66

Coimposite Naionalism and Jslam

. A Composie Naaonlsm and Islam 6
group of men, excluding women.
.
Primarily a
group
Elucidation of the Word
Qaum
consisting of men, where
from the Glorious Korar
women are automatically included.
). A
gioup comprising both men and women In order elucidate the words qaum and millat, a
to

t is thus close scrutiny of the holy Koran, reveals

wrong that ithe word qaum in
to say that the
the word qaum appears than 200 times. It
lexicon does not inchude women, but wherever more is not

the words possible to discuss these in detail here. But I was

gaum-e-A'ad and qaum-e-Moosa appear accused:
in the
Koran,|they also refer to women. According
to Arabic dictionaries, the word gaum has different
How better it would have been
connotation_. Therefore, to choose a meaning hat after pas
sing through the pages of Qdmus (Arabic
from its various meanings as it is used in the Koran
dictionary), if not for me at least for the general
will not be wrong. In Sura Hujrat of the holy Koran, Muslims, Maulana should have consulted the
women are clearly excluded from the word qaum.
glorious Koran and should have examined his
Besides, the isue remains to be discussed that in
dangerous non-Islamic concept in the light of
tve words qaum-e-Moosa and qaum-e*Aad, women the revelations sent down the by Almighty
are
automatitally, included or because of men. Allah.
This, in my vlew, is che same as many imperative
the Koran with words and names I accept that I am
forms used in neither a great Islamic scholar
that are exclusively used for men, where women, nor a master of Arabic literature. As the
saying
too, are included. goes:

Qalander juz do harf-e la-laha Kuchh nahi rakhua

Faqih-e-shahr Qdrun hai loghat ha'ï hija'zi ka
 Composite Nanonaism and lslam
Composite Nanonaism ard lslam 69
A mystic posse sses nothing except "la-llaha', the
However. 1ince I have been asked repeatedly
two words,
tc expluin it, I would like ro say something here.
While a renowned scholar has the richness of In the hody Koran the word qaum has been used at
the Arabic language!
times as a definite noun and at others as indefi
nite. At some places it ha: been used asa definite
I have been asked why I have relied only on the noun by afixing alif and lem.|Whcre it has
Qamus. Suffice it to say that I would not
have been made definite by a suffix, it poins towards a
entured inro the dictionary meaning, if while
proper noun. At anocher place it has been suffixed
explaining the meaning of the word, I had nor
by a pronoun. Occasionally it indicated the.third
presented the explanation of the Majma-ul.-Bahar
person, or at times the second person, or even
along with the meaning given in Qamus. Since
the first person. It has been
Majma-ul-Bahar also gives the same meaning as used for singular,
plural and also for tasnia (Arabic wotd that denotes
indicated in the
A'yat (verses) of the holy Koran Cwo)
and the Hadith of the Prophet, its mere mention
Whenever the word
would have sufficed. Besides,.my statement that qaum has been used as

indefinite or has been used with

search the correctmeaning of these words in the aljf and lam, it
clearly rules out the possibility of cooperation and
verses
(o the Koran) and sayings (of che Prophet) uniry berween Muslims and non-Musiims, as
clears it further. I have said earlier chat a Prophet being
part of a nation (composite nationalism). But
does not invent a new
language but communicates
where the word has
language that the
appeared as murf (possessive
i he
community speaks and noun) and mui'saf elaih (pronoun), is Muslim or
understands. It is sufficient for me to drive the
the Prophet, ànd the
poinr hone by mercly citing the meaning of the discussion isi particularly
about non-Muslims, undoubredly atjsuch places
word as given in the Arabic dictionary the word qaum means the inclusion
of polytheists
70
Composite Nationalism and Islam
or
non-Muslims with the Prophet and Muslims in Comporite Naconal1m crd lslem
composite nationalism. 'when he warned his folk
For among the wind
example, the verses of the holy Koran curved sand hill.
(46. 21)
$ay:

'And (remember) when

Noah's folk denied the
Moves said unto hia

messengers (of Allah) people: Omy peopie!.. (61.5)

