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KALIMA TAYYIBA AND KALIMA KHABITHA
Brethren-in-Islam!
I said something to you in my last address
about Kalima Tayyiba. Today's I shall present before you some more elucidation of
this Kalima because it is the very foundation of Islam. A man enters Islam on the
strength of this Kalima and nobody can become a Muslim in reality unless he has
fully understood this Kalima and moulded his life in accordance with it. Allah has
given a definition of this Kalima in His Holy Book as follows:
" Seest thou not how Allah coineth a similitude : Kalima
Tayyiba is like a goodly tree, its roots set firm, its branches reaching into
heaven. Every moment it gives its fruits by permission of its Lord. Allah coineth the
similitudes for mankind in order that they may reflect. And the similitude of Kalima
Khabitha is as a bad tree, uprooted from upon the earth, possessing no stability.
Allah confirmeth those who believe by a firm saying in the life of the world and in the
Hereafter, and Allah sendth wrong-doers astray. And Allah doeth what He will."
(Al-Qur'an 14:24-27)
It means that Kalima Tayyiba is likened to a tree
of fine genus the roots of which are firmly fixed in the earth and its branches are spread
up to the sky while it continuously yields copious fruits as commanded by its Lord. As
against this, Kalima Khabitha, i.e. a bad belief and a false saying are like
a self-grown plant of bad genus which exists just on the surface of the earth and is
uprooted with a jerk because of not being firmly rooted.
This is such a superb example that if you ponder over it you will
draw a big lesson from it. Look ! here are examples of both kinds of trees before you. One
is a mango tree. How firmly it is set, to what great height it reaches, how extensively
are its branches spread, what fine fruits does it bear! Why did this tree acquire this
position ? The reason is that the stone of its fruit was powerful. It had a right to
become a tree. And this right was genuine that when it put up its claim, the earth, the
water, the air, the heat of the day and the coolness of the night, in fact, every element
concerned acknowledged this right, and whatever it demanded from them was given to it.
Thus on the strength of its merit it developed into a huge tree and by yielding sweet
fruits it also proved that in reality it deserved to become a tree of this stature and
that the help rendered to it by the combined forces of the earth and heaven was quit
justified. In fact, it was their duty to do so because the power that is possessed by the
earth, water and air and other elements to nourish, develop and mature trees, is actually
meant for the very purpose of helping trees of good genus.
In contrast to this, there are shrubs, willows and wild plants.
What capacity have they? Just a little root which can be plucked by a child. So soft and
feeble that they with by a blast. If you touch them you will be pierced by their thorns.
If you taste them they will spoil your palate. God knows how many of these sprout daily
and are pulled out. Why is their condition like that ? The reasons is that they do not
possess that power of merit and capability that a mango tree possesses. When trees of high
genus become extinct, the earth becomes tired of lying idle and it allows these bushes to
grow. Some help is rendered by water and some provision is supplied by air but no element
in the earth and heaven is prepared to acknowledge any right of existence for those
plants. That is why the earth does not allow their roots spread within itself, the water
is not willing to give whole-hearted nourishment and the air is averse to making them
flourish. So when with this poor subsistence these vicious plants grow carrying bad taste,
thorns and poisonous substance, it is really proved that the forces of earth and heaven
are not meant to help the growth of such plants. It would appear that the little
existence they enjoyed was more than enough for them.
Keep these two examples before you and then think over the
difference between Kalima Tayyiba and Kalima Khabitha.
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Kalima Tayyiba is a truthful maxim. So truthful that there cannot
possibly be anything more genuine than this in the world. 'The Master of the whole
universe is one Allah.' Each and everything on this earth and in the heaven bears witness
to it. These human beings, these animals, these trees, these stones, these particles of
sand, these flowing streams, this bright sun......is there a single thing out of these
which has been created by anybody except Allah, which can survive by anyone's kindness
except Allah's, which can be annihilated by anybody except Allah? So when this whole
universe has been created by Allah and its life and sustenance depend on the mercy of
Allah, and Allah alone is its Master and Ruler, then when you will declare: "In this
world there is no one else to wield supreme power except the One Allah," everything
on the earth and in the heaven will cry out: "You have expressed an absolute truth.
