Usool Ko Samjho, Deen Ko Mehdood Na Karo

Ek paagal ne doosre paagal se poochha:

“Tum kis din paida hue?”

Doosre ne jawab diya: “Itwaar ko.”

Pehla paagal hairat se bola:

“Tum mujhe paagal bana rahe ho! Itwaar ko to chhutti hoti hai!”

Yeh sunkar hansi zaroor aati hai, lekin zara ghaur kijiye! Is paagal ne Itwaar ki chhutti ke ek bilkul durust tasawwur ko paidaish ke din par chaspan kar diya. Use itna to maloom tha ke Itwaar ko chhutti hoti hai, lekin yeh samajh na saka ke chhutti ka usool aur paidaish ka din do alag-alag baatein hain.

Yahi woh ghalti hai jo us waqt paida hoti hai jab insaan kisi baat ko uske sahih mahal aur mauqe ko samjhe baghair har jagah istemaal karne lagta hai.

Baat durust ho sakti hai, lekin agar use ghalat jagah istemaal kiya jaaye to usse ghalat nateeja nikalta hai. Ilm ka kamaal sirf alfaaz aur usool yaad kar lene mein nahin, balki is baat ko samajhne mein hai ke kaun sa usool kahaan, kab aur kis tarah istemaal karna hai.

Yahi usool deeni maamlaat mein bhi samajhne ki zaroorat hai.

Deen ka kaam karne wale baaz hazraat, jinhein kisi Sheikh-e-Kaamil ki sohbat aur tarbiyat se apne nafs ki islaah ka mauqa nahin mila, kabhi-kabhi apne mehdood tajurbe aur naaqis fahm ki wajah se ek khaas deeni kaam ko hi poora deen samajh baithte hain. Unhein jis kaam se wabastagi naseeb hoti hai, usi ko deen ki asal aur sabse bada maqsad samajhne lagte hain.

Phir nadaani mein aise faisle saadir karte hain jinse deen ke doosre khuddam ki mehnat, qurbani aur khidmaat mamooli dikhayi dene lagti hain. Madaaris mein ilm-e-deen ki khidmat karne wale, khanqahon mein islaah-e-baatin aur tazkiya-e-nafs ka kaam karne wale, dawat-o-tableegh mein masroof rehne wale, Allah ke raaste mein apni jaan-o-maal qurbaan karne wale aur deen ke mukhtalif shobon mein apni zindagiyan khapa dene wale afraad— in sab ki khidmaat ko nazarandaaz karke apne hi kaam ko mukammal deen ka naam de diya jaata hai.

Haalanke deen kisi ek shobe, ek jamaat ya ek tareeqa-e-kaar ka naam nahin. Deen ek jaame‘ haqeeqat hai, jiske mukhtalif shobe ek doosre ke muawin aur takmeel ka zariya hain.

Naadaan Chowkidaar Aur Dukaan Ka Taala

Ek taajir ne apni dukaan ki hifaazat ke liye ek chowkidaar rakha. Use baar-baar samjhaya gaya:

“Jab bhi koi chor ya ajnabi shakhs dukaan ka taala todne ki koshish kare to foran shor machana aur police ko ittila dena.”

Chowkidaar ne yeh baat achchhi tarah yaad kar li.

Ek din taajir khud dukaan ki chaabi ghar bhool aaya. Karobaar shuru karne ka waqt ho chuka tha, isliye usne ek mistri ko bulaya aur apni maujoodgi mein dukaan ka taala katwa diya.

Chowkidaar ne jab yeh manzar dekha to foran shor macha diya:

“Chor! Chor! Dukaan ka taala toda ja raha hai!”

Usne poore bazaar ko jama kar liya aur mistri ka kaam rukwa diya.

Taajir ne hairat se poochha:

“Bhai! Main khud dukaan ka maalik hoon. Meri apni dukaan hai, maine hi mistri ko bulaya hai. Tum shor kyun macha rahe ho?”

