Islam For Human Liberation

ISLAM FOR HUMAN LIBERATION

ISLAM FOR HUMAN LIBERATION

ISLAM FOR HUMAN LIBERATION

ISLAM FOR HUMAN LIBERATION

ISLAM FOR HUMAN LIBERATION

M.M. AKBAR

ISLAM FOR HUMAN LIBERATION

NICHE OF TRUTH

ISLAM FOR HUMAN LIBERATION

islam for human liberation second edition: december 2002 author: m.m. akbar publishers: niche of truth, kalabhavan road, kochi-18. cover page: yoonus.k.k type setting: creative media printing: screen offset, cochin-18

Rs: 15

ISLAM FOR HUMAN LIBERATION

The universe has a Creator, the Most Merciful God who provided air and water so that life may flourish on this planet. Through the periodic message He sent through messengers, God instructed us how we should live and what should be the ultimate aim of our lives. We are accountable to God for all our actions and after we die, we shall be rewarded for our good deeds and punished for our crimes. Hence, a man's only way to spiritual salvation is to live according to the directions given by God Almighty, The Qur'an is the last code of such revelations made by the Creator. It was through Prophet Muhammed that these invaluable instructions reached mankind. Amongst men there are some who have received the supreme knowledge and others who have not It is the obligatory duty of everyone who has received the message to convey it to others. NICHE OF TRUTH is an organization which makes dedicated efforts to convince Muslims of this duty and to enlighten others of the excellence of Islam, its teachings and values. O' Lord! This is a humble venture intended forf the propagation of the Religion of Truth, an earnest attempt to fulfil the responsibility that Thou hast entrusted us. I beseech Thee that this endeavour may be justly rewarded (Ameen).

Director, NICHE OF TRUTH

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hile the beginning of the present century marked the rise of ideologies, its end witnessed their downfall. We know that these ideologies which raised a lot of hope have failed to deliver the goods. The philosophies proclaiming Utopian dreams of a world of equality and the economic system promising a brave new world have found its place in the dustbin of history. Countries which once embraced these ideologies have started throwing them out fully convinced of their unreal and impractical nature. Both Communism and Capitalism have practically failed, and so man is in search of an ideology which is hundred percent practical and which can lead to the liberation of mankind. Men seeking the path of liberation stray into different areas. The ultra materialists begin to learn about religion from religions based on priesthood. Infact materialism and priestly religions are two extremes of degeneration. While the former considers man as a mere animal, the latter claims to elevate him to an angel. Man who is a special creation is brought down to the level of mere animal in the studies made by such ideologies and this has invari-

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ably led to the failure of these ideologies. On the other hand priestly religions while claiming to take him to the high pedestals of angels destroy the human aspect in him. The question of liberation becomes quiet relevant here. No one now believes that transfer of power from one to another will lead to liberation. All agree that transformation of the society and country can be effected through the individual. But the fact remains that most people fail to define the nature of changes to be brought about in the individual.

knows better about man than man himself. So the Creator who sustains the world and all its beings is the proper authority to show us the path of liberation.

As we have pointed out above it is neither correct nor feasible to treat man as a mere animal or to make him an angel. What is necessary is that he should transform himself to a real human being, man should be able to differentiate himself from animal. He should be prepared to eschew evil thoughts. Basic evil characteristics consist of pride, selfishness, chicanery, badness, cruelty, hypocracy, petty mindedness etc. Evil actions originate from all these. When the individuals are liberated from such evils the society and the nation prosper. Fraternity, good behaviour, affection, helpfulness, mercy and such qualities trigger to social transformation which in turn liberates mankind.

Islam is the ideology of liberation. Liberation means freeing of the individual, the family, the society and the nation from evils. This is complete and the most comprehensive liberation that comes from Islam.

It is a fact that an ideology which can liberate man from evil and which teaches righteousness and human values alone can be a liberating force in its true sense. The ideologies and philosophies created by man will not be able to teach what is required for the success of man. This is proved by the failure of the materialistic ideologies. It means that some one who is not a man, but knows everything about man should show the path of liberation to mankind. It is the Creator, the Protector and the Almighty who

Islam, the Religion: Let us find out whether any philosophy which heralds liberation exists. There is only one philosophy that can hold its head aloft and proclaim that it is possible to liberate mankind. That ideology is Islam.

What is Islam? Is it the life pattern of a section of people treating the mosque and its surroundings as the only world? Is it the religion of long shirts and head gears? Is it a system of worshipping myths borrowed from other religions giving them Arabic names? Is it an army of soldiers wielding Qur’an in one hand and sword in the other hand and ordering to embrace Islam or to face death? Is it a system of law fabricated by Muhammed with a view of putting an end to social evils of the uncultured Arabs? Or is it a philosophy of life with the more important air of ending miseries of this world? Islam is not any one of these. Then What is Islam? Islam is a religion, a religion in the full sense of the term. Islam is introduced by God as ``Deen’’. Qur’an introduces Islam as Deen from God. The best translation of the Arabic word `Deen’ is religion. The meaning of the term religion when applied to Is-

