ungs2030 note
TRANSCRIPT
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(UNGS 2030)
STANDARD CONTENTS
© Department of General Studies, 2008
THE ISLAMIC WORLDVIEW
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The Meaning of Worldview
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„Worldview‟ is an English translation of the
German term “Weltanschauung”.
It is rendered in Arabic as “Ru‟yatu li al-wujud or
Tasawur li al-wujud”, (زئيت نهىجىد ؤو حصىز نهىجىد)
Worldview Defined:
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A set of attitudes on a wide range of fundamentalmatters.
A comprehensive set of propositions about various aspects of the world.
A unified and comprehensive view of the world around us and man‟s place within it.
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Basic assumptions and images that provide a
more or less coherent, though not necessarily
accurate, way of thinking about the world.
A worldview is a profile of the way the people
within a specified culture live, act, think, work
and relate. It is a “map” or culture‟s social,
religious, economic and political views and
relationships
What a worldview does
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A worldview encapsulates answers regarding
broad questions of "life understanding." These
questions are lifetime concerns and sources of
anxiety. They involve fundamental matters,
expressed in the form of queries. Here are some
examples of ongoing human concerns:
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Worldview influences all aspects of life
Some worldviews such as Islam cover all
aspects of life including the personal, social,
economic, political, cultural, civilization besides
dealing with spiritual, moral, and Aqidah issues.
But there are other worldviews which focus only
on spiritual, material, social, or economic aspects
of human life.
Any worldview should be able to answer the
ultimate questions not necessary correct
answers but at least consistent
IMPACT OF WORLDVIEW
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1. Helps us to know peoples and their cultures.
2. Helps us to interact with nature, individuals,
nations, cultures and civilizations.
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3. Helps us to correct our own values, perspectives,
attitudes and behaviours.
4. Helps us to formulate theories of politics,
sociology, culture, etc.
Some of the Fundamental Questions
addressed by worldview
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How far out does the universe go? Did it have abeginning and will it have an end?
How did humans come about here on earth?
Does life have a purpose? If it does, what is it thatgives meaning to one‟s life?
Does one‟s daily conduct matter in the long run?
What happens to a person at his/her death?
Is there God? What are His attributes?
What is good and what is bad? How can one knowthe good and the bad?
How should one treat others?
How is knowledge obtained?
The Definition of Islamic worldview
“Ru‟yat al-Islam li al-wujud”
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“ A metaphysical survey of the
visible as well as the invisible
worlds including the perspective of
life as a whole”. Al-Attas in “Islam and the
Challenge of Modernity, p. 27.
Islamic worldview encompasses the issues of
universe, creator, prophethood, society, man, and
hereafter.
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It is not a worldview that is formed merely by
amalgamation or historical concoction of various
cultural values. Rather, it is a well established
framework derived from the revelation and
interpreted by Muslim scholars throughout Islamic
history
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This frame of reference provides us withcorrect and consistent answers to theultimate questions pertinent to the issuesof God, unseen, man, universe, and life. Italso guides man as a vicegerent of Allah tothe correct belief system, shari„ah, andethical values.
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The worldview of Islam encompasses both al-
dunia ( اذ١ب ) and al-akhirah ( ا٢خشة ) in which the
dunia aspect must be inextricably linked to the
akhirah aspect, and in which the akhirah aspect
has ultimate and final significance.
The Main Elements of Islamic
worldview
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God;
Revelation (i.e. the Qur‟an) and Prophethood;
God‟s Creation;
Man and the psychology of human soul;
Knowledge;
Religion
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Freedom;
Values and virtues;
Hereafter
And happiness.
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The Objectives of Islamic
worldview
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To provide the Muslims with the true knowledge and
explanation about the world, seen and unseen, as
they are explained in the Qura'n.
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To teach people the way and method how to
achieve the main values of Islam in human life.
To establish the fundamental ethical precepts,
such as justice, freedom, trust, and dignity of
human life and existence.
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worldview of Islam comprises both al-dunya and al-Akhirah aspects, in which the dunya-aspect must be
related profoundly to the Akhirah-aspect, and in
which the Akhirah-aspect has ultimate and final
significance.
Islamic worldview is not a worldview that is formed
merely by the gathering together of various cultural
objects, values and phenomena into artificial
coherence.
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nor is it one that is formed gradually through a
historical process of philosophical speculation
and scientific discovery, which must of necessity
be left vague and open-ended for future change
and alteration in line with paradigms that change
in correspondence with changing circumstances.
It is not a worldview that undergoes a dialectical
process of transformation repeated through the
ages, from thesis to anti-thesis then synthesis
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Western Perception of Worldview
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Most of the western perceptions of worldviewrely more on our existing reality, experienceand life. They don‟t give much considerationto the issues related to the unseen world andhereafter.
Most of the western perceptions of worldviewconsider it as assumption, but this is not truefrom an Islamic perspective because in Islam,we consider it as a system and truth derivedfrom revelation.
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Most of the western perceptions of worldviewconsider it as a product of culture andexperience. According to them, religion itself isproduced by people and culture.
In the Muslim perspective, Islamic worldview isnot a cultural product of Arab, Indian, or Malay. Itis rather derived from the revealed word of Godwithout corruption and change. This revelation isthen understood by Muslims through theirdifferent cultural backgrounds and experiences.
Classification of Worldview
Worldview
Religious Non-religious
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Religious
Revealed andpreserved
Revealed butInterpolated
Not revealed butBased on human
wisdom
Mythological Philosophical Scientific
Religious worldview
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There is a universal spirit, god, deity or divine
entity
This divinity has established an eternal moral
order that, in part at least, can be known to
human beings
People have the duty to follow eternal moral
dictates
This human conduct has long-term (beyond
individual death) significance.
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Characteristics of Religious
Worldview
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The Religious worldview considers both the worldof seen and unseen. It is comprehensive in itsperception of the world. It does not undermineany dimension of reality and existence
Its basis is on the scripture or „sacred‟, revealedor non-revealed text.
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It is more stable than the scientific andphilosophical worldview, in terms of havingcertain and unchangeable principles of beliefsystem and ethical system.
The Religious worldview in general imparts toour life the sense of responsibility, meaning, andpurpose. This means that life and the existencehas a meaning and a purpose. Therefore, itmakes our life as a responsibility towards God,and towards other people.
Myths
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The word mythology (from the Greek
mythología, meaning "a story-telling, a legendary
lore") refers to a body of folklore/myths/legends
that a particular culture believes to be true and
that often use the supernatural to interpret natural
events and to explain the nature of the universe
and humanity.
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"هرا بال ؤسبطري عب نى شبء نقهب يثم هرا ب و بذا حخه عهيهى آيبحب قبنىا قد س( 31: األفبل" )األونني
When our Signs are rehearsed to them, they say:
we have heard this (before): if we wished, we
could say (words) like these: these are nothing
but tales of the ancients.
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"ق وآببئب هرا ي نقد وعدب ح بعىثى م بقبنىا ؤئرا يخب وكب حسابب وعظبيب ؤئب ن هرا بال ؤسبطري األونني (8283-: املايى" )ب
They say: What! When we die and become dust
and bones, could we really be raised up again?
Such things have been promised to us and to our
fathers before! They are nothing but tales of the
ancients!
Philosophical worldview
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It derives from philosophy and it means to
deal with fundamental questions of life here
and hereafter.
It uses logical reasoning, deduction, induction ,
mathematic and speculation.
The Philosophical worldview is more wider in
its scope than the scientific worldview. It deals
with issues of philosophical and metaphysical
world.
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It attempts to give a meaning to creation and
life. It does not have the exactness of
sciences but it instills in ourselves a sense
and meaning.
Its results and findings are not precise and
measurable like scientific worldview‟s but they
open new ways for human beings to think
beyond their physical world.
Main Characteristics
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It is more comprehensive than the scientific
worldview, because it deals with physical and
metaphysical realties.
If scientific worldview deals only with certain part
of the universe, the Philosophical worldview deals
with the entire existence and the universe.
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Modernity as paradigm shift from religious
worldviews to secular worldviews
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Philosophers call the 17th century the "Age of Reason" when the likes of Sir Francis Bacon, Pascal, Hobbes, Galileo, Descartes and Spinoza injected into the thought patterns of humanity the idea that human beings were rational and lived in a rational world which had been created by a rational God. Because God, creation and people were rational, humans could figure things out - answers would come from scientific inquiry and research.
The 18th century is popularly called the "Age of Enlightenment" (a somewhat loaded term). Locke, Berkeley, Voltaire, Hume and others proposed ideas which led people to believe that the rational universe could be understood without reference to a supernatural God. Soon, the authority of the Bible, especially its supernatural parts, was under attack as theologians sought to "demythologize" scripture.
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Kant, John Stewart Mill, Nietzsche, Marx, Hegel and
Kierkegaard ushered in the so-called "Age of Ideology",
also called "existentialism", in the 19th century.
Frederick Nietzsche cynically remarked that the only
reason the poor and disenfranchised want justice is so that
they seize political power, and the only reason the powerful
teach toleration and benevolence is to keep the
disenfranchised under their control. In both cases, the
motive is selfishness. To Nietzsche, it was all about power
- everyone is seeking to either gain or keep power over
others. Because Jesus taught love and forgiveness,
Nietzsche called Him "the pale enemy". (Nietzsche died in
an asylum after 10 years of syphilis-induced insanity.)
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Sigmund Freud taught that religion was merely
the unconscious projection of a humanity trying to
rid itself of guilt-induced neurosis. Karl Marx
believed that religion was a tool used by the
powerful to bludgeon the proletariat into
continued submission. And Charles Darwin
presented a seemingly reasonable alternative to
special creation.
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20th century philosophers like Sartre, James andRussell, continued the path set by their predecessors,stretching existentialism into the "Age of Analysis".The belief that life is absurd and cannot beunderstood was gradually replaced by the desire toanalyze, delve into the mystery which is man anddevelop individualistic philosophies which are relativeto each person, rather than universally applicable.
These influences combined to form the modernview that religion is an unnecessary evil. Religionhas been used by the up and in to oppress the downand out, and, if our existence can be explainedwithout it, why do we need it?
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Secularism
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The English word secular derives from the
Latin word saeculum, meaning “this present
age”, “this world” of change as opposed to the
eternal “religious world”.
It is defined as “the liberation of man from
religious and metaphysical tutelage, the
turning of his attention away from other worlds
and towards this one.”
Components of secularization
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Disenchantment of nature
freeing of nature from its religious overtones. Nature
is not a divine entity.
This provides an absolute condition for the
development of natural science. However highly
developed a culture‟s powers of observation,
however refined its equipment for measuring, no
real scientific breakthrough is possible until man
can face the natural world unafraid.
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Desacralization of politics
No one rules by divine right.
Significant political and social change is almost
impossible in societies in which the ruling regime is
directly legitimated by religious symbols.
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Deconsecration (relativization) of values
The disappearance of securely grounded values
There are no longer the direct expression of the
divine will. They have ceased to be values and have
become valuations
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Scientific worldview
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It is based on the premises and findings of science,
Science is the source of all explanations pertaining to the issues of creation, life, men, and other issues
Based on 4 important foundations: Materialism, logical positivism, empiricism,
skepticism
The main steps of scientific method
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Identify the problem or question through
observation
Propose hypotheses and assumptions that
should explain the problem posed
Collect data and information
Test the hypotheses. If any of hypotheses are
wrong reject it, or modify it, or replace it until
you get the correct one.
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If your hypotheses are correct. You accept and providea full explanation of the problem. Repeat the test insimilar situations and if the result is the same, then youmay proceed to construct a scientific theory. The latterprovides a consistent and rational explanation of thephenomenon or the problem. If this scientific theorystands and resists many tests, then it becomesscientific law.
