In Surah al-Furqan, Allah, The Most Majestic & The Most Sublime, describes the seventh attribute of the believers:
"w'al ladhina yash-haduna az-zura wa idha marru b'il laghwi marru kirama[n]."
"And those who do not witness Zur [falsehood] & if they pass by some laghw [evil play or evil talk], they pass by it with dignity." [al-Qur'an 25:72]
"Indeed! You [the disbelievers] & that which you are worshipping besides Allah are [but] fuel for Hell! [Surely] You will enter it."
[al-Qur'an 21:98]
That is, do not establish false testimony.
Reports: 'Abd bin Humayd & the son of Abi Hatim from him, that indeed he said: 'they do not support/assist the people of falsehood in their [acts of] falsehood nor are they expecting something from them in their falsity.'
Mujahid, Allah be pleased with him, said: 'the intended meaning of Zur here relates to the singing & playing of music.'
Qatadah, Allah be pleased with him, said: 'indeed, it is lying.'
Ikramah, Allah be pleased with him, said: 'it was a playtime thing in the days of jahiliyyah; ignorance.'
Ibn al-'Abbas, Allah be well pleased with him, said: 'it is the name of an idol.'
Imam Raghib Asfahani, 'alayhi ar-rahmah, said the same: 'the idol was named zur, which they [the polytheists] would play around for seven days.'
According to a tradition zur was the name of a festival of the polytheists.
Dahhak, Allah be well pleased with him, said: 'Zur is shirk [polytheism], which the believer does not bear testimony to.'
According to one opinion Zur encompasses every deed/act of falsehood, which is in defiance of the Truth, whether it be an act of shirk, lying, false testimony, singing & music or black magic & impious lamenting.
If the intended meaning of "yash-haduna" here is the bearing of witness/testimony, then zur would infer witnessing or testimony of a fraudulent lie. However, if, zur here means every kind of falsehood, then "la yash-haduna" would also infer & include la yahdarun: those who do not attend any kind of deed[s]/act[s] of falsehood. And, this general application & inference is preferred & contextually relevant here, since this partial verse is followed by "… & if they pass by some laghw [evil play or evil talk], they pass by it with Kirama [dignity]."
So in context of the above & following elucidation, it is more valid & clear to infer & imply that the praised & glorified attribute of the believers is that they do not attend [be present] at places of zur, i.e. do not deliberately/intentionally go to places of zur, however, if by a coincidence or chance the believers were to pass by a place of zur, they would quickly pass by it without giving any attention to it. Abstaining & maintaining oneself pure from the falsity & impurity of zur. That is passing by shunning the absurdities & nonsense of falsehood.
Also, if the place of zur is one which necessitates the 'amr bi'l m'aruf …''commanding the good & forbidding the evil', then one with such intentions should convey the 'commanding of the good & forbidding of evil'sufficiently & then pass by, without compromising & undermining one's Islamic faith & Shar'iy principles.
Ibn Mas'ud, Allah, be well pleased with him, passed by some amusements - passing by turning his face without stopping or pausing. The Prophet, salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said: "Ibn Mas'ud occupied his morning & evening in a state of nobility [i.e. his morning in a state of faith & occupied his evening in a state of sheer nobility]. Then Ibrahim Maysarah, Allah be pleased with him, recited this [portion] of the verse:
"wa idha marru b'il laghwi marru kirama[n]."
"… & if they pass by some laghw [evil play or evil talk], they pass by it with dignity."
[al-Qur'an 25:72]
Ibn Abi Hatim, 'alayhi ar-rahmah, defines "laghw" to be sins.
Shaykh 'alayhi ar-rahmah, said: 'there are some opinions regarding the intended meanings of Zur: One: is that it is shirk & idol worshipping, second: is false swearing, lying, fisq; impiety, infidelity, absurdity & falsehood.'
Muhammad bin Hanafiyah said: 'it is nonsense & singing & dancing.'