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lam is to be clearly understood as it is different from what secularists and spokesmen of established religions call religion. The western secular concept of religion that it should be confined to the church and the rosary beads is foreign to Islam. The philosophy of established religions that it is the duty of religions to carry out orders of the church and the clergy does not agree with the precepts of Islam. What Islam does is the transformation of every field of human activity in consonance with the dictates of God. Religion, in the sense of Islam, is all comprehensive and it covers every aspects of human life the individual, family, society and politics. Islam does not give license to do what ever one likes. In other words it is improper to define Islam as a religion with its casual meaning. It is also not correct to bring Islam down to the level of a mere ideology in the sense of `a way of life’. Islam is not enamoured by such ideologies which raise hopes of charming and beautiful world of utopian dreams. The foundation of Islam is laid on the belief in the world to come. The concept of life that the reward for the deeds should be available in this world itself is entirely opposed to Islam. According to certain ideologies the idea of life after death is not only a myth but also reactionary. According to Marxism which was described by Freidrich Nietzche as the philosophy of present century, the very concept of life after death is a lethal narcotic administered on a society built on heaven on earth. Islam views the world hereafter as a powerful instrument capable of transforming the world and as the ultimate transformation, answer to the entire question relating to the very existence of man. As distinct from secular ideologies which run after worthless

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dreams Islam basically calls for action to succeed in life hereafter. Islam is not merely the religion of Muslims, nor of mosques, or priests orassembly of priests, or of a nation. The Creator of the universe presented the ideology of Islam for the emancipation of man. It consists of divine laws, orders, actions and beliefs. The individual who accepts this becomes a Muslim. Any one born of Muslim parents does not become a Muslim by virtue of birth. If one follows the dictates of God one is in the circle of Islam and out of it whenever one deviates. Similarly a person born out of nonmuslim parents becomes a muslim if he is prepared to go by the tenets of Islam. No one is barred from getting divine protection on account of birth. Any one who belongs to a Muslim family will be a Muslim as long as he or she leads a life ordained by God. A Scholar will be acceptable when he leads the society with the help of divine sources. A country or a nation when it decides on issues on the basis of divine ordinance will be islamic. An ideology can be considered complete and an instrument for transformation only when its philosophy becomes faultless and practical. To bring forth a practical system is more difficult than creating attractive ideologies. It is here that Islam succeeds. Its principles are faultless, attractive and practical. Islamic Principles: Islamic principles are generally represented by three technical terms. ``Thouheed’’, ``Risalath’’ and ``Akhirath’’. Thouheed proclaims the unity of God which is the distinctive feature of divine being. Risalath represents divine guidance through prophets. Akhirath deals with death and life hereafter.

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Thouheed: Each and everything in this universe sees something beyond it. Man is in the habit of trying to find out the cause behind everything he comes across. He wants to know about everything in the universe, small or big, from atoms to stars. When the cause is found he finds himself in a position to seek further and this process goes on and on. But this does not go on infinitely. He is thus led to a cause which does not need any cause. That entity is the end of all queries. All enquiry and prayers come to an end when he reaches this be all and end all. We don’t find any phenomenon is this universe which does not need any cause. Big and small things alike search for cause. Then the Supreme being which does not need a cause should not be a part of the universe. This, is above matter, Islam calls this Supreme entity, Allah. Islam does not teach that Allah is a mere force without a real being or just a form of energy. Divine being is beyond any explanation man can give. Things in the universe which owe their existence to Allah can alone give information about Him. The nature of His being can be understood only through divine revelation. The view of Islam that there is something behind this universe makes it distinct from other secular ideologies. The prejudice of material ideology does not permit it to think of any world other than the universe. It rests heavily on the facile assumption a product of Newtonian physics that the universe is a machine. We now know that the universe is not just a machine. If we want to explain it correctly or even to understand fully, we have to go beyond the time-space continuum. This is the view held by

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modern physics. It is a fact that Einstein’s Theory or Relativity and Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle have in effect broken the spearhead of materialism. Creator & Creations: The God Islam introduces is not the one sitting in heaven enjoying the mischief of the universe and taking rest on the seventh day after performing the Herculean task of creating the universe in six days. Islam does not teach that everything, all animate and inanimate things are hidden in the being called God. It is Allah who created the universe and He maintains it. The power of God is behind every phenomenon in the universe. He is behind the order and symmetry of all universal systems. The influence of His being extends to every thing from the movements in the atom to the attraction between stars. But he is not hiding in any one of them. God is beyond the universe. But the power of God extends to the entire universe. According to Islam there are two kinds of reality, the Creator and the creations. Allah is the Creator and all others His creations. There is no one, nothing equal to God but His creations are also real. Islam does not agree with the ``Advaida philosophy’’ that the universe is unreal and imaginary. The being of Allah is complete and final. He is One, no one is like Him. He is Omnipotent, Infallible, Greatest and Creator of the entire universe. He is most Gracious and most Merciful endowed with most perfect qualities and absolute. His creations which are real depends upon him. According to the school of thought which treats the world as `Maya’ (unreal) creation is an unfortunate incident emanated from `Brahmav’. If that had not happened, the world would not have