(26. 105) 'and whose folk
are servile unto us(23 7
The fold of Noah denied
(the truth) before There is goodly pattern for you in Abraham
them, and (so did) the dwellers at Ar-Rass and
and those wich him, whien they told the: flk
(the tribe of) Thamud. And (the tribe of) Aad
Lo! we are
guil1less of yuu and al that
and Pharaoh, and the brethren of Lot. And ve =th

besides Allah... (60. 4)

the dwellers the wood. and the folk of
in

Tubb'a.... (50. 12. 13, 14) Likewise, at places the poTSUnal ptnnun
u
reference to the second person where the Prqehe:
In many verses of the Koran nations have been
is being addressed, i.e.
atributed to the Prophets by the word gaum such
as Qaume:Nonh, Qaum-e-lbrahim, Qaum-e-Lat, And lo! It is in truth a Reminder for thee and
Qaun-e-Saleh and Qaum-e-Hud. Similarly, for thy folk; and ye will be questioned. (43. 44)
sometimes, the word yaum has been attributed to

the Prophets by using a genitive case in the third No one of thy folk will belevt save hint ho
person. For example, the holy Koran says: hath believed already... (11. 36)

And when the son of Mary 1s quoted as an

We sent Noah to his people...(71. 1)
example, behold! The folk laugt out (43 57)
 Composire Naronalism and lslam Coinposite Nariunnbgm anui I:nm

Bring thy people forth from darkness urnto light. 'O' my people: Ask forgiveness of your Liri.
And remind them of the days of Allah.' (14.5) then turn unto Hiin repentant..(I1.52)
Appoint houses for yout people in Egypt.."(10.
O'my people! Why persecute ye me. when
87)
ye well know that I am Allah's
messenger.
Similarly, at times the word qaum has been (61.5)
used in the Koran as a personal pronoun and is
tributed to the fîrst person where the Prophet is 'my people: Act accordirng to your
power..
indicated. The holy Koran says: (11.93

Lo! We send Noah unto his people (saying): En 9

Warn. thy people ere the painful doom come Thus, there numerous Koranic verses
are in

which non-Muslims and the Prophet have been Aumb1

unto them. He said: O my people! Lo! I am a
addressed as one nation, and nk
plain warner unco you.' (71. 12) infidels have been )
attributed the Prophet
to
the baais of unity of'cddiwu T
on

'Omy people! Here are

my daughters! TheyY kinship and nation. Likewise, in many
are purer for you... (11. 78) Koranicnon MA -

verses infidels have been addressed the nation ca) pa

as
of Muslimns. In this
0' My people! I ask of you no reward for it.." verse, a momin (believer) is n
(11.51) addressing the pharaoh (an infidl) as his nation:

my people! Bethink you, ifI rely on a clear ' people! Yours is the kihgdom today.
my ye
prouifrom my Lord... (11. 28) being uppermost in the land.' 40. 2)
my people! This is the catnel of Allah, a
my people! Follow me. I w|ll show you the
token unto you.. (11. 64)
way of right conduct. (40. 38)
-

** -. . *

** ..
 Compuste Nanonalsm ard Islam
Composite Ncnonaism and lslam

and in national affairs, between a Muslim

Thus, in all the above-mentioned Koranic
and non-Muslim, and many such expres
a
Muslims and non-Muslims have
vrse's.
been
aetributed to each other as one nation. What could sions and usage are seen in the holy Koran.
this
relationship be other rhan the country (c) In the sphere of national a
unity Prophet
or the
too, can have and has often had relation
kinship?
The Prophet of Islam Hazrat ships with infidels, idol worshippers and
Mohammad and
other Prophets (peace be upon all of transgressors.
them) have
been sent on earth as vice regents of Allah to
establish His religion and the right code of life. In feply vo my writing. it was said:"
The holy Koran addresses them in the
following The callto foilow and obey is íor the reason that the
Words:
qaum (nation) is not religit..i and aharia, and that is
why the call and advice to hold it was uscle.
'Say (O' Mohammad): O' my people! Work Whichever group it bë, whether it
be ot the same tribe,
according ta your power.. (6. 136) of the samekinship, ofgroup of bandits, ot
even a

