The Islamic Way of Life [English Version of Urdu "Islam Ka Nizam-e-Hayat"] is written by Sayyid Abul A'la Mawdudi.
The Islamic
Way of Life
(Islam ka
Nizam-e-Hayat)
By Abul A'la
Mawdudi
Contents
1.
The Islamic Concept of Life
2.
The Moral System of Islam
3.
Essential Features of the Islamic Political System
4.
The Islamic Social Order
5.
The Economic Principles of Islam
6.
The Spiritual Path in Islam
1. The Islamic Concept of Life
1.
Basic Principles
2.
Iman: Its Nature and Character
3.
The Scheme of Life
4.
Objectives and Characteristic Ma 'rufat Munkarat
5.
Some Other Characteristics
The
chief characteristic of Islam is that it makes no distinction between the
spiritual and the secular in life. Its aim is to shape both individual lives as
well as society as a whole in ways that will ensure that the Kingdom of God may
really be established on earth and that peace, contentment and well being may
fill the world. The Islamic way of life is thus based on a unique concept of
man's place in the universe. That is why it is necessary that, before we
discuss the moral, social, political and economic systems of Islam, we should
have a clear idea of what that concept is.
1. Basic Principles
1.
God, who is the Creator, the Ruler and the Lord of the universe, has created
man and provided him with a temporary home in that part of His vast kingdom
which is 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 free will and the power to use the resources of the
world however he likes. That is, man has a measure of autonomy, while being at
the same time God's representative on earth.
2.
Before assigning to man this vicegerency (Khilafat), God made it clear to him
that He alone was the Lord, the Ruler and the Deity. As such, the entire universe
and all creatures in it (including man) should submit to Him alone. Man must
not think himself totally free and must realize that this earth is not his
permanent abode. He has been created to live on it only for a probationary
period and, in due course, he will return to his Lord, to be judged according
to the way he has spent that period. The only right course for man is to
acknowledge God as the only Lord, the Sustainer and the Deity, and to follow
His guidance and His commands in all he does. His sole objective should be to
merit the approval of Allah.
If
man follows a course of righteousness and godliness (which he is free to choose
and follow) he will be rewarded in this world and the next: in this world he
will live a life of peace and contentment, and in the Heareafter he will
qualify for the heaven of eternal bliss, al-Jannah. If he chooses to follow the
course of godlessness and evil (which he is equally free to choose and follow),
his life will be one of corruption and frustration in this world, and in the
life to come he will face the prospect of that abode of pain and misery which
is called Hell.
3.
After making this position clear, God set man on earth and provided the very
first human beings (Adam and Eve) with guidance as to how they were to live.
Thus man's life on this earth did not start in utter darkness. From the
beginning a bright torch or light was provided so that humanity could fulfil
its glorious destiny. The very first man received revealed knowledge from God
Himself, and was told the correct way to live. This code of life was Islam, the
attitude of complete submission to Allah, the Creator of man and 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. Either they lost
the original teachings through negligence or they deliberately adulterated and
distorted them. They associated God with innumerable human beings, material
objects and imaginary gods. Shirk (polytheism) became widespread. They mixed up
the teachings of God with myths and strange philosophies and thus produced a
jumble of religions and cults; and they discarded the God-given principles of
personal and social morality, the Shari'ah.
4.
Although man departed from the path of truth, disregarded or distorted the
Shari'ah or even rejected the code of Divine guidance, God did not destroy them
or force them to take the right course.
Forced
morality was not in keeping with the autonomy He had given to man. Instead, God
appointed certain good people from among the human society itself to guide men
to the right path. These men believed in God, and lived a life of obedience to
Him. He honoured them by His revelations, giving them the knowledge of reality.
Known as Prophets, blessings and peace be on all of them, they were assigned
the task of spreading God's message among men.
5.
Many thousands of these prophets were raised throughout the ages, in all lands
and in all nations. All of them brought the same message, all of them advocated
the same way of life, (din), that is, the way which was revealed to man on the
first day of his existence. All of them had the same mission: they called men
to Islam-to submit to God alone, 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 true path. Many people, however, refused to accept their guidance and many
of those who did accept it gradually drifted away from their initial
commitment.
6.
Lastly, God raised the Prophet Muhammad, blessings and peace be on him, in
Arabic to complete the mission of the earlier prophets. The message of
Muhammed, blessings and peace be on him, was for the whole of mankind. He
presented a new the teachings of Islam in their pristine form and provided
humanity once again with the Divine guidance which had been largely lost. He
organized all those who accepted his message into one community (Ummah),
charged with living in accordance with the teachings of Islam, with calling
humanity to the path of righteousness and with establishing the supremacy of
the word of God on earth. This guidance is enshrined in the Holy Qur'an.
2. Iman: Its Nature and Character
The
Qur'an deals in many passages with man's relationship to Allah and the concept
of life which naturally follows from that relationship. Its message is
epitomized in the following verse:
Verily
Allah hath bought of the Believers their lives and their properties for the price
that theirs shall be the Paradise: so they fight in the way of Allah and slay
and are slain. It (i.e. the promise of Paradise) is a covenant which is binding
on Him in the Torah and the Injil and the Qur'an. And who is more faithful unto
his covenant than Allah? Rejoice then in your bargain that ye have made, for
that is the supreme triumph. (al-Tawbah 9: 111)
In
the above verse the nature of the relationship which comes into existence
between man and God because of Imam (the belief, trust and faith in Allah) is
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 possessions in exchange for the promise of Paradise in the Hereafter. God,
as it were, purchases a Believer's life and property and promises, in return,
the reward of Paradise in the life after death. This concept of a bargain and a
covenant has important implications, and needs to be clearly understood.
Everything
in this world belongs to Allah. As such, man's life and wealth, which are part
of this world, also belong to Him, because He has created them and has
entrusted them to every man for his use.
Looked
at from this angle, the question of 'selling' or 'buying' may not seem to arise
at all; God does not need to buy what is already His man cannot sell what is
not really his.
But
there is one thing which has been conferred on man, and which now belongs fully
to him, and that is free will, which gives his freedom to choose between
following or not following the path of Allah. This freedom of will and choice
does not automatically make man the real owner of all the power and resources
over which he has command, nor does it give him the right to use them just as
he likes. Yet, because of this free will, he may, if he likes, consider himself
free of all obligations to the Lord and independent of any higher authority. It
is here that the question of bargain arises.
This
bargain thus 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 on trust. 'God wants man to willingly
and voluntarily acknowledge this. A person who voluntarily renounces his
freedom to reject God's supremacy and instead acknowledges His sovereignty,
and, in so doing, 'sells' his 'autonomy' (which, too, is a gift from God) to
God, will get in return God's promise of eternal bliss in Paradise. A person
who makes such a bargain is a Mu'min (Believer) and Iman (faith) is the Islamic
name for this contract; a person who chooses not to enter into this contract,
or who, after making such contract, does not keep to it, is a Kufir. The
avoidance or abrogation of the contract is technically known as Kufr.
Such
is the nature of the contract. Now let us briefly study its various aspects and
stipulations.
1.
God has set us to account for ourselves in two areas:
(a)
He has left man free, but nonetheless wishes to see whether he will remain
honest and loyal to Him, or whether he will rebel against his own Creator,
whether he will behave nobly or start 'playing such fantastic tricks as make
the angels weep'.
(b)
He wants to see whether man is prepared to have enough trust in God to offer
his life and wealth in return for a promise about the next world.
2.
It is a principle of Islamic law that Iman consists in adherence to a certain
set of doctrines becomes a Mu'min. No one has the right to call such a man a
disbeliever or drive him from the fold of Ummah, unless there is clear proof
that faith has been abandoned. This is the legal position. But in the eyes of
the Lord, Iman is only valid when it entails complete surrender of one's will
and freedom of choice to the will of Allah. It is a state of thought and
action, coming from the hear, wherein man submits himself fully to Allah,
renouncing all claim to his own supremacy.
A
man may recite the Kalimah, accept the contract and even offer Prayers and
perform other acts of worship, but if in his heart he regards himself as the owner
and the master of his physical and mental powers and of his moral and material
resources, then, however much the people may look upon him as a Mu'min, in the
eyes of God he will be a disbeliever. He will not really have entered into the
bargain which the Qur'an says is the essence of Iman. If a man does not use his
powers and resources in the way God has forbidden, it is clear that either he
has not pledged his life and property to Allah, or has nullified that pledge by
his conduct.