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been here. In the opinion of Paul (Romer 5:12), Christianity is founded on the assumption that all creations became sinful and evil due to the sin of the first man. If it is so all the efforts of man will lead him away from the straight path of God. Islam does not approve of these two theories. Universe is the creation as well as a gift from God. It is the realization of divine law that is taking place in nature. The act of creation is neither a mistake nor a mishap on the part of God. On the contrary it was preplanned and with a great purpose. There is clear and definited divine purpose behind the creation of everything, be it a small rubble or giant cloud, smallest atom or biggest star, amoebae or blue whale, animate or inanimate things. Qur’an declares that it is not for nothing that these are created (Qur’an 21:16) Man, a Special Creation: Islam teaches that among all the creations of God man has distinctive and special characteristics. He has an individuality which is absolutely different from that of any other animate or inanimate things. There is certainly a great purpose behind the creation of man. Man is the `Khalifa’ on earth, the only living being with necessary powers and independent judgement. He can make use of the universe and influence nature as well. Quite apart from other living beings whose existence is in accordance with nature, man is the only creation endowed with the responsibility of independent power of discrimination. Qur’an (33:72) introduces man as having undertaken a great responsibility (Amanath) which the skies, the earth and the mountains refused. While all others in nature fulfill their obligation and carry

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out divine orders man is the only creation who has been given the freedom to accept or reject such orders. This is what is meant when man is described as the ``Khalifa’’ on earth having been given charge of certain responsibilities. Man gets the opportunity to decide his own future through the constructive use of the skills which will ensure success in life or through destructive use which will result in failure in life. Islam views man as one who makes history. It disagrees with the philosophy of Marx that history makes man. Man cannot be treated as a two legged animal destined to lead a life merely on the basis of the laws of nature. In the eyes of Islam man is capable of bringing about total change of history. Divine Guidance: As we have already learnt man who is the only living being capable of making use of nature needs divine guidance. Utilization of nature without divine guidance will only lead to the destruction of mankind. Only someone superior to human stature can tell him how to lead a human life. He knows that except the Creator nothing among the creations is superior to himself. We should then get guidance from the Creator. Islam teaches that all the prophets were sent to achieve this goal ie to tell him how to live like a man. All the prophets had come to the world for the purpose of setting good examples for mankind by living a life on the basis of divine instructions. `Risalath’, the technical term represents this idea. The medium of contact between God and man and between sky and earth is Risalath. Islam does not teach that prophets were gods and that they had any divinity in them. The concept of prophethood in Islam

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goes against the Hindu theology of incarnation avatar according to which God comes down to the earth and becomes a model of what man should be. The argument that God comes down with all the trivialities of man runs counter to the purity of Almighty God. It is quite meaningless to suppose that God takes the form of man and shows him how he should live. God is all powerful. He does not need food or sexual pleasures. Even if He comes down He can exist without food and human needs. It is not God who should be a model to man. A representative from man should show the practical manner in which man should live in accordance with divine guidance. Prophets were ordinary men in the sense that they had hunger and thirst, sleep and rest, happiness and sorrow, wives and children. But when hungry they were not the ones to lay their hands on things belonging to others. They did not go for prostitution to satisfy sexual needs. They did not revel in joy, nor did they seek refuge in drug and liquor when sad. They did no injustice to anyone for the sake of their wives. They did not earn wealth through crime to bring up their offspring. They were men. Perfect men Prophets fulfilled their mission in different societies. With the development of the intellectual capabilities of man slight changes were effected in the sphere of law. But basically what all the prophets said was the same thing. Worship only the Almighty who created and maintains the universe and obey the prophets send by him. Society was growing. All the prophets without any exception through their exhortation, were predicting the advent of a great prophet who would be model for all the human beings.

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Mankind was waiting for the great personality who was destined to be model for the entire human race. The Last Messenger: Fortune smiled on Arabia, the fortune which witnessed the birth of the last prophet. Mohammed was born on 29th August 570 AD to Amina and Abdulla. He grew up as an ordinary lad of Arabia. Orphaned at an early age Mohammed earned the reputation for being honest and simple. At the age of 25 he married 40 years old Khadeeja of a noble family, who was attracted by the exemplary character of Mohammed. He was well known throughout the land for the great qualities of his conduct and character and became the darling of the family and the people till he was 40. He got prophetood of God at the age of 40. He proclaimed the greatest universal truth: ``Worship the one and only God Allah who created and sustains the world. I am his prophet. Obey me. Death which is the end of this life makes the beginning of another life; Life hereafter. Rewards in full measure for whatever one does in this world are awarded there. Heaven for those who did good and hell for those who did evil. The ultimate aim of man in this world is to achieve heaven in the other world. To move close to that goal it is necessary to follow the precept and practices of the prophet of God’’. This is the quintessence of his advice. For telling the truth Mohammed (Peace be upon Him) was insulted and beaten up. But the people who listened to the truth were attracted. This infuriated those who stood against truth. They went ahead with oppression and many of Mohammed’s (PBUH)

