The Lessons From History

by Israr Ahmed

The substance of this book is based on the ideas published by Dr. Israr Ahmad in 1993 in the columns of the Urdu daily Nawa-e-Waqt. The series of write-ups continued for a few months and were widely read with interest. The entire material, after slight editing, was published in a book form in October 1993 under the title Sabiqa aur Maujuda Musalman Ummatun ka Mazi, Haal, aur Mustaqbil, and has since gone through many re-prints. Dr. Ahmed Afzaal rendered these ideas into English and part of it was serialized in 1995-96. For putting it into a compact book, he further revised the entire material, added his own sub-titles, and made it more authentic by giving quotations from the Old and New Testaments. Indeed, he took great pains to make the citations of quite a few historical events and landmarks, particularly of early Jewish history, more authentic by giving dates and references from reliable sources. Moreover, he suggested a much more telling title for the book — Lessons from History — and the sub-title — Reflections on the Past, Present, and Future of Two Muslim Communities — puts in a capsule form the whole spectrum of ideas covered in the book. Dr. Israr Ahmad, as a true believer, is absolutely convinced of the indivisibility and essential identity of the Messages of all prophets. All Scriptures stem from and are parts of a single Source, the Mother of Books and the Hidden Book. According to the Qur’an, Prophethood is indeed an indivisible one cannot believe in some and not in others without giving the lie to the very source of Revelation. From the very beginning of the prophetic career, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was himself absolutely convinced of the Divine character of the earlier revealed documents and the Divine Messenger ship of the bearers of those documents. This is why he recognized without a moment of hesitation that Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other Old and New Testament religious personalities had been genuine prophets like himself. Thus, the true followers of Moses were, according to the Qur’an, also Muslims as were the true followers of Prophet Jesus, until they deviated from the Right Path and adopted certain beliefs central to their creeds. The most important of these are the Jewish claim to election and equally exclusivist claims to truth adopted by Christians. For the committed and convinced Muslim, neither the flow of history itself nor the study and interpretation of it can be considered apart from the realm of the sacred and the workings of the Divine. God as Creator is also the Maker of history; His Hand controls every moment in time, every historical event. History is the arena in which His Will is made manifest, His Dominion is expressed, and His Commitment to the fulfillment of its Divinely ordained rules is evidenced. And yet, in the Islamic understanding, it is not God alone who is responsible for the historical process. Histories of the Jews and the Muslims, being typically woven around Divine Revelation, should provide a Muslim scholar ground for a thoughtful and perceptive comparative study of them. Though in the present-day political climate, Jews and Muslims form two totally divergent peoples, yet striking similarities in their temporal histories are found and pointed out in this book. In particular, there is a strong parallelism regarding the two phases of rise and decline experienced by the two religious fraternities during the long course of their histories thus proving literally a tradition of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) on this subject reproduced in this book.

Genres: Islam

134 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 25, 2019

About the author

Dr. Israr Ahmed, (1932-2010) was a Pakistan-based Muslim religious figure who has been described as well-known among Muslims in Pakistan, India, the Middle East, and North America. Born in East Punjab, (now part of Haryana) in India, the second son of a government servant, he is the founder of the Tanzeem-e-islami, an off-shoot of the Jamaat-e-Islami.
He has spent the "last forty years" actively engaged in "reviving the Qur'an-centered Islamic perennial philosophy and world-view" with "the ultimate objective of establishing a true Islamic State, or the System of Khilafah." Ahmed is skeptical of the efficacy of "parliamentary politics of give-and-take" in establishing an "Islamic politico-socio-economic system" as implementing this system is a "revolutionary process".

Courtesy : http://www.drisrarahmed.com

Reviews

[farah · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first book by Dr. Israr Ahmad, May Allaah have Mercy upon him. what an experience.
It was realities upon realities. I learned so much, from historical insights to present day reflections. The narrative was very powerful, i felt like i was reading a movie.

P.S. I would definitely recommend reading it with your sisters, the discussions it sparks are totally worth it! 😛

[Mahnoor Asif · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The more you know about the past the better prepared you are for the future.”
-Theodore Roosevelt

Dr. Israr is one of my favorite religious scholars. He does the perfect analysis and has a very deep proficiency in topics of history.

Lessons from history gave a perfect analysis of Jewish and Muslim history. The rise and fall of both. The causes and consequences behind the rise and fall. He describes the parallelism of Jewish and Muslim history.