Chowkidaar bade aitmaad se bola:

“Mujhe to yahi sikhaya gaya hai ke jo bhi taala tode, woh chor hai!”

Ab bataiye, kya yeh chowkidaar apni zimmedari poori kar raha tha ya apni nadaani se maalik hi ke liye museebat ban gaya tha?

Use usool yaad tha, magar usool ki haqeeqat aur uske istemaal ka mauqa maloom na tha. Use yeh farq samajh mein na aaya ke chor ka taala todna aur maalik ka apni dukaan khulwana do alag sooratein hain.

Bilkul isi tarah, jab koi shakhs deen ke ek usool ko uske sahih mahal se hata kar har jagah chaspan kar deta hai to woh islaah karne ke bajaaye bigaad paida karne lagta hai.

Jaahil Baawarchi Aur Khaane Mein Saabun

Ek ghar mein taqreeb thi. Mehmaanon ke liye khaana tayyar kiya ja raha tha. Baawarchi khaane ki zimmedari ek aise shakhs ko de di gayi jise khaana pakane ka sahih saleeqa nahin tha.

Usne dekha ke khaana banane se pehle bartanon aur haathon ki safai zaroori hai. Usne yeh baat to samajh li ke safai achchhi cheez hai, lekin use yeh maloom na tha ke har cheez ki safai ka apna tareeqa hota hai.

Jab saalan pakne laga aur usmein use kuch chiknaai nazar aayi to usne haath dhone wala saabun uthaya aur poora tukda khaultay hue saalan mein daal diya.

Ghar ke maalik ne jab yeh dekha to ghabra kar poochha:

“Yeh tumne kya kar diya?”

Baawarchi bade itminaan se bola:

“Saabun ka kaam to chiknaai aur gandagi saaf karna hai. Maine saalan ko saaf karne ke liye hi saabun daala hai!”

Ab zaahir hai ke safai ka usool apni jagah durust hai, lekin is baawarchi ne use ghalat jagah istemaal karke poora khaana kharaab kar diya.

Yahi farq ilm aur fahm ka hai. Mehez yeh jaan lena ke koi cheez kis kaam aati hai, kaafi nahin; yeh samajhna bhi zaroori hai ke use kahaan aur kis maqsad ke liye istemaal karna hai.

Deeni maamlaat mein bhi kisi ek kaam ki fazeelat ko samajh kar use har doosre kaam ke muqaable mein khada kar dena isi baawarchi ki ghalti jaisa hai.

Dawat-o-tableegh yaqeenan deen ki azeem khidmat hai, lekin iska yeh matlab nahin ke ilm-e-deen ki tadrees, islaah-e-baatin, tazkiya-e-nafs, jihaad aur deen ke doosre shobon ki ahmiyat khatam ho jaati hai.

Har kaam ka apna maqam, apna maqsad aur apni zaroorat hai. Ek kaam ki fazeelat doosre kaam ki nafi nahin karti.

Robot Aur Qeemti Saainsi Aala

Ek factory mein ek robot nasb kiya gaya. Use program ke zariye yeh hidaayat di gayi:

“Jo bhi cheez lambi shakal ki ho aur us par zang ya daagh hon, use utha kar kachre ki peti mein daal do.”

Robot apne program ke mutabiq kaam karne laga.

Ek din factory mein ek nihayat qeemti saainsi sensor laaya gaya. Yeh sensor jadeed tehqeeq aur khaas maqsad ke liye tayyar kiya gaya tha. Iska baahri khol jaan-boojh kar zang-aalood lohe jaisa banaya gaya tha, taake woh makhsoos halaat mein apna kaam anjaam de sake.

Robot ne sensor ko dekha. Uski shakal mustateel thi aur us par zang jaise nishanaat bhi maujood the.