The fact usually remains intact for long period of timebut they can be questioned with development ofhuman understanding and the new data and tool ofresearch. And once a fact is questioned the process ofresearch takes the same course as mentioned above.
Positive and Negative Aspects of
Scientific Method
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Because it is based on experiment andempirical research, its findings are more exactand authentic and they can be verifiedthrough using statistic, mathematics, andmeasurement.
However, these exact results only apply to acertain part of our existence, the physicalworld. The scientific worldview cannot give usexact and authentic knowledge orinterpretation of the metaphysical world.
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Therefore, the scientific worldview is not capable of providing comprehensive and consistent explanation of the entire world.
The Scientific worldview is very important,because it allows human reason to exercise itsability and to produce knowledge in many fields.
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The Scientific worldview also allows man to
discover many laws and pattern of God in the
universe.
However, the scientific worldview passes its
limitation when it gives human senses and
reason a role beyond their capacities. In
scientific worldview, Aql and senses become the
only source of knowledge that can be accepted;
any other source including revelation cannot be
accepted.
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Scientific worldview enabled the human mind to
produce industries, sciences and technologies. It
opened many ways for human mind to exploit
nature and discover its laws.
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However, the scientific worldview failed to protectman and nature from destruction. One of themain reasons of this attitude of scientificworldview is because it undermines the moral,ethical, and religious factors.
According to the scientific worldview, the onlysources of knowledge are reason, experiment,nature, senses, and human experience. It doesnot consider revealed knowledge as a source ofknowledge that can provide guidance to peopleand answer their questions. In this sense, thescientific worldview was unable to discover thesense and role of morality in human life.
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The place of man in the mechanistic-materialistic view isclearly portrayed by Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) in the1903:
The philosophy of nature is one thing, the philosophy ofvalue is quite another….Undoubtedly we are part ofnature, which has produced our desires, our hopes andfears, in accordance with laws which the physicist isbeginning to discover. In this sense we are part of nature,we are subordinated to nature, the outcome of naturallaws, and their victims in the long run… But in thephilosophy of values the situation is reversed… We areourselves the ultimate and irrefutable arbiters of valuesand in the world of value Nature is only a part…In thisrealm we are the kings, and we debase our kingship if webow down to Nature. It is for us to determine the goodlife, not for nature – not even for Nature personified asGod.
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Therefore, the scientific worldview failed to givemeaning to life and existence. It only gives powerof controlling nature, but it lacks the sense ofmeaning to our life. Therefore, the scientificworldview should adopt new approaches whichinvolve values, moralities, and ethics in theprocess of scientific research.
Materialism
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Materialism is a theory that physical matter is theonly or fundamental reality and that all beingsand processes and phenomena can beexplained as manifestations or results of matter.
Materialism excludes the existence of entitiesthat are radically different from or superior to thematter of our ordinary experience.
In materialistic worldview, only matter matters.Everything that is not physical and material is notaccepted.
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It rejects, therefore, the existence of God or gods onwhom the universe would depend for its existence ormode of operation; it denies the existence of angelsor spirit; it questions the notion of a soul, if taken tobe immaterial entity separable, in principle, from thehuman body.
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Its two main targets are therefore theism and
dualistic views of human nature.
It negates the existence of all that doesn‟t fall
within the framework of change and
transformation and is not perceivable by sense
organs
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All knowledge of the world and of society must be
based on sense experience and ultimately on
science.
Like positivism, materialism lays stress on science
as the only legitimate source of knowledge about the
causalities of the world
Postmodernism
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It is a trend to shift modern paradigm to a new
paradigm which is called postmodernism.
Belief that individuals are merely constructs of social
forces, that there is no transcendent truth that can be
known; a rejection of any one worldview or
explanation of reality as well as a rejection of the
reality of objective truth.
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A view which, for example, stresses the priority of
the social to the individual; which rejects the
universalizing tendencies of philosophy; which
prizes irony over knowledge; and which gives the
irrational equal footing with the rational in our
decision procedures all fall under the postmodern
umbrella.
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A cultural and intellectual trend of the twentieth
and twenty-first centuries characterized by
emphasis on the ideas of the decenteredness of
meaning, the value and autonomy of the local
and the particular, the infinite possibilities of the
human existence, and the coexistence.
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Postmodernism claims to address the sense of
despair and fragmentation of modernism through
its efforts at reconfiguring the broken pieces of
the modern world into a multiplicity of new social,
political, and cultural arrangements
Seven principles and characteristics of
postmodernism
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1. No absolute truth, truth is relative, contingency is everything. The ONLY ABSOLUTE TRUTH is that there are NO ABSOLUTE TRUTHS (Feyerabend)
2. No reality: there is no ultimate reality behind things: we see largely what want to see, what our position in time and place allows us to see…
3. Only Simulacrum: Imagination and speculation
4. Meaningless and valueless.
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5. Total Doubt
6. Multiplicities of truth, ethnicities, cultures …
7. Equal representation for class gender sexual
orientation
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General Overview of Islam and Its main
Characteristics
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The word “Islam” is derived from “salm” or “silm”, meaning literally: submission, surrender, safety/protection and peace.
As a religion, Islam stands for “complete submission and obedience to Allah”. It is the religion of Allah (S.W.T) which is revealed to mankind.
It was so named by God. د٠ب“ اإلسال سض١ج ى خ ع ج ع١ى أح د٠ى ى ج أو ”ا١
“This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed my favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.”(5: 3)
Islam is the name of religion brought by all messengers of Allah from Prophet Adam to Prophet Muhammad –peace be upon them.
The Hadith of Jibril on Islam, Iman & Ihsan
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Umar ibn al-Khattab said : One day while we weresitting with the Messenger of Allah, there appearedbefore us a man whose clothes were all white andwhose hair all black; no signs of journeying were tobe seen on him and none of us knew him. Hewalked up and sat down by the Prophet. Resting hisknees against his and placing the palms of hishands on his thighs, he said:"O Muhammed, tell meabout Islam".
The Messenger of Allah replied: "Islam is to testifythat there is no god but Allah and Muhammed is themessenger of Allah, to perform the prayers, to paythe zakat, to fast during the month of Ramadhan,and to make the pilgrimage to the House if you areable to do so.“
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He said:"You have spoken rightly", and we were amazedat him asking him and saying that he had spoken rightly.Then he said: “Now, tell me about iman.
The Prophet said:"It is to believe in Allah, His angels, Hisbooks, His messengers, and the Last Day, and to believein God‟s decree, both the good and bad thereof.“
He said:"You have spoken rightly". He said: " Then tellme about ihsan.“
The Prophet said: "It is to worship Allah as if you seeHim, and even if you do not see Him, He truly sees you."
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He said: "Then tell me about the Hour".
The Prophet said: "The one questioned about it knows nobetter than the questioner.“
He said: "Then tell me about its signs.“
The Prophet said: “When the slave-girl will give birth toher mistress and when you will see the barefooted,naked, destitute people competing in constructing highbuildings.“
Then he took himself off and I stayed for a time. Then hesaid: "O Umar, do you know who the questioner was?" Isaid: "Allah and His messenger know best". He said: "Hewas Jibril (Gabriel), who came to you to teach you yourreligion.” (True report transmitted by Imam Muslim)
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al-Iman :اإليمان
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The word “īmān”, derived as it is from “amn” and “aman”, denotes the state of security and safety that a person enjoys when he is attached to his Creator
Technically, however, īmān is the totality of Islamic faith which consists of the following articles: Belief in Allah ببهلل اإل٠ب
Belief in His angels خبالئى اإل٠ب
Belief in His revealed books بىخب اإل٠ب
Belief in His messengers بشس اإل٠ب
Belief in hereafter خش٢ا بب١ اإل٠ب
Belief in predestination خ١ش ششبمذسباإل٠ب
Four Meanings of Islam اإلسالم
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There are four basic meanings for the word islam (as submission),ranging from the broadest to the narrowest:
1. The natural submission of all creatures to the Law of Allah:" ٠شجع إ١ ب وش عب األسض ط اث ب ف اسه أس ٠بغ للاه " أفغ١ش د٠
“Do they seek for other than the religion of Allah? while all creatures in the heavens and on earth have, willing or unwilling, bowed to his will (accepted Islam), and to him shall they all be brought back.” (3: 83)
2. The voluntary submission of human beings to the guidance of Allah as revealed through His messengers (3:85;
" اخبسش٠ ف ا٢خشة د٠ب ف ٠مب ٠هبخغ غ١ش اإلسال “
“If anyone seeks a religion other than al-Islam, never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good).” (3: 85)
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3. The voluntary submission of human beings to the guidance ofAllah as revealed through Prophet Muhammad:
د٠ب" اإلسال ى سض١ج خ ع ج ع١ى أح د٠ى ى ج أو “ا١
“This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed my favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (5: 3)
Only the third of these can properly be translated as Islam (withcapital “i” –i.e. Islam the proper name of the true and onlyreligion acceptable to Allah S.W.T.
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As its root word indicates (s-l-m), Islam brings ‘peace’ to one’s soul,mind and body, because it will lead the person who embraces it toreturn to his/her true nature (fitrah). Hence, Islam is the religion offitrah and peace (salam)
Every Muslim has to utter “salam” at least 5 times a day at the end of each of the five daily prayers.
Muslims also salute one another with “as-Salam „alaykum”, meaning “peace be unto you”.
Not only in this world would the Muslim exchange thissalutation but also in the hereafter “and „Peace’ will be theirgreeting therein”
دعىاهن فيها سبحاوك اللهن وتحيتهن فيها سالم وآخر دعىاهن "“أن الحمد لله رب العالميه
“(This will be) their cry therein: "Glory to thee, O Allah!" And "Peace" will be their greeting therein! And the close of their cry will be: "Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds!" (10:10)
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Allah (swt) calls into the Abode of Peace.
" سخم١ ٠هشبء إ صشاط ذ ٠ ٠ذع إ داس اسهال للاه "
“But Allah does call to the home of peace; He does guide whom He pleases to a path that is straight.”(10: 25)
Paradise is nothing but the abode of peace:
ب" ب سال ب إاله ل١ال سال ال حأث١ ا ب غ ف١ ع "ال ٠س
“They shall not hear therein vain or sinful
discourses. Only the saying: „Peace, Peace” (56:25-
26).
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Muslims are enjoined to enter into peace wholeheartedly:
" عذ ى إه ١طب اث اشه ال حخهبعا خط وبفهت ا ادخا ف اس آ ٠ب أ٠ب اهز٠
ب١ "
“O ye who believe! enter into Islam whole heatedly; and
follow not the footsteps of the evil one; for he is to you an
avowed enemy.” (2: 208)
In fact, the enjoinment of peace is not just within the
Muslims but extended to non-Muslim communities:
" ١ع اع١ اسه إه ع للاه وه ح فبجح ب جحا سه إ "
“But if the enemy incline towards peace, do thou (also)
incline towards peace, and trust in Allah: for he is the one
that heareth and knoweth (all things).” (8: 61)
اإلحسان al-Ihsan
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The word “ihsan” literally means doing the best, that is, in a nice, kind, beautiful manner.
Technically, “Ihsan means to worship Allah as if you see Him, for even though you do not see Him, indeed He sees you”.
As in the hadith: راك أن تع بد هللا كأنك تراه فإن لم تكن تراه فإنه
It also means doing good and worshipping Allah in the manner He likes.
Moreover, it means unwavering fear of Allah and constant awareness of His presence, watching everything one does.
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Ihsan in the Qur’anic context
“ ح١ اغ١ب اشهبدة اعض٠ض اشه بذأ زهره عب ه شء خم و أحس ط١ “خك اإلسب (32:6-7).
