Innovation is a natural process, a basic principle of life and the essence of the soul. Modernity encourages people in every era to develop new ways and means to make their lives easier and better. If we turn the pages of history, it is evident that humanity has been evolving since the beginning. Humans have faced difficult conditions, crises and trials from one stage to another, overcoming these challenges through “revolution” in every period. We see that humanity’s evolution began with the Stone Age. Human progressed through the Stone Era to the Iron Era, then Industrial Era to the Corporate Era and today to the Cyber Era. As a result, today’s humans are stronger, brighter, more talented and more confident. Who knows how many more changes they will face and how many paths of innovation they will travel?

Allama Iqbal writes in his book “Reconstruction of Religious thought in Islam”:

• Life always moves forward with a burden of past on its back and sees its direction intuitively.

Innovation in Nature

Life explores new paths of observations, experiences and insights. Innovation is universal and covers not only human beings but also animals and plants. Nature endows animals and plants with adaptability to cope with climatic changes and challenges. Observe the camel: they have one hump in warm regions but they develop two humps in cold regions for winter survival. Nature has taught it how to face difficult situations and move forward to survive. It has hidden gems of innovation in the subconscious of man. Just as some water particles float on the surface while others remain at depth. If we throw a rock in the water, the particles come to the top. The gems of innovation reach man’s conscious from the subconscious when he faces hard times and challenges. He carves new paths for survival and emerges with a new and stronger personality.

Socrates used to say “I did not bring any new knowledge. I bring people’s subconscious knowledge to their consciousness through questions and answers. All the inventions in the world have happened in the same way. All thoughts, compositions, and ideas for new inventions already exist in a person’s subconscious. They emerge into the conscious mind when needed.”

In short, the law of innovation is embedded in human nature and unconsciousness by nature. Since Islam is the religion of nature, it naturally believes in innovation. Sign of a true Momin is that he believes in innovation and keeps up with the times. He is the leader of the path of progress that society follows.

Problem in our Nation

The most important reason our nation suffers from chaos and decay today is that we have narrowed the paths of innovation for ourselves. Compared to the world’s rapid progress, we are very slow. The nation that ruled the world for a thousand years is now lagging behind in the race of progress.

The reason is that we have mixed ‘Innovation’ with the west’s presented ‘Modernism’. Specifically, modernism (which is a variant of materialism and secularism) is actually the collection of ideological, organizational, political and social movements that arose in seventeenth and eighteenth-century Europe in reaction to traditionalism and ecclesiastical despotism. This was when the church’s tyranny and reparations peaked in Europe, as narrow-minded priests strictly banned scientific development and learning. If someone came out with truth, he would be punished severely. In the name of religion, people were being oppressed. Thus, this period is known as the Dark Ages. All these factors combined to create a strong reaction against the tyranny of the church and the beginning of the modernist movement.

Mohammad Zafar Iqbal

Mohammad Zafar Iqbal writes in his book “Islam aur Jadediat ki kash ma kash” (Conflict between Islam and Modernism):

• Western modernism is a rebellion against religion, and the glorification of intellect. Its main characteristic is denial of the past and acceptance of the future. This modernism has turned the focus of man, life and universe from God-centered to human-centered and placed man himself in divine position. (Islam aur Jadediat ki kash ma kash)

• Western modernism is anti-religious in its essence. The acceptance and influence of this modernism is impossible without abandoning the Islam’s concept of obedience. This kind of modernism is not merely a negative movement but a claim to a permanent faith. Nietzsche expressed this by proclaiming the “death of God,” as Robert Spain writes:
• The great nineteenth and early twentieth century experience of the ”Death of God” ….led either to some sort of absence…..or a new individual of man and human power. (Islam aur Jadediat ki kash ma kash)

In fact, the West spent many years in backwardness, isolation and poverty due to the ecclesiastical system. Therefore, the concept of sustainability of life that emerged from the unconscious of the west emerged in the form of “modernism”. They observed that the church and religion had destroyed them, so they decided to abandon religion and progress with reason and rationale. After the European Renaissance, the west wants the whole world to follow these rules and materialism to progress. They want everyone to abandon religion or treat it as merely a private matter.

