ISLAMIC WAY OF LIFE
ISLAMIC WAY OF LIFE
By Syed Abul A'ala Mawdudi
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
CHAPTER IV
CHAPTER V
CHAPTER VI
Chapter I
ISLAMIC
CONCEPT OF LIFE
The chief characteristic of the Islamic Concept of Life is that
it does not admit a conflict, nay, not even a significant separation between
life-spiritual and life-mundane. It does not confine itself merely in purifying
the spiritual and the moral life of man in the limited sense of the word. Its
domain extends to the entire gamut of life. It wants to mould individual life as
well as the social order in healthy patterns, so that the Kingdom of God may
really be established on the earth and so that peace, contentment and well-being
may fill the world as waters fill the oceans. The Islamic Way of Life is based
on this unique approach to life and a peculiar concept of man's place in the
Universe. That is why it is necessary that before we proceed to discuss the
moral, social, political and economic systems of Islam, we should have a clear
idea of the Islamic Concept of Life.
There are certain basic postulates which should be understood
and appreciated at the very outset. These postulates are as follows:
BASIC
POSTULATE
- Allah Who is the Creator, the Ruler and the Lord of the entire Universe
has created man and provided him with temporary station in that part of His
vast kingdom (cosmos) which is known as the earth. He has endowed man with
the faculties of thinking and understanding, and has given him the power to
distinguish right from wrong. Man has also been invested with freedom of
will and choice and the power to use the resources of the world in any
manner he likes. In short, man has been given a sort of autonomy while being
appointed by God on earth as a successor to the beings that had previously
populated it.
- Before assigning to man the inheritance of the earth, God made it
explicitly clear to him that He alone is the Lord, the Ruler and the Deity.
As such, the entire Universe and all the creatures in it (including man)
must submit to Him alone. Man must not think himself totally free and should
know that this earth is not his permanent abode. He has been made to live
upon it only during the period of his probation, and in due course, he will
return to his Lord, to be judged according to the way he has utilized the
period of probation. The only right course for man is to acknowledge Allah
as the only Lord, the Sustainer and the Deity and to follow His Guidance and
His Commands in all walks of life. Man must live this life with the
realization that he is to be judged and his sole objective should be to
merit the pleasure of Allah so as to emerge successful in the final test.
Conduct which is contrary to this would lead man astray. If man follows the
course of piety and Godliness (which he is free to choose and follow) he
will succeed in this world and in the next, in this world he will live a
life of peace and contentment, and in the Hereafter he will qualify himself
for the heaven of eternal bliss, al-Jannah. And if he chooses to follow the
other course, i.e., that of Godlessness and evil (which he is equally free
to choose and follow) his life will be one of corruption, disruption and
frustration in this world and he will meet colossal misfortune in the life
to come - that abode of pain and misery which is called Jahannam (Hell).
- After administering the warning, God set man upon the earth and provided
the very first human beings (Adam and Eve) with Ms Guidance in accordance
with which men were to live on the earth. Thus, man's life on this earth did
not begin in utter darkness. The very first man was provided with a burning
torch of light and guidance so that humanity might attain its glorious
destiny. The very first man received revealed knowledge from God Himself. He
had knowledge of the reality and was given the code of life by following
which he could live a life of bliss and success. This code of life was
Islam, the attitude of complete submission to Allah, the Creator of man and
of the whole universe. It was this religion which Adam, the first man,
passed down to posterity. But later generations gradually drifted away from
the right path and adopted different erroneous paths. Because of negligence,
they lost the original teachings, or due to folly or mischief they
adulterated and perverted them. They associated with God innumerable human
beings, non-human objects and imaginary entities as deities and indulged in
Shirk (polytheism) of the worst type. They mixed up the pure teachings of
God with strange myths, ideas and philosophies and thus produced a jungle of
religions and cults. They discarded the God-given principles of social
ethics and collective morality, the Shari'ah, and deprived the human life of
peace and tranquility.
- Although men departed from the path of truth, disregarded and distorted
the Shari'ah and some of them even revolted against the code of Divine
Guidance, yet God did not destroy them or force them to the right course.
Forced conversion to the right path was not in keeping with the autonomy He
had given to man. Instead, God appointed certain virtuous persons from
amongst the people themselves, to discharge the responsibility of recalling
and guiding men to the right path during their sojourn on the earth. These
men believed in God, and lived a life of obedience to Him. He honored them
by His revelations and gave them the knowledge of reality. These men, known
as prophets (peace be upon all of them), were assigned the task of
presenting the message of truth to humanity and of asking the people to come
to the path of the Lord.
- These prophets were raised in all epochs, in all lands and in all nations.
Out of numerous prophets sent by God, the Qur’an explicitly mentions
twenty-five. All of them brought the same message, all of them advocated the
same way of life (Deen) i.e., the way which was revealed to man on the first
day of his existence. All of them followed the same guidance: the guidance
which was prescribed by the Lord for man at the outset of his career on the
earth. All of them stood for the same mission: they called men to the
religion if Islam, asked those who accepted the Divine Guidance to live in
accordance with it: and organized them into a movement for the establishment
of the Divine Law, and for putting an end to all deviations from the Right
Path. Every prophet tried to fulfill this mission in the best possible way.
But quite a number of people never accepted this guidance and many of those
who accepted it gradually drifted astray and, al lapse of time, lost the
guidance or distorted it through innovations and perversions.
- At last, God raised Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) in the land of
Arabia and assigned to him the completion of the mission for which earlier
prophets were ordained. The message of Mohammed (peace be upon him) was for
the whole of mankind. He presented anew the teachings of Islam in their
pristine form and provided mankind once again, with the Divine Guidance
which they had lost in its original form. He organized all those who
accepted his message into one Ummah (Nation) which was charged with
reconstructing its own life in accordance with the teachings of Islam, by
calling mankind to the path of righteousness and with establishing the
supremacy of the word of God on the earth. This guidance is enshrined in the
Holy Qur'an which constitutes the only right code of conduct for mankind.
IMAN
(FAITH): ITS NATURE AND CHARACTER
We have discussed above those basic postulates of Islam which,
on the one hand, revealed God's plan for providing guidance to man in this world
and, on the other, defined the nature, position and status of man in it. Now,
let us study the foundations on which the Qur'an wants to develop man's
relationship with Allah and the concept of life which naturally follows from
that relationship.
The Qur’an deals with this problem on many occasion but the
entire concept of life envisaged as epitomized in the following verse:
" God hath purchased of the Believers. Their
persons and their goods; For their (in return) Is the Garden (of Paradise) They
fight in His Cause, And slay and are slain: A promise binding on Him In Truth,
through the Law, The Gospel, and the Qur’an: And who is more faithful To his
Covenant than God? Then rejoice in bargain Which ye have concluded: That
is the achievement supreme. "(Al-Qur'an, IX:II1)
In the above verse the nature of the relationship which comes
into existence between man and God because of Imam (the act of reposing faith in
Allah) has been called a "bargain". This means that Iman in Allah is
not a mere metaphysical concept; it is in the nature of a contract by which man
barters his life and his belongings with Allah in exchange for Paradise in the
life Hereafter. God so to say, purchases a believer's life and property and
promises, by way of price, the award of Paradise in the life after death. The
concept of bargain has important implications and we should, therefore, first of
all clearly understand its nature and meanings.
The fact of the matter is that each and every thing in this
world belongs to Allah. He is the real owner of them all. As such, man's life
and riches, which are part of this world, also belong to Him, because it is He
Who created them and it is He Who has assigned them to each man for his use.
Looking at the problem from this angle; the question of His purchasing what is
already His: Man is not their real owner; he has no title to sell them. But
there is one thing which has been conferred on man, and which now belongs fully
to him, and that is his free will, the freedom of choice of following or not
following the path of Allah. As man has been endowed with free will in this
respect, he is free to acknowledge or not to acknowledge the reality of things.
Although this freedom of will and choice that man possesses does not
automatically make him the real owner of all the energies and resources on which
he has command. Nor does he acquire the title to utilize them in any way he
likes. Nor does his acknowledgment of reality or refusal to do so in any way
affects reality as such. Yet it does mean that he is free to acknowledge the
sovereignty of God and His over lordship on his own life and belongings or
refuse to acknowledge it and to arrogate to himself the position of total
independence. He may, if he so likes, regard himself free from all obligations
to the Lord and may think that he enjoys full rights and powers over all that he
has, and thus, may use them according to his own wishes unfettered by any higher
command. It is here that the question of bargain comes in. This bargain does not
mean that God is purchasing something which belongs to man. Its real nature is
this: All creation belongs to God but He has bestowed certain things on man to
be used by him as a trust from God. And man has been given freedom to honestly
fulfill the trust or if he so likes, to betray it or misuse it. Now, God demands
that man should willingly and voluntarily (and not under duress or compulsion)
acknowledge those things as His which really belongs to Him and man should use
them as a trust from God and not as something his own to be used as he pleases.
Thus, a man who voluntarily renounces the freedom even to refuse God's supremacy
and instead acknowledges His sovereignty. So to say, "sells" his
"autonomy" (which too is a gift from God and not something which man
has acquired of his own) to God, and gets in return God's promise of eternal
bliss that is Paradise. A man who makes such a bargain is a "Mu'min”
(Believer). And Iman (Belief) is the Islamic name for this contract; while the
one who chooses not to enter into this contract, or after making such a contract
amounting to its gross breach, is one who has followed the course of the devil.
Thus Allah says:
"Say if it be that your fathers, Your sons, your
brothers, Your mates, or your kindred; The wealth that you have gained; The
commerce in which you fear a decline: or the dwellings in which you delight
Are dearer to you than God, Or His apostle, of the striving In His cause;
then wait until Allah brings about His Decision. And God Guides not the
rebellious." (Al-Qur’an, IX:24)
The attempt to avoid or abrogate this contract can lead to
Kufr (total disbelief). Such is the nature and the contract. Now let us briefly
study its various aspects and stipulations.
- God has put us to serious trail on two counts:
- He has left man free. But even after giving him that freedom He wishes to
see whether or not man realizes his true position. Whether he remains honest
and steadfast and maintains loyalty and allegiance to the Lord, or loses his
head and revolts against his own Creator; whether he behaves like a noble
soul, or tramples under foot all values of decency and starts playing
fantastic tricks.
- He wants to see whether man is prepared to have such confidence in God as
to offer his life and wealth in return for what is a promise. That is to
materialize in the next world and whether he is prepared to surrender his
autonomy and all the charms that go with it, in exchange for a promise about
the future.
- It is an accepted principle of Islamic law that Iman consists of adherence
to a certain set of doctrines and whosoever reposes faith in those doctrines
becomes a Mu'min. No one has a right to denounce such a man as non-believer
or drive him out of the fold of the Ummah (Islamic Community), save when
there is explicit proof of falsity or of renunciation of the belief. This is
the legal aspect of the problem. But in the eyes of the Lord, only that Iman
is valuable which consists in complete surrender of one’s will and choice
to the Will of Allah. It is a state of thought and action wherein man
submits himself fully to Allah, renouncing all claim to his own supremacy.