Usne na uski qeemat dekhi, na uska maqsad samjha aur na yeh jaanne ki koshish ki ke yeh cheez kis kaam ke liye banayi gayi hai.

Usne apne program ki zaahiri shart poori hote hi sensor uthaya aur kachre ki peti mein phenk diya.

Yun ek qeemti aala sirf isliye zaya ho gaya ke robot ko zaahiri alamat pehchanna sikhayi gayi thi, lekin un alamat ke peeche maujood haqeeqat aur maqsad ko samajhne ki salahiyat nahin di gayi thi.

Computer ki zubaan mein is tarah ki ghalti ko siyaaq-o-sabaq se mutaalliq mantiqi kharaabi (Context Logic Error) kaha ja sakta hai.

Jab kisi nizaam ko sirf zaahiri alfaaz aur alamat par chalaya jaaye aur use haqeeqat, maqsad aur mauqa-mahal samajhne ki salahiyat na ho to durust maloomat bhi ghalat nateeje tak pahuncha sakti hain.

Insaan ka maamla bhi kuch aisa hi hai.

Jab insaan kisi baat ke zaahiri alfaaz ko pakad leta hai, lekin uske pas-e-manzar, maqsad aur sahih mahal ko nahin samajhta to woh bhi apne mehdood fahm ki bunyaad par aise faisle karne lagta hai jinse haqaiq maskh ho jaate hain aur doosron ki khidmaat ki naqdari hone lagti hai.

Deen Ko Ek Shobe Tak Mehdood Na Karo

Isi liye paagal ne chhutti ke usool ko ghalat jagah istemaal kiya, chowkidaar ne hifaazat ke usool ko ghalat jagah chaspan kiya, baawarchi ne safai ke usool ko ghalat tareeqe se istemaal kiya aur robot ne zaahiri shart ki bunyaad par ek qeemti cheez zaya kar di.

In sab ki ghalti yeh thi ke unhone ek baat ko to yaad rakha, lekin uski haqeeqat, maqsad aur mauqa-mahal ko nahin samjha.

Deen ke maamle mein bhi yahi ghalti us waqt paida hoti hai jab koi shakhs apne mehdood tajurbe ko poore deen ka meyaar bana leta hai.

Dawat-o-tableegh ka kaam karne wala agar yeh samajhne lage ke deen ka kaam sirf dawat-o-tableegh hi hai, aur madaaris mein ilm-e-deen ki khidmat karne walon, khanqahon mein islaah-e-nafs aur tazkiya-e-baatin ki mehnat karne walon, Allah ke raaste mein qurbaaniyan dene walon aur deen ke doosre khuddam ki khidmaat ko mamooli samajhne lage, to yeh deen ki jaame‘ haqeeqat ko na samajhne ki alamat hai.

Deen ka koi shoba apni jagah aham ho sakta hai, lekin uski ahmiyat ka yeh matlab nahin ke baaqi shobe ghair zaroori ho jaayein.

In tamaam khidmaat ko unke sahih maqam par samajhna aur unki qadr karna zaroori hai.

Sohbat-e-Sheikh Aur Wus‘at-e-Nazar

Yahaan ek aham baat samajhne ki hai.

Deeni kaam karna yaqeenan sa‘aadat hai, lekin sirf deeni kaam mein masroof ho jaana insaan ko har maamle mein sahih fahm aur mutawazan nazar ata nahin kar deta.

Insaan apne ilm, tajurbe aur samajh ke bawajood nafs ki tangi, khud-pasandi aur mehdood soch ka shikaar ho sakta hai. Woh apne kaam se itni gehri wabastagi paida kar leta hai ke use doosron ki mehnat aur khidmaat nazar aana band ho jaati hain.

Isi liye islaah-e-nafs aur tazkiya-e-baatin ki zaroorat hai.