Abu'l aliyah, Ta'us, Ibn Sirin, Dahhak & Rabi'a bin Anas, etc, said: 'they [zur] are the days of religious festivity of the polytheists/pagans, i.e. their religious days & festivals.'
'Umar bin Qays, Allah be pleased with him, said: 'they [zur] are every kind of evil gatherings/functions.'
Malik, Allah be pleased with him, reports from Imam Zuhri, Allah be pleased with him, that zur is: 'a place of consuming alcohol'. It is reported in a tradition that: 'whoever holds faith in Allah, [the Most Majestic & the Most Sublime] & in the Final Day, then he would surely not sit around a table where alcohol is served.'
Shaykh Mahalli, 'alayhi ar-rahmah, agreed with the intended definition of zur to mean false testimony & falsehood. This definition of zur is comprehensively definitive of all literal & contextual inferences & implications. It has also been said, that zur means the deliberate bearing of false testimony upon an innocent person.
Sayyiduna Amir al-M'uminin, Abu Bakr as-Siddique, Allah be well pleased with him, reports: 'that the Messenger of Allah, salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said: "Should I not inform you of the greatest major sin from all the major sins? He, [salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam] repeated this three times. We replied, 'yes inform us'. He [salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam] said: "to associate a partner with Allah & disobedience of one's parents" & at this stage he [the Messenger, salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam] was leaning & raised himself upright & said: "Be warned & from the testimony of zur." [Bukhari & Muslim]
[The above has been translated partly from Tafsir al-Hasanat: Shaykh 'allamah Abu'l Hasanat Sayyad Muhammad Ahmad Qadiri, 'alayhi ar-rahmah wa'r- ridwan]
Imam Abi 'Abd Allah, Muhammad bin Ahmad al-Ansari al-Qurtabi, Allah be pleased with him, states in his Exegesis: Tafsir of al-Qur'an al-Karim: al-Jam'i li-ahkam al-Qur'an [Vol 13 Page 79]:
"w'al ladhina yash-haduna az-zura wa idha marru b'il laghwi marru kirama[n]."
"And those who do not witness Zur [falsehood] & if they pass by some laghw [evil play or evil talk], they pass by it with dignity." [al-Qur'an 25:72]
"In this [verse there] are two issues:
The First:
"those who do not witness Zur" that is do not be present/attend to [places where] lies & falsehood [are told] nor do they witness it. And, zur is every falsehood which is falsified [in Islam] & [false] embellishment. The greatest [zur] of which is shirk & respecting idols – such was the exegesis of ad-Dahhak, Ibn Zayd & Ibn 'Abbas [Allah, the Most Majestic & The Most Sublime, be pleased with them all]. According to one report of Ibn 'Abbas [zur] are the Eids [Festival days] of polytheists. 'Ikramah: Play things which were [common] in the days of Jahiliyyah were named zur. Mujahid reports: 'Ali bin Abi Talhah & Muhammad bin 'Ali said: 'the meaning of "do not witness Zur [falsehood]" from witnessing not observing.'Ibn al-'Arabi said: as for the opinion that it [zur] is the lie, so this is true, for indeed, all such [actions] turn [result in] to lies. As for the opinion of he who said indeed it is past-times/playthings in the age of ignorance, then such activities are prohibited when they constitute gambling, ignorance or matters that return [lead] to kufr. And, the opinion that it [zur] is music & singing, then this does not end [is limited] with this definition. I say: of singing is that whose hearing ends with Tahrim: Prohibition …
And those who said it [zur] is indeed bearing of false testimony, so this is:
The Second [issue]: …. "
"[And, as for] The saying of the Almighty:
"… & if they pass by some laghw [evil play or evil talk], they pass by it with dignity."
[al-Qur'an 25:72]
… laghw is every worthlessness/pointless speech or deed, this encompasses singing & music, playthings & past-times, etc, that which are close [in meaning] to it. It also encompasses the ignorance & foolishness of the polytheists & their harming of the believers & mentioning of the women, etc, from such evils. … And Hasan said: 'al-laghw are the sins/disobediences of every category.'And this [definition] is comprehensive. And, "kiraman" means [those] who turn away, deny, are not pleased with & are not inclined towards it nor [allow the] sitting of their family. Hence, pass by, passing with dignity [like] those who do not enter into any falsehood. … And it is said: from the meaning: 'of passing by some laghw [evil play or evil talk], they pass by it with dignity, that is: "they command the good & forbid the evil."