It is something that comes from the heart. It is an attitude of the mind and
prepares man for a certain course of action. If a man recites the Kalima,
enters into the contract, and even offers his prayers and performs other
acts of worship, but in his heart he regards himself as the owner and the
sovereign dispenser of his physical and mental powers and of his moral and
material resources, uses them to his own liking and upholds his freedom of
will, then, however much of the people may look upon him as Mu'min
(believer), in the eyes of God he will be a non-believer, for he has, in
fact, not really entered into the bargain which according to the Qur'an is
the essence of Iman (belief). If a man does not use his powers and resources
in the way God has prescribed for him, and instead uses them in pursuits
which God has prohibited, it clearly shows that either he has not pledged
his life and property to Allah, or even after pledging them to Him, he
falsifies the pledge by his conduct.
- This nature of Iman makes the Islamic way of life distinct from, nay, the
very opposite of, the non-Islamic way of life. A Muslim, who has real faith
in Allah, makes every aspect of his subservience to the Will of Allah. His
entire life is one of obedience and surrender and he never behaves in an
arrogant or an autonomous way, except in a moment of forgetfulness. And
after such a lapse as soon as he becomes conscious of it, he again
re-addresses himself to his Lord and repents his error. Similarly, a group
of people or a society which consist of true Muslims can never break away
from the Law of their Lord. Its political o, its social organization, its
culture, its economic policy, its legal system and its international
strategy must all be in tuned with the Code of Guidance revealed by Allah
and must, in no way, contravene it. And if ever, through error or omission,
any contravention it committed, they must, on realizing this, correct this
immediately and return forthwith to the state of subservience to the Law of
God. It is the way of the non-believers to feel free from God's Guidance and
to behave as one's own master. Whoever adopts such a policy, even though he
may bear a name similar to that of a Muslim, is treading the satanic path
and is following the way of the non-believers.
- The Will of God, which is obligatory upon man to follow, is the one which
God Himself has revealed for man's guidance. The Willof God is not to be
determined by man himself. God has Himself enunciated it clearly and there
is no ambiguity about it. There, if a person or society is honest and
steadfast in its contract with Allah, it must scrupulously fashion its
entire life in accordance with the Book of God and the Sunnah (practical
example) of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
A little reflection will show that these aspects and
stipulations are logically implicit in the bargain and it is also clear from
the above discussion why the payment of the "price" has been
postponed tot he life after death. Paradise is not the reward for the mere
profession of the bargain, it is the reward for the faithful execution of the
contract. Unless the contract is fully executed and the actual life-behavior
of the "vendor" complies with the terms of the contract he does not
become entitled to the reward. Thus, the final act of the "sale" is
concluded only at the last moment of the vendor's life, and as such, it is
natural that the reward should be given to him in the Life Hereafter.
There is another significant point which emerges from the
study of the verse quoted above (Al-Qur'an, IX:24) when it is read with
reference to its context. In the verses preceding it, reference has been made
to the people who professed Iman and promised a life of obedience, but when
the hour of trail came they proved unequal to the task. Some neglected the
call of the hour and betrayed the cause. Others, played tricks of hypocrisy
and, refused to sacrifice their lives and riches in the cause of Allah. The
Qur’an, after exposing these people and criticizing their insincerity makes
it clear that Iman is a contract, a form of pledge between man and God. It
does not consist of a mere profession of belief in Allah. It is an
acknowledgment of the fact that Allah alone is our Sovereign Lord and Ruler
and that everything that man has, including his life, belongs to Him and must
be used in accordance with His directives. If a Muslim adopts a contrary
course he is insincere in his profession of faith. True believers are only
those who have really sold their lives and all that they possessed to God and
who followed His dictates in all fields of activity. They stake their all in
obedience to the Commands of the Lord, and do not deviate even an inch from
the path of loyalty to God. Such only are the true believers.
This discussion makes it clear that Islam begins with laying
down the proper lines on which man's relationship with the Lord is to be reared;
his entire individual and social life is an exercise in developing and
strengthening this relationship. Iman, the starting point of our religion,
consists in the acceptance of this relationship by man's intellect and will.
Thus, Islam is actual submission, the way of surrender to the Will of God in all
aspects of life and behavior. Now, we are in a position to cast a glance over
the plan of life which Islam envisages. This plan - the code of conduct - is
known as the Shari'ah. Its sources are the Qur'an and the Sunnah of Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him).
The Final Book of God and the Final Messenger stands today as
a repository of this truth, and they invite the whole of humanity to accept the
truth. God Almighty has endowed men with free will in the moral domain, and it
is to this free will that this acceptance bears reference. Consequently, it is
always a voluntary act and not of compulsion. Whosoever agrees that the concept
of Reality stated by the Holy Prophet and the Holy Book is true, it is for him
to step forward and surrender his will to the Will of God. It is this submission
which is called "Islam", the fructification of faith (Iman) in actual
life. And those who do so, i.e., those who of their own free will, accept God as
their Sovereign, and surrender to His Divine Will and undertake to regulate
their lives in accordance with His Commandments, are called "Muslims".
All those persons who thus surrender themselves to the
persons who thus surrender themselves to the Will of God are welded into a
community and that is how the "Muslim society" comes into being. Thus,
" is a principled society - a society radically different from those which
are founded on the basis of race, color or territory. This society is the result
of a deliberate choice and effort; it is the outcome of a "contract"
which takes place between human beings and the Creator. Those who enter into
this contract, undertake to recognize God as their sovereign, His Guidance as
Supreme, and His injunctions as absolute Law. They also undertake to accept,
without question or doubt His classifications of Good and Evil, Right and Wrong,
Permissible and Prohibited. In short, the Islamic society agrees to limit its
volition to the extent prescribed by the All-Knowing God. In other words, it is
God and not man whose will is the primary Source of Law in a Muslim society.
When such a society comes into existence, the Book and the Messenger prescribe
for it a code of life called the Shari'ah, and this Society is bound to conform
to it by virtue of the contract it has entered into. It is, therefore,
inconceivable that any Muslim society worth the name can deliberately adopt a
system of life other than the Shari'ah. If it does so, its contract is ipso
facto broken and the whole society becomes "un-Islamic".
But we must clearly distinguish between the everyday sins or
violations of the individuals and a deliberate revolt against the Shari'ah. The
former may not imply breaking up of the contract, while the latter would mean
nothing short of that. The point that should be clearly understood here is that,
if an Islamic society consciously resolves not to accept the Shari'ah, and
decides to enact its own constitution and laws or borrows them from any other
source, (in utter disregard of the Shari'ah) such a society breaks its contract
with God and forfeits its right to be called "Islamic".
- The Objectives and Characteristics of the Plan
Let us now proceed to understand the plan of life envisaged
by the Shari'ah. To understand that, it is essential that we start with a
clear conception of the objectives and the fundamentals of Shari'ah.
The main objective of the Shari'ah is to construct human
life on the basis of Ma'rufat (virtues) and to cleans it of the Munkarat
(vices). The term Ma'rufat proclaims as good and right everything declared by
Allah and by His messenger to be so. Taking this definition as the norm, the
term Ma'rufat should denote all the virtues and good qualities that have
always been accepted as "good" by the pure and unadulterated human
conscience. Conversely, the word Munkarat refers to everything that Allah and
His Apostle (peace be upon him) have denounced as evil. In the light of this
understanding, it denotes all the sins and evils that have always been
condemned by pure human nature as "evil". In short, the Ma'rufat are
in harmony with human nature and its requirements in general, whilst the
Munkarat are just the opposite. The Shari'ah gives a clear view of these
Ma’rufat and Munkarat and states them as the norms to which the individual
and social behavior should conform.
The Shari'ah does not, however, limit its function to
providing us with an inventory of virtues and vices only; it lays down the
entire plan of life in such a manner that virtues may flourish and vices may
not pollute and destroy human life.
To achieve this end, the Shari'ah has embraced in its plan
all the factors that encourage the growth of good and has recommended steps
for the removal of impediments that might prevent its growth and development.
The process gives rise to subsidiary series of Ma’rufat consisting of the
causes and means initiating and nurturing the good, and yet another set of
Ma'rufat consisting of prohibitory commands in relation to those things which
act as preventives or impediments to good. Similarly, there is a subsidiary
list of Munkarat which might initiate or allow growth of evil.
The Shari'ah shapes the Islamic society in a way conducive
to the unfettered growth of good, virtue and truth in every sphere of human
activity, and gives full play to the forces of going all directions. And at
the same time it removes all impediments in the path of virtue. Along this, it
attempts to eradicate evils from its social plan by prohibiting vice, by
obviating the causes of its appearance and growth, by closing the inlets
through which it creeps into a society and by adopting deterrent measures to
check its occurrence.
- Ma'rufat (ma'roof)
The Shari'ah classifies Ma'rufat into three categories: the
Mandatory (Fardh and Wajib), the Recommendatory (Matlub) and the Permissible (Mubah).
The observance of the mandatory (Ma’rufat) is obligatory
on a Muslim society and the Shari'ah has given clear and binding directions
about them. The recommendatory Ma’rufat are those which the Shari'ah wants a
Muslim society to observe and practice. Some of them have been very clearly
demanded of us, while others have been recommended by implication and
inference from the sayings of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). Besides
this, special arrangements have been made for the growth and encouragement of
some of them in the plan of life enunciated by the Shari'ah. Others still have
simply been recommended by the Shari'ah leaving it to the society or to its
more virtuous elements to look to their promotion.
This leaves us with the permissible Ma'rufat. Strictly
speaking, according to the Shari'ah everything which has not been expressly
prohibited by it is a Permissible Ma'ruf (i.e., Mubah). It is not at all
necessary that an express permission should exist about it or that it should
have been expressly left to our choice. Consequently, the sphere of
permissible Ma'rufat is very wide so much so that except for the things
specifically prohibited by the Shari'ah, everything is permissible for a
Muslim. And this is exactly the sphere where we have been given freedom and
where we can legislate according to our own discretion to suit the
requirements of our age and conditions, of course in keeping with the general
spirit of the Shari'ah.
- Munkarat (Munkar)
The Munkarat (or the things prohibited in Islam) have been
grouped into two categories: Haram, i.e., those things which have been
prohibited absolutely and Makruh, i.e., those things which have been disliked
and discouraged. It has been enjoined on Muslims by clear mandatory
injunctions to refrain totally from everything that has been declared Haram.
