M6:494 — مصلحت در دین ما جنگ و شکوه / مصلحت در دین عیسی غار و کوه

Translation: The expediency (maṣlaḥat) in our religion (Islam) is war and grandeur; And the expediency in Jesus' religion is the cave and the mountain.

Meaning: This verse highlights the differing practical paths and divine laws of two religions: for Islam, Mowlana observes that expediency mandates active struggle and the establishment of powerful order; whereas for Christianity, it has been traditionally understood as ascetic retreat and solitude.

Mowlana, in this couplet, delves into a profound and often controversial aspect of prophetic laws (sharīʿats), explicitly differentiating the path ordained for Prophet Muhammad and his community from that of Jesus. This comparison is not to establish a hierarchy of values, but to elucidate the distinct practical functions of their respective divine mandates.

He refers to the Prophet of Islam as nabī-i sayf (the Prophet of the Sword), signifying a prophet commissioned to establish order and justice through active might. This understanding is rooted in numerous prophetic traditions, emphasized by scholars like Suyuti and Ibn Khaldun, who note that the Prophet was not only permitted but commanded to spread his religion by force and invite people to submission. This 'submission' (Islam) does not necessarily imply deep inner faith (Iman), but rather an outward adherence to the established order. As the Quran states: «قَالَتِ الْأَعْرَابُ آمَنَّا قُل لَّمْ تُؤْمِنُوا وَلَٰكِن قُولُوا أَسْلَمْنَا وَلَمَّا يَدْخُلِ الْإِيمَانُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ» (Q 49:14). This outward submission meant accepting the governing authority and its laws, refraining from conspiracy and armed rebellion, and functioning as a citizen within the society established by the Prophet. Mowlana stresses that the Prophet was determined to implement a new order with authority.

Conversely, Mowlana defines the maṣlaḥat (expedience or wisdom) in Jesus' religion as ghār-o-kūh (the cave and the mountain). This alludes to the tradition of asceticism, solitude, and detachment from worldly conflicts, prevalent in historical Christianity, particularly among monks and hermits. Although modern interpretations, such as Reza Aslan's 'Zealot,' portray Jesus as a rebel, Mowlana's perspective reflects the traditional understanding of a path focused on spiritual and individual aspects of religion rather than social and political engagement.

Mowlana attributes this divergence to maṣlaḥat—divine wisdom and providence, according to which God established distinct sharīʿats for different eras and prophets. While the fundamental principles of religion—belief in God, the afterlife, and good ethics—remain constant across all faiths, the practical laws (sharīʿats) differ. War and grandeur in Islam, and the cave and mountain in Christianity, each reflected a divine expediency. This does not suggest superiority of one over the other, but rather that each fulfilled its specific function within the cosmic order and human guidance. What was vital for the Prophet of Islam was the establishment of a society governed by divine and authoritative laws, even if not all citizens initially held deep faith. This approach ultimately fostered an environment for the growth and spread of faith in subsequent generations, much like a nascent religion, like a newborn child, needs protection from predators.

Key takeaways

• Divine expediency (maṣlaḥat) has shaped different sharīʿats (practical laws) for various prophets.
• In Mowlana's view, the religion of Islam entails jihad, struggle, and the establishment of a powerful order.
• Conversely, the expediency of Jesus' religion traditionally involved asceticism, solitude, and withdrawal from worldly conflicts.
• This distinction pertains to practical injunctions (sharīʿat), not the universal and constant principles of religion (God, afterlife, ethics).
• Outward 'Islam' (submission to laws) is distinct from inward 'Iman' (heartfelt faith), and the former was crucial for establishing social order.
• Mowlana directly addresses historical and theological realities, irrespective of their palatability to contemporary sensibilities.