3.
This aspect of Iman makes the Islamic way of life the very opposite of the
non-Muslim, who has real faith in Allah, makes his entire life one of obedience
and surrender to His will. He never behaves arrogantly or selfishly or as if he
were master of his own destiny, save in moments of forgetfulness. And so soon
as he becomes conscious of such a lapse, he will submit himself to his Lord and
ask forgiveness for his error.
Similarly,
a group of people or a society which consists of true Muslims can never break
away from the Law of their Lord. Its political order, its social organizations,
its culture, its economic policy, its legal system and its international
strategy must all be in tune with the code of guidance revealed by Allah. Any
unwitting contraventions must be corrected as soon as they are realised.
It
is disbelievers who feel free from God's guidance and behave as if they were
their own master. Anyone who behaves like this, even though he may bear a name
similar to that of a Muslim, is treading the path of the disbelievers.
4.
The will of God, which it is obligatory for man to follow, is the one which God
Himself has revealed for man's guidance. It cannot be determined by man
himself. God has Himself explained it clearly and there is no ambiguity about
it. Therefore, if a society sticks honestly to its contract with Allah, it must
shape its life in accordance with the Book of God and the Sunnah of the
Prophet, blessing and peace be on him.
It
is clear from the foregoing discussion why the payment of the price has been
postponed till the life after death. Paradise is not the reward for the mere
profession of the bargain, it is the reward for the faithful execution of it.
Unless the behavior of the 'vendor' complies with the terms of the contract he
will not be entitled to the reward. The final act of the 'sale' can only be
concluded after the last moment of the vendor's earthly life.
There
is another significant point which merges from the study of the verse quoted in
the Qur'an. In the verses preceding it, reference is made to the people who
professed Iman and promised a life of obedience, but who, when the hour of
trial came, proved unequal to the task. Some neglected the call of the hour and
betrayed the cause. Others refused to sacrifice their lives and riches in the
cause of Allah. The Qur'an, after criticizing their insincerity, makes it clear
that Iman is a contract, a form of pledge between man and God. It does not
consist in a mere profession of belief in Allah. It is an acknowledgement of
the fact that Allah alone is our Lord, Sovereign and Ruler and that everything
that man has, including his own life, belongs to Him and must be used in
accordance with His directives. If a Muslim adopt a different course, he is
insincere in his profession of faith. Only those who have really sold their
lives and all that they possess to God and who follow his dictates in all
spheres of activity can be called true Believers.
3. The Scheme of Life
In
Islam, man's entire individuals and social life is an exercise in developing
and strengthening his relationship with God. Iman, the starting point of our
religion, consists in the acceptance of this relationship by man's intellect
and will; Islam means submission to the will of God in all aspects of life. The
Islamic code of conduct is known as the Shari'ah. Its sources are the Qur'an
and the Sunnah of the Prophet, blessings and peace be on him.
The
final Book of God and His final Messenger stand today as the repositories of
this truth. Everyone who aggress that the concept of Reality stated by the
prophet, and the Holy Book is true, should step forward and surrender himself
to the will of God. It is this submission which is called Islam, the result of
Iman in actual life. And those who of their own free will accept God as their
Sovereign, 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 are welded into a community and
that is how the 'Muslim society' comes into being. It is an idelogical society,
radically different from those which are founded on the basis of race, colour
or territory. It is the result of a deliberate choice, the outcome of a
'contract' which takes place between human beings and their 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, His word as to what is good or evil, right or wrong,
permissible or prohibited. In short, freedoms of the Islamic society are
limited by the commandments of the Omniscient 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 a real Muslim society can deliberately adopt any other
system of life than that based on the Shari 'ah. If it does so, its contract is
ipso facto broken and its becomes 'un-Islamic'.
But
we must clearly distinguish between the everyday sins of the individual and a
deliberate revolt against the Shari 'ah. The former may not mean a breaking up
of the contract, while the latter most certainly would. The point that should
be clearly understood 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 disregard of the Shari 'ah, such a
society breaks its contract with God and forfeits its right to be called 'Islam'.
4. Objectives and Characteristics
The
main objectives of the Shari 'ah are to ensure that human life is based on ma
'rufat (good) and to cleanse it of munkarat (evils). The terms ma 'rufat
denotes all the qualities that have always been accepted as 'good' by the human
conscience. Conversely, the word munkarat denotes all those qualities that have
always been condemned by human nature as 'evil'. In short, the ma 'rufat are in
harmony with human nature and the munkarat are against nature. The Shari 'ah
gives precise definitions of ma 'rufat and munkarat, clearly indicating the
standards of goodness to which individuals and society should aspire.
It
does not, however, limit itself to an inventory of good and evil deeds; rather,
it lays down an entire scheme of life whose aim is to make sure that good
flourishes and evils do not destroy or harm human life.
To
achieve this, the Shari 'ah has embraced in its scheme everything that
encourages the growth of good and has recommended ways to remove obstacles that
might prevent this growth. This process gives rise to a subsidiary series of ma
'rufat consisting of ways of initiating and nurturing the good, and yet another
set of ma 'rufat consisting of prohibitions in relation to those things which
act as impediments to good. Similarly, there is a subsidiary list of munkarat
which might initiate or allow the growth of evil.
The
Shari 'ah shapes Islamic society in a way conducive to the unfettered growth of
good, righteousness and truth in every sphere of human activity. At the same
time it removes all the impediments along the path to goodness. And it attempts
to eradicate corruption from its social scheme by prohibiting evil, by removing
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
The
Sahri'ah divides ma 'rufat into three categories: the mandatory (fard and
wajib), the recommendatory (mandub) and the permissible (mubah).
The
observance of the mandatory is obligatory on a Muslim society and the Shari 'ah
has given clear and binding directions about this. The recommendatory ma 'rufat
are those which the Shari 'ah expects a Muslim society to observe and practise,
Some of them have been very clearly demanded of us while others have been
recommended by implication and inference from the sayings of the Prophet,
blessings and peace be on him. Besides this, special arrangements have been
made for the growth and encouragement of some of them in the scheme of life
advocated by the Shari 'ah. Others again have simply been recommended by the
Shari 'ah, leaving it to the society or to its more virtuous elements to look
to promote them.
This
leaves us with the permissible ma'rufat. Strictly speaking, according to the
Shari 'ah everything which has not been expressly prohibited is a permissible
ma'ruf. 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 in this vast sphere we have been
given freedom to legislate according to our own discretion to suit the
requirements of our age and conditions.
Munkarat
The
munkarat (the things prohibited in Islam) have been grouped into two categories:
things which have been prohibited absolutely (haram), and things which are
simply undesirable (makruh).
Muslims
have been enjoined by clear and mandatory injunctions to refrain totally from
everything that has been declared haram. As for the makruh, the Shari 'ah
signifies its disapproval either expressly or by implication, giving an
indication also as to the extent of such disapproval. For example, there are
some makruh things bording on haram, while others are closer to acts which are
permissible. Moreover, in some cases, explicit measures have been prescribed by
the Shari 'ah for the prevention of makruh things, while in others such
measures have been left to the discretion of the society or individual.
5. Some Other Characteristics
The
Shari 'ah thus prescribes directives for the regulation of our individuals as
well as collective lives. These directives affect such varied subjects as
religious rituals, personal character, morals, habits, family relationships,
social and economic affairs, administration, the rights and duties of citizens,
the judicial system, the laws of war and peace and international relations.
They tell us what is good and bad; what is beneficial and useful and what is
injurious and harmful; what are the virtues which we have to cultivate and
encourage and what are the evils which we have to suppress and guard against;
what is the sphere of our voluntary, personal and social action and what are
its limits; and, finally, what methods we can adopt to establish dynamic order
of society and what methods we should avoid. The Shari 'ah is a complete way of
life and an all-embracing social order.
Another
remarkable feature of the Shari 'ah is that it is an organic whole. The entire
way of life propounded by Islam is animated by the same spirit and hence any
arbitrary division of the scheme is
bound
to affect the spirit as well as the structure of the Islamic order. In this
respect, it might be compared to the human body. A leg separated from the body
cannot be called one-eight or one-sixth man, because after its separation from
the body the leg cannot perform its function. Nor can it be placed in the body
of some other animal with the aim of making it human to the extent of that
limb. Likewise, we cannot form a correct judgement about the utility,
efficiency and beauty of the hand, the eye or the nose of a human being outside
the context of their place and function within the living body.