As for the Makruhat the Shari'ah signifies its dislike in some way or another,
i.e., either expressly or by implication, giving an indication also as to the
degree of such dislike. For example, there are some Makruhat bordering on
Haram, while others bear affinity with the acts which are permissible. Of
course, their number is very large ranging between the two extremes of
prohibitory and permissible actions. Moreover, in some cases, explicit
measures have been prescribed by the Shari'ah for the prevention of Makruhat,
while in others such arrangements have been left to the discretion of the
society or of the individual.
- Some other Characteristics
The Shari'ah, thus, prescribes directives for the
regulation of our individual as well as collective life. These directives
touch such varied subjects as religious rituals, personal character, morals,
habits, family relationships, social and economic affairs, administration,
rights and duties of citizens, judicial system, laws of war and peace and
international relations. In short, it embraces all the various departments of
human life. These directives reveal what is good and bad, what is beneficial
and useful and what is injurious and harmful. What are the virtues
which are the evils for which we have to suppress and guard against. What is
the sphere of our voluntary, untrammeled, personal and social action and what
are its limits. And finally, what ways and means we can adopt in establishing
such a dynamic order of society and what methods we should avoid. The
Shari'ah is a complete plan of life and an all embracing social order -
nothing superfluous, nothing lacking. Another remarkable feature of the
Shari'ah is that it is an organic whole. The entire plan of life propounded by
Islam is animated by the same spirit. Hence, any arbitrary division of its
plan is bound to harm the spirit as well as the structure of the Islamic
order. In this respect, it might be compared to the human body which is an
organic whole. A leg pulled out of the body cannot be called one-eight or
one-sixth man, because after its separation from the living body, the leg can
no longer perform its human function. Nor can it be placed in the body of some
other animal with any hope of making it human to the extent of that limb.
Likewise, we cannot form a correct opinion about the utility, efficiency and
beauty of the hand, the eyes or the nose of a human being separately, without
judging its place and function within the living body.
The same can be said in regard to the scheme of life
envisaged by the Shari'ah. Islam signifies the entire scheme of life and not
any isolated part or parts thereof. Consequently neither can it be appropriate
to view the different part of the Shari'ah in isolation from one another and
without regard to the whole, nor will it be of any use to take any part and
bracket it with any other "ism". The Shari'ah can function smoothly
and can demonstrate its efficacy only if the entire system of life is
practiced in accordance with it and not otherwise.
Chapter II
Moral sense is inborn in man and through the ages it has
served as the common man's standard of moral behavior, approving certain
qualities and disapproving others. While this instinctive faculty may vary
from person to person, human conscience has given a more or less uniform verdict
in favor of certain moral qualities as being good and declared certain others as
bad. On the side of moral virtues, justice, courage, bravery and truthfulness
have always elicited praise. History does not record any period worth the name
in which falsehood, injustice, dishonesty, and breach of trust may have been
upheld. Fellow-feeling, compassion, fidelity, and magnanimity have always been
valued while selfishness, cruelty, miserliness and bigotry have never received
the approval of the human society; men have always appreciated perseverance,
determination and courage and have never approved of impatience,
fickle-mindedness, cowardice and imbecility. Dignity, restraint,
politeness, and amiability have throughout the ages been counted among virtues,
whereas snobbery, misbehavior and rudeness have never found recognition as good
moral qualities. Persons having a sense of responsibility and devotion to
duty have always won the highest regard of men; never have people who are
incompetent, slothful and lacking in sense of duty been looked upon with
approval. Similarly, in respect of the standard of good and bad in the
collective behavior of society as a whole, the verdict has always been almost
unanimous. Only that society has been looked upon as worthy or honor and
respect which possesses the virtues of organization, discipline, mutual
affection and fellow feeling and has established a social order based on
justice, freedom and equality of men. As opposed to this, disorganization,
no-discipline, anarchy, disunity, injustice and social imbalance have always
been considered as manifestations of decay and disintegration in a society.
Robbery, murder, larceny, adultery, fraud and graft have always been condemned.
Slandering, scandal mongering and blackmailing has never been considered as
wholesome social activities.
Contrary to this service and care of the aged, help of one's
kith and kin, regard for neighbors, loyalty to friends, assistance of the weak,
the destitute and the orphans, and nursing the sick are qualities which have
always been highly valued ever since the dawn of civilization. Virtuous, polite,
mild and sincere persons have always been welcomed. Individual who are upright,
honest, sincere, outspoken and dependable, whose needs conform to their words,
who are content with their own rightful possession, who are prompt in the
discharge of their obligations to others, who live in peace and let others live
in peace and from whom nothing but good can be expected, have always formed the
core of any healthy human society.
This shows that human moral standards are in fact universal
and have been well-known to mankind throughout the ages. Good and evil are not
myths to be hunted out. They are well- known realities and are equally
well-understood by all. The sense of good and evil is inherent in the very
nature of man. Hence, in the terminology of the Qur'an virtue is called "Ma'roof
' (something to be announced) and evil is designated as "Munkar"
(something to be denounced); that is to say virtue is known to be desirable for
every one and evil is not known to commend itself in any way. This fact is
mentioned by the Qur'an when it says:
Why
Differences ?
The questions that arises are: if the basic values of good
and evil have been so well-known and there has virtually been a universal
agreement thereon, then why do varying patterns of moral behavior exist in this
world? Why are there so many and do conflicting moral philosophies? Why do
certain moral standards contradict each other? What lies at the root of their
difference? What is the unique position of Islam in the context of the
prevailing ethical systems? On what grounds can we claim that Islam has a
perfect moral system? And what exactly is the distinctive contribution of Islam
in the real of ethics? These questions are important and must be squarely faced;
but justice cannot be done to them on the brief span of this talk.
To cut a long story short, I shall briefly sum up some of
those important points which strike us at the very outset when we undertake a
critical examination of the contemporary ethical systems and the conflicting
patterns of moral behavior.
(a) The present moral system fail to integrate various moral
virtues and norms by prescribing their specific limits and utility and assigning
to them their proper place. That is why they fail to provide a balanced and
coherent plan of social conduct.
(b) The real cause of their differences seems to lie in the
moral systems offering different standards for good and bad actions and
enunciating different means of distinguishing good form evil. Differences also
exist in respect of the sanction behind the moral law and in regard to the
motives which impel a person to follow it.
(c) On deeper reflection, we find that the grounds for these
differences emerge from different peoples conflicting views and concepts about
the universe, the place of man in the universe, 'and the purpose of man on the
earth. Various theories of ethics, philosophy and religion are but a record of
the vast divergence of views of mankind on these most vital questions, viz. Is
there a God and a Sovereign of the universe and if there is, is He One or are
there many gods? What are Divine Attributes? What is the nature of the
relationship between God and the human beings? Has God made any arrangements for
guiding humanity through the rough and tumble of life or not? Is man answerable
to God or not? If he is, then what are the matters for which he is to be
answerable? What is the ultimate aim of man's creation which he should keep in
view throughout his life? Answers to these questions will determine the way of
life, the ethical philosophy and the pattern of moral behavior of the individual
and the society.
It is difficult for me in this brief talk to take stock of
the various ethical system prevalent in the world, indicate what solutions each
one of them has proposed to these questions and what has been the impact of
these answers on the moral evolution of the society believing in these concepts.
Here I can confine myself to the Islamic concept only and this I shall try to
propound.
Islamic
Concept of Life And Morality
The viewpoint of Islam, however, is that this universe is the
creation of God Who is One. He created it and He alone is its unrivaled Master,
Sovereign and Sustainer. The whole universe is functioning under His Divine
Command. He is All-Wise, All-Powerful and Omniscient. He is Subbooh and Quddoos
that is, free from all defects, mistakes, weaknesses and faults and pure in
every respect). His God-hood is free from partiality and injustice. Man is His
creature, subject and servant and is born to serve and obey Him.
The correct way of life for man is to live in complete
obedience to Him. It is not for man to determine the mode of worship and
obedience; it is for God to decide this. God, being the master, has raised from
time to time prophets for the guidance of humanity and has revealed His books
through them. It is the duty of man to take the code of his life from these
sources of divine guidance. Man is answerable to God for all his actions in
life. The time for rendering an account will be in the life-hereafter and not in
this world. The short span of worldly life is really an opportunity to prepare
for that great test. In this life all efforts of man should be centered on the
object of soliciting the Pleasure and Blessings of God in the Hereafter. During
this test every person is responsible for all his beliefs and actions. He, with
all his faculties and potentialities, is on trial. There will be an impartial
assessment of his conduct in life. By a Being Who keeps a complete and correct
record not merely of his movements and actions and their influence on all that
is in the world from the tiniest speck of dust to the loftiest mountains but
also a full record of his innermost ideas and feelings and intentions.
This is Islam's fundamental attitude towards life. This
concept of the universe and of man's place therein determines the real and
ultimate goal which should be the object of all the endeavors of mankind and
which may be termed briefly as "seeking the pleasure of God". This is
the standard by which a particular mode of conduct is judged and classified as
good or bad. This standard of judgment provides the nucleus around which the
whole moral conduct should revolve. Man is not left like a ship without
moorings, being tossed about by the blows of wind and tides. This dispensation
places a central object before mankind and lays down values and norms for all
moral actions. It provides us with a stable and flawless set of values which
remains unaltered under all circumstances. Moreover, with making the
"pleasure of God" as the object of man's life, a highest and noblest
objective is set before humanity, and thus, unlimited possibilities are opened
for man's moral evolution, unstained at any stage by any shadow of narrow
selfishness or bigoted race or nation worship.
While providing a normal standard Islam also furnishes us
with means of determining good and evil conduct. It does not base our knowledge
of vice and virtue on mere intellect, desire, intuition, or experience derived
through the sense-organs, which constantly undergo shifts, modifications and
alterations and do not provide definite, categorical and unchanging standards of
morality. It provides us with a definite source, the Divine Revelation, as
embodied in the Book of God and the Sunnah way of life of the Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him). This source prescribes a standard or moral conduct
that is permanent and universal and holds good in every age and under all
circumstances. The moral code of Islam covers the smallest details of domestic
life as well as the broad aspects of national and international behavior. It
guides us in every stage of life. These regulations imply the widest application
of moral principles in the affairs of our life and make us free from exclusive
dependence on any other source of knowledge, expect as an aid to this primary
source.