Just as Allah has created everything in a perfect manner and has made everything beautiful, including human beings, as stated in this verse, so must we imitate Him in doing what is good and beautiful particularly in relation to Allah as well as to fellow creatures.
When we do Ihsan and become Muhsinun, we become protected servants of Allah (S.W.T).
(16:128).“ حس اهز٠ ه احهما ع اهز٠ ه للا إ “ In this verse, Allah promises support to those who beautify their deeds.
” ه للا ٠حب أحسا إ حس١ .(2:195) “اThis verse, Ihsan is related to Allah, to what we do in all
our life.
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(29:69) “ إن هللا مع امحعىه م ظجىب اره جبدا فىب ىدى “In this verse, Allah makes Ihsan as a condition for providing
guidance to us and showing us the right path, the right way and
correct deed which will make us successful in Dunia (اذ١ب ) and
Akhirah ( ا٢خشة ).
دفب“ خ بثشا وارجغ ذغ ى هلل و وجه ؤع دب ؤدغ ”و(4:125)
In this verse, Ihsan is linked with the perfect and
correct religion: the most perfect person in the
religion is the one who is Muhsin, meaning he does
things in very beautiful manner.
Taqwa ( تقوى)
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Taqwa is perhaps the most important single term
in the Qur‟an.“ وحصودوا انخقىي انصاد خيس فة األنببة ؤوني يب واحقى ”
“And make provision for yourself; the best provision is
taqwa". (Quran, 2:197).
Taqwa is one of the many words in Islamic
vocabularies whose exact equivalent cannot be
found in English. It has been translated as "fear
of Allah", "piety", "righteousness", "dutifulness"
and "God-wariness“.
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The word taqwa is derived from the Arabic root(waqa), whose verb signifies “to guard or protectagainst something.
Taqwa has the sense of protecting oneself frommoral peril, preserving one's virtue, andguarding oneself against the harmful or evilconsequences of one‟s conduct (and thus thedispleasure of the Almighty).
Taqwa is thus a kind of awareness orconsciousness by means of which one protectsoneself from sliding into evil.
76
the Qur'an teaches that both the sinful tendencyand taqwa are inspired into the soul of man byAllah. This is not to say that Allah inspires us tobe sinful.
One who has taqwa has warinessof associating others with Allah, wariness of sinand evil, and even wariness of that which isdubious.
We learn from the Qur'an that the outwardobservance of ritual is not sufficient for taqwa.
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Taqwa thus seems to have practical social and politicalimplications. It is not a meditative state which isolatesone from the world, but a provision for finding one's waythrough the world, which in its social and politicaldimensions requires justice and fairness.
Indeed, the historian, Marshall Hodgson. attributes thesuccess of early Islamic civilization not to favorableeconomic conditions or military power. but to the Taqwaof the Muslims.
The command issued to the believers "Ittaquallah", is acommand to be vigilant over oneself with awareness ofthe presence of Allah, a religious form of the admonition"Watch Yourself" directed to one whose misbehavior isimminent.
Main Characteristics of Islam
78
Divine nature of Islam اشثبخ Comprehensiveness انشىل Universality انعبمليت Moderation/Balance نخىاشا
Divine nature of Islam الرباوية
79
Its origin is from God
It is based on the concept of the oneness of God
It was so named by God
It calls people to affirm Allah‟s absolute lordship ( سبب١ت ), divinity ( أ١ت ), and unity of names and attributes (اصفبث .(حذا١ت األسبء
Comprehensiveness الشمول
80
It covers all aspects of life
It deals with spiritual and material aspects, dunia
( د١ب )and akhirah ( آخشة ), seen and unseen, social,
economic, political, and cultural, aspects of
human life
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Islam contains many legislations with regard topersonal and social lives as well as national andinternational aspects of human life. It covers „Ibadah,transaction, relation between man and man,between man and God, between man and theuniverse
Comprehensiveness in belief system, „ibadahsystem, and moral code.
Hereafter
Vicegerency
(History/
Culture/
Civilization)
Truth
Prophet Hood
Man
Life
Universe
God
Existence
of Seen & Unseen
Worlds
82
Universality العالمية
83
Islam is not meant only for a particular groupof people or a particular period of time, but itis addressed to all mankind, regardless oftheir social strata, races, colors, languages,cultures, and civilizations.
There is a unity of religion within a diversity ofcultures and ways of implementing theteaching of Islam.
Giving things their due measures
التوازنin:
84
Human nature
Human needs
Belief system
Ritual
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Islam is a religion that gives to each aspect ofhuman life its due without any imbalance orexaggeration. The material, social, spiritual,cultural, and intellectual aspects of human lifeare treated in a balance manner.
Islam never asks people to focus only on thespiritual dimension or on the material dimensionof their life. But it puts each dimension in its rightplace and legislates the necessary instruction tofulfill and meet the need of that particulardimension of human life.
86
“وابتغ فما أتاك هللا الدار اآلخرة وال تنسى نصبك من الدنا“
But seek, with the (wealth) which Allah has bestowed
on thee, the Home of the Hereafter, nor forget thy
portion in this world: but do thou good, as Allah has
been good to thee, and seek not (occasions for)
mischief in the land: for Allah loves not those who do
mischief." (28: 77)
The Concept of Tawhid (توحيد)
87
Literally Tawhid means "unification" (makingsomething one) or "asserting oneness“. It comesfrom the Arabic verb (wahhada) which itself meansto unite, unify or consolidate. However, when theterm Tawhid is used in reference to Allah it meansasserting and maintaining Allah's absolute onenessin all of man's actions which directly or indirectlyrelate to Him.
88
It is the belief that Allah is One, without partner in
His dominion and His actions (Rububiyyah), One
without similitude in His essence and attributes
(al-Asma‟ wa Sifat), and One without rival in His
divinity and in worship (Uluhiyyah/„Ibadah).
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Tawhid in Rububiyyah
89
This category is based on the fundamental concept thatAllah alone caused all things to exist when there wasnothing; He sustains and maintains creation without anyneed from it or for it; and He is the sole Lord of theuniverse and its inhabitants.
It is the belief that there is only One God, who is thecreator of everything in the heaven and on the earth.
The belief that this creator is the sustainer ( اشصاق ),manager of the affairs of the whole universe. He is theonly One who gives life and takes it away. He is All-knowing. He is merciful and does what He wishes,because He is the creator of everything. Everyone isdependent on Him whether in heaven or earth.
هللا خالق كل شء وهو على كل شء وكل“ “
90
“Allah created all things and He Is the agent on
which all things depend.“
(al-Zumar 39:62)
وهللا خلقكم وما تعملون“ “
“And Allaah created you all and whatever you do”
(al-Saffat 37:96)
Tawhid in Uluhiyyah (al-Ibadah)
91
It is the belief in the unity of Allah's worship. He is the one,who deserves to be worshipped. He is the one who setsthe way how we worship Him and we should follow Hisinstruction and Shari„ah as He ordered and instructed usto do.
All forms of worship must be directed only to Allahbecause He alone deserves worship, and it is He alonewho can grant benefit to man as a result of His worship.Furthermore, there is no need for any form of intercessoror intermediary between man and God.
92
Allah emphasized the importance of directing worship to Him alone
by pointing out that this was the main purpose of man's creation and
the essence of the message brought by all the prophets.
Allah says:
"" س إاله ١عبذ اإل ه ج ب خمج ا ”
“I created the jinn and humankind only that they might worship
Me.” (al-Dhariyiat: 51:56)
"Verily, We have sent to every nation a messenger (saying),
'Worship Allah and avoid false gods'.“
" و ال ٠ضش ش١ئب فعى ب ال ٠ للاه د "لبي أفخعبذ
'Do not worship besides Allah that which can not help or harm
you." (al-Anbiya‟: 21:66)
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Tawhid in al-Asma wa-al-Sifat
93
It is the belief that God has attributes and names. Andone should worship Him and do supplication to Himusing His names and attributes. No one has the rightto tell us about His names, and attributes except Hismessengers who came to teach people the namesand attributes through using the revelation which Godsent to them.
We cannot imagine a God and give Him names andattributes such as the way of Arab before Islam madeidols and gave them names and attributes andworship them. This is not correct because only Allahcan tell us about this names and attribute.
94
Allah must be referred to according to how He
described Himself or how His Prophets have
described Him.
مع البصر“ ”لس كمثله شء وهو الس“There is nothing like Him and He is hearer and seer
of all.“ (42:11)
95
Every Muslim should believe in the unity of
Lordship, worship, and names and attributes. And
if one denies one of them or all, he is considered
as unbeliever ( وبفش ).
Shirk شـرك
96
The study of Tawhid cannot be considered completewithout a careful analysis of its opposite, Shirk.
Shirk literally means partnership, sharing or associating,but Islamically it refers to the act of assigning partners toAllaah in whatever form it may take.
Some modern Muslim scholars interpret the concept ofshirk to include all forms (kinds) of worshipping otherswith God, such as worshipping the material aspect of lifeand fearing people more than God and associatingthemselves in any act of Satan (Shaitan .(اش١طب
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Every sort of worship of whim, prestige, position,money, or personality is shirk.
Because the sin of Shirk denies the very purposeof man's creation, it is to God the gravest of sins;the unforgivable sin.
فمذ إ“ ٠ششن ببهلله ٠هشبء ره ب د ٠غفش ال ٠غفش أ ٠ششن ب ه للاه
ب عظ١ ”افخش إث
"Surely Allah will not forgive the association ofpartners (Shirk) with Him, but He forgives (sins)less than that of whomever He wishes.“ (al-Nisa‟,4:48)
Because the sin of Shirk denies the verypurpose of man's creation, it is to God thegravest of sins; the unforgivable sin
Shirk in Rububiyyah
98
This category of Shirk refers to either thebelief that others share Allah's Lordship overcreation as His equal or near equal, or to thebelief that there exists no Lord over creationat all.
Most religious systems fall into the first aspectof Shirk in Ruboobeeyah while it is thephilosophers who tend to fill the secondaspect.
99
(A) Shirk by Association
Beliefs which fall under this sub-category are
ones in which a main God or Supreme Being
over creation is recognized, however His
dominion is shared by other lesser gods,
spirits, mortals, heavenly bodies or earthly
objects. Such belief systems are commonly
referred to by theologians and philosophers
as polytheistic (having more than one God).
100
(B) Shirk by Negation
This sub-category represents the various philosophies
and ideologies which deny the existence of God either
explicitly or implicitly. That is, in some cases God's
non-existence is stated (Atheism), while in other
cases His existence is claimed, but the way in which
He is conceived actually denies His existence
(Pantheism).
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Shirk in al-„Ibadah
101
In this category of Shirk, acts of worship aredirected to other than God and the reward forworship is sought from the creation instead of theCreator.
As in the case of the previous categories, Shirk inal-„Ibadah has two main aspects:
Al-Shirk al-Akbar (Major Shirk):
102
This form of Shirk occurs when any act of worship isdirected to other than Allah. It represents the mostobvious form of idolatry which the prophets werespecifically sent by Allah to call the masses of mankindaway from. This concept is supported by Allah'sstatement in the Qur'an:
اجزىجا اطبغد “ ظال أن اعجدا هللا خ ز أم مد ثعثىب ف و "
"Surely we have sent to every nation a messengersaying, worship Allaah and avoid Taghut (false gods)”(16: 36)
Taghut actually means anything which is worshippedalong with Allah or instead of Allah. For example, love isa form of worship which, in its perfection, should only bedirected to Allah. In Islam, the love of God is expressedby total obedience to Him.
Al-Shirk al-Asghar( Minor Shirk):
103
The Prophet said: "The thing I fear for you themost is ash-Shirk al-Asghar (minor shirk)."The companions asked "Oh! messenger ofAllah, what is minor Shirk?" He replied "Al-Riya‟ (showing off), for verily Allah will say onthe Day of Resurrection when people arereceiving their rewards, 'Go to those for whomyou were showing off in the material worldand see if you can find any reward from them.
