وطن ہے جو پیرہن اس کا ہے وہ مذہب کا کفن ہے یہ بت کہ تراشیدہء تہذیب نوی ہے غارت گرے کاشانہء دین ِنبوی ہے بازو ترا توحید کی قوت سے قوی ہے اسلام ترا دیس ہے تو مصطفوی ہے ہو قید مقامی تو نتیجہ ہے تباہی رہ بحر میں آزادِ وطن صورتِ ماہی اقوام جہاں میں ہے رقابت تو اسی سے تسخیر ہے مقصودِتجارت تو اسی سے خالی ہے صداقت سے سیاست تو اسی سے اقوام میں مخلوقِ خدا بٹتی ہے اس سے قومیت اسلام کی جڑ کٹتی ہے اس سے Power-struggle and Rivalry for Supremacy. It is not only the economic, political and military interests but the desire to be recognised. It is the identity, and the historically, exhibited and perceived properties of the ‘identity’ or identities; which must prevail and be acknowledged. Since these are symbols and icons of national pride and honour. And the chosen identity must be either loved or feared by those who wish to be excluded from it. Human-beings do have animal like needs; vividly stated in the political slogan of Pakistan People’s Party. Hegel, adds another, animal like instinct, ‘preservation of their own bodies’ (Fukuyama, 2006, p.xvi). . The desire to be recognised as powerful, big, influential, superior and almost ‘almighty’ was at the core of the soul of power-struggle. The relationship of lordship and bondage finally resulted in to French Revolution and American Revolution. State and Sovereignty. These one worded phrases have been widely used with specific meanings in the discipline of International Relations. The sovereignty is manifested thru territory, the government, the extent of domain over the subjects and the application and enforcement of law, obedience and surrender to the (an) authority. It implied permission of the usage of force. “Sovereignty is defined as a political entity’s externally recognised right to exercise final authority over its affairs” (Jeong, 2000, p.293). While the ‘sovereignty’ was akin to state and the equal status of a state vis-à-vis other state; anarchy meant an absence of a ‘world state’ or a lack of singular authority. An authority which could frame laws for whole of the world, and the authority which could enforce these on the globe. In other words, an overarching supranational authority to maintain international order was lacking. So it was a godless world. The Constitution of Pakistan and the Vision of the Founding Father. Pakistan is the only country in the world which has been created and founded in the name of Islam. Its ideals, covenants and rules of business of governance were to be taken from the teachings of Islam. The concept of ‘Islam and Ummah’, over arched the international relations of Pakistan. It has been made part of the Constitution of Pakistan . Here are three excerpts from the Preamble: “Whereas sovereignty over the entire Universe belongs to Almighty Allah alone and the authority to be exercised by the people of Pakistan within the limits prescribed by Him is a sacred trust;” “Wherein principles of democracy, freedom, equality, tolerance and social justice as enunciated by Islam, shall be fully observed,” and “…people of Pakistan may prosper and attain their rightful and honoured place amongst the nations of the World and make their full contribution towards international peace and progress and happiness of humanity” Quaid-e-Azam (QA) Muhammad Ali (M A) Jinnah exhibited “…firm commitment to fundamental principles indispensable for the maintenance and promotion of international peace, progress and prosperity of humankind….” Here is an excerpt from his speech, “There lies in front of us a new chapter and it will be our endeavour to create and maintain goodwill and friendship with Britain and our neighbourly dominion, Hindustan, along with other sisterly nations so that we all together may make our greatest contribution for the peace and prosperity of the world.” “Our foreign policy is one of friendliness and goodwill towards all the nations of the world. We do not cherish aggressive designs against any country or nations. We believe in the principles of honesty and fair play in national and international dealings and are prepared to make the utmost contribution to the promotion of peace and prosperity among the nations of the world. Pakistan will never be found lacking in extending its material and moral support to the oppressed and suppressed people of the world and upholding the principles of the United Nations Charter” “There is nothing that we desire more ardently than to live in peace and let others live in peace, and develop our country according to our own lights without outside interference, and improve the lot of the common man.” Before I close Part II, just a couple of lines to refer to a possible