Sanction
Behind Morality
This concept of the universe and of man's place therein also
furnishes the sanction that must lie at the back of every moral law. Viz., the
love and fear of God, the sense of accountability on the Day of Judgment and the
promise of eternal bliss and reward in the life hereafter. Although Islam wants
to cultivate a powerful and strong mass opinion, which may induce individuals
and groups to abide by the principles of morality laid by it and also aims at
the evolution of a political system which would enforce the moral law, as far as
possible, through its legislative and executive power. Islam's moral law does
not really depend on these external pressures alone. It relies upon the inherent
urge for good in every man which is derived from belief in God and a Day of
Judgment. Before laying down any moral injunction, Islam seeks to firmly implant
in man's heart the conviction that his dealings are with God Who sees him at all
times and in all places. That he may hide himself from the whole world but not
from Him. That he may deceive everyone but cannot deceive God. That he can flee
from the clutches of any one else but not from God's. That while the world can
see man’s onward life, only God probes into his innermost intentions and
desires, that while he may, in his short sojourn on this earth, do whatever he
likes but in any event he has to die one day and present himself before the
Divine court of justice where no advocacy, favor, recommendation,
misrepresentation, deception or fraud will be of any avail and where his future
will be decided with complete impartiality and justice. There may or may not be
any police, law court or jail in the world to enforce the observance of these
moral injunctions and regulations but this belief firmly rooted in the heart, is
the real force at the back of the moral law of Islam which helps in getting it
enforced. If popular opinion and the coercive powers of the state exist to give
it support so much the better; otherwise, this faith alone can keep a Muslim
individual and a Muslim community on the straight path of virtue, provided, the
spark of genuine faith dwells in their hearts.
Motives
and Incentives
This concept of Islam about man and his place in the universe
also provides those motivating forces which can inspire a person to act in
conformity with the moral law. The fact, that a man voluntarily and willingly
accepts God as his own Creator, and the obedience to God as the mode of his life
and strives to seek His Pleasure in his every action, provides a sufficient
incentive to enable him to obey the commandments which he believes to be from
God. Along with this, the belief in the Day of Judgment and the belief that
whosoever obeys Divine Commands is sure to have a good life 'in the Hereafter,
the Eternal Life, whatever difficulties and handicaps he may have to face in
this transitory phase of life, provides a strong incentive for virtuous life. On
the other hand, the belief that whoever violates the Commandments of God in this
world and dies in a state of Kufr (unbelief) shall have to bear eternal
punishment however superficially nice a life he may have led in this temporary
abode, is an effective deterrent against violation of moral law. If this hope
and fear are firmly ingrained, and deeply rooted in one's heart, they will
provide a strong motive-force to inspire one to virtuous deeds even on occasions
when worldly consequences may appear to be very damaging and harmful, and it
will keep one away from evil even on occasions when it looks extremely
attractive and profitable.
This clearly indicates that Islam possesses a distinctive
criterion of good and evil, its own source of moral law, and its own sanction
and motive force, and by them its virtues in all spheres of life after knitting
them into a balanced and comprehensive plan. Thus, it can be justifiably claimed
that Islam possesses a perfect moral system of its own. This system has many
distinguishing features and I shall refer to the three most significant ones
which, in my opinion, can be termed its special contributions to ethics.
Distinctive
Features of Islamic Moral Order
- By setting Divine pleasure as the objective of man's life, it has
furnished the highest possible standard of morality. This is bound to
provide limitless avenues for the moral revolution of humanity. By making
Divine Revelation the primary source of knowledge, it gives permanence and
stability to the moral standards which afford reasonable scope for genuine
adjustment, adaptations and innovations though not for perversions, wild
variations, atomistic relativism or moral fluidity. It provides a sanction
to morality in the love the fear of God which will impel man to obey the
moral law even without any external pressure. Through belief in God and the
Day of Judgment, it furnishes a motive force which enables a person to adopt
the moral conduct with earnestness and sincerity, with all the devotion of
heart and soul.
- It does not, through a false sense of originality and innovation, provide
any novel moral virtues nor does it seek to minimize the importance of the
well-known moral norms nor give exaggerated importance to some and neglect
others without cause. It takes up all the commonly known moral virtues and
with a sense of balance and proportion it assigns a suitable place and
function to each one of them in the total plan of life. It widens the scope
of their application to cover every aspect of man's individual and
collective life his domestic associations, his civic conduct, and his
activities in the political, economic, legal educational and social realms.
It covers his life from home to society, from the dining table to the
battlefield and peace conferences, literally from the cradle to the grave.
In short, no sphere of life is exempt from the universal and comprehensive
application of the moral principles of Islam. It makes morality reign
supreme and ensures that the affairs of life, instead of being dominated by
selfish desires and petty interests, should be regulated by the norms of
morality.
- It stipulates for man a system of life which is based on all good and is
free from all evil. It invokes the people, not only to practice virtue, but
also to establish virtue and eradicate vice, to bid good and to forbid
wrong. It wants that the verdict of conscience should prevail and virtue
must not be subdued to play second fiddle to evil. Those who have responded
to this call and gathered together into a community (Ummah) are given the
name "Muslim" and the singular object underlying the formation of
this community (Ummah) is that it should make an organized effort to
establish and enforce goodness and suppress and eradicate evil. The Qur'an
is quite explicit on this fact as can be seen from the following verse:
"Ye are the best for Peoples, evolved For mankind,
Enjoining what is right, Forbidding what is wrong, And believing in God. If only
the People of the Book Had faith, it were best For them: among them Are some who
have faith, But most of them Are perverted transgressors." (Qur'an, 3:1 10)
And also in the following verse:
"(They are) those who, If we establish them In the land,
establish Regular prayer and give Regular charity, enjoin The right and forbid
wrong: With God rests the end (And decision) of (all) affairs." (Qur’an,
22:41)
It will be a day of mourning for the community and a bad day
for the entire world if the efforts of this very community were at anytime
directed towards establishing evil and suppressing good.
Chapter III
The political system of Islam has been based on three
principles, viz., Tawheed (Oneness of God), Risalat (Prophethood) and Khilafat
(Caliphate). It is difficult to appreciate the different aspects of the Islamic
policy without fully understanding these three principles. I will, therefore,
begin with a brief exposition of them. Tawheed (Oneness) means that one God
alone is the Creator, Sustainer and Master of this universe and of all that
exists in it organic or inorganic. The sovereignty of this kingdom rests only in
Him. He alone has the right to command or forbid Worship and obedience are due
to Him alone, none else sharing it in any degree or form. Life, in all its
multifarious forms, our physical organs and faculties, the apparent control
which we have over everything that exists in this universe, and the things
themselves none of them has been created or acquired by us in our own right.
They are the bountiful provisions of god and in bestowing them upon us, no one
is as Him. Hence, it is neither for us to decide the aim and purpose of our
existence or to prescribe the limits in our worldly authority nor is anyone else
entitled to make these decisions for us. This right vest only in God Who has
created us endowed us with mental and physical faculties, and provided all
material provisions for our use. This principle of the Oneness of God altogether
negates the concept of the legal and political sovereignty of human begins,
individually or collectively. Nothing can claim sovereignty, be it a human
being, a family, a class or group of people, or even the human race in the world
as a whole. God alone is the Sovereign and His Commandments are the Law of
Islam.
The medium through which we receive the Law of God is known
as "Risalat" (Prophet hood). We have received two things from this
source:
- The Book in which God has expounded His Law; and
- The authoritative interpretation and exemplification of the Book of God by
the Prophet, through his word and deed, in his capacity as the last
messenger of God.
The broad principles on which the system of human life should
be based have been stated in the Book of God. Further, the Prophet of God has,
in accordance with the intention of the Divine Book, set up for us a model of
the system of life in Islam by practically implementing the law and providing
necessary details where required. The combination of these two elements,
according to Islamic terminology, is called the "Shari'ah". There is a
specific purpose for man's existence. This purpose is achieved when man fulfills
his function and is missed when man fads to live up to his designated role. In
that case, his life will be barren and devoid of any original meaning. Total
loss and perdition await everyone who fails to respond to Allah's call.
This special role relating man to his Creator is subservience to Allah and
worship of Him. All aspects of man's life are based on this consideration. Thus,
the meaning of worship must be extended to go beyond mere rituals into all
activities since Allah does not only call upon us to perform rituals but His
injunctions regulate all aspects of life. The Qur’an develops this theme:
"Behold, thy Lord said to the angels:
'I will create a vicegerent on earth'…" (Qur'an 2:30)
It is this Khilafat on earth which encompasses the range of
activities of this human being. It consists in settlement on earth, exploration
of its resources and energies, fulfillment of Allah's purpose of making full use
of its resources and developing life on it. In brief this task requires the
implementation of Allah’s way which is in harmony with the Divine Law
governing the whole universe.
Thus, it becomes clear that the meaning of worship, which is
the very purpose of man's existence and his primary function, is much more
comprehensive than mere rituals. The role of Khilafat is definitely an integral
part of meaning of worship. The truth about worship comes out in two essential
points, namely:
1) There should be a feeling of absolute certainty and
conviction about the meaning of worship of Allah in one's heart; a feeling that
the only possible relationship which holds is one of creator and the created and
nothing but that.
2) It is imperative to turn to Allah dedicating to Him every
stir of one's conscience, every fluttering of the senses, every movement of
life. This dedication should be channeled solely to Him and nobody else. No
other feeling should have any room left, except in so far as it is construed as
part of the meaning of worship of Allah. In this way the meaning of worship is
fulfilled. Thus, work becomes one with rituals; rituals one with settlement on
earth; settlement on earth like strive for Allah's cause; strive in the way of
Allah like patience in bearing calamities contentedly in the knowledge that they
are part of Allah's plan; all these are instances of worship of Allah.
With this healthy frame of mind, based on the right
understanding on man's role in this universe, man becomes ready to implement
Allah's teaching, as communicated through the message of Prophet Muhammad (peace
be upon him).
This is exactly what Islam means when it lays down that man is Khalifah
(servant) of God on the earth. The state that is established in accordance with
this political theory will have to fulfill the purpose and intent of God by
working on God's earth within the limits prescribed by Him and in conformity
with His instructions and injunctions.
PURPOSE
OF THE ISLAMIC STATE
I shall now place before you a brief outline of the type of
state which is built on the foundation of Tawheed (the Oneness of God), "Risalat"
(the Prophethood of Muhammad) and “Khilafat” (the Caliphate).
The Holy Qur'an clearly states that the aim and purpose of
this state is the establishment, maintenance and development of those virtues,
with which the Creator of this universe wishes the human life to be adorned and
the prevention and eradication of those evils the presence of which in human
life is utterly abhorrent to God. The state in Islam is not intended for
political administration only nor for the fulfillment through it of the
collective will of any particular set of people; rather, Islam places a high
ideal before the state for the achievement of which, it must use all the means
at its disposal. And this purpose is that the qualities of purity, beauty,
goodness, virtue, success and prosperity which God wants to flourish in the life
of His people, should be engendered and evolved. And that all kinds
exploitation, injustice and disorders which, in he view of God, are ruinous for
the world and detrimental to the life of His creatures are suppressed and
prevented. Simultaneously, by placing before us this high ideal, Islam gives us
a clear outline of its moral system clearly stating the desired virtues and the
undesirable evils. Keeping this outline in view the Islamic state can plan its
welfare program in every age and in any environment.