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followers were killed and other’s subjected to suppression. But his followers did not desist from the path of truth. The prophet and his followers were compelled to leave to leave their birthland. They fled from their kith and kin and family to safeguard their faith. They chose Medina as their second home. His enemies did not leave him alone there too. Finally the prophet and his followers were forced to resort to arms to safeguard their faith. Finally truth triumphed. Whole Arabia lay at the feet of Islam. The Ideal Man: Mohammed (PBUH) is the prophet of all the people even the last man on earth. His life, both private and public, is an open book. The life of no other leader is recorded as in the case of Mohammed (PBUH). If recorded, many a great man will end up ignominiously. Look at the life of the prophet. His life from beginning to end from bathroom to bedroom sets good example for us to follow. He was a Muslim in every sense of the term. In otherwords he was a perfect man in whom was embedded all the human qualities. He didn’t claim to be a god man or demigod. Neither did he claim to possess super human qualities. He stated he was a Muslim. He completely submitted himself to God. It was possible for him to become the perfect man. Even Marx was not a Marxist. But Mohammed (PBUH) was a Muslim. He was not the last Muslim. He was a great prophet who through his life set an example to other Muslims. Divine Revelation: The Holy book sent down to humanity through Mohammed (SA) is both a revelation of guidelines and divine signs. The prin-

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ciples elaborated therein are not against the material progress of man. But it contains guidelines needed for every field of human activity in order to prevent him from degenerating to the level of mere animal. It is not possible to say that any of the laws of the Holy Book is impractical. It does not contain anything that is outdated, Qur’an is the only book which gives right guidelines till the dooms day. No other book which assumes the mantle of purity can claim to be holy. Such books are written by holy men or priests or saints. Qur’an is the compilation of divine revelations. There is not a single sentence written by Mohammed (PBUH) in the Holy Qur’an. Each word and even each alphabet is revealed to him by God. Qur’an, The Ultimate Miracle: When prophet Moses down it became a serpent! Jesus gave life to the dead! These were divine signs to them to prove that they were prophets. It ended with the fulfilment of their missions. Their mission was of a limited nature. Contemporary people and the lost sheeps of Israelite origin were their targets. But the divine signs, given to Mohammed (PBUH), the prophet of all the people upto the end of the world like his mission will last on till this date has been able to produce even a small chapter equivalent to that in Qur’an. Many anti Islamic Scholars who had deep knowledge of Arabic language and literature passed away, many are still living. All of them are silent on the challenge thrown by Qur’an fourteen centuries ago. The challenge of Qur’an is to write a chapter equivalent to a small one in Qur’an and to prove that Qur’an is not unique. As man reaches unfathomable heights in the progress of science and technology the infallibility, uniqueness and divin-

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ity of Qur’an becomes more and more evident. The best way for emancipation is to lead a life in accordance with the Qur’an and the Sunna. These two alone can enlighten and guide humanity.

I bear witness that there is no one who has right to be worshipped except Allah and I bear witness that Mohammed is the Messenger of God’’. This is the oath for entering into Islam.

Life After Death:

`La Ilaha Illallah’:

There is a natural tendency in man to come down to the level of lower animals-the longing to break divine ties and to follow the footsteps of evil. Such a man does not take divine instruction seriously. He asks, ``What purpose does it serve for a man to follow divine instructions?’’. Yet every man dreams of a world without evil. They really wish to have such a world. We come across this idea in ``Utopia’’ of Thomas Moore, `City of the Sun’ of Campanalla and `Classless Society’’ of Karl Marx. Through the belief in the life hereafter Islam combines the desire of human soul for a world without evil and the utilitarian theory of man. If you do good in this transient world, you are rewarded with the beautiful abode heaven after your death. If you do evil you get the terrible hell. Here is the answer to the question raised by man about the usefulness of good deeds. The great desire of man to get the heavenly reward in the other world sans evils and difficulties is fulfilled through the belief of world hereafter.

La Ilaha Illallah (.........................) ``There is no one worthy of worship except Allah’’. The first half of the fundamental sentence of Islam is in the negative, La Ilaha, no one worthy of worship. All animate and inanimate things which man worshipped are barred. The principle that is made clear is that no such things can be worshipped whether small or big ranging from stones, idols, pillars, tombs, plants, trees, animals, devils, angels, saints, prophets or any other thing. All these idols are removed and after purification of the mind the second half of the sentence ``Illallah’’ (Except Allah) is driven home. The all powerful God, the Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe alone deserves to be worshipped and offered anything in obeisance.

Shahadath: One becomes a Muslim on accepting Allah as the only one worthy of worship and Mohammed (PBUH) is His final messenger and on working hard for salvation in the other world. And on taking the Oath of entry into Islam he also becomes a member of the group of `faithfuls’ ``Ashhadu An lailaha Illallah Va Ashhadu Anna Mohammed Rasoolulla’ ........................................................``

We know that among the creations of God, no one is superior to man. There is only one entity superior to him. It is the Creator, the Allah. Man can see so many things in him and around him which are beyond the province of man. Man knows that his heart beat, blood circulation or brain activity and things which sustain his life and distinguish him from other creations are beyond his control. He also knows that he has no power over life -sustaining sun, revolution of earth or the set up of atmosphere. This knowledge makes him seek the help of someone more powerful than and superior to him. This search for help is prayer. Patient’s request to the doctor for treatment and servant’s request to the rich for financial help do not come under the purview of prayer. Such