The
same can be said about the scheme of life envisaged by the Shari 'ah. Islam
signifies a complete way of life which cannot be split up into separate parts.
Consequently, it is neither appropriate to consider the different parts of the
Shari 'ah is isolation, nor to take any particular part and bracket it with any
other 'ism'. The Shari 'ah can function smoothly only if one's whole life is
lived in accordance with it.
2.The Moral
System of Islam
1.
Why Differences?
2.
The Islamic Concept of Life and Morality
3.
The Goal of Moral Effort
4.
Sanction Behind Morality
5.
Motives and Incentives
6.
Distinctive Features
A
moral sense is inborn in man and, through the ages, it has served as the common
man's standard of moral behaviour, approving certain qualities and condemning
others. While this instinctive faculty may vary from person to person, human
conscience has consistently declared certain moral qualities to be good and
others to be bad.
Justice,
courage and truthfulness have always found praise, and history does not record
any period worth the name in which falsehood, injustice, dishonesty and breach
of trust have been praised; sympathy, compassion, loyalty and generosity have
always been valued, while selfishness, cruelty, meanness and bigotry have never
been approved of by society; men have always appreciated perseverance,
determination and courage, but never impatience, fickleness, cowardice and
stupidity. Dignity, restraint, politeness and friendliness have throughout the
ages been counted virtues, whereas snobbery and rudeness have always been
looked down upon. People with as sense of responsibility and devotion to duty
have always won the highest regard, those who are incompetent, lazy and lacking
in a sense of duty have never been looked upon with approval.
Similarly,
in assessing the standards of good and bad in the collective behaviour of
society as a whole, only those societies have been considered worthy of honour
which have possessed the virtues of organization, discipline, mutual affection
and compassion and which have established a social order based on justice,
freedom and equality. Disorganisation, indiscipline, anarchy, disunity,
injustice a d social privilege have always been considered manifestations of
decay and disintegration in a society. Robbery, murder, larceny, adultery and
corruption have always been condemned. Slander and blackmail have never been
considered healthy social activities, while service and care of the aged,
helping one's relatives, regard for neighbours, loyalty to friends, aiding the
weak, the destitute and the orphans, and nursing the sick are qualities which
have been highly valued since the dawn of civilization.
Individuals
who are honest, sincere and dependable, whose deeds match their words, who are
content with their own rightful possessions, 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 basis of
any healthy human society.
These
examples show that human moral standards are universal and have been well-known
to mankind throughout the ages. Good and evil are not myths, but realities well
understood by all. A sense of good and evil is inherent in the very nature of
man. Hence in the terminology of the Qur'an good is called ma 'ruf (a
well-known thing) and evil munkar (an unknown thing); that is to say, good is
known to be desirable and evil is known not to commend itself in any way. As
the Qur'an says: God has revealed to human nature the consciousness and
cognition of good and evil. (al-Shams 91: 8)
1. Why Differences?
The
question that now arises is : if what constitutes good and evil is so clear and
universally agreed, why do varying patterns of moral behaviour exist in the
world? Why are there so many conflicting moral
philosophies?
Why do certain moral standards contradict each other? What lies at the root of
their differences? What is the unique position of Islam in the context of other
ethical systems? On what grounds can we claim that Islam has a perfect moral
systems? And what exactly is the distinctive contribution of Islam in the realm
of ethics?
Although
these are important questions and must be squarely faced, justice cannot be
done to them in the brief span of this talk. So I shall restrict myself to a
summary of some of the points crucial to any critical examination of
contemporary ethical systems and conflicting patterns of moral behaviour:
(a)
Through their failure to prescribe specific limits and roles for the various
moral virtues and values, present-day moral structures cannot provide a
balanced and coherent plan of social conduct.
(b)
The real cause of the differences in the moral systems seems to lie in their
offering different standards for judging what constitutes good and bad actions
and in their laying down different ways to distinguish good from 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 of the universe, the place of
man in it, and of man's purpose on earth. The various systems of ethics,
philosophy and religion are in fact a record of the vast divergence of views on
such vital questions as: Is there a God of the universe and, if there is, is He
the only one or are there many Gods? What are the Divine attributes? What is
the nature of the relationship between God and human beings? Has He made any
arrangements for guiding humanity through the vicissitudes of life or not? Is
man answerable to Him or not? And if so, in what spheres of his life? Is there
an ultimate aim of man's creation which he should keep in view through out his
life? Answers to these questions will determine the way of life, the ethical
philosophy and the pattern of moral behaviour of the individual and society.
It
is difficult for me, in this brief talk, to take stock of the various ethical
systems in the world and 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 have to confine
myself to the Islamic concept only.
2. The Islamic Concept of Life and
Morality
The
viewpoint of Islam is that the universe is the creation of God who is One. He
alone is its Master. Sovereign and Sustainer, and it is functioning under His
command. He is All-powerful and Omniscient. He is Subbuh and Quddus (that is,
free from all defects, mistakes, weaknesses and faults and is holy in every
respect). His godhood is free from partiality and injustice.
Man
is His creature, subject and servant and is born to serve and obey Him. The
correct course of life for man is to live in complete obedience to Him. And it
is for God, not man, to determine the mode of that worship and obedience.
At
certain times God has raised Prophets for the guidance of humanity and has
revealed His books through them . It is the duty of man to live his life
according to the dictates of God and to follow the Divine guidance.
Man
is answerable to God for all his actions and will be called on to render an
account of them in the Hereafter. Man's short life on earth is really an
opportunity to prepare for that great test. He will be impartially assessed on
his conduct in life by a Being who keeps a complete record not merely of his
movements and actions and the influence on all that is is in the world-from the
tiniest speck of dust to the highest mountains but also of his innermost thoughts
and feelings and intentions.
3. The Goal of Moral Effort
This
concept of the universe and of man's place in it indicates the real and
ultimate good which should be the object of all mankind's endeavours -'seeking
the pleasure of God'. This is the standard by which Islam judges all conduct.
It means that man is not left like a ship without moorings at the mercy of
winds and tides; instead, we have a set of unchangeable norms for all moral
actions. Moreover, by making the 'pleasure of God' the object of man's life,
unlimited possibilities are opened for man's moral evolution, untainted by
narrow selfishness or racism or chauvinism.
Islam
also furnishes us with the means to determine good and evil conduct. It does
not base our knowledge of evil and virtue on mere intellect, desire, intuition
or experience derived through the senses, which constantly undergo changes and
modifications and thus fail to provide definite and unchanging standards of
morality. Instead, it provides us with an objective source, the Divine
revelation, as embodied in the Book of God and the Sunnah (way of life ) of the
Prophet, blessings and peace be on him. This source prescribes a standard of
moral conduct that is permanent and universal and holds good in every age and
under all circumstances.
The
moral code of Islam ranges from smallest details of domestic life to the field
of national and international behaviour. It guides us at every stage in life
and makes us free from exclusive dependence on other sources of knowledge,
although we may of course, use these as an aid to this primary source.
4. Sanction Behind Morality
This
concept of the universe and of man's place in it also provides the sanction
that must lie at the back of every moral law, that is, the love and fear of
God, the sense of accountability on the Day of Judgement and the promise of
eternal bliss and reward in the Hereafter. Although Islam aims to cultivate a
mass ethos which may induce individuals and groups to observe the principles of
morality it lays down as well as helps the evolution of a political system
which will enforce the moral law through its legislative and executive powers,
Islam's moral law does not really depend on these external factors. It relies
on the inherent desire for good in every man which is derived from belief in
God and the Day of Judgement. Before laying down any moral injunctions, Islam
seeks to implant firmly 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 God; that he may deceive everyone but God;
that he can flee from the power of any person of any person but not from God;
that while the world can see only man's outward life, God knows his innermost
intentions and desires; that while man may, in his short sojourn on earth, do
whatever he likes, he has to die one day and present himself before the Divine
court of justice where no special pleading or deception will be of any avail
and where his future will be decided with complete impartially. It is this
belief in accountability to God which is the real force behind the moral law of
Islam. If public opinion and the powers of the state 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.