The persistent demand made by Islam is that the principles or
moral in must be observed at all cost and in all walks of life. Hence it lays
down an unalterable policy for the state to base its politics on justice, truth
and honesty. It is not prepared, under any circumstance whatsoever, to tolerate
fraud, falsehood and injustice for the sake of any political, administrative or
national expediency. Whether it be the mutual relations of the rulers and the
ruled within the state, or the relations of the state with other states,
precedence must always be given to truth, honesty, and justice over material
consideration. It imposes similar obligations on the state as on the individual.
Viz., to fulfill all contracts and obligations, to have uniform measures and
standards for dealings, to remember duties along with the rights and not to
forget the rights of other when expecting them to fulfill their obligations; to
use power and authority for the establishment of justice and not for the
perpetration of injustice; to look upon duty as a sacred obligation and to
fulfill it scrupulously; and to regard power as a trust from God and use it with
the belief that one has to render an account of one's actions to Him in the
Hereafter.
FUNDAMENTAL
RIGHTS
Although an Islamic state may be set up in any portion of the
earth, Islam does not seek to restrict human rights or privileges to the
geographical limits of its own state. Islam has laid down some universal
fundamental rights for humanity as a whole, which are to be observed and
respected under all circumstances whether such a person is resident within the
territory of the Islamic state or outside it, whether he is at peace with the
state or at war. Human blood is sacred in any case and cannot be spilled without
justification. Its is not permissible to oppress women, children, old people,
sick persons or the wounded. Woman's honor and chastity are worthy of respect
under all circumstances. The hungry person must be fed, the naked clothed, and
the wounded treated medically irrespective of whether they belong to the Islamic
community or not or even if they are from amongst its enemies. These, and a few
other provisions have been laid by Islam fundamental rights for every man by
virtue of his status as a human being to be enjoyed under the constitution of an
Islamic state. Even the rights of citizenship in Islam are not confined to
persons born within the limits of its state but are granted to every Muslim
irrespective of his place of birth. A Muslim ipso facto becomes the citizen of
an Islamic state as soon as he sets his foot on its territory with the intent to
live therein and thus enjoys equal rights of citizenship along with those who
acquire its citizenship by birthright. Citizenship has therefore, to be common
among all the Islamic states that may exist in the world and a Muslim will not
need any passport for entry in or exit from any of them. And every Muslim is to
be regarded as eligible and fit for all positions of the highest responsibility
in an Islamic State without any discussions of race color or class. Islam has
also laid down certain rights for the non-Muslims who may be living within the
boundaries of an Islamic State and these rights must necessarily from part of
the Islamic Constitution.
According to the Islamic terminology such non-Muslims are
Dhimmee (the covenant). implying that the Islamic state has entered into a
covenant with them and guaranteed their protection. The life, property and
protected exactly life that of a Muslim citizen. There is no difference at all
between a Muslim and Dhimmee in respect of the civil or criminal law. The
Islamic State shall not interfere with the personal law of the Dhimmme. They
will have full freedom of conscience and belief.
EXECUTIVE
AND LEGISLATIVE
The responsibility for the administration of the Government,
in an Islamic state, is entrusted to an Amir (leader or chief) who may be
likened to the President or the Prime Minister in the conventional democratic
state.
The basic qualifications for the election of an Amir are that
he should command the confidence of the ABLUL HAL WAL'AQD [The Constitutional
Body).
They are recruited from among the scholars (of Islam),
leaders, and notables who effectively have the duty to carry out this task of
appointing the ruler. In this, they do not act on their own personal
preferences, but on behalf of the whole nation, being as they are, its
representatives. Three conditions must be met for eligibility to membership of
this body, namely:
- Moral credit (piety and moral standards).
- To be well versed in religion so as to be in a position to decide upon who
deserves the position of Amir.
- Good and sound judgment leading to a sharp perception of who is most
suitable for the role of Amir.
The Amir can retain office only so long as he observes
Allah's Shari'ah laws. Being himself the primary example of it both in his
dealings and conduct, honoring his commitments and being true to his trust; in
brief, he should conform to the conditions originally stipulated upon his
holding office and will have to vacate his office when he loses this confidence.
But as long as he retains such confidence he will have the authority to govern
and exercise the powers of the Government, of course, in consultation with the
Shura (the advisory council) and within the limits set by a Shari’ah. Every
citizen will have the right to criticize the Amir should he deviate from the
straight path, fail to honor the trust laid in him, transgress and tyrannize
over people, change his conduct for the worst, freeze the implementation of
Allah's penal code, or flouts Allah's regulations in anyway. If he fails to live
up to one of the conditions stipulated for his eligibility to the office, the
nation has the right to overrule his judgment either by correcting him or by
deposing them.
Legislation in an Islamic state will be restricted within the
limits prescribed by the law of the Shari'ah. The injunctions of God and His
legislative body can make any alterations or modifications in them or make any
law repugnant to them. As for the commandments which are liable to two or more
interpretations the duty of ascertaining the real intent of the Shari'ah, in
such cases, will devolve on people possessing a specialized knowledge of the law
of Shari'ah. Hence, such affairs will have to be referred to a sub committee of
the advisory council compressing men learned in Islamic Law. A vast field will
still be available for legislation on questions not covered by any specific
injunctions of the Shari'ah and the advisory council or legislature will be free
to legislate in regard to these matters.
In Islam the judiciary is not placed under the control of the
executive. It derives its authority directly from the Shari'ah and is answerable
to God. The judges, no doubt can be appointed by the Government but once a judge
has occupied the bench he will have to administer justice among the people
according to the law of God in an impartial manner. The organs and functionaries
of the Government will not be outside his legal jurisdiction much so that even
the highest executive authority of the Government is liable to be called upon to
appear in a court of law as a plaintiff or defendant like any other citizen of
the state. Rulers and the ruled are subject to the same law and there can be no
discrimination on the basis of position, power or privilege. Islam stands for
equality and scrupulously sticks to this principle in social, economic and
political realms alike.
CHAPTER IV
ISLAMIC
SOCIAL ORDER
The foundations of the social system of Islam rest on the
belief that all human beings are equal and constitute one single fraternity.
EQUALITY
OF MANKIND
God created a human pair to herald the beginning of the life
of mankind on earth and all the persons inhabiting this world today have sprung
from this pair. For some time in the initial stages the progeny of this pair
remained a single group. It had one religion and spoke the same language. There
were little or no difference among them. But as their numbers gradually
increased, their diversification and growth were divided into various tribes,
and nationalities. Their languages became different; their modes of dress
varied; and their manners of living also became distinct from one another.
All these differences are said to be signs from Allah. They
do exist in the world of reality. Hence, Islam recognizes them as matters of
fact. It does not seek to wipe them out or to ignore them but affirms that their
advantage consists in affording the only possible means of distinguishing one
form the other. But the prejudices which have arisen among mankind out of these
differences in the shape of groupings and organizations based on race, color,
language, nationality, etc., are disapproved by Islam. Islam regards all
distinctions of birth, of high and low amen, of upper and lower classes, on
natives of the soil and aliens as the manifestation of their ignorance. It
declares that all men in the world have sprung from the same parents and
therefore, are equal in their status as human beings.
After propounding this concept of equality of mankind, Islam
adds that if there can be any real difference between man and man it cannot be
one of race, color, country or but one of their relationship with their Creator.
The most honored of people in the sight of God is the most righteous. On the
basis of this fundamental tenet, Islam seeks to build principled society as
against the racial, national and parochial societies existing in the world. The
basis of cooperative effort among men in such a society is not one's birth but a
creed an a moral principle. Any one, if he believes in God as his Master and
Lord and accepts the guidance of the prophets (the essence of which is embodied
in Islam, the message of the last Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)) as the
law of his life, can join this community, whether he is a resident of America or
Africa whether he belongs to the Semitic race or the Aryan; whether he is black
in color or white skinned; whether he speaks a European language or Arabic. All
those who join this community will have the same rights and social status. They
will not be subjected to any racial, national or class distinct of any kind. No
one will be regarded as high or low. There will be no untouchable among them,
nor could be polluted by the touch of anyone's hand. There will be no handicaps
for them in the matter of marital relations, eating and drinking and social
contacts. None will be looked down upon as lowly or mean by reason of his birth
or profession. Nobody will claim any distinctive rights by virtue of his caste,
community or ancestry. Man's merit will not depend on his family connections or
riches, but only on whether he is better than others in moral conduct or excels
others in piety and righteousness.
Such a social order, out-stepping the geographical boundaries and limits of
race, color and language as it does, can spread itself in all parts of the world
and on its foundations can be raised the edifice of the universal brotherhood of
men. In societies based on race or nationality, only those people can join who
belong to a particular race or country and the door is closed in the face of
those who do not belong to them. But in Ns highly principled society anyone who
accepts the creed and its moral standard can become its member, possessing equal
rights with everyone else. As for those who do not accept this creed, the
community, while it cannot receive them within its fold, is prepared within the
limits laid down by law and decency. To give them all the basic human rights on
condition that they are from the people of the Book or those who are classified
under their category.
After appreciating these foundations of Islamic social order,
we would like to cast a glance over the principles and patterns of social
relationship which have been fostered by Islam.
THE
INSTITUTION OF FAMILY
The foremost and fundamental institution of human society is
the unit of family. A family is established by the coming together of a man and
a woman, and their contact brings into existence a new generation. It then
produces ties of kinship and community, which gradually develop into a large
society. The family is the institution through which a generation prepares the
succeeding generation for the service of human civilization and for the
discharge of its social obligations with devotion, sincerity and enthusiasm.
This institution does not merely recruit cadets for the maintenance and
development of human desire that those who have to replace
them in future should be better than themselves. In this respect, the family can
be truly called the fountain-head of the progress, development, prosperity and
strength of human civilization on the earth. Hence, among social problems Islam
devotes much attention to those relating to the family and strives to establish
this important social unit on the healthiest and strongest foundations.