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things are based on the relationship of cause and effect. Prayer is beyond the cause and effect relationship. This prayer is worship. Prayer is the essence of worship. That is why worship without prayer becomes mere ritual. Then whom should we worship? The one who created and sustains man. This is the judgement of human intellect, the fundamental principle of Islam. The Islamic belief of one and only God strikes at the root of the concept of many gods which creates a wedge between man and man. When we reach a stage in which the Greatest and the most Superior Creator is worshipped man’s pride and abasement come to an end. Western humanism and Marxism argued that man is the most exalted in the whole universe and that there is no power above him and no one exercises any control over him. This led to the growth of a sense of pride which signalled his collapse. At the same time the objects of worship of established religions are stones, tombs, plants, animal, saints etc. When man submits himself in worship to things which are inferior to him and do not even see and hear it is natural that a sense of abasement develops in him. It is this sense of abasement which drives him from one god to another if he does not find refuge in one. The Islamic principle of worshipping only the real Creator stands midway between the pride of atheists and abasement of pantheists. This makes him personally proud and at the same time humble. It is not the idols, tombs, and false gods alone that crumbled when confronted with the fundamental Islamic principle of worship of one and only God. The priests who stood as intermediaries between gods and men also met with the same fate. Islam clearly teaches that there is no need for any intermediary between God

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and man. The prophet saved humanity from exploitation of priests who instigated one against the other in the name of gods. Universal Brotherhood: The worship of the one and only God frees man from all sorts of pettiness and parochialism. The entire human race native or foreigners, upper caste or lower caste, white or black, those belonging to different castes or families, or those speaking different languages are created and sustained by the same God, Who is the only God and this thought does away with all sorts of untouchability. When the above categories of people bow before the Highest and Greatest Entity the forces which divide them are shattered into smithereens. When the idea gets round that every one is equal before God the false supremacy inherited by different sections of the society evaporates. The declaration of Islam that all men and women are the creation of the one and only God and they are children of the same parents, transformed the people of Arabia into a strong society at a time when they were fighting against one another for tribal supremacy and superiority, ``O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of male and female and made you into nations and tribes that you may know each other. Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of God is the most righteous of you and God has full knowledge and is well acquainted’’ (Qur’an 49:13). This verse from the Qur’an shattered all vainglorious based on tribe, language and colour. Prophet said: ``An Arab is not superior to a non-Arab nor a white man to black except in righteousness’’ (Muslim, Aboodawood). ``Your God is one and your father is one. All are from Adam. Adam is from soil’’ (Muslim, Aboodawood).

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Free Thinking: Worship of one God is a powerful tool which frees man from the bonds of pantheism; and the bondage of creating gods and their intermediaries. Belief in one God persuades man to think and act freely. The old concept that stars are gods and goddesses stood in the way of study of such phenomena. Those who realised that everything in the universe is created by God can conduct detailed study on such phenomena knowing that this is the beauty of the powerful acts of Gods. Qur’an encourages the study of the universe. ``Verily in the alternation of night and the day and in all that God has created in the skies and the earth are signs for those who fear Him’’ (Qur’an 10:6) Mohammed Rasoolullah: When the second part of the oath is taken we confirm that Mohammed (PBUH) is the messenger of God. We recognize him as the great one who spoke in accordance with the divine revelation and led a life worthy of emulation. A Muslim who accepts this is bound to follow the footsteps of the prophet. For him the line dividing good and evil is the one decided by the holy Prophet (PBUH). Duties made obligatory by the prophet will be certainly performed by a Muslim. He will do nothing which is prohibited by the prophet. There is a difference in avoiding liquor by a Muslim and by a Gandhian. A Muslim does not take liquor because the Prophet prohibited its use. A Gandhian does not take it because it is harmful to mind and body. A definite dividing line is drawn between good and evil only in Islam. Everything permitted by the prophet is good and prohibited by him is evil.

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Good and Evil: Any jurisprudence that does not relate good and evil to the life of Prophet is bound to fail. Nationalism, casteism or language cannot deal with universal good. Neither can rationalism. The European rationalism does not see anything wrong in extra marital relationship and homosexuality (Barbara Smoker: Humanism P. 82-84). Even Mr. Idamaruku who is supposed to be the most progressive thinker in India is not in a position to approve this. His son in law the European traveller, Yoran Scarner writes ``They (Idamaruku and his Wife) did not allow Geeta to come out with me until marriage was legally registered. Indian society does not allow premarital relationship. Even the most progressive Indian cannot tolerate dating which is quite common in western countries’’ (Yoran Scaner: Thousand faces of India P. 29). If rationalism is to distinguish between good and evil, the good in England will become evil in India. As far as Islam is concerned the words and deeds of the prophet always remain as guidelines. We just need look into it to ascertain what is good in anything. If we wish to distinguish between good and evil without the help of divine revelations we will be forced to change their definition from time to time. This is what happened with regard to the concepts of Ahimsa and rationalism. A clear and definited understanding of good and evil help us to stand for good and to free ourselves from evil. This is what happened in the history of Islam. The fact that Muslims wish to get reward for their deeds in the world hereafter also makes them sincere and ready for service and then showmanship or exhibi-

