Inter Personal Relations
An Islamic Perspective
Khurram Murad
Inter Personal Relations
An Islamic Perspective
Edited by Abdur Rashid Siddiqui
THE ISLAMIC FOUNDATION
Published by
The Islamic Foundation
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Leicestershire, LE67 9SY, United Kingdom
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Copyright © The Islamic Foundation, 2005/1426 H
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data Murad, Khurram Inter-personal relations: an Islamic perspective 1. Interpersonal relations – Religious aspects – Islam I. Title II. Siddiqui, A. R. III. Islamic Foundation (Great Britain) 297.5’7
eISBN 9780860376859
Cover/Book design & typeset: Nasir Cadir
Dedicated to
My Brother
Sa‘id Ramādān
Khurram
Transliteration Table
Arabic Consonants:
Initial, unexpressed medial and final:
Vowels, diphthongs, etc.
Contents
Mutual Relations between Believers
CHAPTER TWO
The Main Features of Conduct
CHAPTER THREE
Social Obligations
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I HAVE GREAT PLEASURE in presenting the English translation of Brother Khurram Murad’s popular book, that has attained classic status. It has been in print for the last 37 years, ever since its publication. Tahrīk-i-Islāmī main Kārkunu ke Bāhmī Ta‘aluqāt (Inter-personal Relationships among the Workers of the Islamic Movement) was first serialised by Mawlānā Mawdūdī in his prestigious journal Tarjumān al-Qur’ān. It was published as a book in 1958. It is still prescribed reading for the workers of the Islamic movement in many countries and has been translated into languages of the Sub-Continent.
With his freshness in approach and style, Brother Khurram presented those adorable characteristics which promote harmony among human beings. He also identified those detestable traits that mar friendships and create discord. Then there are the social obligations prescribed by Allah and His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), regarding which it is our duty to try to fulfil. Although Brother Khurram’s primary addressees were the workers of the Islamic movement, these duties of brotherhood are the hallmark of Islamic teachings. Hence the title of this edition has been changed so that it can be read by all.
Prof. Khurshid Ahmad, a lifelong close friend and colleague, contributed the foreword to this book when it was first published, I am grateful to him to write a new foreword for this English translation despite his heavy commitments. The sincere dedication of this book to Dr Sa‘id Ramādān, the renowned Ikhwān leader has been retained in this translation. This indicates Brother Khurram’s heart-felt love and affection for him.
In an age when there is so much discord and disharmony among Muslims, the guidance provided by this book should help us improve our inter-personal relationships. I pray that Allah may bless the soul of Brother Khurram and elevate his status in Jannat al-Firdaws. (Āmīn)
| Leicester24th October 2005 | Abdur Rashid Siddiqui |
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
IN A WORLD TORN by rivalries and conflicts, polluted by discrimination and dehumanization and tormented by terror and wars the healing touch can come only from re-establishment of the supremacy of the moral values and re-discovering civilization and promotion of compassion, brotherhood, fellow feeling, tolerance and graceful acceptance of each other as members of human fraternity. Hatred can only beget hatred. It is love and grace that can heal the wounds and mend the fences. Evil can be subdued by evil. It is only good that can replace it. The Qur’ān beautifully sums up this milieu in the following words:
Behold! Good and Evil cannot be equal. Repel the evil with something that is better — and lo! he between whom and yourself was enmity (may then become) as though he had (always) been close unto you, a true friend.
(Fuṣṣilāt 41:34)
My dear brother Khurram Murad’s small in size but large in content book Inter-Personal Relations is a pioneering effort in spelling out the foundation as well as the rules of conduct to build a society that approximates towards this ideal. Francis Bacon in his beautiful essay “Of Studies” says: “Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.” I have no reservation in saying that Inter-Personal Relations is a book that deserved to be “chewed and digested”, to become a part of one’s being, and an aspect of one’s very identity. Whoever could imbibe its message and spirit would become a better Muslim and a better human being. That is the recipe for making a better society and a better humanity.
This book has a history behind it. It brings me back to our student days when in the Islāmī Jamī‘at-e-Ṭalabah Pakistan we, a group of youth dreaming of a glorious Islamic future, were trying