5. Motives and Incentives
The
fact that a man voluntarily and willingly accepts God as his Creator and
obedience to God as the aim of his life and strives to seek His pleasure in his
every action provides sufficient incentive to obey the commandments which he
believes to be from God. Belief that whoever obeys the Divine commands is sure
to be rewarded in the Hereafter, whatever difficulties he may have to face in
his life on earth, is another strong incentive for leading a virtuous life. And
the belief that breaking the commandments of God will mean eternal punishment
is an effective deterrent against violation of the moral law, however tempted a
man may be by the superficial attractiveness of a certain course of action. If
this hope and fear are firmly ingrained in one's heart, they will inspire
virtuous deeds even on occasions when the immediate consequences may appear to
be very damaging, and they will keep one away from evil 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 laws, and its own sanctions and motivating force;
through them it shapes the generally recognized more virtues in all spheres of
life into a balanced and comprehensive scheme and ensures that they are
followed. It can therefore be justifiably claimed that Islam possesses a
perfect moral system of its own. This system has many distinguishing features
and I shall refer to three of the most significant ones which, in my opinion,
form its special contribution to ethics.
6. Distinctive Features
1.
By setting Divine pleasure as the objective of man's life, Islam has set the
highest possible standard of morality, providing boundless possibilities for
the moral evolution of humanity. By making Divine revelation the primary source
of knowledge, it gives permanence and stability to moral standards, while at
the same time allowing scope for reasonable flexibility and adjustment, though
not for perversions or moral laxity. The love and fear of God become the real
motives, which impel man to obey the moral law without external pressures. And
through belief in God and the Day of Judgement, we are motivated to behave
morally with earnestness and sincerity.
2.
The Islamic moral order does not, through a mistaken love of originally and
innovation, seek to lay down any new moral standards; nor does it seek to
minimize the importance of the well-known moral standards, or give exaggerated
importance to some and neglect others without cause. It takes all the
recognized morals and assigns a suitable role to each within the total scheme
of life. It widens the scope of their application to cover every aspect of
man's private and social life -his domestic associations, his civic conduct,
and his activities in the political, economic, legal and educational fields. It
covers his life at home and in society, literally from the cradle to the grave.
No sphere of life is exempt from the universal and comprehensive application of
the moral principles of Islam. These ensure that the affairs of life, instead
of being dominated by selfish desires and petty interest, are regulated by the
dictates of morality.
3. The Islamic moral order guarantees for man a
system of life which is free from all evil. It calls on the people not only to
practise virtue, but also to eradicate vice. Those who respond to this call are
gathered together into a community (Ummah) and given the name 'Muslims'. The
main purpose underlying the formation of this community is that it should make
an organized effort to establish and enforce goodness and suppress and
eradicate evil. It would be a day of mourning for this community and a bad day
for the entire world if its efforts were ate any time directed towards
establishing evil and suppressing good.
3. Essential
Features of the Islamic Political System
1.
Democracy in Islam
2.
Purpose of the Islamic State
3.
Fundamental Rights
4.
Executive and Legislature
The
political system of Islam is based on three principles; Tawhid (unity of God),
Risalat (prophethood) and Khilafat (vicegerency). It is difficult to appreciate
the different aspects of Islamic polity without fully understanding these three
principles. I will therefore begin with a brief exposition of what they are.
Tawhid
means that only God is the Creator, Sustainer and Master of the universe and of
all that exists in it -organic or inorganic. The sovereignty of this kingdom is
vested only in Him. He alone has the right to command or forbid. Worship and
obedience are due to Him alone, no one and nothing else shares it in any way.
Life, in all its forms, our physical organs and faculties, the apparent control
which we have over nearly everything in our lives and the things themselves
-none of them has been created or acquired by us in our own right. They have
been bestowed on us entirely by God. Hence, it is not for us to decide the aim
and purpose of our existence or to set the limits of our authority; nor is
anyone else entitled to make these decisions for us. This right rests only with
God, who has created us, endowed us with mental and physical faculties, and
provided material things for our use.
This
principle of the unity of God totally negates the concept of the legal and
political independence of human beings, individually or collectively. No
individual, family, class or race can set themselves above God. God alone is
the Ruler and His commandments are the Law.
The
medium through which we receive the law of God is known as Risalat. We have
received two things from this source: the Book in which God had set out His
law, and the authoritative interpretation and exemplification of the Book by
the Prophet, blessings and peace be on him, through word and deed, in his
capacity as the representative of God. The Prophet, blessings and peace be on
him, has also, in accordance with the intention of the Divine Book, given us a
model for the Islamic way of life by himself implementing the law and providing
necessary details where required. The combination of these two elements is
called the Shari 'ah.
Now
consider Khilafat. According to the Arabic lexicon, it means 'representation'.
Man, according to Islam, is the representative of God on earth, His vicegerent.
That is to say, by virtue of the powers delegated to him by God, he is required
to exercise his God-given authority in this world within the limits prescribed
by God.
Take,
for example, the case of an estate which someone has been appointed to
administration on your behalf. You will see that four conditions are invariably
met. First, the real ownership of the estate remains vested in you and not in
the administrator; second, he administers your property only in accordance with
your instructions; third, he exercises his authority within the limits
prescribed by you; and fourth, in the administration of the trust he executes
your will and not his own. These four conditions are so inherent in the concept
or 'representation' that if any representative fails to observe them he will
rightly be blamed for breaking the covenant which was implied in the concept of
'representation'. This is exactly what Islam means when it affirms that man is
the vicegerent of God on earth. Hence, these four conditions are also involved
in the concept of Khilafat.
A
state that is established in accordance with this political theory will in fact
be a human caliphate under the sovereignty of God and will do God's will by
working within the limits prescribed by Him and in accordance with His instructions
and injunctions.
1. Democracy in Islam
The
above explanation of the term Khilafat also makes it abundantly clear that no
individual or dynasty or class can be Khalifah, but that the authority of
caliphate is bestowed on any community which accepts the principles of Tawhid
and Risalat. In such a society, each individual shares the God given caliphate.
This is the point where democracy begins in Islam.
Every
person in an Islamic society enjoys the rights and powers of the caliphate of
God and in this respect all individuals are equal. No one can deprive anyone of
his rights and powers. The agency for running the affairs of the state will be
established in accordance with the will of these individuals, and the authority
of the state will only be an extension of the powers of the individuals
delegated to it. Their opinion will be decisive in the formation of the
Government, which will be run with their advice and in accordance with their
wishes. Whoever gains their confidence will carry out the duties of the
caliphate on their behalf; and when he loses this confidence he will have to
relinquish his office. In this respect the political system in Islam as perfect
a democracy as ever can be.
What
distinguishes Islamic democracy from Western democracy is that while the latter
is based on the concept of popular sovereignty the former rests on the
principle of popular Khilafat. In Western democracy the people are sovereign,
in Islam sovereignty is vested in God and the people are His caliphs or
representatives. In the former the people make their own laws; in the latter
they have to follow and obey the laws (Shari'ah) given by God through His
Prophet. In one the Government undertakes to fulfil the will of the people; in
the other the Government and the people alike have to do the will of God.
Western democracy is a kind of absolute authority which exercises its powers in
a free and uncontrolled manner, whereas Islamic democracy is subservient to the
Divine Law and exercises its authority in accordance with the injunctions of
God and within the limits prescribed by Him.
2. Purpose of the Islamic State
The
Holy Qur'an clearly states that the aim and purpose of this state, built on the
foundation of Tawhid, Risalat and Khilafat, is the establishment, maintenance and
development of those virtues which the Creator of the universe wishes human
life to be enriched by, and the prevention and eradication of those evils which
are 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.
The aim is to encourage the qualities of purity, beauty, goodness, virtue,
success and prosperity which God wants to flourish in the life of His people
and to suppress all kinds of exploitation and injustice. As well as placing
before us this high ideal. Islam clearly states the desired virtues and the
undesirable evils. The Islamic state can thus plan its welfare programmes in
every age and in any environment.
The
constant demand made by Islam is that the principles of morality must be
observed at all costs and in all walks of life. Hence, it lays down an
unalterable requirement for the state to base its politics on justice, truth
and honesty. It is not prepared, under any circumstances, to tolerate fraud,
falsehood and injustice for the sake of political, administrative or national
expediency. Whether it be relations between the rulers and the ruled within the
state, or relations of the state with other states, precedence must always be
given to truth, honesty and justice. It imposes obligations on the state
similar to those it imposes on the individual: to fulfil all contracts and
obligations; to have consistent standards in all dealings; to remember
obligations as well as rights and not to forget the rights of others when
expecting them to fulfil their obligations; to use power and authority for the establishment
of justice and not for the perpetration of injustice; to look on duty as a
sacred obligation; and to regard power as a trust from God to be used in the
belief that one has to render an account of one's actions to Him in the
Hereafter.