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tionism is practically eliminated. Existence of Religions: The fundamental tenets of Islam consist of Thouheed, the worship of one and the only God, the Creator of the universe unstinted obedience to His prophet and belief in the world hereafter. The fundamental ideologies of Thouheed, Risalath and Akhirath (belief in the unity of God, his messengers and life hereafter) go hand in hand with the belief in angels, and books of revelation and the belief that good and evil emanate from God. It is this principle that all the prophets stood for. But some followers of the prophets acted against their teachings. Such followers were running after the tombs of saints and false gods for their favour. They even worshipped prophets who declared without any shadow of doubt that no one except God should be worshipped. Prophet came again and again to create an awareness against such tendencies and to save humanity from the evil of polytheism. Those claimed to be the torch bearers of traditional belief went all out against prophets and their followers. Two groups, believers and the non believers, were formed. This is how different religions have come to existence. We can find the roots of all religions in the teachings of the prophets due to this reason. The moral principles of many of the religions are similar. Followers of religions who deviated from the teachings of prophets should return to the divine Book and traditions of the prophet. Transformation of Mind and Society: As stated earlier Islam treats man as the only creation who is capable of creating history. Therefore Islam thinks that for the

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complete transformation of society there should be real change in individual’s mind. Islam does not agree with the fundamental principle of some ideologies that change should first encompass the ruling powers that be. Islam thinks that before the transformation of the system, transformation of the people should take place. Change of mind alone will pave the way for the real transformation of the society. Islam lays emphasis first on the purification of the individual. The basic building block of the family, society and the nation is the individual. The change in him means transformation of family, society and nation. The assessment of the intellegentzia that Soviet Union’s collapse was due to their people not becoming socialists along with the state confirms this line of Islamic thinking. Unquestionable belief in God, the resolve to prostrate only before Him, the thought that the way to salvation is to follow the footsteps of the prophet, that this world is merely a transient phase and ultimate goal of life in this world is to work for peace in the world hereafter create a very strong impact on the individual. The awareness that Allah knows all over and covert matters and the appropriate reward will be given in the world hereafter fot the good and evil deeds of this world will have a salutary effect on man from doing wrong. In case he is involved in doing wrong due to human weakness he will repent and pray God to forgive him. His sense of submission and sincerity will increase through total obedience to the prophet who was sent to distinguish between good and evil. We see such an attitude on the part of the followers of the prophet. Worship of one and the only God, expectancy of the world hereafter and obedience to the prophet make man really

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great. There are innumerous examples. We have Aboobacker (R.A), Umer (R.A) and Usman (R.A) who spent their wealth for social needs; We have Yasir (R.A), Ammar (R.A) and Bilal (R.A), great men who never lost faith even under extreme torture, Mais ibn Malik Aslami and the lady from Gamidiya tribe are shining examples of confessing their guilt on their own and accepting punishment, and are incidents rare of repentance; Anas Bin Nalr (R.A), Unai bin Hamam (R.A) and Amri bin Jamooh (R.A), deserve special mention in the distinguished gallery of prophet’s followers in the matter of selfless service for the cause of Islam who jumped into the battle field and became martyrs enjoying the sweet smell of heaven. Abu Hudana (R.A) can be treated as a representative of affection of the followers, towards the prophet-a great figure who shielded the prophet with his own body, arrows piercing through his flesh. How many such examples! Belief in God and the world hereafter, affection and the obedience to the prophet elevate men to heights of glory. These qualities made them courageous and torchbearers of selfless service. The habit of submission to God made them proud. They were not enamoured of the worldly enchancements. They were not prepared to bow their heads before anybody. The words of Ja’far (R) to the priests who asked him to bow before Emperor Najjashi are significant. ``We the Muslims never kneel before anyone, but God’’. Muslim Family: The purification of the individual leads to progress and strengthening of family. Marriage is the foundation of Islamic

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family ties. Islam does not recognize any sexual relationship except through marriage. For martial relationship, in the view of Islam, moral character gets precedence over beauty, wealth and family. Islam believes that only couples of sound moral character can produce a strong family. Everybody agrees that for happy and peaceful family life sound moral character is a must. Loose moral character and free sexual relationships, a contribution of western culture have led that society to its ruin. Statistics show that more than half of the new born babies in big cities are illegitimate. The family system is in it’s death bed in the west (Willian Frenkel. The family in perspective, Chapter: 5). The position in communist countries is in no way better. The ``Manifesto’’ declares that family and morality are prejudices of bourgeoisie. We can just imagine the moral characteristics of a nation built on such ideology. Even before the ``Glassnost’’ the world knew that majority of the youth in Soviet Union were in the habit of involving themselves in extramarital or premarital sex. This accelerated the destruction of the family system there. This means that the dignity of the family in its full sense is existing only in the Islamic world. This is due to clear and sound Islamic laws of morality. Marriage in Islam: Marriage in Islam is the ceremony in which the father entrusts his daughter with her consent to the bridegroom who accepts her. Islam orders that man (bridegroom) should give women (bride) the obligatory present (Mahr) at the time of marriage. Islam has nothing to do with the dowry system according to which bride’s father gives money and other valuables to the bride-

