الكلمة الحكمة ضالة المؤمن فحيث وجدها فهو أحق بها
Abū Hurayrah (may Allāh be pleased with him) narrates that Allāh’s Messenger (Allāh’s salutations and peace be upon him) said, “The Wise Word is the lost camel of the believer. Wherever he finds he is the most entitled to it.” [ʾat-Tirmiẓī]
Amongst the facts of history which clutter my brain, three events stand out from the history of the Catholics, at least to me. It is not to say that these events affirm their beliefs or their personal status, but in the light of the words of Allāh’s Messenger (Allāh’s salutations and peace be upon him), I see these as opportunities to reflect and gain wisdom. I list these three incidents in chronological order:
1. Remembering the King of Kings during triumph
Ever since Henry VIII broke with the Catholic Church in 1534, England was intensely divided between the two Churches – Anglican and Catholic. Edward VI (1537–1553) was his Anglican son and successor. He attempted to replace his successor, His Catholic sister, Mary I, with his Anglican cousin, Jane I. Upon his death on 6 July 1553, Mary knew her life to be in danger and having no resources of her own, went into hiding. Yet on the 3 August she rode triumphantly into London, reciting, “If God is with us, who can be against us.”
From zero to conquering England in a few days was truly a miracle. As we believe that not a leave moves except by His permission, this event assuredly has some role in Allāh’s greater cosmic scheme. Yet what it might be, I cannot grasp.
What I can however learn, is humility and attention to Allāh during triumph. When Muslims forget Allāh when they achieve some aim and arrogate their triumph to themselves, they imitate Allāh enemy, Qārūn:
قَالَ إِنَّمَا أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَى عِلْمٍ عِنْدِي أَوَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَهْلَكَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مَنْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ قُوَّةً وَأَكْثَرُ جَمْعًا وَلَا يُسْأَلُ عَنْ ذُنُوبِهِمُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ
He said, "I was only given it because of knowledge I have." Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him of generations those who were greater than him in power and greater in accumulation [of wealth]? But the criminals, about their sins, will not be asked. [ʿal-Qaṣas: 78]
Worse is the ecstatic adulation Muslims show for achievements of beings besides Allāh, achievements which have no substance in even this world, let alone the next. What a triumph it is for Muslims today, when a soccer ball is kicked! Allāhu Akbar, there is nothing more glorious in their eyes. No wonder we in turn are kicked pillar to post.
It is sad, but undeniable, that however incorrect her belief might have been, in remembering Allāh at the moment of her triumph, Queen Mary’s actions were a closer reflection of the Sunnah, than that of some Muslims. For Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) focused on Allāh during his triumphant entry into Makkah, reciting Sūrah ʾal-Fatḥ.
An interesting side note - when man (including Muslims) submit religion to their desires there will be contradictions. The British monarch, as head of the Anglican Church, proudly bears the title, “Defender of the Faith.” This title has been inherited from Henry VIII. The irony is that the Pope awarded him that title for defending the Catholic faith against the Protestants! Henry VIII later made his own Protestant religion for worldly reasons and kept the title for him and his successors.
2. Choosing Faith over a Crown
The Anglican-Catholic drama continued to play out until parliament feared that Catholics might retake the throne upon the death of the childless Anglican, Queen Anne. Parliament therefore passed the Act of Settlement in 1701, decreeing that the crown should pass to the nearest Protestant relative of the Queen. It specifically stated that the monarch “shall join in communion with the Church of England”.
I recall that during my student days, English students would confidently announce to all who would hear, that Lady Diana had been assassinated because she had secretly become Muslim under the influence of her Egyptian boy-friend and was set to make her son, William, a future Muslim king of England. They would say this as if it was some personal accomplishment of the Muslims of England. When I mentioned that even if true, the Act of Settlement would exclude William from the succession, they were not interested. Who cares about facts when we have a good conspiracy theory going?
To return to the conspiracy of 1701, the problem the English faced, was that Anne’s closest remaining relatives were Catholics. Over 50 Catholics refused to convert in order to accept the crown of England. Eventually her Protestant German relative, George I, became king, the first of the House of Hanover which still reigns in its morphed form of Windsor.
In this I find an interesting question to English racists. What is the reality of your racism and nationalist pride when your monarchs have been foreigners for almost a thousand years? French kings ruled you from 1066 to 1485, then Welsh until 1603, Scots until 1707, and finally a German family to this day.
Enough of the history lesson, what lesson do I learn from all this? Mainly that if over 50 people of incorrect belief could choose that belief over the crowns of England, Scotland and Ireland, how do I, as a Muslim, compromise my faith for the pettiest of worldly gains? Sometimes these gains are not even material gains, but perceived gains of the ego, such as fame.
3. We leave the World with nothing
Empress Zita was the widow of the last Hapsburg Emperor, Karl, who had been deposed in 1918. The Hapsburgs had been staunch Catholics and had ruled much of Europe for centuries, and by extension, much of both American continents as well.
Zita died in 1989, aged 96. Her body was brought to the Hapsburg crypt in Vienna. The wardens asked who wished to enter. The bearers recited her numerous titles which took a lengthy time, “Queen of Bohemia, Dalmatia, Croatia, Slavonia, Galicia. Queen of Jerusalem. Grand Duchess of Tuscany and Cracow…”. Bear in mind the staggering number of territories they had ruled over the centuries. “I do not know this person,” said a priest.
Again the pallbearers knocked. “Who goes there?” they were asked. They gave her royal titles, in a much shorter form, as only, “Zita, Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary,” and again they were turned back.
The third time, however, the pallbearers replied, “We come with the sinful mortal, our sister Zita.” The gates opened.
Do I need to point out a lesson here?
سليمان الكندي
Twitter: @sulayman_Kindi
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