We all testify the veracity of this maxim". When you will bow before Him, everything
in this universe will bow with you because all these things too are obedient to Him. When
you will obey His commandments, everything in this universe will obey the same God. When
you will walk on His way, you will not be alone. In fact, this countless army of the whole
universe will accompany you because from the sun in the sky to the most insignificant
particle on the earth, everything is moving on His way only. When you rely on Him, you
will not be relying on a small power but on that gigantic power which is the Master of all
the treasures of the heaven and earth. In short, when you keep this reality in view you
will realize that all the forces of the earth and heaven will support that person who will
affirm faith in Kalima Tayyiba and will mould his life in accordance with it. He will
continue to flourish right from this world up to the world of the Hereafter, and not for a single
moment will failure or defeat ever touch him. This is just what the Almighty Allah has
stated in this verse that this Kalima is like a tree whose roots are firmly entrenched in
the earth and whose branches are spread over the heaven bearing fruit perpetually under
the command of Allah.
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In contrast to this, look at Kalima Khabitha. What does Kalima
Khabitha mean? Only this that there is no god, or there are many gods, or that there is
some one else besides Allah exercising divine power. Just think! Can there be a more false
and baseless proposition? Is there anything in this world which bears witness to it? The
atheist says there is no god but everything in this earth and heaven denounces him as a
liar pointing out that he, together with all these things, have been created by God and
that this very God has given him this tongue with which he is uttering this falsehood. The
polytheist says that other forces are partners in the divine authority of God, that they
are also nourishers and masters, that they also possess the powers to make and change
destinies, that they too have the powers to give benefit and cause harm, that they too can
listen to people's prayers and grant their wishes, that they also deserve to be feared and
relied upon, that their writ also runs in this God's earth and that their commands and
laws deserve to be obeyed besides those of God. In reply to this, everything in this earth
and heaven refutes this claim as an absolute lie and totally contrary to realities. Now
consider how can a person who believes in such a false Kalima and leads a life in
conformity with it, can ever prosper in this world and in the Hereafter? Allah has by His
mercy given respite to such people and promised them sustenance. Therefore the forces of
the earth and heaven will somehow nourish them just as they anyhow give nourishment to
shrubs and wild plants, but no object in the universe will concede that it is their due
and so it will help them, nor will it support them with its full might. They will be like
the self-grown plants mentioned above.
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The same difference is found between the fruits of these two varieties.
Whenever Kalima Tayyiba will fructify it will produce sweet and beneficial fruits. It will
establish peace in the world. There will be predominance of goodness, truth and justice
and the people will surely benefit from it. On the other hand, the more Kalima Khabitha is
nurtured, the more will the thorny branches shoot out, it will bear bitter and distasteful
fruits. Poison will run in its arteries. You can see with your own eyes what is happening
in this world where Kufr, polytheism and atheism are prevalent. Man is ready to tear into
pieces his fellow-beings. Preparations are afoot to devastate one populated area after
another. Poisonous gases are being manufactured. One nation is bent upon destroying
another nation. The powerful subjugates the weak simply to snatch away his bread. The weak
is cowed down by the forces of army and police and the threat of jail and scaffold. He is
compelled to bear the oppression of the strong. And, then, what is the internal condition
of these nations? Their morals are so depraved that even Satan will be ashamed of it.
Human beings are committing acts which even animals will not like to do. Mothers slaughter
their children with their own hands lest the latter should spoil their pleasure. Husbands
themselves give over their wives to others so that the latter's wives may come to them.