3. Fundamental Rights
Although
an Islamic state may be set up anywhere on earth, Islam does not seek to
restrict human rights or privileges to the geographical limits of its own
state. Islam has laid down universal fundamentals rights for humanity as a
whole, which are to be observed and respected in all circumstances irrespective
of whether a person lives on the territory of the Islamic state or outside it
and whether he is at peace with the state or at war. For example, human blood
is sacred and may not be spilled without justification; it is not permissible
to oppress women, children, old people, the sick or the wounded: woman's honour
and chastity must be respected in all circumstances; and the hungry must be
fed, the naked clothed, and the wounded or diseased treated medically.
These,
and a few other provisions, have been laid down by Islam as fundamental rights
for every man by virtue of his status as a human being, to be enjoyed under the
constitution of an Islamic state.
The
rights of citizenship in Islam, however, 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 foot on its territory with the intention of living there; he
thus enjoys equal rights of citizenship with those who are its citizens by
birth. Citizenship must therefore be common to all the citizens of all the
Islamic states that exist in the world; a Muslim will not need a passport for
entry or exit from any of them. And every Muslim must be regarded as eligible
for positions of the highest responsibility in an Islamic state without
distinction of race, colour or class.
Islam
has also laid down certain rights for non-Muslims who may be living within the
boundaries of an Islamic state, and these rights must necessarily form part of
the Islamic constitution. According to Islamic terminology such non-Muslims are
called dhimmis (the covenanted), implying that the Islamic state has entered
into a covenant with them and guaranteed their rights.
The
life, property and honour of a dhimmi is to be respected and protected in
exactly the same way as that of a Muslim citizen. There is no difference
between Muslim and Non-Muslim citizens in respect of civil or criminal law; and
the Islamic state shall not interfere with the personal law of non-Muslims.
They will have full freedom of conscience and belief and will be entitled to
perform their religious rites and ceremonies. As well as being able to practice
their religion, they are entitled to criticize Islam. However the rights given
in this respect are not unlimited: the civil law of the country has to be fully
respected and all criticism has to be made within its framework.
These
rights are irrevocable and non-Muslims can only be deprived of them if they
renounce the covenant which grants them citizens, it is not permissible for an
Islamic state to retaliate against its non-Muslim subjects. This injunction
holds good even if all the Muslims outside the boundaries of an Islamic state
are massacred.
Executive and Legislature
The
responsibility for the administration of the Government in an Islamic state is
entrusted to an Amir (leader) who may be likened to the President or the Prime
Minister in a Western democratic state. All adult men and women who accept the
fundamentals of the constitution are entitled to vote in the election for the
leader.
The
basic qualifications for the election of an Amir are that he should command the
confidence of the largest number of people in respect of his knowledge and
grasp of the spirit of Islam; he should possess the Islamic attribute of fear
of God; he should be endowed with the quality of statesmanship. In short, he
should be both able and virtuous.
A
Shura (consultative council), elected by the people, will assist and guide the
Amir. It is obligatory for the Amir to administer the country with the advice
of his Shura. The Amir can retain office only so long as he enjoys the
confidence of the people, and must resign when he loses this confidence. Every
citizen has the right to criticise the Amir and his Government, and all
reasonable means for the expression of public opinion should be available.
Legislation
in an Islamic state should be within the limits prescribed by the Shari 'ah.
The injunctions of God and His Prophet are to be accepted and obeyed and no
legislative body can alter or modify them or make any new laws which are
contrary to their spirit. The duty of ascertaining the real intent of those
commandments which are open to more than one interpretation should devolve on
people possessing a specialised knowledge of the law of Shari 'ah. Hence, such
matters may have to be referred to a sub-committee of the Shura comprising men
learned in Islamic law. Great scope would still be available for legislation on
questions not covered be any specific injunctions of the Shari 'ah, and the
advisory council or legislature is 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 will obviously be appointed by the Government but, once appointed, will
have to administer justice impartially according to the law of God. All the
organs and functionaries of the Government should come within their
jurisdiction: even the highest executive authority of the Government will be
liable to be called upon to appear in a court of law as a plaintiff or
defendant. Rulers and 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 adheres to this principle in the social, economic and
political realms alike.
4. The
Islamic Social Order
1.
Equality of Mankind
2.
Institution of the Family
3.
Relatives and Neighbours
The
foundations of the social system of Islam rest on the belief that all human
beings are equal and constitute one single fraternity.
1. Equality of Mankind
God
created a human couple to herald the beginning of the life of mankind on earth,
and everybody living in the world today originates from this couple. The
progeny of this couple were initially a single group with one religion and the
same language. But as their numbers gradually increased, they spread all over
the earth and, as a natural result of their diversification and growth, were
divided into various tribes and nationalities. They came to speak different
languages; their modes of dress varies; and their ways of living also differed
widely. Climates and environments affected their colour and physical features.
All these differences exist in the world of reality and Islam does not seek to
ignore them. But it disapproves of the prejudices which have arisen among
mankind because of these differences in race, colour, language and nationality.
Islam makes clear to all men that they have come from the same parents and are
therefore brothers and equal as human beings.
Islam
says that if there is any real difference between man and man it cannot be one
of race, colour, country or language, but of ideas, beliefs and principles. Two
children of the same mother, though they may be equal from the point of view of
a common ancestry, will have to go their different ways in life if their
beliefs and moral conduct differ. On the contrary, two people, one in the East
and the other in the West, even though geographically and outwardly separated
by vast distances, will tread the same path in life if they share the same code
of moral behaviour. On the basis of this fundamental tenet, Islam seeks to
build a principled and ideological society very different from the racial,
nationalistic and parochial societies existing in the world today.
The
basis of co-operative effort among men in such a society is not the place of
one's birth but a creed and a moral principle. Anyone, if he believes in God as
his Master and Lord and accepts the guidance of the Prophets 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 or
fair-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 subjects to any racial, national or class distinctions. No one will be
regarded as high or low. There will be no untouchability. There will be no
special restrictions upon them in making marriages, eating and drinking and
social contacts. No one will be looked down upon because of his birth of work.
No one 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
social order, transcending as it does geographical boundaries and the barriers
of race, colour and language, is appropriate for all parts of the world; on its
foundations can be raised the universal brotherhood of man. In societies based
on race or nationality only those people can join who belong to a particular
race or nation, but in Islam anyone who accepts its creed and moral standards
can become a member, possessing equal rights with everyone else. Those who do
not accept this creed, while
obviously
not being received into the community, are treated with tolerance and humanity
and guaranteed all the basic human rights.
It
is clear that if two children of the same mother differ in their ideas, their
ways of life will be different; but this does not mean that they cease to be
brothers. In the same way, if two nations or two groups of people living in the
same country differ in their fundamental beliefs, principles and ideology,
their societies will also certainly differ; yet they will continue to share the
common ties of humanity. Hence, the Islamic society offers to non-Muslim
societies and group the maximum social and cultural rights that can possibly be
accorded.
2. Institution of the Family
The
foremost and fundamental institution of human society is the family unit. A
family is established by the coming together of a man and a woman, and their
contact brings into existence a new generation. This then produces ties of
kinship and community, which, in turn, gradually develop further ties. The
family is an instrument of continuity which prepares the succeeding generation
to serve human civilisation and to discharge its social obligations with
devotion, sincerity and enthusiasm. This institution does not merely recruit
cadets for the maintenance of human culture, but positively desires that those
who are to come will be better members of society. In this respect the family
can be truly called the source of the progress, development, prosperity and
strength of human civilisaiton. Islam therefore devotes much attention to the
issues relating to the family and strives to establish it on the healthiest and
strongest possible foundations.
According
to Islam the correct relationship between man and woman is marriage, a
relationship in which social responsibilities are fully accepted and which
results in the emergence of a family. Sexual permissiveness and other similar
types of irresponsible behaviour are not dismissed by Islam as mere innocent
pastimes or ordinary transgressions. Rather, they are acts which strike at the
very roots of society. Hence, Islam holds all extra-marital sex as sinful and
forbidden (haram) and makes it a criminal offence. Severe punishments are prescribed
to deter would-be offenders.