According to Islam the correct form of relationship between man and woman is
marriage, that is, the one in which full social responsibilities are undertaken
by them and which results in the emergence of a family. Free sex-license and
irresponsible behavior are not condoned by Islam as innocent pastimes or
ordinary transgressions. Rather, they are acts which strike at the very roots of
human society. Hence, Islam holds every form of extra matrimonial
sex-relationship as sinful, forbidden (Haram) and punishable under the criminal
law of Islam. It prescribes severe punishments for the offense so that such
unsociable behavior may not become common. At the same time it aims at purifying
and purging the society of all activities which encourage such irresponsible
actions or provide opportunities for them. Regulations of Hijab (For Muslim
Women), ban on free mixing of men and women, restrictions on filthy music and
pictures, and discouragement of the spread and propagation of obscenities and
aberrations, are all intended to guard against this. Their sole object is to
protect and strengthen the institution of the family. Islam does not merely
regard the desirable form of social contact as just permissible but holds and
affirms it as a good and virtuous act, indeed, an act of worship. It does not
simply look upon celibacy of an adult person with disfavor, but it calls upon
every young man to take in his turn upon himself the social responsibilities of
married life just as his parents did so in their time. Islam does not merely
regard asceticism and perpetual celibacy as no virtue at all but as aberrations
and departures from the true nature of man and acts of revolt against the Divine
plan of things. It also strongly disapproves those rites, ceremonies or
restrictions which tend to make marriage a difficult and tedious affair. The
intention of Islam is that marriage may become easy and fornication the most
difficult thing in society, and not vice versa as it is in most of the societies
today. Hence, after debarring a few specified relatives from entering into
matrimony with one another, it has legalized marital relations with all other
near and distant kith and kin. It has removed all distinctions of caste and
community and permitted matrimony of any Muslim with any other Muslim. It has
recommended that the amounts of Mehr (dower) should be fixed at a low and easy
figure, the burden of which can be easily borne by the husband and has dispensed
with the necessity of priests and offices of compulsory registration. In an
Islamic society marriage is such a plain and simple ceremony as can be performed
anywhere before two witnesses, though it is essential that the proceedings
should not be kept secret. The idea is that the society should know that the
couple is now going to live a matrimonial life. The family itself Islam has
assigned to man a position of authority so that he may maintain order and
disciple, as the chief of the household. Islam expects the wife to obey and look
after the comforts and well- being of her husband and expects the children
behave accordingly to their parents. Islam does not favor a loose and disjointed
family system which is devoid of any authority, control and discipline and in
which someone is not pointedly responsible of the proper conduct and behavior of
its members. Discipline can only be maintained through a central authority and
in the view of Islam the position of father in the family is such that it makes
him the fittest person to take over this responsibility. But this does not mean
that man has been made a tyrant and oppressor in the household and woman has
been handed over to him as a helpless chattel. According to Islam the real
spirit of marital life is love, understanding and mutual respect. If the woman
has been asked to obey the husband, the latter has been called upon to exercise
his privileges towards the welfare of the family and treat the wife with love,
affection and sweetness. It makes the marital bond strong but not
unbreakable. It aims at keeping the bond intact only so long as it is founded on
the sweetness of love or at least the possibility of lasting companionship still
exists. When this possibility dies out, it gives man the right of divorce and
woman the right of separation, and under certain conditions where married life
has become a source of misery or nuisance, gives the Islamic courts of justice
the authority to annul the marriage.
RELATIVES
AND NEIGHBORS
Beyond the limited circle of family the next social sphere
which is sufficiently wide is that of kinship and blood relationship. Those who
are one's kith and kin through relationship with common parents or common
brothers and sisters or relations through in-laws, Islam wants them all to be
mutually affectionate, cooperative and helpful. In many places in the Qur’an
good treatment of the Zawil Qurba (near relatives) is enjoined. In the
traditions of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) good treatment of one's (Silat
Al-Rahm) has been emphasized and counted among the highest virtues. A person who
cold-shoulders his relatives or treat them an indifferent manner is looked down
upon by Islam with great disfavor. But this does not mean that it is an Islamic
virtue to be partial or unduly lenient toward one's relatives as may result in
injustice, is repugnant to Islam which, condemns it as an act of Jahiliyyah
(ignorance). Similarly, it is utterly un-Islamic for a government official or
public trustee to support his at public expense or to be partial to his kith and
kin in his official divisions: his would actually be a sinful act. Fair
treatment of one’s as enjoined by Islam, should be at one's own expenses and
within the limits of justice and fair play.
Next to relations come the neighbors. The Qur'an has divided
them into three categories :
- A neighbor who is also a relative;
- An alien neighbor; and
- A casual or temporary neighbor with whom one had occasion to live or
travel for some time. All of them are deserving of fellow- feeling,
affection, courtesy and fair treatment. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
has said:
Ayesha and Ibn Omar reported from the Messenger of Allah who
said; Gabriel did not stop to advice me about neighbor till I thought that he
would soon make him an heir. - (Agreed upon)
In another tradition the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
Abu Hureira reported from the Messenger of Allah who said:
"By Allah he does not believe, by Allah he does not believe, by Allah he
does not believe". The companions asked who is he O Prophet of Allah? The
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, "One whose neighbor is not immune
against his mischief”.
Again, he (peace be upon him) said: that a person who enjoys
a full meal while his neighbor is starving really possesses no faith in Islam.
The Prophet was once informed of a woman who used to offer prayers regularly and
keep fasts very often and gives alms frequently, but her neighbors were sick of
her abusive tongue. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said that woman deserved
only the fire of hell. He was also told of another woman who did not possess
these virtues but did not trouble her neighbors either, and the Prophet (peace
be upon him) said that she will be rewarded with paradise.
The complete sayings goes as follows:
Abu Hurairah reported that a man asked: O Messenger of Allah!
such and such a woman is reputed for such prayer, and fasting and alms- giving,
but she offends her neighbors with her tongue. He said: She will go to Hell. He
inquired: O Messenger of Allah! such and such a woman is reputed less for her
fasting, alms- giving and prayer but she gives alms of the remainders of curds
and she does not offend her neighbors by her tongue. He said: She will go to
Paradise. (Narrated by Ahmed and Bayhaqi)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) has laid so much emphasis on
this virtue that he has advised that whenever a Muslim brings fruits for his
children he should either send some to his neighbors as a gift or at least not
throw the peelings outside the door so that the neighbors may not have a feeling
of deprivation.
The complete Hadith reads as follows:
Amr Ibn Shueib who reproved from his father who reproved from
his grandfather that the Messenger of Allah said narrated it: “Do you know
what the duties of a neighbor are?” Help him if he seeks your help, give him
succor if he seeks your succor, give him loan if he seeks you loan, give him
relief if he is needy, nurse him if he falls ill, follow his bier if he dies,
cheer him if he meets any good, sympathize with him if any calamity befalls him,
raise not your building higher so as to obstruct his air without his permission,
harass him not, give him when you purchase a fruit, if you do not do it, take it
secretly; and let not your children take it out to excite thereby the anger of
his children.
On one occasion the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that a
man is really good if his neighbors regard him as such and he is bad if they
consider him so. The complete Hadith goes as follows:
Ibn Mas'ud reported that a man asked the Holy Prophet: O
Messenger of Allah! how can I know when I do good and when I do bad? The Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) said: When you hear your neighbors say - you have
done good, you have done good, and when you hear them say - you have done bad,
you have done bad. (Narrated by Ibn Majah)
In brief, Islam requires all neighbors to be loving and
cooperative with one another and share one another's sorrows and happiness. It
enjoins that they should establish social relations in which one could depend
upon the other and regard his life, honor and property safe among his neighbors.
A society in which two persons, separated only by a wall, remain unacquainted
with one another for years and those living in the same area of a town have no
interest or confidence in one another can never be called Islamic.
Next to these is the wider circle of relationship which
covers the entire society. The broad principles on which Islam seeks to regulate
the general gamut of our social life are the following:
- To cooperate in acts of virtue and piety and not to cooperate in acts of
sin and injustice. To this point Allah says in the Holy Qur'an:
"Help ye one another In righteousness and piety, But help
ye not one another In sin and rancor: Fear God: for God Is strict in
punishment." ( Quran 5:2 )
- "One's friendship and enmity should be for the pleasure of God only;
whatever you (Muslim) give should be given because God likes it to be given,
and whatever you (Muslims) withhold should be withheld because God does not
like its gift. (Sayings of the Holy Prophet).
- "You (the Muslims) are the best community ever raised unto mankind,
your duty is to command people to do good and prevent them from committing
evil." Allah says in the Holy Qur’an:
"Ye are the best Of Peoples, evolved For mankind,
Enjoining what is right, Forbidding what is wrong,
And believing in God.
If only the People of the Book Had faith, it were best For them:
among them are some who have faith, But most of them
Are perverted transgressors." (Qur'an 3:110)
And the Prophet in various of his other teachings said:
"Do not think evil of each other nor probe into each
other's affairs nor excite one against the other. Keep yourself away from mutual
hatred and jealousy. Do not unnecessarily oppose each other. Always remain the
slaves and subjects of Allah and live like brothers among yourselves."
"Choose for others what you choose for yourself. "
(Agreed upon)
These are some of the social values which Islam affirms and
establishes and which it wants to see enshrined in the human society.
CHAPTER V
Islam has laid down some principles and prescribed certain
limits for the economic activity of man so that the entire pattern of
production, exchange and distribution of wealth may conform to the Islamic
standard of justice and equity. Islam does not concern itself with time-bound
methods and techniques of economic production or with the details of the pattern
and mechanisms and equity. Islam does not concern itself with time- bound
methods and techniques of economic production or with the details of the
organizational pattern and mechanisms. Such methods are specific for every age
and are evolved in accordance with the needs and requirements of community and
exigencies of the economic situation. What Islam aims, is that whatever be the
form or mechanism of economic activity, the principles prescribed by it should
find a permanent and paramount place in such activities under all circumstances
and in all ages.
According to the Islamic point of view, God has created for
mankind the earth and all that it contains. It is, therefore, the birthright of
every human being to try and secure his share out of the world. All men enjoy
this right equally and none can be deprived of it. Nor should one man get
precedence over another. From the standpoint of Islam, there can be no bar on
any individual, race, or class for taking to certain means of livelihood or
adopting certain professions. All are entitled to equal opportunities in the
economic realm. Similarly, no distinction is valid in Islam which would result
in creating a monopoly of a particular means of livelihood for a particular
person, class, race or group of people. It is the right of all men to strive and
get their share of the means of sustenance provided by God on the earth. Islam
ensures that this effort should be made in the context of equal opportunities
and fair chances for all.
RIGHT
OF PROPERTY
Resources which are provided by nature free of cost and which
can be use directly by man may be utilized freely and every one is entitled to
benefit from them to the extent of his needs. Water flowing in the rivers and
springs, woods in the forest trees, fruits of wild plants, wild grass and
fodder, air, animals of the jungle, minerals under the surface of the earth and
similar other resources cannot be monopolized by anyone. Nor can a restriction
of any sort be imposed on their free use by God’s creatures to fulfill their
own needs. Of course, people who many want to use of these things for commercial
purposes can be required to pay taxes to the state. Or if there is a misuse of
the resources, the Government may step in and set the things right. But there is
no bar on the individuals to avail of God’s earth as long as they do not
interfere with the rights of others or of the state.
Anyone who takes possession of the natural resources directly
and renders it of value acquires a rightful title over it. For instance, if
somebody takes possession of an uncultivated piece of land, on which nobody has
a prior right of ownership, and makes a productive use of it he cannot be
arbitrarily dispossessed of that piece of land. This is how a rights of
ownership originated in the world. When man appeared for the first time in the
world and population grew, everything was available to everyone. And whoever
took possession of anything and made it useful in any manner became its owner;
that is to say, he acquired the right of using it specially for his own purpose
and obtaining compensation from others if they wanted to use it. This is the
natural basis of all the economic activities of mankind and must not be tampered
with. This right of ownership which one may acquire by permissible legal means
is to be honored under all circumstances. The legality of ownership can be
inquired thoroughly by the competent authority through legal means to determine
its validity in accordance with the Shari'ah law. If, it be found to be
illegally acquired, such ownership be annulled and be terminated accordingly.