Also, it explains the history of Christianity. And their part in Muslim and Jewish history.

Dr. Israr Ahmed also mentioned the prophecies regarding Muslim's and Jews' futures. He gave a detailed account of the fact that why we are Muslim besides having everything dependent on the West.

[Faiza Sattar · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★ (5/5)
A selection of my favorite passages

·       All Scriptures stem from and are parts of a single Source, the Mother of Books and the Hidden Book.

·       in the Islamic understanding, it is not God alone who is responsible for the historical process. Every individual shares in the responsibility insofar as he has assumed through his heritage and according to the verification of the Qur’an a part of the God- given legacy to be a vicegerent, to represent the Divine Will on earth.

·       Let us begin by reflecting on the past and present of the Muslim Ummah: her quandaries and dilemmas, her swinging fortunes, her glorious and at times pathetic history, her uncertain present, and, finally, her unknown destiny.

·       Isn’t it a fact that our politics today is nothing but an ignominious slavery to the West? That our economy is based upon nothing but shameful mendicancy? That we are, on the whole, the most ignorant, undisciplined, corrupt, and uncivilized people on the surface of earth?

·       Human beings are extremely myopic creatures, lacking the infinitely broad perspective, in terms of both time and space, that is required to appreciate the wisdom and the long- term planning of the Creator. However, with the help of the Holy Qur’an and the guidance provided by Prophet Muhammad (saw), it is possible to understand the general purpose and direction of history in an overall manner, although the meaning behind every individual event and its significance in the Divine scheme will probably remain elusive.

·       the motivating force behind all human endeavors is the urge for ideals.

·       The Holy Qur’an teaches us that the manner in which Almighty Allah (swt) deals with different nations is quite different from the way in which He deals with individual human beings. The rewards and punishments for the individuals He postpones till the Doomsday, but when it comes to the behavior of entire nations and communities, the rewards for good deeds and the punishments for bad ones are often delivered to them right here in this world.

·       all messengers were prophets, but not all prophets were messengers.

·       These condemned nations included, in chronological sequence, the people of Prophet Nuh (as), a nation called Aad to which Prophet Hud (as) was sent, a nation known as Thamud to which Prophet Saleh (as) was appointed, the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah which were assigned to Prophet Lut (as), the people of Prophet Sho‘aib (as), and finally the Egyptian Pharaoh and his followers who rejected Prophet Musa (as).

·       The more glories and bounties a nation is blessed with, the more are its responsibilities in the sight of Almighty Allah (swt). Privileges and obligations go together.

·       Unbelievable as it may sound, the more disgrace we receive, the more we fall in love with ourselves, blinded by our supposed righteousness and delusion of our own grandeur.

·       the present Muslim Ummah is collectively responsible to preach and spread the Message of Almighty Allah (swt), and to try her utmost for establishing the domination of Islam over the entire globe.

·       The second point of difference between the Jews and the Muslims is that, in contrast to the former who were a uniracial community (being composed of only the “Children of Israel,” i.e., the descendants of Prophet Yaqoob), the present Muslim Ummah is a multiracial and multinational community.

·       the Muslim Ummah can be seen as being composed of two distinct components: the descendants of Prophet Isma‘el (AS), referred to in the Qur’an as ummiyean (the unlettered people), as well as all other peoples and nations, referred to in the Qur’an as aakhereen (those of later time).

·       By the time when the Qur’an was being revealed to Prophet Muhammad (saw), the Jews had already passed through two phases of rise and two phases of decline.

·       Prophet Ibrahim (AS) established two centers for the spread of God’s word, one in Makkah where he settled Hajirah (SA) and her son Prophet Isma‘el (AS), and the other in Palestine where he settled Sarah (SA) and her son Prophet Ishaq (AS). This gave rise to the birth of two great nations, Banu Isma‘el and Banu Israel, as promised by Almighty Allah (swt).

·       Strictly speaking, however, only the Umayyad era represents the true domination of pure Arab rule, as the Abbasids were generally infected and spoiled by Persian influences.

·       while the first phase of rise for the Muslims began during the life time of Prophet Muhammad (saw), the corresponding period for the Jews could not start until about three hundred years after the death of Prophet Musa (AS). The reason for this difference is that the establishment of Islam as a politico- socio- economic system was achieved, at least within the boundaries of Arabian Peninsula, by Prophet Muhammad (saw) and his devoted Companions (RAA). On the other hand the Israelites, by refusing to fight for the Promised Land, had brought the revolutionary process to a halt. Hence the delay of three hundred years.