Shaykh ut-Tafsir, Shaykh ul-Hadith, Mufti, Mujtahid, Ahmad Yar Khan, 'alayhi ar-rahmah, said:
"[The believers:] Distant themselves from such gatherings of the people of falsehood & evil-doer's. Hence, never does the need arise of bearing testimony of falsehood. For this reason, the Scholars of Islam say: 'do not go to hear the speeches of the deviants. Distant & abstain from the festivals of infidels for they are all Zur.
And, they [the believers] do not attend evil gatherings. And if on route, they were to find some evil and then they would go [quickly] protecting themselves from them. Neither standing their, nor be pleased with them. [Tafsir Nur al-Irfan].
Kitab Ahkam al-Qur'an, Vol 3 Page 347: Imam Hujjat ul-Islam, Abi Bakr bin Ahmad bin 'Ali ar-Razi, al-Jassas, al-Hanafi:
"And Muhammad bin al-Hanafiyyah also said regarding the verse:
"And those who do not witness Zur [falsehood]…" [al-Qur'an 25:72]
"And follow not [O Man i.e. say not or do not or witness not, etc.] that of which you have no knowledge. Verily! The hearing & the sight & the heart, of each of those you will be questioned [by Allah]. [al-Qur'an 17:36]"
We learn the following from the above article:
Among the attributes of a Believer is that he does not give false testimony,
Also, the Believer does not witness falsehood,
The Believer does not attend places of zur,
It is unlawful for the Believer to intentionally visit places of zur,
The believer does not support/assist the people of falsehood in their [acts of] falsehood,
Singing, music, immoral past-times/play-things, watching idol worshipping as a social or religious norm, the festivals of the polytheists & Ahl al-Kitab i.e. Christmas & Easter, pubs, gambling casinos, all acts of shirk, all the false gods of other faiths, etc, constitute & comprise of Zur: Falsehood, in general,
If the Believers pass a place of zur by chance, they pass hastily avoiding eye contact, turn their face away, avoiding the witnessing of zur,
Such a reaction from the Believer is commanded & praised in the above verse of the Qur'an,
This reaction & deed from the believer is a deed of dignity for him in the sight of Allah, The Most Majestic & The Most Sublime, & His Beloved Messenger, salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam,
If the Believer passes a place of zur & see's other fellow Muslims attending or observing zur, the Believer is duty bound to 'command the good & forbid the evil',
Places of zur, especially where pagan rituals or non-Islamic religious festivals are held, are places where the 'anger'of Allah, The Most Glorious & The Most Majestic, descends,
Places of zur are places of falsehood, which the Taqwa'[inner piety] of the Believer abhors & rejects,
If ignorant Muslims are seen or found in places of zur, it is fard kifayah: a communal obligation on Muslims to go there with the intention of conveying the 'commanding of good & forbidding of evil',
Attending places of zur is not only unlawful but also compromises & undermines one's Islamic faith & Shar'iy Principles,
Places of zur are places of m'asiyah: sins & disobedience,
The greatest major sin is shirk, hence the severest & gravest place/act of zur are places/acts of pagan rituals,
In Surah al-Fatihah, we recite in each unit of salah: 'ghayr al-maghdubi''not the path of those who have anger upon them'i.e. Jews. Only a true Believer can imagine the 'anger'of Allah, The Most Glorious & Majestic, upon the polytheists & their deeds of zur: utter falsehood,
Zur are falsehood & synonymous to lies in contrast to the Truth,
Respecting zur is falsehood, unlawful & leads to kufr: infidelity,
Where zur is taking place, privately or publicly, the believer lowers his gaze & passes by preserving his dignity,
Objects of zur are the fuel of Hell-fire,
Places of zur are where the shayatin congregate,
Places of zur are places of evil, falsehood, ignorance & foolishness, which Islam came to eradicate & condemn,
The Believers distant themselves from such gatherings of zur,
The Believers show 'anger'& dislike at places of zur,
And, that our hearing, our sight & our heart, each will be questioned by Allah, The Most Majestic & The Most Sublime.