However, in no case, shall there be allowed any state or legislation to
arbitrarily divest the people of their legitimate rights of ownership without
justifiable cause. Islam cannot approve of an economic policy which destroys the
rights conferred by the Shari'ah however attractive its name may be and whatever
welfare pretensions it may make. Social justice and collective good are very
dear to Islam, but not at the cost of rights given by the Shari'ah. It is as
unjust to reduce or remove the restrictions placed by the Shari'ah on the rights
of individual ownership for the sake of collective good of the community as it
is to add such restrictions and limitations which do not fit into the scheme of
the Islamic law. It is one of the duties of an Islamic state to protect the
legal (Shari'ah) rights of the individuals and to ensure that they fulfill their
obligations to the community as enjoined by law. That is how Islam strikes a
balance between individualism and collectivism.
THE
PROBLEM OF EQUALITY
If we observe the phenomena of nature and God's blessings
unto mankind we find that He has not observed equality in the distribution of
His bounties and favors but in His infinite wisdom has accorded precedence to
some individuals over others. Beauty of form, pleasantness of voice, excellence
of physique and mental talents, etc, have not been granted to men in equal
degree. The same is the case with the material means of life. Human nature has
been so ordained that divergence, variety and inequality among men in their
modes and standards of living seem to be most natural thing. Variety is the
spice of life and the driving spirit behind human effort and excellence.
Consequently, all those schemes and ideologies which are forced to mankind are
unrealistic and impossible to achieve. The equality in which Islam believes is
equality in respect of the opportunities of struggle for securing a livelihood
and for climbing the uppermost rung of the ladder of well-being and prosperity.
Islam desires that no legal, functional or traditional
handicaps should exist in society, to prevent an individual from struggling for
a living according to his capacity and talent nor should any social distinctions
subsist with the object of safeguarding the privileges of a particular class,
race and dynasty or group of people. And those schemes and ideologies which
serve the vested interests or which want to perpetrate the hold of a certain
group are repugnant to Islam and can have no place in its scheme of things. Such
movements seek to establish, through force and resort to artificial means, an
unnatural inequality in place of the natural limited inequality which feeds the
springs of incentive to effort in a society. Hence, Islam aims at wiping them
out and putting the economic system on the natural footing so that the
opportunities of struggle may remain open to all. At the same time Islam does
not agree with those who desire to enforce complete equality in respect of the
mean of production and the fruits of economic endeavor, as they aim at
replacing, limited natural inequalities by an artificial equality.
Only that system can be the nearest to human nature in which
everyone joins the economic struggle at the start and in the circumstances in
which God has created him. He, who has inherited an airplane should struggle to
be equipped with it; while he who has only a pair of legs should stand on his
feet and try to move ahead. The laws of society should neither establish a
permanent monopoly of the airplane owner over his airplane and make it
impossible for the bare-footed to acquire an airplane nor such that the race for
everyone of them should compulsory begin from one point. And under the same
conditions and they should all per force be tied to each other right till the
end of the race. Contrary to this the economic laws should be such as to make it
possible for the bare-footed who started his race under adverse conditions, to
secure and possess an airplane if he can do so by dint of his struggle and
ability. And for him who inherited the airplane, to be left behind in the race
and be without it if that is due to his own inability or incapacity or
inefficiency. Effort should be paid and inactivity penalized.
Islam does not wish that this economic race takes place in an
atmosphere of cold impartiality, moral neutrality and social apathy. it deems it
desirable that the participants in the economic race should be considerate and
sympathetic to one another. On the one hand, Islam through its moral
injunctions, aims at creating a feeling of mutual love and affection among the
people. Under which they may help their weak and weary brethren and at the same
time create a permanent institution in the society to guarantee help and
assistance to those who are lacking in the necessary means of subsistence.
People who are unable to take part in the economic race should secure their
share from this social institution. And those who need some assistance commence
their struggle in the economic field may also receive it in full measure from
this institution. To this end, Islam has commanded that Zakat should be levied
at the rate of 2.5% per annum on the total accumulated wealth of the country as
well as on the invested capital. On agricultural produce IO% are levied on lands
which are irrigated by natural means (through rains) and 5% on irrigation's
which require man's efforts. And 2.5% is required on mineral products. The
annual Zakat should also be levied at a specified rate, on the herds of cattle
owned by anyone beyond a certain minimum number. The amount of Zakat thus
collected is to be spent on giving assistance to the poor, the orphans and the
indigent, etc. This provides a men's of social insurance in the presence of
which no one in an Islamic society can ever remain without being well provided
with the necessities of life. No worker can ever be forced through fear of star
to accept any conditions of employment which may be dictated to him by the
industrialist or the landlord to his disadvantage. And nobody's physical health
can ever be allowed to fail below the minimum standard of fitness for lake of
proper medical care and hospitalization.
With regards to the position of the individual, vis-à-vis
the community, Islam aims at striking such a balance between them as it would
promote the individual liberty of a person and at the same time ensure that such
freedom is not detrimental to the interests of the community as a whole. But is
positively conducive to its growth and tranquility. Islam does not approve of a
political or economic organization which aims at merging the identity of the
individual into that of the community and depriving him of the freedom essential
for a proper development of his personality and talent. The inevitable
consequence of nationalizing all the means of production in a country is the
annihilation of the individual by the community, and in these circumstances the
existence and development of his individuality becomes extremely difficult, if
not impossible. Just as political and social freedom is essential for the
individual, economic freedom is likewise indispensable for civilized moral
existence. Unless we desire to completely eliminate the individuality of man,
our social life should have enough margin for an individual to be freedom to
earn his living, to maintain the freedom of his conscience, and to be able to
develop his moral and intellectual faculties according to his own inclinations
and aptitudes. Living on a dole or virtual dole at the hands of others cannot be
very satisfying. Even though it is plentiful because the retardation of mental,
moral and spiritual development to which it ultimately leads can never be
compensated or counter-balanced by mere physical welfare and prosperity which
too are doubtful.
Just as Islam does not like such a system, it also does not
favor a social system which gives unbridled economic and social freedom to
individuals and gives them a blank check to secure their individual interest and
achieve their objective even at the whole or by exploiting and misappropriating
the wealth of others. Between these two extremes Islam has adopted the middle
course according to which the individual is first called upon, in the interest
of the community, to accept certain restricts, and is then left free to regulate
his own affairs. He has freedom of enterprise and competition within a framework
which guarantees the good of both the individual and the society. It is not
possible to explain all these obligations and restrictions in detail and I
shall, therefore, content myself with presenting a bare outline of them.
OBLIGATIONS
AND RESTRICTIONS
Take the case of earning a livelihood first. The meticulous
care with which Islam has distinguished between right and wrong in respect of
the means of earning wealth is not to be found in any other legal and social
system existing in the world. It condemns as illegal all those means of
livelihood which injure, morally or materially, the interests of another
individual or of the society as a whole. Islamic law categorically rejects as
illegal the manufacture and sale of liquor and other intoxication, adultery,
professional dancing and obscenity, gambling, speculation, race and lotteries,
transactions of speculative, imaginary, fraudulent or controversial nature;
business transactions in which the gain of one party is absolutely guaranteed
and assured while that of the other party is left uncertain and doubtful; price
manipulation by withholding the sale of necessities of life; and many other
similar transactions which are detrimental to the interests of community. If we
examine this aspect of the economic laws of Islam, we will find a long list of
practices declared illegal most of which can and are making people millionaires
in the capitalistic system. Islam forbids all these unfair means and allows
freedom of earning wealth only by those means through which a person renders
some real and useful service to the community and thereby entities himself to a
fair and just compensation for it.
Islam accepts the rights of ownership of an individual the
rights of ownership of an individual over the wealth earned by him by legitimate
means but even these rights are not unqualified. A man can spend his legitimate
wealth, only in legitimate avenues and by legitimate means. Islam has imposed
restrictions on expenditure so that while one can lead a decent life, one cannot
waste one's riches on luxurious pursuits. A person cannot transgress the
prescribed limits of exhibiting his status and affluence and behave as super
being vis-à-vis other persons. Certain forms of illegal and wasteful
expenditure have been clearly and unequivocally prohibited while some others,
though not expressly banned, may be prohibited at the discretion of the Islamic
state.
One is permitted to accumulate wealth that is left over after
meeting his legitimate and reasonable requirements, and these savings can also
be used in producing more wealth but there are some restrictions on both of
these activities. In the event of accumulation of wealth he will, of course,
have to pay Zakat at the rate of 2.5% per annum on the accumulation exceeding
the specified minimum. If he desires to invest it in business he can only do so
in what is declared as legitimate business. It is permissible for a man to
undertake the legitimate business himself or to make his capital available to
others on a profit-loss sharing basis. It is not at all objectionable in Islam
if, working with in these li, a man becomes even a millionaire; rather, this
will constitute a Divine favor. But in the interests of the community as a whole
Islam imposes two conditions on the individual; first, that he should pay Zakat
on his commercial goods and 'Ushr (1/10) (which has not required any man effort
for irrigation) and 5% on irrigated produce which has required man'., efforts of
the value of agricultural produce, secondly, that he should deal fairly and
honestly with those whom he brings into his partnership in trade industry or
agriculture, with those whom he takes in his employment and with the state and
the community at large. If one doe: not do justice to others, particularly his
employees, of his own accord, the Islamic state will compel him to do so.
Then again, even wealth that is accumulated within these
legal limits is not allowed by Islam to be concentrated at a point or place for
a long time. By virtue of its of inheritance Islam spreads it over a large
number of persons from generation to generation. In this respect, the spirit of
Islamic law is different from that of other laws prevailing in the contemporary
world. Most of the inheritance laws attempt to keep the wealth once accumulated
by a person concentrated in the hands of the beneficiary from generation to
generation. As against this, Islam has made a law under which the wealth
accumulated by a person in his lifetime is distributed among all of his near
relatives soon after his death. If, there are no near relatives, then distant
relatives are to benefit from it in the proportions laid down by the law for
each one of them. And, if no distant relative is forthcoming, then the entire
Muslim society is entitled to its inheritance. Under this law, the creation or
continuance of any big family of capitalists or landlords becomes impossible.
