Muslims Being Muslim in Kerala

Dr. Pasha

(Bringing Islam to the World One Concept at a Time!
Taking the Qur'an to Every Home and Heart that Needs It --
And which One Does Not?)

A Beautiful Place -- Blessed by God

In a remote corner of God's big, beautiful earth, on the Western Coast of India, on the shores of the Arabian Sea, nothing less, there is a most beautiful and blessed place called Kerala.

Arabian Sea on the shores of Kerala, India? What a blessing for Kerala!

And for India, if only India will wake up to the full realization and appreciation of this blessing.

Muslims in Kerala

The land of Kerala is blessed by God Almighty with a fairly generous share of Muslims, almost one-third of the population.

In addition, God has conferred upon the Muslims of Kerala the blessings of education and wealth.

And he has given them a role of leadership in society, socially and economically.

At the same time, God has also provided the Muslims of Kerala a fairly generous slice of power by making them members of a ruling coalition government.

Can you believe that there indeed is such a place in existence? And it is right in India, directly facing the blessed land of Arabia?

Halal and Haram Power

Power in Islam means two things. Among so many other things that it means.

The two things are: Before Power and After Power.

In Islam the most important question is not how much power you have, but how precisely you acquired the power that you have.

If you got that power through elections, that power is, from an Islamic perspective, legitimate power.

It is Halal Power.

If, on the other hand, you got that power through some other means, not through fair and open elections, but by force or corrupt practices let us say, that power then is illegitimate and you are a usurper.

And a tyrant.

And a thug.

And it is Haram Power.

First Question: Election or No Election?

At this stage, let us not worry too much about how fair or unfair, and how transparent or corrupt, those elections were that brought you a piece of the Pie of Power.

All those are critical questions, absolutely. Not a doubt about it. But they are the next set of questions to ask, after determining if there was any kind of election in the first place.

The most important and immediate question to ask is: Was there even a stab in the direction of making things appear as if elections were in play?

That is the first and foremost question to ask, when talking about power.

Next Question: Accountability

The question After Power is one of Accountability.

That means how are you using the power that God has granted you? Are you holding yourself fully and transparently accountable to the electorate -- to The People -- or are you acting like a thug, a tyrant and a dictator?

In other words, are Muslim Ministers of Kerala conducting themselves like Umar used to conduct himself when he became Khalifah, if not 100 percent at least partially so?

At least a little bit? At least in some small ways?

Or are they acting just like all the other ministers and high government officials in India -- including some very, very corrupt ones among them?

Muslims of Kerala should raise and answer these questions. It is their most serious civic duty.

What is more, it is also their most pressing Islamic Imperative.

This is an integral part of what Islam means in Kerala context.

And not just in Kerala, but throughout India and throughout the world.

It is Allah Who Gives and Takes Away Power

And the operative principle remains the same: All power comes from Allah.

Qulillahumma Maalikal Mulki,
Tu’til Mulka Man Tashaa-u,
Wa Tanzi’ul Mulka Mimman Tashaa’!

The clear implication is this:

Power is given to you as a trust. That means if you behave well, Allah will give you more. If, on the other hand, you misbehave, Allah will reverse your fortunes, take away that power from you, and make you pay for your arrogance.

And that has been the story of “Islam” and Muslims – all over the world.

A Very Different Kind of Blessing

At the same time, to me, Kerala is a blessed land. Of course, for all the reasons above.

And, also, for another most important reason. And that is something that most people know nothing about. It is said, if I got this right, Islam went to Kerala while Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam, was still alive.

Can anyone even understand the enormity of this news item?

To me, that news, even though some historians seem to question the exact date, is magical. It is so powerful that it sends my head spinning.

God’s Lighted Lamp on Earth?

Kerala thus becomes a place that God himself chose to shine his light upon, during the lifetime of the man, Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam, whom God sent into this world as a lamp to light up the whole world!

Here is the relevant part of the Qur’an in paraphrase:

"O Prophet, we sent you as a witness, and as a giver of good news as well as someone to warn people, and as one who will invite everyone to God, should God permit that -- and as a luminous, radiant lamp" (33:45, 46).

The same light radiates on Kerala soil while that most blessed divine lamp is still around on this earth! This could not be coincidence.

It is unbelievable!

God’s Creation Is Meticulously Planned and Executed

In God's meticulously planned creation, there are no coincidences. Everything is minutely choreographed and documented.

Wa Kulla Shayi-in Ahsainaahu Fi Imaamin Mubeen!
(Surah Yaa-Seen)

And every event that God makes happen on this earth is perfectly planned, designed, calculated, measured, recorded and documented:

Wa Kaana Amrullahi Qadaran Maqdoora!

Real Question: What Are Muslims of Kerala Doing?

But the real question in my mind is this:

"What are the Muslims of Kerala doing?"

My answer:

"Muslims of Kerala are pretty much doing what Muslims do everywhere!

They are just being Muslim."

That means, they are doing everything except what they must really be doing. That is, systematically and single-mindedly concentrating on taking the Qur'an to every home and heart that needs it.

Not only that, some of the brightest and best among them -- doctors, engineers, professors, moulavis, and others -- have all kinds of excuses for not doing what they must be doing.

My Suggestion to the Muslims of Kerala

My suggestion to the Islam-loving Muslims of Kerala is:

"Muslims of Kerala, get on with your job!
The job of taking the Qur'an to every home and heart that needs it --
And which one does not."

“Do so, while you still have time.
And you still have opportunity.”

“For, this opportunity may not be there forever.”

A Message to the More Enlightened Muslims of Kerala

I want to tell the more enlightened ones among the Muslims of Kerala:

"People,
This train that you see standing before you,
this train will not be on the platform forever.”

“This train will move -- as all trains do.
Board it now, while you still can.
Or it will be too late.”

“In fact, Muslims of Kerala,
I see the wheels moving already.
And I thought I just heard the engineer blow the whistle.”

“So, hurry up and get on board!”

“And throw everything you have into this fundamental duty that you have from God!"