busipessmen, of residents of the city, of people belonging

n short, these verses clarify the following points: to a country or gcographical territory, they are merelv
a group. The Almighty Allah and the Prophet do not
(a) From the Koranic point of view and its
regard such group of men as a
a
rightly
guided religious
who usage, the word qaum in its essential communicy. From the point of view of the Revelation
CorAtul meaning has not been used for Muslims and the Prophethood, that individual a
pr group of men
alone-rather it is used for any groupof is not a rightly guided one. If the
Revelation and the
people having the same kinship and lingual, Prophet to them, they are
come
the first addrcssecs.
territorial, profossicnal ties, et That is. why they are attributed
towards them, i.e.
(b) There can bè cooperation, in nationalism O
By Allama lqbal.
 78
Qomposite Nanonaism and Islam
Composite Nanonoim ard isem
Qaum-e-Nuh (the people of Noah),
Qaum-eLut (the T have
people of Lut). Qaum-e-Musa lthe forsaken the religion of the folk
etc. However, if che leader of the
people Moses).
of
believe not in Allah and are dishelievers who
tne n

or a same,group is king
a
Hereafter. (12.37)
chieftain, they will be attributed towards them as
well. For instance, Qaum-e-Pad (the people of A'ad),
Qaum-e-Firaun (the people of Pharaoh). etc. If wo rival his amazing passage (of Akama ibal) ais

groups appedr in a country and they belong to two vindicates my assertions that rhe wurd
yaum n
oPposite types ot leaders, and were present in_the che holy Koran calls for nationai unity betwecn
same country led by two mutually hostile leaders, they believers and non-believers alike. 1 have been
bothwill be attribued to their respective leaders. Fo arguing it. That the term comes fronm the hu
Cxample: where there were Quum-e-Musa, there were Koran is now accepted. To argue that infidels. toc.
Qaum-e-Firaten as well.
can have their religion and nation is not
surprising
The holy,Koran says: I have already quored the passage from the Majma-
ul Bahar thát says, °The word became popular ad
The chiefs of Pharaoh's people said: (0'King), then it was used in the meaning ot talse religiOn
wilt thou suffer Moses and his people.. (7. 127)
The lines that I have quoted from Tajul Uroos
and Sharh-e-Qamus further clarify my views a
However, wherever the word qaum appears, the
group that is being reffered to is the one comprising Mutahida Qaumiyat. Howevet, there stilremans
a vast dilference between the wordsmillat and
of both believers as well as non-believets. Those
whoaecepted the message of the Prophet. were qrum. Millat means religion or sharia, or the way
of ife whether it is true or false. Qaum refers to
cailed believers and hecame hull-fOedged Muslims.
and women
It has to he rcmemhered that infidels too have their men (exclusively) or a group of men