source of Foreign Policy and diplomacy; that is serving the subject of national interests. Last of His Prophet whose Deen was Islam, wrote eight letters to different head of states. It included three biggest empires of that time; Rome, Egypt and Persia. These were written and sent in 6 to 7 AH. Conclusion. Have we gone a step or two ahead; without establishing who is He! Knowing Him will place one in better position to know himself/herself, His universe and His code of lives, called Islam. There is a whole lot of world which countries, states and governments have to legislate for, perform and yield. Recount colossal loss of life on American Continent. Union Forces losing 380,000 and Confederates losing 258,000 between 1861 and 1865. It led the world to Hague Peace Conferences of 1899 and 1907 (Akehurst, 1997. pp21-23) . Though Humanization of laws of warfare went underway, yet reasons were found for ‘Just War’ [Jus ad Bellum]; still being used by the biggest killing machine in the history of mankind, the USA. Due to lack of a God, the interpretation of Article 51 of the Charter of UN [as to what is self-defence] has not been agreed upon. There is hardly any international law, ratified by all countries. For an example the highest number of signatories to a law, is UNCLOS 1982. [United Nations Convention on Law of Seas]. It took 14 years to get signatures of 150 countries. And yet there are many exceptions to the Right of Innocent Passage, rights to flyover, depth of EEZ and the utilization of High Seas. There was an International Court of Justice; yet it could not stop the USA killing 240,000 innocent civilians on two fateful days i.e., 4th and 8th of August 1945. Shelling and bombarding and rolling Korean peninsula from South to North from 1950-53, and leaving behind a people divided across 38 Parallel. A nation’s interests are still at a clash with that of its own one-half. For one country are DPRK and the second South Korea. Vietnam was napalmed and doused with anti-foliage agent from early 1960s to 70s. National interests killed 6 million Iraqis, and blew over 2 million Afghanis to pieces. Lucky were the West Germans and the East Germans. They learnt to forego interests of one part of Germany against the other part of Germany. And for sure America and Europe, leading; fear united Germany. Governments and states could do a great deal for collective good. National interests can become international interests, when He becomes sovereign. For instance making policies and working hand-in-hand to and for: a. Making it a drug free world, rather than one, making money out of it. b. Keeping the air and water healthy for all living creatures. c. Developing financial systems, bodies and structures which help eliminate exploitation. Rather than making and reinforcing a rich North against poor South. d. There are millions who are underfed and facing desertification. And millions looking forward to buy paper, pencil and a book and to join a school. The trouble is they cut across geographical boundaries. e. There are millions living as refugees on His land, whose vice-reagent they were. f. Kurds, Rohingya, Palestinians and Kashmiris all looking for to be equal sons and daughters of Adam, pbuh. Somehow they are sons of a lesser god. I can repeat here the above mentioned words of Q A M A Jinnah and say goodbye. “There lies in front of us a new chapter and it will be our endeavour to create and maintain goodwill and friendship with Britain and our neighbourly dominion, Hindustan, along with other sisterly nations so that we all together may make our greatest contribution for the peace and prosperity of the world.” REFERENCES The Noble Quran, English Translated Version by Marmaduke Pikthall. The New English Bible with the Apocrypha, (1970), London, OUP. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judah_(son_of_Jacob) Noam Chomsky and Michel Foucault, (2006), The Chomsky-Foucault Debate On Human Nature, Croxton D., (2013), Westphalia the Last Christian Peace, New York, Palgrave Macmillan. Hans J. Morgenthau, Politics among Nations The Struggle for Power and Peace, 7 ed. New York, Boston, Mc Graw Hill, 2005. Iqbal, (1990), Bang e Dara, Wataniat, p.171. Fukuyama, (2006), The End of History and Last Man Standing, The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Speeches as Governor General, 1947-48, Feroze sons, Karachi, p11 Mubarakpuri S.R., Al Raheeq al Makhtoom, Al Maktabal Salfia, Lahore, 1985, pp 476-493. Akehurst, (1997), Modern Introduction to International Law, 7ed. London, Routledge. Rais R. B., (1986)., The Indian Ocean and the Super Powers, London, Croom Helm.