Ek mukhlis aur sahib-e-nisbat Sheikh ki sohbat aur tarbiyat insaan ko apne nafs ki kamzoriyon se waaqif karati hai. Woh use yeh sikhati hai ke apni khidmat ko sab kuch na samjhe, apne ilm par ghuroor na kare, doosron ki niyyaton ke baare mein bejaa faisle na kare aur har deeni shobe ko uske sahih maqam par dekhne ki koshish kare.

Sheikh ki tarbiyat ka maqsad kisi ek shobe ko baaqi shobon par musallat karna nahin, balki insaan ke andar aisi tawazu, ikhlaas aur wus‘at-e-nazar paida karna hai ke woh deen ki jaame‘ haqeeqat ko samajh sake.

Asal kaamyaabi yeh hai ke insaan apne kaam se mukhlis bhi ho aur doosron ke kaam ki qadr karne wala bhi.

Apni khidmat ko Allah Ta‘ala ki taufeeq samjhe, na ke apni badaai ka meyaar. Doosron ki mehnat ko kamtar dikhane ke bajaaye unke liye khair-khwaahi rakhe aur apni islaah ki fikr mein laga rahe.

Aakhiri Baat

Yaad rakhiye!

Har durust usool har jagah istemaal nahin kiya ja sakta. Har achchhi baat har mauqe par durust nateeja nahin deti. Har deeni khidmat apni jagah aham hai, lekin kisi ek khidmat ko poora deen samajh lena aur baaqi khidmaat ko haqeer jaanna fahm ki tangi hai.

Paagal ko maloom tha ke Itwaar ko chhutti hoti hai, magar woh yeh na samajh saka ke paidaish ka din chhutti ke usool se mutaalliq nahin.

Chowkidaar ko maloom tha ke taala todne wala chor ho sakta hai, magar woh maalik aur chor mein farq na kar saka.

Baawarchi ko maloom tha ke saabun safai karta hai, magar woh yeh na samajh saka ke khaane ki safai ka tareeqa alag hai.

Robot ko shakal aur daagh pehchanna aata tha, magar woh cheez ki haqeeqat aur maqsad na samajh saka.

Aur insaan agar deen ke kisi ek shobe ko samajh kar baaqi shobon ko haqeer jaanne lage, to use bhi apne fahm, apni soch aur apne faislon par ghaur karne ki zaroorat hai.

Deen kisi ek kaam ka naam nahin; deen Allah Ta‘ala ke ahkaam ke mutabiq zindagi guzaarne aur uske deen ki mukhtalif sooraton mein khidmat karne ka jaame‘ naam hai.

Kyunke deen ki khidmat ka asal husn sirf apne kaam ko bada samajhne mein nahin, balki deen ki poori haqeeqat ko samajhne, apne maqam ko pehchanne aur doosre khuddam-e-deen ki qadr karne mein hai.

Warna

“Itwaar ko to chhutti hoti hai!”

Understand the Principle, Do Not Reduce the Whole of Islam to One Part

A madman once asked another madman:

“On which day were you born?”

The other replied, “On Sunday.”

The first madman looked surprised and said:

“Are you trying to make a fool of me? Sunday is a holiday!”

You may laugh at this, but let us think about it for a moment.

The madman took a perfectly correct idea—that Sunday is a holiday—and applied it to the day of someone’s birth. He knew that Sunday was a holiday, but he could not understand that the idea of a holiday and the day of one’s birth are two entirely different things.

This is the kind of mistake that happens when a person applies something everywhere without understanding where and when it actually belongs.

A statement may be correct in itself, but if it is used in the wrong place, it can lead to a completely wrong conclusion. True knowledge is not just about remembering words and principles. It is about understanding which principle should be applied, where, when and how.

This is something we need to understand in matters of religion as well.

Some people who work for the sake of Islam have never had the opportunity to receive the guidance and training of a true spiritual guide to reform their own selves. Sometimes, because of their limited experience and incomplete understanding, they begin to think that one particular religious activity is the whole of Islam.