Shirk in al-Asma wa-al-Sifat
104
Shirk in this category includes both thecommon pagan practice of giving Allah theattributes of His creation as well as the act ofgiving created beings Allah's names andattributes
It takes many forms. The most important are:
To deny any names or attributes of God, or togive to God other names and attributes, whichare not authorized by Shari‟ah.
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105
When you make similarity between names andattributes of God and those of His creatures,then you are committing an act of Shirk, becausethere is no similarity between the creator andwhat he created.
when you describe God and attribute to Himsome human qualities like eating, drinking,marriage, having kids, being jealous of other,being injustice, this is considered another form ofShirk.
Kufr كفر
106
Kafara literally means „to cover,‟ „to hide something;„to ignore knowingly the benefit which one hasreceived,‟ and thence, „to be unthankful‟.
The root KFR (وفس) has been used in the Qur‟an ineither of the two, but conceptually linked, basicmeanings: „ingratitude‟ and „disbelief‟.
107
A Kafir is a person who, having thus receivedGod‟s benevolence, shows no sign of gratitudein his conduct, or even acts rebelliously againsthis Benefactor. He covers the truth of Islam anddoesn‟t submit to the will of Allah.
He is the person who knows that Allah is thecreator, but he denies the unity of worship ofAllah ( األ١ت ).
He is the person who acknowledges that God isthe creator, but he rejects to worship Allah and tofollow his Shari„ah
The Concept of Sunnatullah
108
Sunnah here means “pathway”; it also stands forconsistency and order. So Sunnatullah means “God‟scustomary way of acting” [in the physical/material wold ].
تنا تحوال” ة من قد أرسلنا قبلك من رسلنا وال تجد لسن "سن
(This was Our) Sunnah (way ) with the messengers We sent before you: you will find no change in Our ways.” (17: 77)
تبدال" ة هللا ف الذن خلوا من قبل ولن تجد لسن ة هللا “سن(Such was ) the Sunnah [ the practice (approved) ]of Allah among those who lived aforetime: no change wilt thou find in the practice (approved) of Allah.” (33: 62)
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109
The Qur`anic concept of “Sunnatullah” emanates
from the same source on which system of the
universe is constructed, i.e. Divine justice.
According to the Qur`an, the entire universe was
created in extremely balanced system and just
order.
110
Sunnatullah in this sense, means the absolute andeternal rule that God has prescribed for Himself todeal with His creatures. Through this concept, theQur`an draws human attention that God inevitablyacts in the created world in certain ways which arerecognizable by close observation in the naturalphenomena as well as in historical events. TheQur`an declares; “That is law of God (Sunnatullah),which has taken course aforetime, you will notfind any change for the law of God”. Therefore,Sunnatullah prescribes kind of universal andunchangeable rules that govern the universe andhuman history as well.
111
This character of Sunnatullah establishes two
main methodological factors, with regard to the
Islamic theory of knowledge:
First; physical world is fact; therefore, man
should acquire knowledge through observational
and empirical methods.
112
Second; human history is governed by
systematic patterns and rules recognizable to the
human intellect, thus, a sustainable civilization
can be established only with consideration of
these patterns, which can be discovered upon
critical examination of disintegrated civilizations
and knowledge of reasons that were behind their
rise and fall.
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113
However, Sunnatullah does not describe details
of natural laws, such as law which prescribes
certain medicine to certain disease, because all
that can be discovered by human intellect.
Instead, it provides principles of science, based
on a holistic vision of the world.
Kinds of Sunnatullah
114
Sunnatullah is categorized based on two main
domains: nature (Āfāq آفبق) and human domain
(Anfus أوفط ).
115
1. Sunnatullah in the natural phenomena, which is
termed by the Qur`an as “Ayatul Aafaq”, is also
known as Sunan Kawniyyah (universal laws),
because it includes the most general laws that
govern the cosmic order, such as creation of
everything in pairs (Zawjiyyah) and creation of
everything in precise measures.
116
2. The second type, with consideration to its subject
matter, is Sunnatullah in human domain which is
introduced by the Qur`an as “Ayatul Anfus”, means
God‟s signs within human self.
This type can be understood in two integrative
senses: Sunnah that governs human behavior at
individual level, and that which governs human
society.
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117
Standards of this classification, initially, provide
relevant ground to hold that universality of Divine
custom does not necessarily mean unity of the
order in either domain, i.e. human and non-
human.
118
In other words, characteristics of patterns that
govern human history and civilization are not
necessarily similar to laws which rule the natural
phenomena. Morality, which characterized by free
choice and responsibility, is obviously the relevant
criteria for this division.
Characteristics of Sunnatullah
119
1. Generality
2. Permanence
3. Predictability
4. Exactness
5. Diversity
120
ال رح ه رجد عىذ هللا رجدال فه رجد عىذ هللا
]43: فبطس ]
But no change wilt thou find in Allah's sunnah (way
of dealing): no turning off wilt thou find in Allah's
sunnah( way of dealing).
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Manifestations of Sunnatullah in Nature
121
God created nature and then assigned to each
heavens its duty and command:
122
ل ؤئى ف اإسض خك ثبز زىفشو ى ورجؼى ره ؤذادا ني سة (9) اؼب فهب وجؼ ؤلىارهب فهب ولذس فهب وثبسن فىلهب سواع ؤسثؼخ ف ني عىاء ؤب (10) غبئ بء ب اعزىي ث اغ و فمبي دخبإسض هب ب لبزب وشب ؤو ؼىػب ائزب و (11) ؼبئؼني ؤر عجغ فمعب
بواد ف ع ف وؤود ى بء و ب ع ش بء وصب ؤ صبثخ اذب اغ ث اؼضض رمذش ره ودفظب (12) اؼ
(فصهج)
123
"Is it that ye deny Him Who created the earth in twoDays? and do ye join equals with Him? He is theLord of (all) the Worlds." He set on the (earth).Mountains standing firm, high above it, andbestowed blessings on the earth, and measuredtherein all things to give them nourishment in dueproportion, in four Days, in accordance with (theneeds of) those who seek (sustenance). Moreover,He Comprehended in His design the sky, and it hadbeen (as) smoke: He said to it and to the earth:"Come ye together, willingly or unwillingly.
124
They said: "We do come (together), in willing
obedience." So He completed them as seven
firmaments in two Days and He assigned to each
heaven its duty and command. And We adorned
the lower heaven with lights, and (provided it)
with guard. Such is the Decree of (Him) the
Exalted in Might, Full of Knowledge. (Fussilat
41:9-12).
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125
آخ م بز مى وعخ ا ظمن م فئذا اى اشمط (37) م معزمس رجسي ب عصص رمدس ذه عم ا ممس (38) ا ا زوبي عسجن عبد حزى مىبشي لد وب
مدم ممس ردزن أن ب ىجغ اشمط ال (39) ا ال ا بز ظبثك ا اى و (40) عجحن فه ف
126
And a Sign for them is the Night: Wewithdraw therefrom the Day, and beholdthey are plunged in darkness. And thesun runs its course for a perioddetermined for it; that is the decree of(Him), the Exalted in Might, the All-Knowing. And the Moon, We havemeasured for it mansions (to traverse) tillit returns like the old (and withered) lowerpart of a date-stalk. It is not permitted tothe Sun to catch up the Moon, nor canthe Night outstrip the Day: each (just)swims along in (its own) orbit (accordingto law). (Yasin/36: 37-40)
127
Nature is so well-knit and works
with such regularity that is the
prime miracle of God, cited
untiringly in the Qur‟an.
Manifestations of Sunnatullah in Human
Nature & History/Civilization
128
مىرثه “ ف وبن عبلجخ ا ” لد خذ مه لجىم ظىه فعسا ف ازض فبوظسا و
( 137: آي عمسان )
Many were the sunnan (Ways of Life) that have
passed away before you: travel through the earth,
and see what was the end of those who rejected
Truth. (3:137)
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129
هىثى ؤزسهب زسهب حخسا كم يب جبء ؤيت زسىنهب كربى فإحبعب بعضهى بعضب وجعهب) ( 44: املايى ( )ؤحبديث فبعدا نقىو نب يايى
Then sent We our messengers in succession: every
time there came to a people their messenger, they
accused him of falsehood: so We caused them to
follow one another (to disaster) and We made them
as a tale (that is told): So away with a people that will
not believe! (23:44)
130
زم فئذا ىبظىىم لض آثبءوم وروسوم هللا فبذوسا م مه اىبض فمه ذوسا أشد أوب ف آرىب زثىب مي مب اد مي مه مىم (200) خالق مه اخسح ف ب ف آرىب زثىب و ف حعىخ اد لىب حعىخ اخسح أـئه (201) اىبز عراة ب وصت م م هللا وعجا م حعبة ظسع (202) ا
131
So when ye have accomplished your holyrites, celebrate the praises of Allah, as yeused to celebrate the praises of your fathers,yea, with far more heart and soul. There aremen who say: "Our Lord! Give us (Thybounties) in this world!" But they will have noportion in the Hereafter. And there are menwho say: "Our Lord! Give us good in this worldand good in the Hereafter, and defend us fromthe torment of the Fire!" To these will beallotted what they have earned; and Allah isquick in account.(2: 200-202)
132
عبجخ سد وبن مه ىب ا ىب ثم وسد مه وشبء مب فب عج صالب جىم جعدحزا مرممب مه (18) م ظعى اخسح أزاد ظعب ب فأئه مؤمه
شىزا ظعم وبن ـؤالء ـؤالء ومد وال (19) م مب زثه عطبء مه وبن ف اوظس (20) محظزا زثه عطبء ىب و خسح ثعط عى ثعضم فض أوجس
أوجس دزجبد (21) رفضال
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133
If any do wish for the transitory things (of thislife), We readily grant them such things as Wewill, to such persons as We will: in the end haveWe provided Hell for them: they will burn therein,disgraced and rejected. Those who do wish forthe (things of) the Hereafter, and strive thereforewith all due striving, and have Faith, they are theones whose striving is acceptable (to Allah). Ofthe bounties of thy Lord We bestow freely on allthese as well as those: the bounties of thy Lordare not closed (to anyone). See how We havebestowed more on some than on others; butverily the Hereafter is more in rank and gradationand more in excellence. (17: 18-21)
134
The Laws of al-Akhirah (hereafter)
ال جد ظءا جص ث ىزبة مه عم ا أ ال أمبو ط ثأمبوىم ال وصسا ب بحبد مه ذوس ( 123)مه دن هللا مه اص مه عم
ال ظمن ومسا جىخ ـئه دخن ا مؤمه فأ أوثى ( 124)أ
135
Not your desires, nor those of the People of the
Book (can prevail): whoever works evil, will be
requited accordingly. Nor will he find, besides
Allah, any protector or helper. If any do deeds of
righteousness, - be they male or female - and
have faith, they will enter Heaven, and not the
least injustice will be done to them. (4: 123-124)
136
ب قىو يب ب يخبع انديب انحيبة هر (39) انقساز داز هي انأخسة وب م ي فهب سيئت ع يثههب بنب يجصي م وي وهى ؤث ؤو ذكس ي صبنحب ع فإونئك ياي انجت يدخهى (40) حسبة بغيس فيهب يسشقى
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137
O my people! this life of the present is nothing but
(temporary) convenience: it is the Hereafter that is
the Home that will last. "He that works evil will not
be requited but by the like thereof: and he that
works a righteous deed - whether man or woman -
and is a Believer; such will enter the Garden (of
Bliss): therein will they have abundance without
measure. (40: 39-40)
Nubuwwah (Prophethood)Concept, Necessity, Finality, Functions and
eternal relevance to human life
138
God has created no community of beings in theworld without a purpose and left them without aguide or leader. It is inconceivable that GodAlmighty, Who has not left bees without a queen,ants without a leader, and birds and fish withouta guide, has left humanity without Prophets toguide them to spiritual, intellectual and materialperfection.