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groom. Such a dowry system is unIslamic. Qur’an introduces the family relationship that is formed after marriage as a sacred and a divine sign of God (Qur’an 80:21). The holy prophet used to exhort his followers to strengthen this relationship. But you will not find any provision in Islamic law banning dissolution of marriage under any circumstance. It is permitted in unavoidable situations. The prophet said ``Dissolution of marriage is the most hated among matters permitted’’. Islam delegates different but complimentary duties to man and woman. Maintaining the home and bringing up children come under the purview of women while, protection of home and earning livelihood go to man. Islam which recognizes and respects motherhood gives the entire responsibility of subsistence of woman to man. Both man and woman have rights and duties (Qur’an 2:228). Each one should fulfill his or her duties and recognize the rights of others. This is the way to have strong family ties. Islamic Dress: Islam gives top priority to morality. It despises extra marital relationship. Islam wants to eliminate the circumstances that lead man to entertain bad thoughts. That is why Islam insists that woman should not make her beauty an object of exhibition. She should not show up any part of her body except face and forearms to other men (Qur’an 33:33). Pornography, naked posters, cinemas and other media in which woman is treated as a source of income lead to degeneration of human values. The verdict of the entire lot of social scientists makes the injuctions of Islam clearer and more valid. But Islam does not say

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that woman should confine herself in thin the four walls of the harem or of her house. It is just ridiculous to argue that her Islamic dress will isolate her from the society. The dress does not stand in the way of her various social activities. Moreover there are many examples of her great service during the last fourteen centuries. The young ladies among followers of the prophet were the first set examples. Ayisha (R.A), Asma (R.A) and Fathima (R.A) were members of that respectable society. Among them were scholars, advisors and those who fought wars. Even now there are several women working in various fields including science and technology wearing Islamic dress and not the indecent attire of the society ladies. Dignity of Women: Islam supports woman’s dignified behaviour and shyness. It is Islam which declared that woman like man has the right to live and recognized that she has not only duties but also rights. She has right of inheritance from her father’s wealth. Islam gave opportunity for woman to acquire knowledge and to develop intellectually. Being frail she needs protection which Islam provides. Sacredness of motherhood is recognized. Prophet said, ``Heaven is at the feet of mother’’. Her beauty is not for sale. It should be properly covered and can be displayed only to her husband. Islam made her dignified and proud. Parents and Offsprings: There are clear laws governing parents and their children giving them proper guidance in moral values and health. During old age of the parents it is the duty of their offspring to treat them

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kindly and fulfill their life needs. Emancipation of Society: Life on the basis of injunction of Islam is a sine qua non for the proper development of the individual and for the progress and emancipation of the society. No one including critics of Islam could prove that anything described as good by Qur’an and the Sunnath could lead to deterioration. Honesty, affection, selfless service, respect, humility, Justice etc..... which are the qualities to be developed in the individual will have tremendous influence on man. These teachings of Islam and the consequent changes in man will bring about the creation of an unblemished and pure social order. This is true with regard to the good deeds Islam teaches man to carryout. The individual, family, social and political life of a Muslim who considers upholding justice an obligation will also be founded on justice, Therefore the sense of justice of an individual will bring about great changes in the society. If the people are taught that it is the responsibility of a Muslim to protect the orphans and the poor, the society in which they live will do their best to find a solution to problems of such helpless sections. There will be very little likehood of any family problem arising in a society members of which were taught that women have rights and responsibilities as in the case of men. Members of a society considering liberation of slaves a great thing will be sincere in their efforts to do away with slavery. Members of a society who are aware of the Islamic teaching of righteousness will rationally be good cultured and liberated and good.

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Let us look into the deeds which Islam prohibits. There is no difference of opinion on the point that alchoholism will result in the ruin of the individual, family and society. Prostitution, everybody agrees will invite deadly diseases, destroy family ties and eventually will become a thorn in the flesh of the society. The problem created by robbery and murder are too well known to need any elaboration. Scandals, false propaganda and attempt to malign others will cause social hiatus and degeneration will affect the very foundation of the society. Nobody has so far been able to prove that those things that Islam prohibited are necessary for the progress of human race. Social Laws: Islam presents humanity with powerful social laws. Such laws are based on the fundamental Islamic ideology of Thouheed. Man obeys these laws in the light of his awareness that he is only one of the creation of the Greatest who created and sustains the entire universe. The awareness that humanity is the offspring of the same parents inspires man to sacrifice his selfishness for the sake of society. Islamic Science: Right and wrong in the fields of science can be distinguished with the help of Islamic teaching in respect of the universe and the man. Man is the Khalifa on earth with freedom to manage things. The nature is the field where he can grow, progress and enjoy the bounty of God. But Islam does not permit him to destroy or unscrupulously exploit nature leading to an irretrievably collasping ecological balance. Islam permits man to utilize sun,