Contrary to the above authentic articles and references Mufti Sambhali suggests differently in his infamous Fatwa'I'ilan e Haqq regarding the following excerpts from the Surat Spiritual Declaration [SSD] & FUREC's Memorandum:
SSD Page 4:
Religion A Beautiful Partner In The Nation's Prosperity
Religions are like exquisite gardens, places full of surpassing beauty & tranquillity, like sacred groves filled with beautiful birds and their melodious songs. … If we can connect all these islands with love and compassion, in a 'garland project', we will have a peaceful, happy and prosperous India in front of us. Universal truths embodied in each religion are very similar and they will help to form the bridge thus reinforcing basic unity. … there is also need for continual education of adult population and senior citizens on values of lives and about the basic spiritual unity of all religions.
[SSD Page 5]
Garland Projects
In order to do so we resolve to undertake the following projects and activities.
Project 1: Celebration of inter-religious festivals.
Project 1
Every month in all parts of India there can be a multi-religious gathering to convey the core message attempted in the prayer of peace and about the basic truths contained in various religions. Such a prayer should be preceded by prayers from all religions practised in that part of the country by respective religious and spiritual leaders in the presence of the people. Each month the day selected could be a holy day from one religion: Islam, Hindu, Christianity, Sikh, Parsi, Jain, Buddhist etc. Regular conduct of such meetings by all-religious leaders and people from different religions respecting holy days of other religions will send a powerful message. If possible such gatherings can take place at the religious places where all persons from other religions also can gather on that day. People should also exchange pleasantries and sweets during these meetings as is the practice in some parts of the country where unity of minds prevails. …
How to organise these? WE believe that, if all the religious and spiritual groups build strong connectivity between their own beautiful islands of happiness and solace, it is possible to turn these monthly meetings into mass movements for respecting each other's rituals, ways of life or view points. It will bring harmony and love. Peace and happiness will follow.
MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION FOR UNITY OF RELIGIONS AND ENLIGHTENED CITIZENSHIP
Page 1
Aim and Objectives
Aim: To promote and implement the Surat Spiritual Declaration … by sustaining the human spirit on the basis of acceptance of, and respect for, all religions, spirituality, economic well-being and on the practice of Non-Violence (Ahimsa).
Objectives
d) To organise multi-religious functions to popularise joint celebration of religious festivals, Common Community Kitchens and multi-religious prayers.
Page 2 [cont'd]
f) To promote universal values of all religions.
l) To arrange for the writings, editing, translating and publishing, books, encyclopaedias, periodicals, rare manuscripts, monographs and generate audio visual materials and other technological forms of dissemination on Unity of Religions.
Page 3 [cont'd]
p) To impart training in non-violence and moral values.
''On the whole, the congregation of spiritual and religious leaders came to the conclusion that with the above five key elements the 'GARLAND PROJECT'for 'Unity of Minds' and for creating 'Enlightened Citizens' in India and eventually in the world, can be successful if we start taking action in all earnestness after this "SURAT SPIRITUAL DECLARATION" made on 15th October 2003 in the presence of Hon'ble President of India.
India can emerge as a Developed Nation by 2020 with its civilizational heritage and value systems spreading harmony and peace to the whole world. This 'Unity of Minds' can be achieved even while keeping intact the rich diversity of rites, rituals, ideas and beliefs amongst us and blending them with modern knowledge and skills.''