Nubuwwah
139
The centrality of prophethood is evident fromthe fact that it forms the content of the secondclause of the Shahadah (testimony). It is alsoone of the articles of Islamic faith. The sourceof legitimacy of being a prophet is Allah(S.W.T) through His revelation. As it isimpossible for everyone to receive revelationdirectly from God, the prophets (peace beupon them) then functioned as a „channel‟ toreceive and transmit the Divine revelation tohumankind. Though both revelation andprophethood are not the same, they overlapand are very much interrelated.
The Meaning of Wahy and Other
Related Terms
140
Revelation (wahy is the act by which God, havingcreated the world, discloses Himself to Hiscreation. It refers to a phenomenon whereby asupra human, or supernatural, communication istransmitted from the Divine to the human orepiphany of the Divine order, which presents itselfto the human sight, hearing, sensibility andconsciousness as an event out of the ordinarycourse
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The Meaning of Prophethood
141
Nubuwwah (اىجح) is usually translated as
Prophethood . a nabi refers to a Prophet who gives
news from God.
Prophetic experience has been described by Muslim
theologians as something out of ordinary experience.
142
During his experience, a Prophet‟s faculties areraised to the point of frenzy and he is under thedomination of a Divine power which he cannot resist,and his innermost belief, all the while, is that themessage of guidance and salvation has comedirectly from God as a „revelation‟ and must beconveyed at once to his fellow beings.
A Prophet is like a branch which arches out from theDivine to the human realm.
143
Rasul & Nabi
The two words are used interchangeably in theQur'an, the same person sometimes being callednabi and sometimes rasul; while occasionally bothnames are combined.
The reason seems to be that the prophet has twocapacities: he receives information from God, and heimparts his message to mankind. he is called nabi inthe first, and rasul in the second capacity, but thereis one difference.
144
The word rasul has a wider significance, being
applicable to every messenger in a literal sense;
and the angels are called Divine Messengers
[rasul], because they are also bearers of the
Divine messages when complying with His Will.
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145
rasul is higher than nabi, because the rasul brings
a divine legislation with him, whereas the nabifollows the legislation of the previous rasul. Thus,
rasul is also nabi, but a nabi may not necessarily
be a rasul.
Khatam nubuwwah
146
When the Qur‟an says that the institution of
Nubuwwah (Prophethood) اىجح has been terminatedن “ ب وخاتم الن ن رجالكم ولكن رسول هللا د أبا أحد م "ما كان محم
“Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but
(he is) the Messenger of Allah, and the Seal of the
Prophets” (33:40),
it means that the institution of Risalah اسظبخ
(Messengerhood) has also been terminated since the
closure of a general cadre automatically means that
the upper ones have also been terminated.
The Necessity and Function of
Revelation and Prophethood
147
Humankinds are faced with broad questions of
"life understanding." These questions are lifetime
concerns some of which are sources of great
expectation while others are sources of anxiety.
148
علمهم “ هم و زك اته و هم آ تلو عل نهم ن رسوال م هو الذي بعث ف األم
ن ب ”الكتاب والحكمة وإن كانوا من قبل لف ضالل م
“It is He who has sent to the illiterate a Messenger
from among their own people to recite to them His
revelations and purify them. He will teach to them the
Book and Wisdom- although they had been, before in
manifest error-” (Al-Jum‟ah 62: 2)
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149
Some of the questions that have occupied
human minds from time immemorial are more
important than others; and some are easily
discoverable by human reason than others.
The entire range of human concerns that might
have called for an external intervention may be
classified into three ascending categories of
importance: (1) what reason can generally
discover/solve; (2) what reason can
discover/solve but may err; (3) and what falls
beyond rational ambit
Prophets are People too
150
The prophets distinguished themselves in human
society by their special aptitudes, natural bents of
mind and a pious and meaningful way of life.
151
The unbelievers disparaged the humanity of themessengers. They demanded that this linkbetween the Infinite and the finite besupernatural, akin to the nature of angels andeven God Himself (15:6-9; 25:21; 17:92). In otherwords, they wanted the nature of this link to bethe same as, or nearer to, that of his sender thanto that of the recipients. This demand howeverwas turned down.
152
ه " ش ف اإعىاق ىب ؤضي ب و اؽؼب زا اشعىي إو بي ولبىا ب ى هب ولبي اظب جخ إو وض ؤو رىى م ب زشا ؤو ؼ فىى
غذىسا بب سجب "رزجؼى
What sort of a messenger is this, who eats food,
and walks through the markets? Why has not an
angel been sent down to him to give admonition
with him? "Or (Why) has not a treasure been
bestowed on him, or why has he (not) a garden
for enjoyment?" The wicked say: "Ye follow none
other than a man bewitched." (al-Furqan, 25:7-8)
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153
بئىخ ؤو شي سثب مذ اعزىجشوا" ب ا مبءب ىب ؤضي ػ ب شجى ولبي از وػزىا ػزىا وجريا "ف ؤفغه
Why are not the angels sent down to us, or (why)do we not see our Lord?" Indeed they have anarrogant conceit of themselves, and mighty is theinsolence of their impiety! (Furqan; 25:21)
154
اصبدلني" وذ بئىخ ب ب رإرب ثب “ى Why do you not bring to us the angels if you are
of the truthful ones? (al-Hijr 15:7)
They say: "Why is not an angel sent down to
him?" If we did send down an angel, the matter
would be settled at once, and no respite would be
granted them.
155
They say: "We shall not believe in thee, until thoucause a spring to gush forth for us from theearth, Or (until) thou have a garden of date treesand vines, and cause rivers to gush forth in theirmidst, carrying abundant water; Or thou causethe sky to fall in pieces, as thou sayest (willhappen), against us; or thou bring Allah and theangels before (us) face to face.
Or thou have a house adorned with gold, or thoumount a ladder right into the skies. No, we shallnot even believe in thy mounting until thou senddown to us a book that we could read." Say:"Glory to my Lord! Am I aught but a man,- amessenger?" (Isra‟ 17: 90-93)
156
As a „practical‟ book to be implemented, rather than
a „speculative‟ or „idealistic‟ book, the Qur`ān
considers the nature of the recipients instead of that
of the sender. Had the reverse been the case, man
would have taken its supernaturality as an excuse
for not being able to implement the teaching of
revelation in his life. For the messengers to be
endurable, they must be humanlike.
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157
Even if they were to be angels, they must be inhuman shape having human qualities, so that therevelation they were sent with would becommunicable, comprehensible and practicable justas the messengers have exemplified it as rolemodels. (6:8-9; 32:21; 60:4,6) Had we appointed him (Our messenger) an angel, We
assuredly had made him (as) a man (that he mightspeak to men); and (thus) obscured for them (the truth)they (now) obscure. (al-An‟am 6:8-9)
Functions and Relevance to human
life
158
Expounder of the Qur‟an
Legislator
Role model / Qudwatun hasanah
Total obedience to the Prophet
Expounder of the Qur‟an
159
Without the [Prophetic]Sunnah the Qur‟an would
remain an abstract or a misunderstood Book. Allah
(SWT) says in reference to the Sunnah as an
explanation of the Holy Qur‟an:
160
" زفىشو وؼه ه ب ضي ب بط ه ازوش زج “وؤضب ب “(We sent them) with Clear Signs and Scriptures
and We have sent down unto thee (also) the
Message; that thou mayest explain clearly to men
what is sent for them, and that they may give
thought.” [al-Nahl (16): 44].
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161
According to many interpreters, the Arabic word
al-Dhikra in the Quran refers to the Sunnah of the
Prophet (SAW). The role of the Sunnah therefore
is to explain the Holy Qur‟an so that it is
understood by the people.
162
Through the Sunnah we get to know many of the things commanded in Islam; for example, we get to know how to perform the Salat, Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) and Fasting.
Legislator
163
It can be an independent source of Law. The Sunnah
states many things that are not found in the Holy
Qur‟an which all Muslims are obliged to follow. Allah
(SWT) says,
شذذ اؼمبة" ا ب فبزهىا وارمىا ا ػ ب هبو اشعىي فخزو و ب آربو "و
“…So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and
deny yourselves that which he withholds from you.
And fear Allah; for Allah is strict in Punishment.” [al-
hashr (59): 7].
164
(157: األعساف" )يحم نهى انطيببث ويحسو عهيهى اخلببئث "
He (The Prophet) allows them as lawful what is
good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is
bad (and impure).
In this verse we find that the legislative authority
is bestowed upon the Prophet. So he acts as the
society‟s law- giver.
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Role model / Qudwatun hasanah
165
The Qur‟an instructs us to emulate the Prophet(SAW); i.e. to take him as the best example inwhatever we do. Allah (SWT) says in reference tothis,
" اأخش وروش ا واى شجى ا وب ؤعىح دغخ ف سعىي ا ى مذ وب"وثريا
“Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah uswahhasanah (beautiful pattern of conduct) for any onewhose hope is in Allah and the Final day, and whoengages much in the praise of Allah.” [al-Ahzab (33):21]
Total obedience to the Prophet
166
Following the Sunnah of the Prophet is an
obligation upon every Muslim; No Muslim is
considered a believer in Allah (SWT) without
following the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW). Allah
(SWT) says in the Holy Qur‟an:
167
" دشجب ب جذوا ف ؤفغه ث ه ب شجش ث ىن ف دز ذى ى ب وسثه ب ا ب فب ىا رغ "لعذ وغ
“But no, by the Lord, they can have no (real)
Faith, until they make thee judge in all
disputes between them, and find in their souls
no resistance against thy decisions, but
accept them with the fullest conviction.” [al-
Nisa‟ (4): 65].
168
Severe Punishment will inflicted upon those
who do not follow the Sunnah of the prophet.
Allah (SWT) says in the Holy Qur‟an,
" ػزاة ؤ فزخ ؤو صجه رصجه ؤ ش ؤ ػ خبفى ذزس از "ف
“…then let those beware who withstand the
Messenger‟s order, let some trial befall them,
or a grievous Penalty be inflicted on them.”
[al-Nur (24): 63]
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169
Obedience to the Prophet is obedience to
Allah and disobedience to him is considered
disobedience to Allah (SWT). Allah (SWT)
says in the Holy Qur‟an,
دفظب" ه بن ػ ب ؤسع رى ف و ؽغ اشعىي فمذ ؤؼبع ا "“He who obeys the Messenger, obeys Allah;
but if any turn away, We have not sent thee to
watch over their (evil deeds).” [al-Nisa‟ (4):
80].
The phenomenon and universality of
prophethood
170
There have been many religions which have beendistorted and altered in the world, and consequently it isessential to accept the purity of their original foundation.The Qur‟an says:
خ بب خب فهب زش" ؤ بن ثبذك ثشريا وزشا وب "بب ؤسع“There never was a people without a Warner having lived among them.” (35:24)
خ سعىب" ؤ "ومذ ثؼثب ف و “And We assuredly sent among every people a Messenger.”
(16:36)
171
Rather than being an inclusive commodity or privilege of any nation, prophethood is a universal phenomenon.
" ه هب صوجهب وثث فظ وادذح وخك از خمى جبب وثريا وغبء ب سب ؤهب ابط ارمىا سثى سلجب ى ػ وب ا ب واإسدب ث از رغبءى "وارمىا ا
According to the Qur‟anic narration, the human race began from one man: Adam (peace be upon him) from whom the family of man grew and the human race multiplied [4:1].
0, being the first man on earth, was also the first prophet of God (p.b.u.h.).