Nudist clubs are set up where men and women mix freely unclothed like animals. The rich
suck the blood of the poor through usury and the wealthy extract work from the destitute
as if the latter are their slaves and were born just to serve them. In short, whichever
plant has grown anywhere from this Kalima Khabitha, it is full of thorns, and whatever
fruit is produced by it is bitter and poisonous. After citing these two examples Almighty
Allah says in the end :
"Allah confirmeth those who believe by a firm saying in the
life of the world and in the Hereafter, and Allah sendeth wrong doers astray."
(Al-Qur'an 14:27)
This meant that Allah will grant stability and fixity with a firm
saying in this world and in the Hereafter to those who will affirm their faith in Kalima
Tayyiba, and, in contrast to them, He will make go astray all the efforts of those
oppressors who will put their faith in Kalima Khabitha. They will never do any right type
of work which will bear good results in this world or in the Hereafter.
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Brethren! You have
heard the difference between Kalima Tayyiba and Kalima Khabitha and their
results. You will now surely ask: " We are the votaries of Kalima Tayyiba.
Then how is it that we do not flourish and why are the unbelievers
prospering?"
The answer to this question is due on me
and I shall reply to it provided none of you gets displeased with it and
sincerely asks his own self whether my reply is correct or not?
In the first place, this very claim of
yours is incorrect that you are votaries of Kalima and yet you do not prosper.
Believing in Kalima does not consist in uttering it by the tongue. The belief
must arise from the heart and in such a manner that it displaces any belief
opposed to it, and none of your deeds is in contravention to this belief.
My brethren! Tell me for God's sake if your
condition is really like this? Are not hundreds of such irreligious and
polytheistic ideas prevalent among you as are totally opposed to Kalima Tayyiba?
Are not the heads of Muslims being lowered before objects other than God? Are
not Muslims afraid of other forces? Do they not depend on the help of others? Do
they not consider others as their nourishers? Do they not brush aside the laws
of God and cheerfully follow the laws of others instead? Do not those who call
themselves Muslim openly state in the courts that they do not believe in
Shari'ah but in custom and usage? Are there not people among you who do not
hesitate to violate any provision of the law of God for the sake of worldly
benefits? Are there not such people among you who dread the anger of unbelievers
but do not fear the wrath of God, and those who are ready to go to any length to
earn the favour of unbelievers but are unable to do anything to secure the
favour of God, and also those who think that the unbeliever's government is a
genuine government and never recall that there also exists the government of
God? For God's sake tell me if this is not a fact? And if this is a fact, with
what face do you assert that you are believers in Kalima Tayyiba and that yet
you are not prospering? First of all you should become believers in Kalima
Tayyiba with a true heart, and model your life in conformity with the
requirements of the Kalima. If even then that tree does not grow which gets
firmly embedded in the earth with deep roots, and with branches spread up to the
sky, then I crave Allah's pardon, you may consider your God as a liar for having
given you a false assurance.
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Again, your this statement is wrong that the believers in Kalima
Khabitha are prospering in this world. These people have never before prospering in this
world. These people have never before prospered nor are they prospering now. You consider
them so by seeing their excessive wealth, articles of luxury and outward splendour. But
you peer into their inner self and see how many of them have peace of mind? They are laden
with trappings of luxury but in their hearts are blazing furnaces which do not give them
rest any time. Disobedience of the law of God has turned their homes into Hell. See in the
newspapers how rampant is suicide in Europe and America. Divorce is so wide-spread. Birth
rate is falling and it is being sedulously reduced. How venereal diseases have destroyed
the lives of millions of people! What a terrible struggle for bread is raging among
different classes! How jealousy, malice and enmity are making men of the same specie fight
with each other. How love of luxury has made life bitter for the people. and these big and
magnificent cities which look like Paradise from a distance contain millions of people who
are wallowing in misery. Do you call this prosperity? Is this the Paradise at which you
look so enviously?
My brethren ! Remember that the Word of God can never be false. In
reality, there is no Kalima except Kalima Tayyiba by following which man can achieve
comfort in this world and glory in the Hereafter. You may cast a glance at whichever side
you like, you will never be able to find anything against it.
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