Purdah,
which regulates the free association of men and women, restrictions on erotic
music and obscene pictures and the discouragement of the spread of all forms of
pornography, are other weapons used in the fight to protect and strength the
institution of the family.
Islam
does not look on adult celibacy simply with disfavour-it calls on every young
man to take upon himself the social responsibilities of married life just as
his parents did in their time. Nor does Islam regard asceticism and lifelong
celibacy merely as being of no benefit; it sees them as departures from the
nature of man and as acts of revolt against the Divine scheme of things.
It
also strongly disapproves of those rites, ceremonies or restrictions which tend
to make marriage the easiest and fornication the most difficult thing in
society and not vice versa as it is in most societies today. Hence, after
debarring certain blood relatives from entering into matrimony with one
another, it has legalised marriage 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 urged that the mehr
(dower) should be fixed at a figure which can be easily borne by both sides. It
has dispensed with the necessity of priests and register offices. In an Islamic
society marriage is a plain and simple ceremony which can be performed anywhere
before two witnesses, though it is essential that the proceedings should not be
kept secret. Society must know that the couple are now going to live as husband
and wife.
Within
the family itself Islam has assigned to the man a position of authority so that
he can maintain order and discipline as the head of the household. Islam expects
the wife to obey her husband and look after his well-being; and it expects the
children to behave accordingly to their parents. Islam does not favour a loose
and disjointed family system devoid of proper authority, control and
discipline. 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 have this responsibility.
But
this does not mean that man has been made a household tyrant 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 woman has been asked
to obey her husband, the latter has been called on to treat the wife with love,
affection and sweetness and to make the welfare of his family hi top priority.
Although,
Islam places great emphasis on the marital bond, it only wants it to remain
intact as long as it if founded on the sweetness of love or there exist at
least the possibility of lasting companionship. If neither of these two
conditions obtain, 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, the Islamic courts of justice have the authority to annul the
marriage.
3. Relatives and Neighbours
After
the limited circle of the family, the next social sphere is that of kinship and
blood relationship. Islam wants all those who are related through common
parents, common brothers and sisters or marriage to be affectionate,
cooperative and helpful to each other. In many places in the Qur 'an good
treatment of the near relations (Dhawi-al-qurba) is enjoined. In the Hadith of
the Prophet, blessings and peace be on him, proper treatment of one's blood
relations has been strongly emphasized and counted among the highest virtues. A
person who cold-shoulders his relations or treats them indifferently in looked
on by Islam with great disfavour.
But
this does not mean that it is an Islamic virtue to favour one's relations. If
such support or bias towards one's relations results in injustice, it is
repugnant to Islam, and is condemned as an act of Jahiliyyah (ignorance).
Similarly, it is utterly against the principles of Islam for a government official
or public servant to support his relations at public expense or to favour his
kith and kin in his official decisions: this would actually be a sinful act.
Fair treatment of one's relations, as enjoined by Islam, should be at one's own
expense and within the limits of justice and fair-play.
After
relations come one's neighbours. The Qur'an has divided them into three
categories: a neighbour who is also a relation; a neighbour who is a stranger;
and a casual or temporary neighbour with whom one happens to live or travel for
a certain time. All of them are deserving of sympathy, and peace be on him,
once said that the rights of the neighbour were so strongly emphsised by the
angel Gabriel that he thought neighbours might even share one's inheritance.
(Bukhari and Muslim)
In
one Hadith the Prophet, blessings and peace be on him, said: Anyone whose
neighbour is not safe from his misdeeds is not a true Believer. (Bukhari and
Muslim) Again, he said: A person who enjoys a meal while his neighbour is
starving is not a true Believer. (Ahmad, Baihaqi). The Prophet, blessings and
peace be on him, was once asked about the fate of a woman who performed many
Prayers and fasted extensively and who was a frequent almsgiver, but whose
neighbours complained of her abusive tongue. He said: Such a woman shall be in
the Hell-fire. He was, then, asked about another woman who did not possess
these virtues but did not trouble her neighbours either, and he said: She would
be in Paradise. (Ahmad, Baihaqi). The Prophet, blessings and peace be on him,
has laid so much emphasis on being considerate to neighbours that he has
advised that whenever a Muslim brings home fruit for his children he should
either send some to his neighbours as a gift, or at least take care not to
offend them by throwing the peelings away outside their door. On another
occasion he said: A man is really good if his neighbour regard him as such, and
bad if they consider him so. (Ibn Maiah)
Islam,
therefore, requires all neighbours to be loving and helpful and to share each
other's sorrows and happiness. It enjoins them to establish social relations in
which one can depend upon the other and regard his life, honour and property
safe among his neighbours. A society in which two people, separated only by a
wall , remain unacquainted with one another for years, and in which those
living in the same area of a town have no interest or trust in one another, can
never be called Islamic.
Next
to these come the wider relationships covering the whole of society. The broad
principles on which Islam wants people to structure their social lives are:
To
co-operate in acts of goodness and righteousness and not to cooperate in acts
of sin and injustice. (al-Ma'idah 5: 2)
One's
friendship should be only for seeking the pleasure of God: whatever you give
should be given because God likes it to be given, and whatever you withhold
should be withheld because God wishes so. (Tirmidhi).
You
are the best community ever raised among mankind; your duty is to command
people to do good and prevent them from committing evil.(Al 'Imran 3: 110)
Do
not think evil of each other, nor probe into each other's affairs, nor incite
one against the other. Avoid hatred and jealousy. Do not unnecessarily oppose
each other. Always remain the slaves of Allah, and live as brothers to each
other. (Muslim)
Do
not help a tyrant, knowing his to be such. (Abu Da'ud)
To
support the community when it is in the wrong is like falling into a well while
catching the tail of your camel which was about to fall into it. (Abu Da'ud;
Mishkawt)
No
one among you shall be a true Believer unless he likes for others what he likes
for himself. (Bukhari and Muslim)
5. The
Economic Principles Of Islam
1.
Right of Property
2.
The Problem of Equality
3.
Social Justice
4.
Obligations and Restrictions
Islam
has laid down certain principles and 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 organizational patterns and mechanisms. Such methods are
specific to every age and are evolved in accordance with the needs and
requirements of the community and the exigencies of the economic situation. Islam's
concern is that whatever the particular form of economic activity in operation,
its underlying principles should always be the same.
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
to secure his share of the world'' wealth and sustenance. Islam does not allow
a particular person, class, race or group of people to create a monopoly in
certain economic activities; equal opportunities for all is its watchword.
1. Right of Property
Resources
which are provided by nature and which can be used directly by man be utilized
freely, and everyone is entitled to benefit from them according to his needs.
Water in the rivers and springs, timber in the forests, 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 restrictions of any sort be imposed on their free use by God's creatures to
fulfil their own needs. Of course, people who want to use any of these things
for commercial purposes can be required to pay taxes to the state. Or, if there
is misuse of the resources, the Government may intervene. But there is nothing
to prevent individuals availing themselves of God's earth as long as they do
not interfere with the rights of others or of the state.
It
is not right that things created by God for the benefit of mankind should be
taken possession of, and then kept idle and useless. One should either benefit
from them oneself, or make them available to others. On the basis of this
principle Islam holds that no one can keep his land unused for more than three
years. If, during this period, he does not himself use it for cultivation or
for construction of buildings or for some other purpose, such land shall be
treated as 'vacated', and anyone else who makes use of it shall not be liable
to be proceeded against in law, nor shall the Government have any authority to
hand it over to someone else (including the previous owner).
Anyone
who takes possession of the earth's natural resources and puts them to good use
acquires a rightful title over them. For instance, if somebody takes possession
of an uncultivated piece of land, on which nobody has a prior right of
ownership, and makes productive use of it, he cannot be arbitrarily
dispossessed of that piece of land.
This
is how every right of ownership originated in the world. When man first
appeared, everything and made it useful in any manner became its owner; that is
to say, he acquired the right to use it specifically for his own purpose and to
obtain compensation from others if they wanted to use it. This is the natural
basis of all the economic activity of mankind.
The
rights of ownership are to be honoured, though it is always open to ascertain
if a particular ownership is legally valid or not. Islam cannot approve of
economic policies which destroy the rights conferred by the Shari'ah, however
attractive their names may be and whatever welfare pretensions they may make.