·       Previously, the Jews were destroyed by the Assyrians from the North and then by the Babylonians from the East. History was repeated when the Arab Muslim were devastated first by the Crusaders from the North, and then by the Mongols from the East.

·       During the time when the Christian Europe was lost in the night of ignorance, we find that Greek, Indian, and Persian sciences were being taught in the universities of Muslim Spain, attracting scholars from all over Europe.

·       a prediction of Prophet Muhammad (saw) came true, i.e., “There will come a time when nations of the world will invite one another to invade and exploit you, just as a person calls upon his guests to the feast” (Abu Dawood).

·       It is apparent to any careful observer that the Jews have continued to suffer the floggings of Divine punishment in the present century— the Holocaust during the Second World War being a case in point— just as they have been suffering for the last two thousand years. Simultaneously, however, they are also undergoing a process of revival, as exemplified by the establishment of the state of Israel. In the same way, the second phase of decline for the Muslims has continued in the present century— prominent examples of which include the termination of Ottoman Empire, abolition of the Caliphate, the Six- Day War of ‘67, the humiliating fall of East Pakistan, and the devastation of Iraq in the Gulf War— but, at the same time, powerful currents of revival and regeneration are also visible, as epitomized by Islamic activism throughout the world.

·       Finally, while the importance of charismatic personalities is certainly undeniable, in the final analysis they are of less value as compared to organized groups and parties. These associations, in turn, tend to lose their unique significance within the larger umbrella of particular movements, and, finally, all the different movements coalesce in the all- embracing process of revival and regeneration, which is of ultimate importance.

·       Since the efforts for Islamic revival are likely to face comparatively less opposition and resistance in a country governed by Muslims as compared to the one ruled by a colonial power, it can be rightly claimed that the various movements for independence actually represented an initial stage in the process of Islamic Renaissance.

·       In principle, it can be said that such methods are permissible only when they are used on a temporary basis— as a matter of pure expediency— and not adopted as a permanent policy. In countries where such sentiments were aroused to get rid of foreign rule, it is imperative that after the achievement of political autonomy the true Islamic spirit of Muslim unity and brotherhood be cultivated.

·       According to the popular interpretation of some Ahadith, as long as the Shari‘ah was being enforced and no flagrant violation of Islam was being committed, it was not considered permissible to revolt even if the rulers are themselves wicked and oppressive.

·       The role of the Ulama today, instead of being that of an engine capable of propelling the ship of Islam forward, is actually nothing more than that of a heavy anchor which prevents the ship from drifting away in any wrong direction. Although, under the present circumstances, even this is a commendable and substantial service, the fact remains that this is by no means enough. Another aspect of the activity of our Ulama that needs correction is their unusually strong emphasis on sectarian matters. A serious stagnation of thought along with dogmatism has set in ever since the practice of Ijtihad was done away with.

·       Islam demands its complete and total ascendancy, and the struggle to establish that ascendancy is the duty of every Muslim

·       From even a superficial survey of Jewish and Muslim histories, therefore, it becomes clear that Almighty Allah (swt) has been using the Christian nations as an instrument of His punishment, or the whip of His retribution, for both the Jews and Muslims of the world.

·       The early Christians were generally considered as nothing more than a Jewish sect, but with the passage of time the alien concepts implanted by St. Paul— Trinity, Atonement, Abolition of the Mosaic Law— made them a different people altogether.

·       This rise of Reason, therefore, turned out to be the beginning of the end for Christianity and the onset of the domination of materialism and pragmatic morality.

·       The evolution of the universe in the direction of a predetermined goal is what provides everything with a single grand purpose. The universe is continuously in a process of evolution, constantly working to perfect itself.

·       It is important to distinguish between Dajjal the individual, and Dajjal as a world- wide intellectual and social phenomenon based on materialism and atheism.

·       The highly irrational claim of Trinity ultimately resulted in the divorce between two natural allies, religion and reason.