172
After a long break of revelation, humankind tendsto be forgetful, overwhelmed with superstitions,myths and all types of false notions. Within suchcircumstances, God raised prophets amongevery nation,
خ سعىي" ؤ "وى (to every people (was sent) a messenger)
[10:47],خ بب خب فهب زش" ؤ "وب
(and there never was a people, without a warnerhaving lived among them (in the past).) [35:24].
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173
Despite their relative differences, their messages
were the same in their fundamentals. All
messengers of God did away with all customs of
ignorance and taught their people the right
course of action. They preached adherence to a
life of piety, goodness and peace. They also
preached belief in life after death with its just
mechanism of reward and punishment and, the
most important of all, belief in the unity of God to
Whom alone service and worship are due
174
Speaking on behalf of God‟s messengers,
Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) declares the
universal Divine Unity: “The best thing I and the
Prophets before me have said is: „There is no god
but Allah, alone, without any partner‟.
175
These revelations universally declare that God sent
Messengers to every people throughout the world.
The names of some of these are known to us
through the Qur‟an, but there is also a large number
whose names have not been made known to us.
176
وب" وؤودب ب بثشا ثؼذ ب ؤودب ب ىح واجني ه و بب ؤودب ب ع بػب داوود وآر ب وع بسو وبعذبق وؼمىة واإعجبغ وػغ وؤىة وىظ و
ىع ا ه وو ػ مصصه وسعب لج ه ػ صثىساوسعب لذ لصصبب "رى
“We inspire thee as We inspired Noah and theprophets after him, as We inspired Abraham andIshmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, andJesus and Job and Jonah and Aaron and Solomon,and as We imparted unto David the Psalms. Of somemessengers We have already told thee the story; ofothers We have not;- and to Moses Allah spokedirect” (4:163-164)
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177
ه" مصص ػ ه لصصب ػه و ه لجه ب سعب "ومذ ؤسع We did in times past send Messengers before you; of
them there are some whose stories We have related toyou, and some whose story We have not related to you.(40:78)
وبعذبق وؼمىة " بػ وبع ب ؤضي ب بثشا ب و ب ؤضي ب و ب ثب ب والىىا آ إعجبغ و غ وذ ه ؤدذ ب فشق ث سثه اجى ب ؤور ىع وػغ و ؤور "ى
We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to us, and toAbraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and thatgiven to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all)prophets from their Lord: We make no differencebetween one and another of them: And we bow to Allah(in Islam)." (2:136; 3:84)
178
مىي بط وىىا ػجبدا " واجىح ث اىزبة واذى ا ار جشش ؤ ب وب رذسعى ب وز اىزبة وث ى رؼ ب وز وىىا سثبني ث وى ا دو
ثبىفش ثؼذ بر ؤز شو بئىخ واجني ؤسثبثب ؤإ رزخزوا ا ؤ شو وب إ ى "غ
“It is not (possible) that a man, to whom is given theBook, and Wisdom, and the prophetic office, should sayto people: "Be ye my worshippers rather than Allah's": onthe contrary (He would say) "Be ye worshippers of HimWho is truly the Cherisher of all: For ye have taught theBook and ye have studied it earnestly. Nor would heinstruct you to take angels and prophets for Lords andpatrons. What! would he bid you to unbelief after ye havebowed your will (To Allah in Islam)? " (3:79-80)
179
The names we know are 25 out
of 124,000 (or perhaps
224,000); even then we do not
know exactly where and when
many of them lived.
The Finality of Prophet Muhammad
180
There are only four conditions under which theProphets have been sent unto the world:
1. There was need for a prophet to be sent unto acertain nation to which no prophet had been sentbefore and the message brought by the Prophet ofanother nation could not have reached these people.
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181
2. There was need for appointing a prophet
because the message of an earlier Prophet had
been forgotten by the people, or the teachings of
the former prophets had been adulterated and
hence it had become impossible to follow the
message brought by that Prophet.
182
3. The people had not received completemandate of Allah through a former prophet.Hence succeeding prophets were sent to fulfilthe task of completing the religion of Allah.
4. There was need for a second prophet to sharethe responsibility of office with the first prophet.
None of the above needs remains to be fulfilledafter the advent of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
Al-Akhirah (the End, Hereafter)
183
Belief in al-Akhirah is a basic article of Islamic faith,along with belief in God, His angels, His Books, andHis Messengers, Divine Decree and Predestination.After the doctrine of tawhid and Revelation, al-Akhirah is the most repeated theme with all vigour inthe Qur`ān.
All of the teachings of Islam would crumble if theafterlife or the eternal life were to be denied. It istherefore incomplete and indeed impossible todiscuss the teachings of Islam without referring tothe great significance that al-Akhirah possesses, notonly for man‟s final end but also for his life in thisworld .
184
Al-Akhirah literally translates into English as „the last‟or “the end”. As it deals with the end and ultimatedestiny of mankind and the world, it is often enclosedwithin a Greek term eschatology, meaning “thescience or teachings concerning the last things.”
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185
Al-Akhirah, in Islamic belief system, specificallyrefers to the „Hereafter‟. It signifies both “the otherand ultimate state of existence in the world tocome and the life of everlasting duration,” and“the good or blessing of the ultimate state of theother world.” In both senses, it is opposed to al-Dunyā, which means the “here-and-now” of lifeand immediate and transient values.
186
In Islam, there is not only the life of this world but
also the life in the world to come. This world is like a
field in which our actions are sown like seeds and
they grow into plants which are then harvested in the
next world. The Prophet (p.b.u.h) says: this world is
the growing field or the planting field for the next
world.”
187
The end of the world is not a completeextinction or an ultimate end, but thebeginning of a completely new state ofexistence with new laws and systems thatafford eternity. Likewise, death is not anirrevocable end of humankind, but thepassage into a new and eternal life. TheQur`ān leaves no doubt that the alternativesfor each individual at the Day of Judgment aretwo: the bliss of the Heaven or the torment ofthe Hell.
The Names of al-Ākhirah
188
Al-Ākhirah has more than 40 names scattered in
the Qur‟ānic verses. The names vary according to
different spectacles of al-Ākhirah and the
purposes al-Ākhirah serves. Nevertheless, some
names are more central than others.
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189
It is known as the Day of Resurrection (Yawm al-
Qiyāmah/al-Ba„th) when all the dead bodies will
be brought back to life and then assembled (the
Day of Assembly “Yawm al-Jam„”) to stand trial
(the Day of Judgment “Yawm al-Dīn”) and
account for individual deeds of commission and
omission (the Day of Reckoning “Yawm al-
Ḥisāb”).
190
Because the events seen to take place on that
Day are great and numerous, it is known as the
Eventful day (al-Qāri„ah) that is Real, beyond any
doubt (al-Ḥāqqah). Unlike this worldly and
transient life, it is the Hereafter (al-Ākhirah), the
Day of Eternal Life (Yawm al-Khulūd).
191
Because in this worldly life, whoever comes
eventually departs, and whoever departs never
returns, al-Ākhirah is the Day that is certainly
approaching and Imminent (Yawm al-Āzifah), and
the final Hour (al-Sā„ah) the knowledge of its
appointed time is known to God alone.
The Unbelievers and al-Akhirah
192
Resurrection or the final accountingwas an idea which the secularMakkan pagans found very hard toaccept. In fact, besides the doctrinesof Tawhid (monotheism/Oneness ofGod) and of Revelation itself, thisdoctrine was the most difficult forthem to accept.
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193
مب جذذا ل وىىا دجبسح ؤو دذذا " خ جؼىثى ؤوولبىا ؤئزا وب ػظبب وسفبرب ؤبب شح ؤوي از فؽشو ؼذب ل فغمىى ب ىجش ف صذوسو مب خ
لشجب ػغ ؤ ىى ى ل ز ومىى ه سئوعه ب غعى فغ “اإلعشاءThey say: "What! when we are reduced to bones
and dust, should we really be raised up (to be) a
new creation?" Say: Become stones or iron. Or
created matter which, in your minds, is hardest (to
be raised up),- (Yet shall ye be raised up)!" then will
they say: "Who will cause us to return?" Say: "He
who created you first!" Then will they wag their
heads towards thee, and say, "When will that be?"
Say, "May be it will be quite soon! (17:49-51)
Necessity and Wisdom of al-Akhirah
194
First, it is a manifestation of divine justice. Somecriminals and oppressed rulers may enjoy opulenceand luxury until the end of their life. On the other hand,other people might be righteous and lead a virtuous lifebut did not survive to reap the fruits of their labours.Instead, they had been made a scapegoat for all sortsof crimes.
Were the file of both groups of people to be closed inthis world on the basis of what transpires, what wouldbecome of the infinite justice, wisdom and mercy thatGod cherishes for His servants? Nobody who has theslightest notion of love and justice would consent tosuch a state of affairs
195
It is also obvious that not all the good and evil
deeds are subject to final accounting in this
worldly life. Many crimes and virtues are thus not
commensurable with the worldly retribution or
reward respectively. It is more logical to look
further, beyond this world.
The link between God‟s justice and the need for
a precise accounting of men‟s deeds and
misdeeds makes resurrection irrefutably
necessary
196
It is only in the Hereafter that all deeds,however extensive or infinitesimal, will beirresistibly exposed, scrupulously scrutinizedand then adequately requited.
ثمبي دجخ " وب فظ شئب وب ب رظ خ ف امب امغػ ى ىاص وعغ اب ثهب ووف ثب دبعجني خشدي ؤر "
“We shall set up scales of justice for the Dayof Resurrection, so that not a soul will be dealtwith unjustly in the least, and if there be (nomore than) the weight of a mustard seed, Wewill bring it (to account): and enough are Weto take account.”(21:47; see also 10:61;31:16)
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197
Secondly, the ends of the life must be clarifiedbeyond any doubt, so that men may see what theyhave been striving for and what the true purposes oflife are.
The life indeed is incomplete if considered from theperspective of this world alone, where values aregrounded in the transitory rather than the immutable.
198
In the Hereafter every person will find his deepest
self, fully excavated from the debris of extrinsic
and immediate concerns wherein the means are
substituted for ends and even pseudo-means for
real ends, where falsehood is not only substituted
for truth but becomes truth, and even more
attractive than truth.
199
So what makes the Hereafter better than this worldlylife is not only because of the quality of its life, butalso because of the eternity (everlastingness) andpermanence of such a life.
The Qur`ān simultaneously maintains bothcharacteristics when it states:
اذبح اذب واأخشح خش وؤثم" راثشو "ث“But the Hereafter is better [in quality of
life] and more enduring [in duration].”(87:16-17).
200
Thus, in order to give our life and efforts a
purposeful meaning and indeed to make a good
sense of al-Dunyā in its entirety, there must be an
ultimate end to which human actions are directed
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201
Thirdly, disputes, dissensions, and conflicts ofhuman orientations must be finally resolved.
for the most part, human differences are plaguedwith extrinsic motivations of selfishness ofindividuals, groups and national interests, andinherent traditions and myriad other forms offanaticism. The resolution of these differences ofbelief, therefore, will be practically identical withthe manifestation of the motivations of thesebeliefs.
202
The Qur`ān makes frequent reference to such conflicts and conflict- resolution:
" فزخ ث ب سثب ث غ ث ج ل ى ب رؼ ب وب غإي ػ ب ؤجش ػ ب رغإى ب ل ى افزبح اؼ "ثبذك و
“Say: "You shall not be questioned as to our sins, nor shall we be questioned as to what you do” Say: "Our Lord will gather us together and will in the end decide the matter between us [and you] in truth and justice: and He is the one to decide, the One Who knows all." (34:25-26)
203
ؤششوىا " جىط واز بدوا واصبثئني واصبسي وا ىا واز آ از بء شهذ ش ػ و ا خ ب امب ى ه ث فص ا "ب
“Those who believe [Muslims], and the Jews and the Sabeans and the Christians, and the Magians, and the polytheists,- surely Allah will decide among them on the Day of Resurrection, for Allah is witness over all things.” (22:17).