believers or non-believers, or else

religion and nation. As Prophet Yusuf (Joseph)
whether they are
provided there is a meeting point between them.
$ays:
 S0
Composite Nanonalism and Islam
Compoite Nattonausm and Islam
And it is tor this reason that a
debauch and is proof of its
honourable man can be
an
negation-especially when both the
part ot the same nation Loghvee (dictionary) as well as the Sharai
junu). (religious)
meaning "testify to the word
millat. Mohammad
The
following passage by
Mohammad lqbal lqbal himself admitted righrly guided people
has
howevet, puiles me. are those
who have entered' into
the folc of
A qaun
(nation) can have their the religion (millat) of the Prophet. In ordur to
millat (religion). but_
qum of millut have authenticate my point I have
ncver becn mentioned. Thi_ means quoted Jennies in
thatin the holy Koran people who belong to the holy Koran, i.c. the momin of
different Aal-e Firaun (the
nations and religions and have embraced rhs Millatee believers among the people
of Pharaoh), mornm o
Ibrahum (che Religion of Abraham), thereafter they Qaum-e-Moosa (the believers anmong the people
not been
have
called a gaum (nation). lhey have been rather of Mosés), the momin
addresséd uminah. From the use of this word (ummah)
as of Qaum-e-isa (the believers
among the peopie of
Jesus) and the momineen oi
inad ntended to explain that, as far as my
knowledge
goes, for Muslims in the holy Koran no other word Prophet Mohammad (the believers of
than Prophet
ummah has been used.lf any other word has been used, Mohammad). When momin (a believer) Prophet
kinll let me know, Jesus was the given
glad tidings of jamna (paradisc)
after hiscrucifixion, referring to the infidels as his
qaum (nation), he says, Would that my
people knew
(what I know)' (36. 26).The holy
Reply of the Prophets, who are believers
Koran describes
Maulana Hussain Ahmad Madani by birth, the
compatriots of
non-bclievers. Thus (when
examine Allama lqbal's
Supposing this was the case (that no other word arguments), if chis dis-
crepancy is not a wonder of the time, then what
except mlat has been used for Muslims in the holy 1S
Koran), it does not mean that merely no mention
 usite !atironal:n and Iila
fvd
cspecially when it has been said
r a iotal): (by tp:ei.ed t s philoscpiy oi Alana
can iue :c di:eren*
7derta.i erd ee it,
aum. 1 the igoa.
name of a band of men.
And this c2s5n,
diviced end cer. be c:":2
tcand iton the
vierpoint of tribe, race, nc aiured io creren: zowc
country and
tehaviour
can in
language
f thades and
at thousands
appear thousands
of places.' the Word Ummc
Earlie, A. Discussion on

too, it has been said: (Community of Believers)

The qaum
(nation) is not religion and sharia
and that is why the call and
dvice to hold
firmly was useless. Whichever group it be-
whether it be of the same tribe or it be
same inship.
of the
Then phat is wrong if, after embracing Millat
e-lbrahim (religion of Abraham), this
Milate
hahidah (single nation) is divided into different
uqwam (nations) on the same basis that divided
Qaume Aus, Qaum-e-Khazrej, Qaum-e-Quraish,
Qaum-e Ansar, Qaum-e-Muhajrin. Qaum-e-Sufiya,
Qaum-e Turk, Qaun-e-Afghan, Qaum-e-Kunjra
and Qaum-e-Qasdi, ete.?
Coacerning the term ummch, it has been iorceiully
argued that the wo:d denotes 'sucih people who
it
have forsaken their nations and religions and have
embraced the (true) religion of Abraham. Aftee
being proselytized, of Abrzham, the word qaum is
not used to address them.
At another place it has been said: A jar As
have known, for Muslims in the Holy Koren no other
word than ummah has been used. lf any ocher word
has been used, kindly let me know. Such a
statement is beyond the purvieww of the dictionary.
The definition of the word ummah in the Arabic
dictionao.does.notinclude zhecharaeienticehar
Allama lqbal wants to ascribe to it.
 S6
Cpmposite Naronalism and Islam
Compoite Nanonai1m and Islam
For
example, as
Munjid' says, The word
uTmmah connotes a According to yer ancther verse,
group of men, ways, era, Staturc
and so on.
As per Mukhtan1s Scha, the word unmah And were it nor that mankind =ould
hav
means a
grnup of men.'
According to Imam become one community. We mught well have
Akhfash, 'the word ummah is the
singular from the appointed for those who disbelie ved in

language point of vicw but from the point of view

of meaning,
Beneficient, rooísof silver for their houses and
it is plural. And every genus of living stairs (of silver) whereby to mount (43 )
being is called ummah. There is a saying in the
Hadith In short, the definition of the ward umnhe
compilation, 'If dogs were not a genus, I
would have /ssued order kill them that
by Allama labal is of his own. Though che word
an to
and ummah has different connotations, does
the meaning of the word umnah is a way and
it not
in
any way convey the sense and exptrssion. sugested
religion. by Allama Iqbal's interpretation, Rgther it is used

The glorious Koran says: as a synonym of the word yaun.