CHAPTER VI
What is the spiritual system of Islam and what is its
relation with the system of life as a whole? To understand this, it is necessary
to carefully study the difference between the Islamic concept of spirituality
and that of other religions and ideologies. In the absence of a clear
understanding of this difference, it often happens that when talking about the
spiritual system of Islam, many of the vague notions associated with the word
"spiritual" unconsciously come to one's mind, and in this state of
confusion, it becomes difficult for one to comprehend the spiritual system of
Islam which is not only transcends the due of spirit and matter but is the
nucleus of the integrated and unified concept of life presented by Islam.
BODY
- SOUL CONFLICT
The idea which has been most influential in making the
climate of thought in philosophy and religion is that body and soul are mutually
antagonistic and conflicting and hence, they cannot go together in life, and one
can develop only at the cost of the other. For the soul, the confines of body
and matter are a prison-house; the mundane activities of worldly life are the
shackles with which the soul is kept in bondage and its growth is arrested. Ms
has inevitably led to the well-known concept of classifying the universe into
the spiritual and the secular. Those who chose the secular path were convinced,
at the very outset, that the demands of spirituality could not be complied with,
and thus, went headlong into a sensate outlook in life culminating in stark
materialism and hedonism. Consequently, all spheres of worldly activities may
they be social, political, economic or cultural were deprived of the light of
spirituality and the world was smitten with injustice and tyranny. On the other
hand, those who wanted to tread the path of spiritual excellence innovated such
ways and devices for the development and elevation of the spirit, as to make
them "noble outcasts" in this world. They believed that it was not
possible to find any process for spiritual growth which might be compatible with
a normal life in this world. In their view, physical self-denial and
mortification's of the flesh were necessary for developing and perfecting the
spirit. They invented spiritual exercises and their ascetic practices which
would kill one's physical desires and render the body senseless and even
useless. They regarded forests, mountains and other solitary places, as ideal
places for spiritual development because in those hideouts the hustle and bustle
of civilization would not interfere in their spiritual practices and nose-
gazing meditations. They could not conceive of the feasibility of any means of
spiritual development except by withdrawing themselves from the world and its
affairs and severing all contacts with society and civilization.
This conflict of body and soul resulted in the evolution of
two different ideals for the perfection of man. One of the ideals was of
material perfection, which meant that a man should be surrounded by all the
material comforts and bounties of the world and regard himself as nothing but an
animal, the ideal being the seek dizzy heights in this realm. The result was
that he could exceed as an animal but the man in him could not seek its
flowering. Men learned to fly like birds, swim like crocodile, run like horses
and even terrorize and destroy like wolves - but to live like noble human beings
they learned not. The other ideal was of the perfection of spiritual life to an
extent that the senses are not only subdued and conquered but supra sensory
powers are awakened and the limitations of the sensory world are done away with.
With these new conquests men could distant voices like powerful wireless sets,
see remote objects as one does with the telescope and develop powers through
which the mere touch of their hand or focus of their sight may heal the
unhealable. This supra sensory field has been the other avenue of human
advancement, but how throbbing human this really is not difficult to visualize!
The Islamic viewpoint differs radically from that of all the
prevailing religious and philosophical systems in this regard. According to
Islam, God has appointed man as his "Khalifah" (trustee) in the
universe. He has invested him with certain authority and laid upon him certain
responsibilities and obligations for the fulfillment of which He has endowed him
with the best and most suitable physical frame. The body has been created with
the sole object that the soul should make use of it in the exercise of its
authority and the fulfillment of its duties and responsibilities. Hence, the
body is not a prison house for the soul but its workshop or factory, and if
there is any possibility for the growth and development of the soul, it is only
through the use of the power machines and instruments provided by this workshop.
Consequently, this world is not a place of punishment in
which the human soul has been confined somehow but is a field in which God has
sent him to work and do his duty toward Him. Innumerable things in this universe
have been placed at the disposal of the human soul and many more human beings
endowed with it have been created in this world to fulfill the duties of this
very vicegerent. The natural urges of man have given birth to civilization,
culture, and social systems. The spiritual development which is possible in this
world should not take the form of man turning his face from the workshop and
retiring in some uninhabited comer. Rather, the only form it should take is that
man should live and work in it and give the best account of himself. It is in
the nature of an examination center for him; every aspect and sphere of life is,
as it were, like a question paper in this test; the home, the fan3ily, the
neighborhood, the society, the
Market place, the office, the factory, the school, the law
courts, the police station, the parliament, the peace conference and the
battlefield, all represent 'question papers' on different subjects which man has
been called upon to answer. If he does not take any question paper, or leaves
most of the answer books blank, he is bound to fail in the examination. The only
possibility of such and development would lie in man’s spending his whole time
and giving his whole attention to this examination and to attempt as far as
possible to answer all the question papers handed over to him.
Islam rejects and condemns the asceticism of life, and
proposes a set of methods and processes for the spiritual development of man not
outside this world but inside it, one that passes through the rough and tumble
of life. According to it the real place for the growth, uplift and elevation of
the spirit lies right in the midstream of the activity of life and not in
solitary places of spiritual hibernation.
CRITERION
FOR MORAL DEVELOPMENT
After this exposition of the basic approach of Islam let us
try to discuss the criterion given by Islam to judge the development of decay of
the soul. The answer to this question lies in the concept of Khilafat which has
just been mentioned. In capacity as the Khalifah (Servant) of God, man is
answerable to Him for all his activities. It is his duty to use 0 the powers
with which he is invested and all the means placed at his disposal in this
world, in accordance with the Divine Will. He should utilize to the fullest
extent all the faculties and potentialities bestowed upon him for seeking the
approbation of God. In his dealings with other human beings he should adopt an
attitude which is approved by God. In brief, all his efforts and energies should
be directed towards regulating the affairs of this world in the manner in which
God wants them to be regulated. The more admirably an man performs this
function, with a sense of responsibility, obedience and humility, and with the
object of seeking the pleasure of God, the nearer he will be to God. In Islam,
spiritual development is synonymous with nearness to God. Likewise, he will
remain away from God if he is lazy, slothful, transgressor, rebellious and
disobedient. And being away from God signifies, in Islam, the spiritual fall and
decay of man.
This explanation should make it clear that from the Islamic
point of view the sphere of activity of a religious-minded man and of a
secular-minded man is the same. Both will work in the same field of action;
rather a man of religion will work with greater enthusiasm than a secular minded
person. The man of religion will be as active as the seeker after the world or
indeed much more active, in the domestic and social functions of life which
extend from the confines of the household to the market square or the venue of
international conferences. Of course, what will distinguish their course of
action will be the nature of their relations with God and the objective which
they pursue. Whatever a religious man does, will be with the feeling that he is
answerable to God, with the object of securing Divine Pleasure, and I accordance
with the Law which God ha ordained for him. As against this, a worldly person
will be irresponsible, indifferent towards God and will be guided only by his
person,, motives in his actions. This difference make the whole of the material
life of a man of religion a thoroughly spiritual venture and the whole of the
life of a worldly person devoid o the spark of spirituality.
Now, we are in a position to briefly understand the road
which Islam chalks out for the pursuit of spiritual development of man in the
context of the mundane life in this world.
The first step in this direction is Iman (faith). It means
that the idea which should hold supreme in the mind and heart of a man is that
God alone is his Master, Sovereign and Deity; seeking His Pleasure is the aim of
all his endeavors; and His Commands alone constitute the law of his life. This
should be his firm conviction, not merely cognition of the intellect, but also
of the will. The stronger and deeper this conviction, the more profound the
faith will be, and it will enable man to tread the path of spiritual development
with patience and steadfastness and face all the vicissitudes firmly and
squarely.
The second stage is of Ita’at (obedience) meaning that a
man divests himself of his independence altogether, and accepts subservience to
God in practice after having proclaimed faith in Him as his creed. The
subservience is called Islam (obedience) in the language of the Qur’an. Thus,
it means that man should not only acknowledge God as his Lord and Sovereign but
should actually submit before Him and fashion his entire life in obedience to
the Lord.
The third stage is that of Taqwa (piety) which consists in
the practical manifestation of the faith in God in the mode of daily life.
Taqwa (piety) also consists in desisting from everything
which God has forbidden or even that which he disapproves even slightly, in a
readiness to undertake all that God has commanded and in observing the
distinction between lawful and unlawful, right and wrong, and good and bad in
life.
The last and the highest stage is that of Ihsan,
(benediction) which signifies that man has identified his will with the Will of
God. And has brought it, at least as far as he is concerned, completely in tuned
with the Divine Will, with the result that he has begun to like what is liked by
the Lord and to abhor what is disapproved by Him. Man should then, not only
himself avoid the evils which God does not like to spread on His earth, but
should use all his power and energy to wipe them off the face of earth; and he
should not merely rest content with adoring himself with the virtues which God
desires to flourish, but should also strive to establish and propagate them in
the world even at the cost of his life. A man who reaches this state attains the
highest pinnacle of spirituality and is nearest to God.
This path of spiritual development is not meant for
individuals only but for the communities and nations as well. Like individuals,
community also, after passing through the various stages of spiritual elevation,
may reach the ultimate stage of Ihsan (benediction), and also a state with all
its administrative machinery may become Mu'min (faithful), Muslim (obedient),
Muttaqi (pious) and Muhsin (beneficent). In fact, the ideals aimed by Islam are
achieved in a perfect manner only when the whole community moves on this path
and a Muttaqi and Muhsin (pious and beneficent) state comes into existence in
this world.
That is the acme of civilization where virtue reigns in
society and vice is subdued.
Let us now cast a glance at the mechanism of spiritual
training which Islam has laid down for preparing individuals and society for
this purpose.
The spiritual system of Islam rests on four fundamentals. The
first is prayer (Salat) which brings man into communion with God five times a
day, reviving His remembrance, reiterating His fear, developing His love,
reminding man of the Divine Commands again and again, and thus, preparing him
for obedience to God. These prayers are not to be offered individually but it is
obligatory to offer them in congregation so that the whole community and the
society may be prepared for this process of spiritual development. It is a tool
of individual as well as social training in the path of spiritual elevation in
Islam.
The second is Zakat which develops the sense of monetary
sacrifice, sympathy and cooperation among Muslims. There are people who wrongly
interpret Zakat as a mere tax although the spirit underlying Zakat is entirely
different from that which lies at the root of a tax. The real meaning of Zakat
is sublimity and purification. By using this word, Islam desires to impress on
man the real value of Zakat which is inspired by a true love of God, that the
monetary help he renders to his brethren will in fact, purity and benefit his
soul.
The third is fasting (Saum) which for a full month every
year, trains a man individually and the Muslim community as a whole, in piety
and self-restraint. Enables the society, the rich and the poor alike, to
experience the pangs of hunger, and prepares the people to undergo any hardship
to seek the pleasure of God.
The fourth is Hajj (Pilgrimage) which aims at fostering
universal brotherhood of the faithful as the basis of worship of God, and has
culminated in a movement which has been answering the call of truth throughout
the centuries and will, God willing, go on answering this call till eternity.
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