Family Weekend at St. Lawrence University

October 2006

The following are remarks from Dr. Nadeem Hasnain, the Fulbright Scholar in Residence. His wife, Nishaat Fatima, introduced his remarks with a recitation from the Holy Quran.

Friends!

Here I am going to recite some very important lines from the Holy Quran which also happen to be the opening of the holy book.

In the name of God
the Compassionate the Caring
Praise be to God
Lord sustainer of the worlds
the Compassionate the Caring
master of the day of reckoning
To you we turn to worship
and to you we turn in time of need
Guide us along the road straight
the road of those to whom you are giving
not those with anger upon them,
not those who have lost the way.

Because of its eloquent statement of devotion and the manner in which it pervades religious life, The Opening has been called the Islamic equivalent of the Lord’s Prayer in Christianity. It is the most recited of all Quranic verses, not only in prayers and liturgy, but also in everyday life. For example, after a business transaction, this is recited by both parties as a mark of good faith. It is also recited when one gets something as well as one loses, to reaffirm that one keeps thanking God in all situations—good or bad.

Dr. Hasnain's comments:

Poor and Disadvantaged: Islam’s Views

1. Islam does not glorify poverty but looks at it as a social evil. – Result/ product of certain social-economic political forces which do not like equitable distribution of wealth and resources.

2. This stand/viewpoint has been attracting the poor and the disadvantaged towards Islam and in its formative period helped it establish itself in the highly hierarchical society of Arabia. Blacks, slaves, marginalized tribes and poor of all groups mobilized themselves.

3. Islam is against accumulation of wealth: Surah 59: Ayet 7 “Wealth cannot be accumulated, stored and kept idle. Such accumulation is most undesirable.”

4. It also clearly speaks against over consumption/consumerism. Ali, the first Imam of Shia Muslims says, “One must take form the earth’s resources only that much required to fulfill his/her needs and the rest should be left for other needy people. This way nobody would remain deprived.”

5. Quran warns the hoarders/accumulators of wealth: “And there are those who bury gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah: Announce unto them a most grievous penalty on the day when heat will be produced out of that (i.e. gold and silver) in the fire of hell, and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs.” (9:34-35)

6. Prophet Muhammad says that of the four questions to be asked on the day of resurrection, two would be: How did you earn and how did you spend? Sovereignty of the property rests in Allah and mankind is only its custodian.

7. One of the 5 basic requirements of Islam is a mandatory tax called Zakat for the poor and disadvantaged. This is approximately 2.5% of all savings or surplus after every year. This is meant for poor, orphan, widows, deprived, and disadvantaged. It is payable on everything: crops, harvests, herds of cattle, gold, silver, merchandise, anything. It is not charity which is voluntary. It is compulsory/mandatory. There are elaborate ways of managing the Zakat fund. It is seen that many Muslims avoid and evade paying Zakat on the pretext that they are already over burdened by direct and indirect taxes levied by the government. But there is no exception even after that. Whatever remains as savings or surplus after all the expenses, should be put under Zakat considerations. Quran says “Whatever you spend of, He will replace it. He is the best of those who grant sustenance.” (34:39)

8. I am winding up this narration by reading two very brief sayings of Prophet Molid: “He who sleeps on a full stomach while his neighbor goes hungry is not one of us.” “If a single person were to sleep hungry in a town, then God’s protection is lifted from such a town.” (No discrimination between Muslims and Non-Muslims.)