The work they become involved in becomes, in their eyes, the very heart of religion and its greatest purpose.

Then, out of a lack of understanding, they make judgments that make the efforts, sacrifices and services of other people working for Islam appear small and unimportant.

Those who serve Islam by teaching religious knowledge in madrasas, those who work in khanqahs to reform the heart and purify the soul, those who are engaged in Dawah and Tabligh, those who sacrifice their lives and wealth in the path of Allah, and those who spend their entire lives serving Islam in different fields—all their efforts are overlooked, while one’s own work is presented as if it were the whole of religion.

But Islam is not the name of just one field, one group or one method of working. Islam is a complete and comprehensive way of life, in which different fields support one another and help complete the wider work of serving the religion.

The Foolish Watchman and the Shop Lock

A businessman hired a watchman to protect his shop. He explained to him again and again:

“Whenever a thief or an unknown person tries to break the shop lock, raise the alarm immediately and inform the police.”

The watchman remembered these instructions very well.

One day, the businessman forgot his shop key at home. It was already time to open the shop and start business, so he called a locksmith and, while standing there himself, asked him to cut the lock.

When the watchman saw this, he immediately began shouting:

“Thief! Thief! Someone is breaking the shop lock!”

He gathered the whole market and stopped the locksmith from doing his work.

The businessman was surprised and asked:

“Brother! I am the owner of this shop. It belongs to me. I am the one who called the locksmith. Why are you shouting?”

The watchman replied with great confidence:

“I was only taught that whoever breaks a lock is a thief!”

Now tell me, was this watchman really doing his duty, or had his lack of understanding turned him into a problem for the very owner he was supposed to protect?

He remembered the rule, but he did not understand its real meaning or when it should be applied. He could not see the difference between a thief breaking a lock and an owner getting his own shop opened.

In exactly the same way, when a person takes one principle of religion away from its proper place and applies it everywhere, instead of bringing improvement, he begins to create problems.

The Unskilled Cook and Soap in the Food

There was a function at a house. Food was being prepared for the guests. The responsibility of cooking was given to a person who did not really know how to cook properly.

He noticed that utensils and hands must be cleaned before preparing food. He understood that cleanliness was a good thing, but he did not know that different things need different methods of cleaning.

As the curry was cooking, he noticed some oil and grease in it. He picked up a piece of handwashing soap and dropped the whole piece into the boiling curry.

When the owner of the house saw this, he was shocked and asked:

“What have you done?”

The cook replied calmly:

“Soap is meant to remove grease and dirt. I have added it only to clean the curry!”

Of course, the principle of cleanliness is correct in itself. But this cook used it in the wrong place and ruined the entire meal.

This is the difference between knowledge and understanding. It is not enough to know what something is used for. One must also understand where and for what purpose it should be used.

In religious matters, too, taking the virtue of one particular activity and placing it against every other activity is just like the mistake made by this cook.

Dawah and Tabligh are certainly great services to Islam. But this does not mean that teaching religious knowledge, reforming the heart, purifying the soul, Jihad and other fields of religious service lose their importance.

Every activity has its own place, purpose and need. The virtue of one activity does not cancel out the value of another.

The Robot and the Valuable Scientific Device

A robot was installed in a factory. It was programmed with the following instruction:

“Whatever object is long in shape and has rust or stains on it, pick it up and throw it into the waste bin.”

The robot began working according to its programme.

One day, a very valuable scientific sensor was brought into the factory. It had been specially designed for modern research and a particular purpose. Its outer cover was deliberately made to look like rusty iron so that it could work under certain conditions.

The robot looked at the sensor. It was rectangular in shape and had marks that looked like rust.

The robot did not check its value, did not understand its purpose and did not even try to find out what the device had been made for.

As soon as the object met the visible conditions in its programme, the robot picked it up and threw it into the waste bin.

In this way, a valuable device was destroyed simply because the robot had been taught to recognise outward signs, but had not been given the ability to understand the reality and purpose behind those signs.

