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Russia occupies a special place when we discuss European literature. It took the lead before England and France came into the picture. When we think about the great giants in Russian literature, Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) and Feodor Dostoevsky (1821-1881) come to mind.
Besides these two, the literary men who deserve mention here would include Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837), who is deemed the Father of Russian Literature, Nikolai Gogol (1809-1852), Ivan Turgenev (1818-1883), and Anton Chekhov (1860-1904).
Though Tolstoy worked on many writings, he is well-known to the world for two of his epic novels, one was War and Peace, published in 1869 and the other Anna Karenina, which came to see the light of day in 1877. It is not an exaggeration to say that these two master pieces skyrocketed his fame and glory.
In the given space of this article, I would like to focus on Tolstoy, for the reason that he spoke on Islam, Prophet Muhammad (SAW), and the Muslims. Besides his other novels, Hadji Murad, which was published posthumously, is a literary work based on the real-life story of a Chechen rebel leader. Though stories of Muslims of the Caucasus are scattered throughout Tolstoy's works, they occupy a significant place.
It is said that his spiritual awakening happened around the time he finished writing Anna Karenina. At that point, he was close to fifty years old. At first, he looked for answers in science. Since science couldn't satisfy him, he turned to religion and philosophy. He read Christianity from the point of view of the Russian Orthodox Church. Later, he read Hindu scriptures, Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, and Sufism.
As a rich man, he was a humanist and a kind boss to the peasants who worked on his estate. He gave them land to build houses, paid good wages, and provided education for their children. His generosity caused disagreements between him and his wife. As he went deeper into spirituality, he gave away most of his property to his family and the peasants.
Close to his death, he lived like a man who had fully renounced the world. He became a true humanist and lived on a vegetarian diet.
He also disagreed with the idea of Original Sin-that people are born sinful and need Baptism to be saved. Tolstoy strongly opposed the corrupt acts done by the Church in the name of God. He did not agree with the Church's support for war and its close ties with the Tsarist regime, which he believed oppressed the poor and common people.
In contrast to the Church, Tolstoy believed that the Bible teaches peace and nonviolence. He thought that real Christian values are found in Jesus's Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5 to 7), which focuses on love, mercy, and forgiveness. Because of his strong criticisms, the Russian Orthodox Church excommunicated him in 1901.
In Christianity, Tolstoy was not the only person who opposed the teachings of the Church. Martin Luther (1483-1546), John Calvin (1509-1564), Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), Voltaire (1694-1778), Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677), David Hume (1711-1776), Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), Bertrand Russell (1872-1970), and others also criticized certain dogmas and practices of the Church.
Besides that, he liked that Islam emphasizes fairness and justice. The monotheistic belief in one God in Islam was more appealing to him than the Christian idea of the Trinity. He thought the concept of one, indivisible God made more sense than saying God is both the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Islamic values like self-discipline, moral conduct, humility, compassion, truthfulness, submission to God's will, fasting, and spiritual purification were all things Tolstoy found very appealing. He also liked that Islamic life is more personal and is not controlled by a priesthood, unlike in Christianity.
At one stage, a Muslim publication sent Tolstoy a manuscript titled The Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad. Feeling impressed with what he read, he willingly offered to write the preface for the book.
"Muhammad has always been standing higher than Christianity. He does not consider God a human being and never makes himself equal to God. Muslims worship nothing except God, and Muhammad is His Messenger. There is no mystery or secret in it."
The fact that the Islamic concept of God and worship which is a simple and straightforward made Tolstoy to compare with the complexities and riddles found in Christianity. At another time, Tolstoy also said the following:
"Undoubtedly, Prophet Muhammad was one of the greatest reformers in history. He guided an entire nation toward the light of truth and helped them embrace peace and tranquility. He paved the way for his people's moral and civil development."
Though Tolstoy had a deep admiration for Islam, Prophet Muhammad (SAW), and the Muslim Ummah, and was simultaneously in conflict with the Russian Orthodox Christian Church, he neither intended to convert to Islam nor sought reconciliation with his church. What he believed in was a similar monotheistic concept of God as found in Islam-one that rejects the idolization or physical depiction of God, and views Jesus Christ merely as a prophet of God.
Upon his death, his body was buried in the vicinity of Yasnaya Polyana, the place where he was born and lived most of his life. After his death, his home became one of Russia's most important historical and literary landmarks, attracting both local and foreign tourists.
When people heard about Tolstoy's passing, thousands of Russians from all walks of life turned up to pay their last respects to this great philosopher and literary man.
Tolstoy's pacifist philosophy and moral teachings influenced many great personalities, including Albert Einstein (1879-1955), Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948), and Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968).
Finally, I would like to end this article with a quote from Tolstoy:
"If your religion is good, don't preach it to me - show it through your actions."
"The views expressed herein are those of Dr. Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak of the Department of Fundamental and Interdisciplinary Studies, AHAS KIRKHS, IIUM, and do not necessarily reflect the views of IslamiCity."
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