By: Mushtaq Hurra
No doubt, remembrance of Allah (Zikr) is a form of devotion in which a worshipper is absorbed in the rhythmic repetition of the name of Allah and his attributes. It, undoubtedly, is a potion for hearts and an antidote for rusty souls. Chanting Allah,s name repeatedly, brings unending solace to our bruised hearts. It has been the dearest and the cherished job and hobby of great saints and sufis, and this virtue has won them the approval and pleasure of Allah.
And there is no other month better than Ramadhan to increase the amount of Zikr as the reward is multiplied to seventy times.
Our Mosques remain abuzz with worshippers during this holy month. People make full recitations of holy Quran and perform other rituals related to Ibaadah with utmost care and punctuality.
But the agonizing and ugly part of this Ibaadah is the excessive usage of loudspeakers which emit extremely high decibel noises and disturb many particularly patients, children and those living near the Mosques.
I won’t initiate a debate here for the sake of a debate or to defame any individual or organization.
It is good to use it on different occasions like congregational prayers, important sermons and speeches where it is necessary to make the voice audible to all.
But it is a brazen violation of basic Islamic laws to use the gadget (loudspeaker) for Zikr which is otherwise a secret alliance between the slave and his Creator and Sustainer.
Allah is all knowing and omniscient. He has authority over everything and even knows our intentions better than us. But we probably wish to strike His ears through the noisy gadget. If only this gadget is necessary to make it audible to Him then one can ask a simple question ; ” Can these cries of loudspeakers reach the Empyrean (Arsh)?.
No, never, these noisy gadgets only add to the miseries of people who are frequently exposed to the high decibels. Is Good deaf to those cries and sighs which come from our hearts, and are hardly audible to our own ears?
Our deeds, sacrifices and rituals can’t please Him rather it is the sincerity of our intention which can win us His pleasure.
Islam is the religion of peace and tranquility. History fails to provide a single evidence where prophet Mohammad SAW or his Companions have caused a harm to any Muslim or non-Muslim that too equal to a speck of dust.
Excessive and unnecessary usage of loudspeakers is emerging as a menace. Many so-called priests of sectarianism promote mischief among Ummah and enrapture the masses with frenzied religious passions by using the noisy gadget unnecessarily.
All this exposes our hypocritical intentions and destroys our efforts and hard work applied in Ibaadah.
Hypocrites invite the rage of Allah for very absurd and bizarre reasons. They attend Mosques regularly, observe fast, pay Zakaah, perform Hajj but fail to win Allah’s pleasure because motives behind their practices are ill and wrong.
Allah has admonished believers to refrain from any kind of show-off, because it perishes good deeds as flames perish the dry grass.
Humility and meekness are the pre-requisites of Allah,s acceptance.Loudspeakers can’t expand the boundaries of Islam. When Syedna Ummar (RA), expanded the Islamic kingdom to its largest ever extent, there were no loudspeakers then. When Syed Ali Hamdhani (RA) brought and spread Islam to every nook and corner of our valley, there was no loudspeaker invented then.
People who resort to hypocritical means are less concerned about the pleasure of Allah rather are more interested in worldly show-off.
Had loudspeakers been invented before a millennium or two, people would have attributed the spread and expansion of Islam to it only.
But thank God ! The case is not so. It was the compassion and kindness of Muslims which melted the hearts of thousands and lakhs to embrace the faith of peace and tranquility.
Here, I don’t advocate a ban on the gadget. I neither call it prohibited nor a biddah ( Innovation). I just wish its judicious and discreet use , in order to be a blessing than to be a menace.
Many selfish religious clerics relate the gadget to faith which is totally an attempt to hoodwink innocents and try to grind their axes by creating fear and inhibition among masses that lesser usage of it can be a source of Allah’s curse and displeasure.
Let us all pledge to make a judicious use of the gadget so that women, children, sick and old are not exposed to its tantrums.
The writer teaches at Middle school Poshwari.