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moon, stars, oceans, land and mountains for his needs and enjoyments and for thinking. It’s misuse over consumption and any attempt that harms the interests of the fellow beings are prohibited. Islam encourages research and experiments. It tells him also that the research and experiments should not lead to misuse or disfigurement of nature. Islamic Economics: The bounties of earth were created for man. Qur’an exhorts man to scatter through lands and seek his bounty. Every man has the right to seek the bounty of God and to use the products of nature. Islam does not limit this right to any particular section, nobody can deny the right of others to use nature. Everybody has equal right to work and earn. But the right to earn does not empower any one to deny similar rights to others or to exploit others. Similarly when man is engaged in production using nature’s bounty he should realize that it is the right of God and he can not exploit in a harmful way. In the absence of such a realization those people into whose heads the responsibility of industrialization has gone too far are adopting the cheapest means to find outlet for disposing of industrial waste and this in turn creates environmental problems affecting the very existence of plants, animals and even man himself. Islam inspires man to produce maximum. Individual has the right to produce and also to earn wealth. His earnings belongs to him but it should be earned only through fair means and by obeying moral laws. It does not belong to the society or the country. But he should be prepared to spend from his earning for the society and the nation. It is his responsibility. The thinking that what-

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ever he earns does not belong to him has contributed to the decline of production in communist countries. The basis of capitalism is that the wealthy individual thinks that he can spend his money which ever way he likes. Islam rejects both the approaches but recognizes the right of the individual to earn and teaches him that it is his responsibility to spend from his earnings in a dignified manner. Islam permits business but prohibits interest; recognizes profit, bans hoarding excessive profit making and underhand dealings. There should be no ground for exploitation. It should be clean and open. Islam prohibits capturing market by covering up product defect. It discourages idle life. Only bad elements will mindlessly spend from inherited wealth. The concept of `Zakath’ in Islam removes idleness from such people and persuades them to invest in productive areas. Zakath: It is the responsibility of the society to protect destitute and the disabled who cannot support themselves. The idea of Zakath was implemented by Islam for this purpose. The rule is that a percentage of his wealth should be spent. This is an obligation. Zakath is not a favour of the right but the rich of the poor. Zakath is not the money thrown away to the poor by the rich. Zakath is what the nation, society or authorised body collects from the rich and distributes among the poor and deserving. If we come forward to implement the concept of Zakath in the way Islam stipulates the problem of poverty in the world will be resolved almost entirely. History has recorded an instance in which there was no-

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body in the Islamic states to revive Zakath and then it was distributed in the neighbouring countries. Zakath is compulsory. Islam considers this as purification of wealth and it is the responsibility of the rich to help the poor. Prophet had ordered to give alms. Such optional financial help is `Sadaqa’ in Islamic terminology. Employer-Employee Relationship: Agriculture, industry and production go hand in hand with employers and employees. Islam accepts this as natural. But it does not say that employer-employee relationship should be one of confrontation. Prophet emphasized sanctity of doing work. We are taught that ``What the labourer gets by doing work is the best of all earnings’’ (reported by Ahmed). ``God likes his slave who is a labourer and has affection for him. The labourer who gets tired on doing work for his family is like a man who fought in the path of the Almighty and the Greatest Allah’’ (Ahmed). Islam orders that labourer should be paid wages which he deserves. Before commencing the work, there should be an understanding between the employer and the employee and the latter’s wages be paid before his sweat dries out. The employer who does not pay wages to his employee will be enemy of God on the Day of Reckoning (Bukhari). The prophet who gave such instructions was restraining the employer from exploiting the employee. Similarly Islam wants the employee to be sincere in the work he does. Islamic Politics: Political activity is not taboo to a Muslim in a multi religious secular country if he observes the injuctions of Islam. There should

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be no deviation from the path shown by the Prophet, and it should be based on the belief in God and the World hereafter. The secular view that politics has nothing to do with religions and moral values is foreign to Islam. The individual who is engaged in political activity either in Islamic or other States should not go astray from religious and moral values. A muslim is not allowed to resort to corruption, nepotism, treachery and exploitation under this disguise of political activity. Islamic Nation: A country becomes Islamic not through coup deetat or terrorism. On the countrary it is through the transformation of the mind of the ruled. In the Islamic country the ruler and the ruled believe in the ultimate and final authority of the Almighty God and in the World hereafter. The guiding principle in their life is the belief that any injustice done here will invite appropriate punishment in the World hereafter. In such a society there is very little likelihood of wrong being committed. Islam awards severe punishment to those indulging in wrong deeds even after all loopholes for committing crimes have been closed. It is necessary to obey the ruler as long as he does not violate divine injuctions. Prophet said ``Obedience is in righteousness, not in evil’’ (Bukhari, Muslim). Islam does not teach that the injustice of a ruler should be tolerated. History records so many instances in which ordinary people questioned the rulers when they found that the rulers were erring. The society of those times was taught that telling the truth in the face of the bad ruler is the greatest jihad.

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Liberation through Islam: This is Islam, complete submission before the Almighty Creator, the great ideology that renders possible social revolution through the transformation of the individual. Its observances are practical ways to achieve the goals. Five times prayer desists him from doing wrong. Zakath makes him humane and hard working. Fasting enhances his willingness to submit himself to God. Hajj enthuses him to the divine path. Only such individuals can transform family, society or nation. He frees these institutions from the hold of the evil. When they are liberated, they reach true humanity. The One and Only Way to Liberation of Mankind is Islam.

For more information: DIRECTOR Niche of Truth Kalabhavan Road, Cochin-682 018, Tel: 2367810, 2352421, Fax: 91-484-2380746 Website: www.nicheoftruth.org E-mail: [email protected]

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