Social justice and collective good are very dear to Islam, but in their name
the rights given by the Shari'ah cannot be trampled. It is as unjust to reduce
or remove the restrictions placed by the Shari'ah, for the sake of the good of
the community as a whole, on the rights of individual ownership as it is to add
restrictions and limitations on them which do not fit into the Shari'ah. It is
one of the duties of an Islamic state to protect the legal rights of individuals
and, at the same time to compel them to fulfill their obligations to the
community as enjoined by law. That is how Islam strikes a balance between
individualism and collectivism.
2. The Problem of Equality
God
has not distributed His gifts and favours equally among mankind but, in His
infinite wisdom, has given some individuals more than others. Just as this is
true of pleasantness of voice, excellence of physique and intellectual power
and so on, so, too, is it the case with the material conditions of life. Human
existence has been so ordained that divergence, variety and inquality among men
in their ways and standards of living seems to be natural. Variety is the spice
of life, and the driving spirit behind human Endeavour and excellence.
Consequently,
all those ideologies which want to force an artificial economic equality on
mankind are mistaken, unrealistic and impossible to realise. The equality which
Islam believes in is equality of opportunity to secure a livelihood and to
climb the ladder of success and prosperity. Islam desires that no obstacles
should exist in society to prevent an individual from striving for a living
according to his capacity and talents; nor should any social distinctions exist
with the object of safeguarding the privileges of a certain class, race,
dynasty or group of people.
All
those ideologies which serve vested interests, or which seek to perpetuate the
power of a certain group, are also repugnant to Islam and can have no place in
its scheme of things. Such movements seek to establish, through force if
necessary, an unnatural inequality in place of the natural limited inquality
which provides incentive to effort in society. At the same time, Islam does not
agree with those who want to enforce complete equality in respect of the means
of production and the fruits of economic endeavor, as they aim at replacing
limited natural inequality by an artificial equality.
Only
that system can be the nearest to human nature in which every one joins the
economic struggle at his won level and in the circumstances in which God has
created him. He who has inherited an aeroplane should make use of it; while he
who has only a pair of legs should stand on his feet and try to improve his
lot. The laws of society should neither be such as would establish a permanent
monopoly for the aeroplane owner (over his aeroplane) and make it impossible
for the bare-footed to acquire an aeroplane nor such that the race for everyone
should compulsorily begin from the same point and under the same conditions so
that they would all be tied to each other right till the end of the race. On
the contrary, economic laws should be such as to make it possible for the
barefooted, who started his race under adverse conditions, to possess an
aeroplane, if he can do so by dint of his effort and ability, and for he who
inherited the aeroplane to be left behind in the race and to lose it, if he
does not have the ability or efficiency to keep it. Effort should be rewarded
and laziness penalised.
3. Social Justice
Islam
does not want this economic race to take place inan atmosphere of moral
neutrality and social apathy. The participants should bejust and kind to one
another. Islam, through its moral injunctions, aims at creating a feeling of
mutual love and affection among people, through which they may help their weak
and weary brethren, and at the same time create a permanent institution in
society to guarantee assistance to those who lack the necessary means and
abilities to succeed. People who are unable to take part in the economic race
and those who need help to get started in it should receive their share of the
blessings of life from this social institution.
To
this end Islam has commanded that Zakat should be levied at the rate of two and
a half percent per annum on the total accumulated wealth [of each individual ]
in the country, as well as on invested capital; five percent or ten percent,
depending on the method of watering, should be collected on agricultural
produce; and twenty percent on certain mineral products. The annual Zakat
should also be levied, at a specified rate, on cattle owned by anyone who has
more than a certain minimum number. The amount of Zakat thus collected is to be
spent on the poor, the orphans and the needy.
This
system provided a means of social insurance whereby everyone in an Islamic
society is provided with at least the necessities of life. No worker can ever
be forced, through fear of starvation, to accept conditions of employment which
may be unfairly imposed on him by his employer. And nobody's physical health is
allowed to deteriorate for lack of proper medical care and hospitalisation.
Islam
aims at striking a balance between the individual and the community, which will
promote individual freedom and at the same time ensure that such freedom is
positively conducive to the growth and tranquility of the community as a whole.
Islam does not approve of a political or economic organisation which aims at
submerging the identity of the individual beneath that of the community, and
depriving him of the freedom essential for the proper development of his
personality and talent. The inevitable consequence of nationalising a country's
means of production is the annihilation of the individual by the community; 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 necessary for a civilised moral existence. Unless we desire to
eliminate completely the individuality of man, our social life must have enough
freedom for an individual to be abale to earn his living, to maintains the
integrity of his conscience and to develop his moral and intellectual faculties
according to his own inclinations and aptitudes. Living on the dole or on
charity at the hands of others cannot be very satisfying, even if the sums
involved are generous: the retardation of mental, moral and spiritual
development which it ultimately leads to can never be counteracted by mere
physical welfare and prosperity.
Nor,
does Islam favour a system of unbridled economic and social freedom which gives
individuals a blank cheque to achieve their objectives at the possible cost of
the good of the community as a whole, or which enables them to misappropriate
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 restrictions, and is then left free to
regulate his own affairs. He has freedom of enterprise and competition within a
frame work which guarantees the good of both the individual and 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.
4. Obligations and Restrictions
Take
first the example of earning a living. 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. It condemns as illegal
all those means of livelihood which injure, morally or materially, the
interests of another individual or of society as a whole, Islamic law
categorically rejects as illegal the manufacture and sale of liquor and other
intoxicants, adultery, professional dancing , gambling, transactions of a
speculative or fraudulent nature, transactions in which the gain of one party
is absolutely guaranteed while that of the other party is left uncertain and
doubtful, and price manipulation by withholding the sale of the necessities of
life.
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 capitalist system. Islam forbids all these by law, 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 entitles
himself to fair and just compensation for it.
Islam
accepts the right of ownership of an individual over the wealth earned by him
by legitimate means; but these rights are not unrestrained. A man can only
spend hi legitimate wealth in certain specified ways. He may not waste his
riches on idle luxury, nor may he use his wealth to behave arrogantly towards
his fellows. Certain forms of wasteful expenditure have been unequivocally
prohibited while some others, though not expressly banned, may be prohibited at
the discretion of an Islamic Government.
One
is permitted to accumulate wealth that is left over after meeting one's
legitimate and reasonable commitments and these savings can also be used to
produce more wealth; there are, however, restrictions on both these activities.
A rich man will, of course, have to pay Zakat at the rate of two and a half
percent a year on the accumulation exceeding the specified minimum. He can only
invest it in a business which has been declared legitimate. In this connection,
he may own the legitimate business himself or he may make his capital available
to others on a profit-loss sharing basis.
It
is not at all objectionable in Islam if, working within these limits, a man
becomes a millionaire; rather, this will constitute a Divine favour. 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 (one tenth)
on the value of agricultural produce; second, that he should deal fairly and
honestly with those he does business with in trade, industry or agriculture,
with those he employs and with the Government and the community at large. If he
does not voluntarily act justly to others, particularly his employees, the
Islamic state will compel him to do so.
Even
wealth that is accumulated within these legal limits is not allowed by Islam to
be concentrated at one point or in one place for a long time. Through its law
of inheritance Islam spreads it among a large number of people from generation
to generation. In this respect the Islamic law is different from that of other
inheritance laws; most of them attempts to keep the wealth once accumulated by
a person concentrated in the hands of one main beneficiary from generation to
generation. In Islam, 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, distant relatives 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 share in the inheritance. Under this law the creation or
continuance of any big family of capitalists or landlords becomes impossible.
6. The
Spiritual Path in Islam
1.
Body-Soul Conflict
2.
Criterion of Spiritual Development
3.
The Road to Spirituality
What
is the spiritual path in Islam and what is its place in the life as a whole? To
answer this it is necessary to study carefully the difference between the
Islamic concept of spirituality and that of other religions and ideologies.
Without a clear understanding of this difference it often happens that, when
talking about the spirituality in Islam, many of the vague notions associated
with the word 'spiritual' unconsciously come to mind; it then becomes difficult
for one to comprehend that this spirituality of Islam not only transcends the
dualism of spirit and matter but is the nucleus of its integrated and unified
concept of life.
1. Body-Soul Conflict
The
idea which has influenced most the climate of philosophical and religious
thought is that body and soul are mutually antagonistic, and can develop only
at each other's expense. For the soul, the body is a prison and the activities
of daily life are the shackles which keep it in bondage and arrest its growth.
This has inevitably led to the universe being divided into the spiritual and
the secular.