For this, the Qur`ān often refers to that Day “The Day of Decision” (i.e., between right and wrong deeds, beliefs, life-orientations, etc.) (37:21; 44:40; 77:38; 78:17).
The Benefits of belief in al-
Akhirah
204
Belief in al-Akhirah has several benefits atdifferent levels. There are individual benefits,social benefits and civilizational benefits.
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205
Individual Benefits
At individual level, it gives man a unique and
valuable advantage with a greater choice that
has an eternal implication. Anyone who is
concerned with his eternal welfare will
immediately feel the burden of disobedience
awaiting him once he allows himself to be
succumbed to passion and ignorance toward
the precipice of sin and rebellion against
divine command.
206
Thus, his belief in al-Akhirah not only raises
qualitatively the level of his deeds but also
accelerates their quantitative growth. His behaviour
is therefore shaped by truthfulness and sincerity.
Belief in al-Akhirah also provides a psychological
benefit to an individual.
207
Belief in the afterlife, when all „true‟ lovers will
be reunited, (43:67,70; 13:23; 36:56; 40:8)
can console the bereaved for the loss of their
beloved ones. It is also a source of
consolation for elderly and a terminally ill
patient as they would know that his departure
does not mean his total extinction, but rather a
passage to an eternal life where he can enjoy
eternal comfort, if he strives for it in this
worldly life .
208
It prevents young people from wasting their livesin transitory and trivial things.
It gives hope to the elderly as they move closerto the grave.
It helps to endure the death of the loved ones.Who believe that they will be reunited with theirdeceased loved ones in a far better world, wouldfind true consolation in the Resurrection.
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209
It also consoles the sick with terminal illness.
This belief encourages people to live a responsiblelife, a life of peace and tranquility
It also prevents man from fearing the passingdifficulties of life, make him accept them withequanimity and even transforms those difficulties intomeans of development and ascent toward the loftygoals of life.
210
Social Benefits
A society composed of such individuals who believein al-Akhirah and live to it has much to gain.
After belief in God, belief in al-Akhirah has theprimary place in preserving social security andpreventing the spread of corruption, crime andviolation of law. It is a force capable of taming therebellious desires of the soul.
211
That is because one who holds this belief will
obey a series of ethical principles (having
eschatological implications) without hypocrisy and
without being subject to external pressure.
212
It is the belief and knowledge of the teleological
implication of one‟s conduct within one‟s society
that will produce good citizens. Anyone seriously
concerned with his eternal abode, will accustom
himself with good behaviours and the society will
thus be protected from the crimes or immoralities
that he might otherwise have committed
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213
Belief in al-Akhirah also has civilizational benefits.
Enamoured with his vast potentialities andtremendous material achievements, man can domany things – virtue and vice, commendable andabominable – simply because he can do them. Thisattitude will lead to irresponsible subjugation ofnature, amounting to unsustainable development.
214
However, belief in al-Akhirah (when everyone will
be accountable for his deeds and misdeeds) will
imbue one with the sense of responsibility, which
is a condition of sustainable development. Man
will consequently choose the right course of
action
215
Belief in al-Akhirah should be seen as a source of
strength and not of weakness, for any responsible
individuals, societies and civilizations. Human
beings are expected to exhaust their potentialities
and invest them in long-term rewards: greater efforts
for greater rewards.
216
Instead of resigning to the lower and
immediate values, the basal pursuits of al-Dunyā, he is encouraged to strive for long-
range results of al-Akhirah. That is why the
Qur`ān often exhorts man to “deliberate on
that which one has sent forth for the morrow,”
(59:18)
" ا ب ذ غذ وارمىا ا ب لذ ظش فظ وز ىا ارمىا ا آ ب ؤهب از ى ب رؼ "خجري ث
for whatever accrues to a person is the
consequence of previous deeds.
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To conclude, we may ask “Is there anything to lose ifone believes in al-Akhirah and works for it?” Theanswer is negative, one will lose nothing.
Akhirah is not a mere “belief”. It is a reality & thebelief in this reality must lead to virtuous life with loftyideals…
218
To invest one‟s thought and actionin al-Akhirah means to live apurposeful and responsible life inthis world and to prepare for one‟seternal felicity in the world to come.The important lesson to be learnedis to keep always in mind the realityof afterlife, the ultimateconsequence of one‟s actions andone‟s responsibility towards Allahfor what one does.
219
Belief in al-Akhirah is not a sort of „blind faith‟.Rather, it is rational and necessary if only to makeany sense of the existence in this worldly life.
We must not mistake absence of experientialknowledge for knowledge of absence. By itsessence, al-Akhirah is not meant to be experiencedin this world, because it starts where all worldlyexperiences stop. It will be the last and ultimateexperience awaiting humankind!
220
Man; His Creation, His
Purposes and His Functions
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Man in Islam is a multidimensional creature;stands between the material and spiritual worldsand partakes the nature of both.
God has originated him from clay, so the animalworld is reflected. Due to this bodily dimension,man needs resources of the material world for hispersonal growth and social fulfillments.
222
Spiritually, God breathed His own spirit in to him
so that from one side the spiritual world is
reflected in him, the part that constitutes the
relationship to his Lord.
223
The Qur`an addresses mankind in two crucial
dimensions. First, man is addressed in his
ultimate nature: his essential characteristics and
behaviors; as such man takes several integral
features and attributes, such as Insan (human
being), Bashar (man kind), Bani Adam (children
of Adam)
224
The second crucial dimension is man as a moral
creature. In this regard the Qur`an employs terms
such as Khilafah (vicegerency), Taqwa (piety),
Iman (belief / faith), Islam (total submission to
God), and their opposite terms such as Fujur(immorality), Kufur (disbelief), Nifaq (hypocrisy) .
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Creation (of man) versus Evolution
225
Man is God‟s creature just like other created
beings. He has been created in the best
conceivable pattern.
God fashioned Adam out of baked clay, which,
when organized into a human being, produces
an extract, sulalah (reproductive semen).
When injected into the womb, this semen
undergoes a creative process, as has been
described in the Qur‟an.
226
خمب ا" ىني ث ؽفخ ف لشاس ب جؼ ؼث عبخ مخ ؽفومذ خمب اةغب خ ػمب خ ؤشإب ب ث ذ ب فىغىب اؼظب عغخ ػظب عغخ فخمب ا مخ ش آخفخمب اؼ
اخبمني ؤدغ "فزجبسن ا“And certainly We created man of an extract of clay;Then We placed him as (a drop of) sperm in a placeof rest, firmly fixed; Then We made the sperm into aclot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a(foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bonesand clothed the bones with flesh; then we developedout of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, thebest to create!”
(Qur‟an 23:12-14.)
Evolution
227
The way in which living things change anddevelop over millions of years, or a gradualprocess of change and development:
Charles Darwin(1809–1882), renownednaturalist and thinker is associated with thetheory of evolution by natural selection.
Darwin's theory of evolution: Darwin's theoryof evolution maintained that all living beingsemerged as a result of chance and thusdenied Creation.
228
There are more than a million species living on the
earth. How did these creatures with entirely distinct
features and perfect designs come into being?
Anyone who uses his reason would understand that
life is the work of a perfect and supreme creation.
The idea that life is the product of an uncontrolled,
purposeless process of coincidence is a 19th century
myth. Looking at the matter from the primitive level of
the science of the period, evolutionists assumed that
life was very "simple".
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Different branches of science like biochemistry,
genetics, and paleontology have demonstrated
that the claims that life originated as a result of
"coincidences" is deceptive. The Status of Man
230
Man is God‟s creature just like other created beings.
But these creatures have been made subservient to
him.
231
It is Allah Who hath created the heavens and theearth and sendeth down rain from the skies, andwith it bringeth out fruits wherewith to feed you; itis He Who hath made the ships subject to you,that they may sail through the sea by Hiscommand; and the rivers (also) hath He madesubject to you. And He hath made subject to youthe sun and the moon, both diligently pursuingtheir courses; and the night and the day hath he(also) made subject to you. And He giveth you ofall that ye ask for. But if ye count the favours ofAllah, never will ye be able to number them.Verily, man is given up to injustice andingratitude
232
Indeed, man has been raised far above most other
creatures:
" ب اؽجبد وفع ف اجش واجذش وسصلب ب ود ب ث آد وثري ػ ومذ وش خمب رفعب “
We have honoured the sons of Adam; provided
them with transport on land and sea; given them for
sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on
them special favours, above a great part of our
creation. (Qur‟an 17: 70).
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The Purpose of Creation
233
„Ibādah
Khilāfah
Amānah
234
ى" از و وسفغ األسض خالئف جؼى دسجبد ثؼط فىق ثؼعى ىو ف ج ب آربو اؼمبة عشغ سثه ب غفىس وب "سد
It is He Who has made you (His) agents,inheritors of the earth: He has raised you inranks, some above others: that He may try you inthe gifts He has given you: for your Lord is quickin punishment: yet He is indeed Oft-forgiving,Most Merciful. (Al-Anam, 6: 165)
Meaning of Khalifah
235
Khalifah means:
“One who exercises delegated power on behalf of
the Supreme Authority.” In this way he is not the
master but the deputy of the One who has
entrusted him with power.
236
A Khalifah is entrusted with certain powers to govern/ manage the world;
A Khalifah is given freedom of action but he has to choose the right thing and leave the wrong one;
A Khalifah has duties and responsibilities to His Creator; to himself, to his fellow men and to other creatures of Allah.
A Khalifah is equipped with knowledge (of everything, good and bad, right and wrong) so that he is able to establish justice.
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Allah provided man with everything he needs to fulfill his responsibilities; material and immaterial things.
A Khalifah will be held responsible and accountable for all his actions on the Day of Judgment.
A khalifah is promised Paradise if he succeeds in fulfilling his responsibilities and Hell-Fire if he fails to do so.
Allah has from to time sent Prophets and Messengers to guide the children of Adam:
238
ب " ارم وؤصخ ف آبر ف ى ػ مصى ى سع ب إرى ب ب ث آد ذضى وب ه "خىف ػ
“O ye Children of Adam! Whenever there come to you
Messengers from amongst you, rehearsing My Signs
unto you-those who are righteous and mend (their
lives)-on them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve.”
[al-A„raf (7): 35].
The responsibility given to man as Khalifah is known
as Amanah (trust). In some places of the Holy Qur‟an
it is known as Mithaq (covenant). Allah says in the
Holy Qur‟an:
239
" ؤغذ ثشثى ػ ؤفغه وؤشهذ رسزه ظهىس ث آد بىا لوبر ؤخز سثه زا غبفني خ بب وب ػ امب رمىىا ى "ث شهذب ؤ
“When thy Lord drew forth from the Children of Adam
from loins-their descendants, and made them testify
concerning themselves, (saying): “Am I not your Lord
(who cherishes and sustains you)?”-They said: “Yea!
We do testify!” (This), lest ye should say on the Day of
Judgment: “Of this we were never mindful.” [al-A„raf
(7): 172].
240
It is narrated by Ubayy ibn Ka„b that “Allah gathered the whole of mankind and arranged it into separate groups according to their kinds or periods and gave them human shape and the power of speech. Then he took a Covenant from and made them witnesses concerning themselves and asked, „Am I not your Lord?‟ They answered, „Most certainly, You alone are our Lord.‟ Then Allah said, „I ask the earth and the heavens and your father Adam to bear witness to this effect, lest you should say on the day of resurrection that you had no knowledge of this. So note it well that none other than I is worthy of worship (and obedience) and that there is no
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other Lord than I. You should not set up any
partners with me. I will send to you Messengers,
who will remind you of this covenant that you are
making with me; I will also send My Book to you.‟
At this, the whole of mankind replied, „We bear
witness to this: You alone are our Lord and our
Deity: we have no other lord or deity than You.‟ ”
242
The above narration implies that Tawhid (belief in the Oneness of Allah) is implanted in human nature; everyone is born on Fitrah and it is the parents who misguide him.