·       The hallmark of this system is a profound shift of emphasis— from God the Almighty to the material universe and laws of nature, from spiritual pursuits to sensual gratification, and from salvation in the life- after- death to material prosperity in this world. Human beings have been endowed by Almighty Allah (swt) with two distinct sources of knowledge, that is, (a) information gathered by the senses and their interpretation by means of reason, intellect, and logic; along with (b) Revelation, in order to acquire knowledge of the ultimate realities and also the practical guidance for living a just, virtuous, and balanced life. However, the unfortunate shift of emphasis mentioned above resulted in a serious imbalance in the modern thinking process. Thus, while humanity has made an incredible amount of progress with regard to science and technology, we see that, correspondingly, religion and morality have undergone unprecedented decay and decline.

·       It seems likely that the Jews would try to orchestrate another war between the West, mainly the United States, and the Arab Muslims, most probably on the pretext of dealing with the threat of Islamic fundamentalism.

·       We the Muslims are the custodians of the last message of Allah (swt), representatives of the God- given system of life (Deen al- Haq), and intermediaries between Prophet Muhammad (saw) and the entire humanity. This means that it is our primary duty to struggle for the establishment of the perfect way of life, viz., Islam and its system of Social Justice, initially in a specific territory and then throughout the entire globe.

·       It must be understood that now, after the subjugation of the entire Arab world at the hands of the New World Order, it is only our part of the world that has the potential for standing up against the nefarious designs of the global power- brokers, and to resist the rising tides of the Jewish/ Zionist hegemony.

·       The sense of a separate identity that became the basis of the idea of Muslim Nationhood was neither racial or linguistic in origin, nor based upon a common homeland, but it was founded upon our unique ideology, viz., our deep affiliation with and commitment to Islam.

·       The starting point of collective repentance of a nation is repentance by its individual members. This must include a real feeling of regret, a firm resolve never to repeat the sins, followed by actual change in behavior, and, in the case of any violation of the rights of other human beings, an appropriate compensation or asking for forgiveness from the aggrieved party. This individual repentance, if performed with its true spirit, does guarantee forgiveness from Almighty Allah (swt) in the Hereafter. It does not mean, however, that the individual will escape any collective Divine punishment that might befall his nation

·       The desired state of collective repentance can be achieved only when first of all a considerable number of individuals would repent and mend their ways; then they unite themselves into a cohesive force and change the main trend of the society by their exhortation and persuasion, their enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, leading to a revolution in thought as well as behavior.

[HASSAN BASHIR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Israr Ahmed is my fav islamic scholar and go to person (his vids), a wonderful personality who lived his life exactly the way he preached; with simplicity.

Most of the content in this book is what already knew from his own lectures but still it's a short book and must read for all the muslim youth in order to truly understand why muslims are suffering currently and how Islam isn't responsible instead the only way for salvation.

[Hassaan Bukhari · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it."
- George Santayana

Dr. Israr despite telling a detailed and brief history of 4000 years has also done a very good analysis on it. Comparison of the parallelism of the history of two communities was done perfectly by the scholar and well put. A must recommended short read if you are looking for a brief Abraham religious history. I literally finished the book within few hours.

[Khalid Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great effort from an historical point of view. The analysis seems compelling. An interesting read for the Muslims of sub continent.

[Ee Be · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mindblowing. Dr. Israr Ahmed truly was an intellectual.


"The life blood of the Dajjalian System is usury, which is used to subjugate individuals as well as entire nations so that they can be controlled and manipulated by a financial aristocracy. The masses are encouraged to work hard, to enjoy their weekends, to uncritically digest whatever the media feeds them, and to invest all their time and energy in the pursuit of material well-being and sensual gratification. Humans are being reduced to the level of beasts. Endless consumption of products has become the dominant life-style of our times, and people have been made conditioned to measure each other on the basis of wealth and affluence, rather than character and morals. A whole entertainment industry has been created to keep the minds of the masses occupied whenever they are not working."

[Abdul Aziz Muhammad · Rating 5 out of 5]

وہ زمانے میں معزز تھے مسلماں ہو کر
اور تم خوار ہوئے تارک قرآں ہو کر

قوم مذہب سے ہے مذہب جو نہیں تم بھی نہیں
جذب باہم جو نہیں محفل انجم بھی نہیں

قوت عشق سے ہر پست کو بالا کر دے
دہر میں اسم محمد سے اجالا کر دے

کی محمد سے وفا تو نے تو ہم تیرے ہیں
یہ جہاں چیز ہے کیا لوح و قلم تیرے ہیں

[Muhammad Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

short, to the point