Those
who chose the secular path were convinced that they could not meet the demands
of spirituality, and thus they led highly material and hedonistic lives. All
spheres of worldly activity, whether social, political, economic or culture,
were deprived of the light of spirituality: injustice and tyranny were the
result.
Conversely,
those who wanted to tread the path of spiritual excellence came to see
themselves as 'noble outcasts' from the world. They believed that it was
impossible for spiritual growth to be compatible with a 'normal' life. In their
view physical self-denial and mortification of the flesh were necessary for the
development and perfection of the spirit. They invented spiritual exercises an
ascetic practices which killed physical desires and dulled the body's senses.
They regarded forests, mountains and other solitary places as ideal for
spiritual development because the hustle and bustle of life would not interfere
with their meditations. They could not conceive of spiritual development except
through withdrawal from the world.
This
conflict of body and soul resulted in the evolution of two different ideals for
the perfection of man. One was that man should be surrounded by all possible
material comforts and regard himself as nothing but an animal. Men learnt to
fly like birds, swim like fish, run like horses and even terrorise and destroy
like wolves-but they did not learn how to live like noble human beings. The
other was that the senses should be not only human beings. The other was that
the senses should be not only subdued and conquered but extra-sensory powers
awakened and the limitations of the sensory world done away with. With these
new conquests men would be able to hear distant voices like powerful wireless
sets, see remote objects as one does with a telescope, and develop powers
through which the mere touch of their hand or a passing glance would heal the
unhealable.
The
Islamic viewpoint differs radically from these approaches. According to Islam,
God has appointed the human soul as His Khalifah (vicegerant) in this world. He
has invested it with a certain authority, and given it certain responsibilities
and obligations for the fulfilment of which He has endowed it with the best and
most suitable physical frame. The body has been created with the sole object of
allowing
the
soul to use it in the exercise of its authority and the fulfilment of its
duties and responsibilities. The body is not a prison for the soul, but its
workshop or factory; and if the soul is to grow and develop, it is only through
this workshop. Consequently, this world is not a place of punishment in which
the human soul unfortunately finds itself, but a field in which God has sent it
to work and do its duty towards Him.
So
spiritual development should not take the form of a man turning away from this
workshop and retreating into as corner. Rather, man should live and work in it,
and give the best account of himself that he can. It is in the nature of an
examination for him; every aspect and sphere of life is, as it were, a question
paper: the home, the family, the neighbor-hood, 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 which man has been called upon to answer. If he leaves most of the
answer-books blank, he is bound to fail the examination. Success and
development are only possible if man devotes his whole life to this examination
and attempts to answer all the question papers he can.
Islam
rejects and condemns the ascetic view of life, and proposes a set of methods
and processes for the spiritual development of man, not outside this world but
inside it. The real place for the growth of the spirit is in the midst of life
and not in solitary places of spiritual hibernation.
2. Criterion of Spiritual
Development
We
shall now discuss how Islam judges the development or decay of the soul. In his
capacity as the vicegerent (Khalifah) of God, man is answerable to Him for all
his activities. It is his duty to use all the powers which he has been given in
accordance with the Divine will. He should utilise to the fullest extent all
the faculties and potentialities bestowed upon him for seeking God's approval.
In his dealings with other people he should behave in such a way as to try to
please God. In brief, all his energies should be directed towards regulating
the affairs of this world in the way in which God wants them to be regulated.
The better a man does this, with a sense of responsibility, obedience and
humility, and with the object of seeking the pleasure of the Lord, the nearer
will he be to God. In Islam, spiritual development is synonymous with nearness
to God. Similarly, he will not be able to get near to God if he is lazy and
disobedient. And distance from God signifies, in Islam, the spiritual fall and
decay of man.
From
the Islamic point of view, therefore, the sphere of activity of the religious
man and the secular man is the same. Not only will both work in the same
spheres; the religious man will work with greater enthusiasm than the secular
man. The man of religion will be as active as the man of the world -indeed,
more active -in his domestic and social life, which extends from the confines
of the household to the market square, and even to international conferences.
What
will distinguish their actions will be the nature of their relationship with
God and the aims behind their actions. Whatever a religious man does, will be
done with the feeling that he is answerable to God, that he must try to secure
Divine pleasure, that his actions only by his personal motives. This difference
makes the whole of the material life of a man of religion a totally spiritual
venture, and the whole of the life of a secular person an existence devoid of
the spark of spirituality.
3. The Road to Spirituality
The
first necessity for progression along the path of spiritual development in iman
(faith). The mind and heart of a man should always be aware: God alone is His
Master, Sovereign and Deity; seeking His pleasure is the aim of all his
endeavours; and His commands alone are the commands that are to be obeyed. This
should be a firm conviction, based not merely on the intellect, but also on
acceptance by the will. The stronger and deeper this conviction, the more
profound a man's faith will be.
The
second stage is that of obedience (ita 'at), meaning that man gives up his
independence and accepts subservience to God. This subservience is called islam
(submission) in the language of the Qur'an. Thus, 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 Him.
The
third stage is that of taqwa (God -consciousness). It consists in a practical
manifestation of one's faith in God in one's daily life. Taqwa also means
desisting from everything which God has forbidden or has disapproved of ; man
must be in a state of readiness to undertake all that God has commanded and to
observe the distinctions between lawful and unlawful, right and wrong, and good
and bad in life.
The
last and the highest stage is that of ihsan (godliness). It signifies that man
has attained highest excellence in words, deeds and thoughts, identifying his
will with the will of God and harmonizing it ,to the best of his knowledge and
ability, with the Divine will. He thus begins to like what is liked by the Lord
and to dislike what He dislikes. Man should then not only avoid evil, for it
displeases his Lord, but should use all his powers to eradicate it from the
face of the earth; he should not be content with adorning himself with the good
which God wants to flourish but should also strive to attain and propagate it
in the world, even at the cost of his life. A man who reaches this stage
attains the highest pinnacle of spiritually and is nearest to God.
This
path of spiritual development is not meant for individuals only but for
communities and nations as well. Like individuals, a community, after passing
through the various stages of spiritual elevation may reach the ultimate stage
of ihsan; a state also, through all its administrative machinery, may become
mu'min (faithful), muslim (obedient), muttaqi (God-conscious) and muhsin
(godly). In fact, the ideals aimed at by Islam are fully achieved only when the
whole community accepts them and a muttaqi and muhsin state comes into
existence. The highest form of civilisation, based on goodness is then reached.
Let
us now look at the mechanism of spiritual training which Islam has laid down to
prepare individuals and society for this process.
The
methods that Islam lays down for spiritual development rest, in addition,
obviously, to faith (iman), on five pillars.
The
first is the Prayer (Salat), which brings man into communion with God five
times a day, reviving his remembrance, reiterating his fear, developing his
love, reminding him of the Divine commands again and again, and thus preparing
him for obedience to God. It is obligatory to offer some of these Prayers in
Congregation as well so that the whole community and society may be prepared to
journey on the path of spiritual development.
The
second is the Fast (Sawm), which for al full month every year trains each man
individually, and the Muslim community as a whole, in righteousness and
self-restraint; it enables society, the rich and the poor alike, to experience
hunger, and prepares people to undergo any hardships in their search to please
God.
The
third is the Almsgiving (Zakat), which develops the sense of monetary
sacrifice, sympathy and co-operation among Muslims. There are people who
wrongly interpret Zakat as a tax; in fact, the spirit underlying Zakat is
entirely different from that of a tax. The real meaning of Zakat is sublimity
and purification. By using this word, Islam seeks to impress on man the fact,
inspired by a true love of God, the monetary help which he renders to his
brethren will uplift and purify his soul.
The
fourth is the Pilgrimage (Hajj), which aims at fostering that universal
brotherhood of the faithful which is based on the worship of God, and which
results in a worldwide movement that has been responding to the call of Truth
throughout the centuries and will, God willing, go on answering this call till
eternity.
The
last is Jihad, that is, exerting oneself to the utmost to disseminate the word
of God and to make it supreme, and to remove all the impediments to Islam
-through tongue or pen or sword. The aim is to live a life of dedication to the
cause of Allah and, if necessary, to sacrifice one's life in the discharge of
this mission. This is the highest spirituality, rooted in the real world.,
which Islam wants to cultivate. Life -affirmation based on goodness and piety,
and not life -denial, is what Islam stands for. And this lends a unique
character to Islam...
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