Thus it is clear from the above-mention:d
'and there is not a aation but a warner hath
passed among them'. (35. 24) Koranic verses that the wnai ienmah is not onlh
usedto address the group which has emeraced th:
Another verse of the glorious Koran reads: religionof Propher Abraham. but the word jau
toohas been used to address such persons.
And verily We have raised in every nation a

Serve Allah and shun

messenger (proclaiming): P o ph Abacuim.

false gods."(16. 36)

Al-Munjid, p. 15.
 8
Composite Nadonalism an
Islam
The Word
and the Qaumiyat (Nationalism) Composite Nationalum and islam 89
Discussion Related to It: the criterion (of
Islam is a right and wrong), that
Universal Religion be a
warner to the people. (25.
he mav

All the 1)
Prophets who preceded We sent thee
sentto a particular Prophet
Tmad were
qaum ànd
Moham not save
peoples.(21. i07)
as
mercy tor the
country, and hat is
why the sharia andparticular
a

la propogated by them did cannon lt is

nations and the entire not cover
all the necessary that the rule and law that
reform * particular universe. The follow not be you
aim was to
communiry and or
attached to
any
particular yaium, clan
the laws therefore any one
country, and that the
were issued all
Prophet Mohammad accordingly. Contrary to this, universal so that you.may, call all message be
naions ànd the
and for che
was sent
for all of mankind whole universe towards
whole your
and reformations of all were
universe, and the
corrections becomes obligatory for the peoplereligion, and 'it

Almighty Allah says in Surahassigned to him.

The
any
individual disobeys you, heto isobey you. If
'A'raaf: rebellious and is labelled kafir branded
individual is not only labelled su, (infidel). Such an
a

Say (O'
Mohammad): O' mankind! lam the
bur
punished for. his rebellion in the is also severely
messenger of Allah to you all. (7. 158)
universality of Islan1means
Hçreaíter. The
And we have not sent
is
included in its chatthe cntize uarld
thee (O' message and its ule is aimed
save as a
bringer of
goad tidings and a
Mohammad) theanelioration and at
welíare of
unto all
mankind.... (34. 28) warner, Moreover, in it chere are certain the whole uod.
and wisdom that hidden principles
"Blessed is He who hath guide and reform
revealed whether chey belong to the human beings,
unto His slave i whether they are white
old or new
generation,
or black, or
even red. It *
 90
Composite Nationalsm and islam Composite Naionalism and Islam 91
embraces the. entire humanity. Despite together like well-tended saplings. In one ofhis
this
universality, it does not mean that the entire world injunctions, Prophet Mohammad says:
will necessarily'accept it.
You will the believers in mutual
see
their
kindness, love and sympathy Just like one
body. When a limb complains, the whole
Islam has Established Religious Unity body responds to it with' waketuiness a:
among lts Followers fever. (Mishka't, p. 422)

The Prophet of Islam Hazrat Mohammad has According to the holy Koran,
called upon the entire world to
fellow the same The believers are naught else than brothers..
path and the same sharia (islamic way of life). (49 0)
Amgngthosewho have accepted the call and have
entered its fold, Islamhas established a magnificent A Hadith of Prophet Mohammad reads:
(spiritual) bond that has overshadowed all other
bonds prevalentin the worldwhether based on A Muslim is brother to a Muslim. Neither lhe

regionalism, kinship, economics, nationalism. wrongs him, nor hands him over (ioanother
language and colour, caste and crecd, etc. This means enemies here). (Mishka't, p. 422)
relationship
transcends the bonds of materiálism
anc
engulfs them in a spiritual body of Islumic "Every Muslim's blood. property and honour are
sacred to aMuslim. (Mishka't, p. 422)
brotherhood To.protect this bondfrom anyharm..
and make itstronger,Islamiginjuactions.worklike
watering of the garden, whereby Muslims grow Islam imposes such rights and duties of a Muslim