In computer language, this kind of mistake may be described as a Context Logic Error—a logical error caused by failing to understand the context.

When a system is made to work only on the basis of visible words and signs, without the ability to understand reality, purpose and the situation, even correct information can lead to a wrong conclusion.

Something similar can happen with human beings.

When a person holds on to the outward words of a statement but fails to understand its background, purpose and proper place, he too begins to make judgments based on his limited understanding. As a result, facts become distorted and the services of others begin to be undervalued.

Do Not Reduce Islam to One Field

This is exactly what happened in all these examples.

The madman applied the rule of holidays in the wrong place. The watchman applied the rule of protection in the wrong situation. The cook used the principle of cleanliness in the wrong way. And the robot destroyed a valuable device simply because it matched the outward conditions of its programme.

Their mistake was the same: they remembered one thing, but failed to understand its reality, purpose and proper place.

The same mistake takes place in matters of religion when a person makes his limited experience the standard for judging the whole of Islam.

If someone working in Dawah and Tabligh begins to believe that the only work of Islam is Dawah and Tabligh, and starts treating the services of those who teach religious knowledge in madrasas, those who work in khanqahs to reform the self and purify the heart, those who make sacrifices in the path of Allah and other servants of Islam as unimportant, it shows that he has not understood the comprehensive nature of religion.

A particular field of religious service may be important in its own place. But its importance does not mean that all other fields become unnecessary.

It is essential to understand all these services in their proper place and to value the efforts of those who are working in them.

The Company of a Sheikh and a Broader Vision

Here, we need to understand one important point.

Working for the sake of religion is certainly a great blessing. But simply being busy with religious work does not automatically give a person the right understanding and balanced vision in every matter.

Even with knowledge, experience and understanding, a person can fall into narrow-mindedness, self-importance and limited thinking.

Sometimes, a person becomes so deeply attached to his own work that he stops noticing the efforts and services of others.

This is why the reform of the self and the purification of the heart are so necessary.

The company and guidance of a sincere Sheikh who has a true spiritual connection with Allah helps a person recognise the weaknesses of his own self.

Such guidance teaches him not to consider his own service as everything, not to become proud of his knowledge, not to make unfair judgments about the intentions of others, and to try to see every field of religious service in its proper place.

The purpose of a Sheikh’s training is not to place one field of religious work above all the others and force everything else to follow it.

Rather, the purpose is to develop humility, sincerity and a broader vision within a person, so that he can understand the complete and comprehensive nature of religion.

True success is when a person is sincere in his own work and, at the same time, respects and values the work of others.

He should regard his service as a blessing and favour from Allah, not as a measure of his own greatness.

Instead of making the efforts of others appear inferior, he should wish them well and remain concerned about improving himself.

The Final Message

Remember!

Not every correct principle can be applied everywhere. Not every good statement produces the right result in every situation.

Every religious service has its own importance. But to consider one particular service as the whole of Islam and to look down upon all other services is a sign of narrow understanding.

The madman knew that Sunday was a holiday, but he could not understand that the day of birth had nothing to do with the rule of holidays.

The watchman knew that someone breaking a lock could be a thief, but he could not tell the difference between the owner and the thief.

The cook knew that soap cleans things, but he could not understand that food requires a different method of cleaning.

The robot could recognise shapes and stains, but it could not understand the real nature and purpose of the object.

And if a person begins to look down upon all other fields of religion after understanding just one field, then he too needs to reflect on his own understanding, his thinking and his judgments.

Islam is not the name of one particular activity. Islam is a complete way of life based on the commands of Allah, and serving His religion takes many different forms.

The real beauty of serving Islam does not lie in thinking that our own work is greater than everything else.

It lies in understanding the complete nature of religion, recognising our own place within it, and valuing the efforts of all those who serve Islam.

Otherwise—

“Sunday is a holiday!”