The righteous people fulfill their covenant with Allah and they never break it:
Allah (SWT) says:" وفغذو ىص ؤ ث ش ا ب ؤ ومؽؼى ثبل ثؼذ ػهذ ا معى فواز
عىء اذاس اؼخ وه "اإسض ؤوئه ه“They (the righteous) fulfill their Covenant with Allah, and break it not after confirming it.” [al-Ra„d (13): 25]
On the contrary, the wrong doers break their Covenant with Allah.
243
Allah says, “But those who break the Covenant of
Allah, after having plighted their word thereto, and
cut asunder those things which Allah has
commanded to be joined, and work mischief in
the land-on them is the Curse; for them is the
terrible Home!.” (13: 25).
Responsibilities of a Khalifah
244
Social responsibilities
Economic responsibilities
Political responsibilities
Religious responsibilities
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Meaning and Concept of Fitrah
245
Fitrah means: “the natural constitution withwhich a child is created and born, whereby heis capable of accepting the religion of truth.”
The Prophet is reported to have said “everychild is born with a true faith (i.e. to worshipnone but Allah alone) but his parents converthim to Judaism, Christianity or Magainism…”
Islamic Worldview and the
Challenges of Globalization
246
„Globalization‟ defined: a phenomenon involving the integration of economies,
cultures, governmental policies, and politicalmovements around the world;
The growing economic interdependence of countriesworldwide through the increasing volume of cross-border transactions in goods and services ofinternational capital flows, and also through the rapidand widespread diffusion of technology;
it consists of processes that lead to globalinterdependence and the increasing rapidity ofexchange across vast distances
247
it has acquired three different distinct meanings: 1)Information meaning of globalization: Forces which aretransforming the information pattern of the world andcreating the beginnings of what has been called theinformation super highway. Expanding access to dataand mobilising the computer and the internet into globalservice.
The economic definition of globalization: Forces whichare transforming the global market and creating neweconomic interdependencies across vast distances.
The third meaning of Globalization is comprehensive: Allforces which are turning the world into a global village,compressing distance, homogenizing culture,accelerating mobility and reducing the relevance ofpolitical borders. Under this comprehensive definition,Globalization is the gradual villagization of the world.
248
As early as 1962 the Canadian visionary Marshall
McLuhan wrote that the electronic age was
turning all humanity into a “global tribe,” and the
term global village is attributed to him
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Positive Aspects of Globalization
249
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has helped toreduce poverty by creating jobs and improvingincomes.
New communications and informationtechnology have helped disseminateknowledge in many fields of study anddisciplines.
Communication is cheaper and easier. Costsof telephone calls as well as travel havefallen.
250
This makes it easier to understand oneanother. Communities although heterogeneous,can be more cooperative now that are moremeans of understanding each other.
Globalization makes it possible for humanity tohave compassion for each other when calamities– natural or man-made – affect others.
Issues such as human rights and publicaccountability are brought to the fore.
Negative Aspects of Globalization
251
Environmental degradation due to unrestrained logging activities of transnational corporations whose sole aim is to multiply profits.
Although poverty has been reduced to a certain extent, new economic disparities have been created. There are stark regional disparities in poverty.
Basic necessities in life are set aside in favor of profits. Many countries in the South have been occupied with facilitating foreign investment in industries that are lucrative to foreign markets and forsaking the most fundamental needs of the people.
252
Globalization aids the removal of national controls overcross-border financial flows. Dramatic outflows of capitalfrom one country to another have caused havoc in somecurrencies, particularly in Southeast Asia.
Advances in technology aggravated by the outflow ofcapital to low cost production sites in the South hascaused growing unemployment in the North, which is anaffront to human dignity.
Globalization has popularized the consumer culture.Consumerism has given birth to materialism wherepeople are more interested in what they have rather thanthe essential aspects of humanity.
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Global consumerism is now forming a homogeneousglobal culture where indigenous cultures of the South arebeing replaced by Western cultures.
The global entertainment industry is propagating asuperficial American pop culture, which titillates thesenses and impairs the spirit.
Formal education systems are emphasizing technical andmanagerial skills responding to market demands andleaving aside traditional academic subjects. This meansthat education is nothing more than acquiring specificskills and techniques and less emphasis on moraleducation.
254
Although the IT boom has given rise to an expanse ofinformation there is a lot of information that is uselessand meaningless causing people to be pre-occupied withtrivia.
Double standards are present in the human rights aspectof the present world where they are used as part ofWestern governments‟ foreign policy but only when itsuits them.
Globalization has internationalized crime of all kinds.
Like crime, disease is more rampant throughout the worldmaking the spread difficult to control.
Extremism
255
Extremism literal means: being situated at the farthest possible point from the
centre;
going to great or exaggerated lengths;
exceeding the ordinary, usual, or expected.
Figuratively, it indicates a similar remoteness inreligion, politics and ethnicity.
Extremism is referred to in the Holy
Qur'an as follows
256
1. Ghuluww:
The Qur‟an addresses the people of the Book:
ل" لذ ظىا ىاء لى ش اذك وب رزجؼىا ؤ غ اىزبة ب رغىا ف دى ب ؤ ل ج عىاء اغج (77: املبئدة)” وؤظىا وثريا وظىا ػ
“Say: O People of the Book! Exceed not in yourreligion the bounds [of what is proper]” (5:77)
(171: انسبء" )ال حغهىا يف ديكى" “Commit no excesses in your religion”
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2. I'tida':
"ولبرىا يف عج اهلل از مبرىى وال رؼزذوا ب اهلل ال حيت املؼزذ"(انبقسة :190(
“Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you,
but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth
not transgressors.”
258
3. Israf:
It also disapproves of and rejects thetendency to prohibit tayyibat (goodness) andzinah (beautification), which Allah hasprovided for His servants:
غش" ب ذت ا غجذ ووىا واششثىا وب رغشفىا ب ػذ و خزوا صزى "فنيب ث آد(31:ألػشاف)
“O Children of Adam! wear your adornment at everytime and place of prayer:; and eat and drink and benot extravagant; surely He does not love theextravagant.” (7:31)
259
Islam condemns extremism in all its forms andrecommends moderation. The Prophet says:
“Beware of excessiveness in religion. [People] beforeyou have perished as a result of [such] excessiveness.”
He also said:
(سوا اجخبس وغ)“ غشوا وال رؼغشوا وثششوا وال رفشوا“
ب اذ غش و شبد اذ ؤدذ بال غج، فغذدوا، ولبسثىا، وؤثششوا، واعزؼىا، ““ثبغذوح واشودخ، وشء اذجلخ
(سوا اجخبس)
Historical Background of
Extremism
260
Extremism is not a new phenomenon, it can
be found in all religions.
With regard to Islamic community, its root can
be found in the early history of Islam. There
have been many extremist schools and sects,
which have impact on other extremist groups.
In this respect, Al-Khawaarij and Al-Murji’ah
are the best known of early extremist groups.
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Al-Khawaarij
261
They are the ones who set out to kill Ali bin Abee
Taalib due to his rulership. Their methodology
consists of freeing themselves from „Uthmaan and
„Ali.
They believe that the person who commits a major sin
will remain in the Hellfire forever.
They have branded all who oppose them as
unbelievers [kaffaru man khalafahum]. They dare to
heap curses on the Companions [Ashab] of the
Prophet and on his Helpers [Ansar].
They do not believe in the torment of the tomb ['adhab al-qabr], nor in the Basin [Hawd], nor in the right of
intercession [shafa'a]
Al-Murji’ah
262
They believe that actions are deferred from Iman (Al-
Irjaa). Thus actions, according to them, are not part of
it. Iman is simply the complying of the heart. Thus the
sinner, according to them, is a believer with complete
Iman, even if he does what he does from the
disobedient acts or he abandons what he abandons
from the obedient acts.
And if we ruled that someone that abandoned one of
the commandments of the Religion is a disbeliever,
then that would be due to the absence of the
complying in his heart not due to his abandonment of
that deed. And this view, along in comparison with the
views of the Khawaarij, are the two opposite
extremities.
Manifestation of Extremism
263
1. Bigotry and intolerance
2. Commitment to excessiveness and attempt to force others to do the same;
3. Obsolete religious excessiveness and overburdening of others;
4. Harshness in the treatment of people and crudeness in calling people to Islam
264
It is unfair to accuse a person of “religious
extreme” simply because he has adopted a „hard-
line‟ juristic opinion of certain fuqaha‟. People
naturally differ on this matter, even among the
Prophet‟s companions. For example, Ibn „Abbas
facilitated religious matters, while Ibn „Umar was
strict.
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A person whose knowledge of and commitment to
Islam is little, or who has been brought up in an
environment that neglects shari„ah, will certainly
consider even the minimal adherence to Islam as
a kind of extremism.
266
The contemporary extremist activities could be
classified to be mainly due to ignorance and flawed
method of thoughts.
Ignorance includes the following:
Lack of knowledge about the Qur´an,
Lacking in knowledge of the Sunnah,
Lacking in knowledge of the objectives of Shariah
Lack of knowledge of proofs and tools in concluding
thoughts,
Lack of knowledge of the statements of the scholars
and their legacies,
267
Lack of knowledge of Arabic language and its
rhetoric,
Lack of historical knowledge,
Ignorance of the reality and environment,
Ignorance of the different levels of people and the
difference in approach.
268
And the flawed method of thoughts is evident in:
Taking a very literal approach of the Qur‟an and
Hadith,
Failure to understand comprehensively
Reinterpreting the texts,
Taking directly from the texts, without proper
background
Following the equivocal evidences
Failure to reconcile seemingly contradictory
evidences,
Lack of objectivity
Making ijtihad while not being qualified to do so.
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Remedy for extremism
269
1. Duties of Society
2. Duties of Yong Muslims
3. Knowledge, values and actions
4. Sympathetic understanding of abilities,limitations and circumstances of others
5. Knowledge and insight into the sunan of Allah‟screation
6. A dialogue on the Sunan of Allah andconditions of victory
Liberalism
270
„Liberalism‟ a political philosophy based on
belief in progress, the essential goodness of
the human race, and the autonomy of the
individual and standing for the protection of
political and civil liberties;
„Liberal‟ BROAD-MINDED; especially: not
bound by authoritarianism, orthodoxy, or
traditional forms.
271
Liberal Muslims object to the implementation of
the Shari‟ah on several grounds:
Against theocracy
For democracy
Rights of women
Right of non-Muslims
Freedom of thought
272
The liberals emphasized the role of reason and
ijtihad and they condemned Taqlid (imitation).
They call for the re-interpretation of the Shari‟ah;
they argue that the revelation is divine, but
interpretation is human and fallible and inevitably
plural. .
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273
Liberal Islam has been denounced by many
Muslims.
The proponents of „Liberal Islam‟ has been called
by so many names including „Secularists‟ and
„Apostates‟.
274
Liberals generally claim that they are returning to
the principals of the early Muslim community,
arguing that the traditionalist or the
fundamentalist have diverged from true Islam
through their focus on the literal word rather than
the ethical intent of scripture and are usually
secularist in nature.
275
It is He Who has made you (His) agents,
inheritors of the earth: He has raised you in
ranks, some above others: that He may try you in
the gifts He has given you: for your Lord is quick
in punishment: yet He is indeed Oft-forgiving,
Most Merciful.