In the above selected excerpts the following has been explicitly articulated:
Religions of India are partners in making her a fully developed Nation by 2020,
Islam, Hindu, Jain, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi, Zoroastrian, Christianity & Judaism religions are described & have been attributed as 'exquisite gardens', & 'full of surpassing beauty & tranquillity', & 'like sacred groves',
There are 'Universal truths' embodied in each of the above religions which are very similar to each other,
There is a 'spiritual unity of all [the] religions' mentioned above,
The conclave of multi-faith leaders resolved to undertake five Projects & activities, [of which we are primarily interested in discussing Project No. 1],
The multi-faith leaders including JM resolved to promote & implement Islamic, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, Zoroastrian, Christian & Jewish inter-religious festivals, [Project 1],
Project 1 is to organise monthly multi-religious gatherings across the country to convey that there are basic truths in various religions,
The mentioned activities should be practiced in the presence of the public – make these activities public activities,
If possible should be conducted in places of worship, like a Mosque, Temple, Gurdwara, Church, Synagogue, etc,
The holy day selected each month could be from Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism, Parsi, Christianity or Judaism,
Regular conduct of these meetings by all-religious leaders & people from different religions respecting holy days of other religions will send a powerful message,
It is possible to make these meetings into mass movements, in India & possibly in the rest of the world,
Such meetings will help promote respecting of each religions rituals,
One aim is to sustain the human spirit on the basis of, and respect for, all religions,
To implement & promote Jainism concept of Ahimsa,
To organise multi-religious functions to popularise joint celebration of religious festivals, Common Community Kitchens and multi-religious prayers,
To promote universal values of all religions,
All of the above incorporate the local & national issues of the country,
All of the above represents the theme & ideological context & foundation of 'Unity of Religions',
All of the above incorporate the context of 'Unity of Minds '& 'Enlightened Citizenship',
Jilani mia [JM] deliberated in all of the above, resolved to implement & promote all of the above & generously sealed & signed the Surat Spiritual Declaration [SSD] & several months later was content to sign up with FUREC,
And, all of the above constitutes & incorporates comprehensively the Jainism & Gandhian ideologies.
Mufti Sambhali in his self proclaimed 'well-researched & academically scholarly 'Fatwa' says:
There is nothing sinister behind FUREC & the society's name: Foundation for Unity of Religions & Enlightened Citizenship,
There is nothing sinister in the Surat Spiritual Declaration,
Both the SSD & FUREC's Memorandum are in total conformity with Islamic Doctrines, Shar'iy Rulings & Principles,
The SSD & FUREC's Memorandum were compiled & officiated simply to serve humanity, establish peace & harmony amongst followers of religions & combat drug culture, HIV/Aids & terrorism,
For this purpose it is a virtuous deed for JM to work in & with FUREC,
Mufti Sambhali is more than content in endorsing Muslims participating in Hindu festivals/ceremonies in his I'ilan e Haqq, page 19,
Mufti Sambhali provides evidence for its justification & Shar'iy legality by making reference to the hilful fudul, something totally irrelevant & out of context,
Mufti Sambhali fails to distinguish between the general ruling of ikram ul-Insan: the honouring of Man by Allah, The Most Majestic & The Most Sublime, in general & the special honours, distinctions, base respect & dignity for the believers in Islam,
Mufti Sambhali fails to mention & clarify the definitive sacred texts on fisq & fujur [sinfulness & impiety] & their relevant rulings,
Mufti Sambhali makes irrelevant reference & analogies in his infamous fatwa'.
Mufti Sambhali irresponsibly & foolishly assumes the purpose of JM's membership is to propagate Islam to members of other faith,
Mufti Sambhali consistently relates & addresses matters which are not considered contentious, which further endorses our claim that he has failed to address or understand the true academic nature of the kufr articulated in the SSD & FUREC's Memorandum,
Mufti Sambhali fails to distinguish between a general Shar'iy rule & exceptional circumstances,
Mufti Sambhali fails to distinguish between social events & ceremonies & religious events & ceremonies,
And Mufti Sambhali does not see any evil, sin or disobedience for a Muslim to watch or observe idol worshipping & contradicts himself in his fatwa'.
And, Allah, The Most Majestic & The Most Sublime, is All-Knowing & All-Wise.