The Dilemma of Innovation

A problem Muslims face is that while our religion encourages embracing innovation, Western modernism opposes Islamic teachings. On one hand, we have false propaganda of modernism imposed on us to “achieve development” and on the other hand, the rigid behavior of our so-called religious leaders against this propaganda. This behavior has limited Islam to the physical aspects and Shariah. It has destroyed the very spirit which was Islam’s original basis. Due to this behavior, there is a stagnation on our nation. The Islamic world is stuck in selfishness and restlessness. Especially the young generation is suffering from anxiety. Our soul, mind and being are tangled between extremities. We need a reviver to break this stagnation, brighten our souls with the truth of Islam, and highlight the importance of innovation. Also expose the false and misleading philosophy of modernism imposed by the West. Allama Iqbal says:

ہزاروں سال نرگس اپنی بے نُوری پہ روتی ہے

بڑی مشکل سے ہوتا ہے چمن میں دیدہ ور پیدا

Explanation: The soul of seeker of Allah yearns for the Divine vision and mourns upon his inability which is due to the lack of light required for the vision. This light only results from the celestial company of the perfect spiritual guide and the invocation and contemplation of Ism-e-Allah Zaat granted by him. In search of perfect spiritual guide who is a man of sight and the Universal Divine Man of the era, the seeker struggles a lot and finds him after a great difficulty. (Bang-e-Dara)

In order to incorporate the principles of true innovation into our lives, it is important that we do not imitate the West. We should build laws of innovation on foundations that are everlasting and consistent to the true teachings of Islam.

Allama Iqbal says:

If you behold the world with gaze much bright,

Of you the sky may beg morning light.

The sun may beg light from gleam of your spark

Your luck may shine by the visage of the moon from moon’s brow, mark.

The sea may swell with lustrous waves of gems,

Put world to shame with art that from you stems.

You beg and borrow thoughts of othersʹ brains,

Find approach to self, donʹt take much pains!

On what basis can we build the innovation? Islam has two aspects, one is related to the physical world and the other is related to the inward. Innovation is an important aspect of nature, so it must have a “spiritual” basis. The laws that Allama Iqbal has proposed for the progress and betterment of Muslims have spiritual aspects. As he writes in “Reconstruction of Religious thought in Islam”:

• Today, humanity needs three things. First, a spiritual interpretation of the universe. Second, spiritual aspects of an individual (freedom, salvation). Lastly, universal basic principles guiding humanity’s development on a spiritual basis. (Tajdeed-e-Fikriyat-e-Islam)

Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen says:

• Success in this world and the hereafter requires spiritual training, not politics.

In simple and plain words, innovation is progress. There are two types of progress, outward progress and inward progress. The physical world is a lie, the real world is human himself, meaning the inward. When he progresses spiritually as a human, conquering the physical world would not be a big task. Rumi says:

بس بصورت عَالَمِ صُغریٰ توئی

پس بمعنی عَالَمِ کُبْریٰ توئی

Explanation: You are a micro world by appearance but in reality you are the macro world.

He further says:

آدمی را ہست حِسِ تن سِقیم

لیک در بَاطن یکے خلقِ عظیم

Explanation: The human being is trivial and worthless regarding his physical being but inwardly he possesses a large realm.

Wasif Ali Wasif says:

• Your real companion and true identity is the person inside you. It is he who has to worship or to rebel. He is the one who becomes the worldly one or the man of hereafter. This very inner person makes you deserving for reward or punishment. The decision is upon you. Your esoteric self is your best friend as well as the worst enemy. You yourself are the dilemma of your journey as well as the happy destination. If your spiritual self is safe, the physical being too becomes secured.

Imam Hussain said to his son Imam ‘Ali Zayn al-Abidin:

• O son! This is the book and this is the knowledge of the book, you are the book as we have described and knowing yourself is the knowledge of the book. There is no wet or dry land in either the physical or spiritual realm that is not in the Holy Quran. And the Holy Quran is within you. (Mirat-ul-Arifeen)

Spiritual or Inward progress is that the soul develops and reaches its beginning “Mohammadan Light”. Manifestation of the truth started from the manifestation of Mohammadan Light. All life manifested from the Mohammadan Light so the beginning is Mohammadan Light. Reaching this beginning is the extreme progress of human and spiritual development. When one goes on progressing inwardly, the ways of innovation in the outward open up for him. The Holy Prophet trained his Companions such that he purified their inwards with his perfect vision. Because of this pure light, they gained such broadened vision that the world acknowledged their achievements. Today, we need the Universal Divine Man, the reviver of religion. One who will purify the inwards of the seekers of Allah and make them successful both inwardly and outwardly with his perfect vision.

Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen

Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen is the perfect spiritual guide and reviver of religion of this era. He has truly revived Islam, enlivened its soul and spread the true religion’s message to every corner of the world. Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen trains his disciples such that their outward personality shines. He has always adopted an innovative approach while staying within the requirements of Sharia and to keep up with the times. According to him, true believer is one who keeps up with the times.

Usually those who propagate religion are thought to be traditional and extremist. But Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen’s personality is the opposite. The book “Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen expresses this attribute of Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen in these words