CHAPTER FOUR: Islam and Issues
Concerning the Individual
What is the relationship
between God and man in Islam?
What are Islam's rulings regarding the human mind and intellect
Does the Faith of Islam advocate
fatalism?
What are Islam's rulings
on Democracy and human rights?
What are Islam's rulings
regarding art?
(I) What is the relationship
between God and man in Islam?
1- God created man and established him as His vicegerent on earth
and made the universe with its heavens and Earth and all that lies between
them subservient to him and instructed him to populate the earth. This
indicates that God intended that man should be the master in this universe,
but at the same time he should not forget that God created him. In this
sense only is he a slave to God his Creator whom he is expected to serve
as one who worships Him and not as a servile or abject slave. God Almighty
gave man the freedom of choice between obeying Him or disobeying Him, between
believing in Him or rejecting His Faith and this is stated in the following
Quranic verse:" Let him who will, believe, and let
him who will, reject (it)"(18/29).Freedom of choice is the opposite
of slavery. Man has always been granted the right and freedom of choosing
his way in life and is consequently responsible for his actions:"If
any one does a righteous deed, it is for the benefit of his own soul; and
if he does evil, it works against (his own soul)."(45/15).
2-
God has honoured man and preferred him to many of His creatures as is stated:"
We have honoured the sons of Adam"(17/70). This honour with which
God has blessed Man is the exact opposite of servility, and when
God created man and breathed into him of His spirit , he ordered the angels
to prostate themselves before him:
"When I have fashioned
him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit, Fall down in
obeisance unto him ." (15/29) In this process of divine spiritual
animation lies the intimate relationship between man and his Creator, and
every human being retains within his soul the essence of this divine process
which always assures him that he is in the Divine presence of God, wherever
he may be:" And He is with you wheresoever you may
be."(57/4)
3- The Quran also assures us that God Almighty is nearer to man
than his own jugular vein (50/4),
and that He is always near to him and that He answers the prayers of every
person who invokes Him (2/186),
and that His Mercy extends to all things (7/156),
and that He is Most Merciful. Although God Almighty has been described
in the Quran as being All-Compelling once and as being the Supreme Controlling
power twice and as being Irresistible six times, He has been described
as being the Most Gracious and Beneficent fifty seven times and as being
the Merciful one hundred and fourteen times, in addition to being described
as the Most Merciful of the merciful four times. God Almighty has also
been described as kind and affectionate and the attribute of His Mercy
has been mentioned innumerable times. The aforementioned verses all prove
the intimate relationship between man and his Creator for it is a relationship
of proximity, mercy and response to man's prayers and invocations, God
Almighty is more merciful and compassionate to His creatures than a mother
is to her child and this mercy is felt by every Muslim in the depths of
his heart.
(II) What are Islam's
rulings regarding the human mind and intellect?
1- Islam is the only religion which has elevated the status of the
human mind and declared its importance. The human mind is the faculty through
which man can be charged with duty and responsibility. It is man's
intellect that makes him acknowledge his Creator, the mysteries of creation
and the Supremacy of his Creator. The Quran addresses man's intellect and
urges him to look at the Universe and meditate upon its existence in addition
to studying it for the benefit of mankind and to strive to make the earth
prosper and thrive. Moreover there is nothing to indicate that Islam prohibits
Muslims to use their sense of judgement or that it is against scientific
or academic thought.
2- It behoves us to state that Islam commands man to use his faculties
of thinking and reasoning:
"Travel
through the earth and see how God did originate creation "(29/20).
Islam also blames those people who do not employ their intellectual faculties
of thinking, reasoning and meditating and the Quran describes such people
as:"They have hearts where with they understand not
,eyes where with they see not and ears where with they hear not they are
like cattle-may more misguided: for they are heedless of warning." (7/179)
Furthermore the Quran considers not using one s' sense and reason
a sin, and describes what will happen on the Day of Judgement to those
who refused to believe in God:"They will further
say: Had we but listened or used our intelligence, we would not (now)
be among the companions of the Blazing Fire'' (67/ 10).
3- The faith of Islam draws mans' attention to the fact that God
has made the entire universe subservient to him. It is consequently his
duty to use his powers of intellect for the welfare of mankind and the
fruitfulness of the earth. The following Quranic verses confirm this matter:
"It
is he who has produced you from the earth and settled you therein'' (11/61).
Also : "And he has subjected to you as from
Him all that is in he heavens and on earth : behold, in that are Signs
indeed for those who reflect"(45/13).
Therefore the whole universe is a domain
where man can exercise his powers of intellect without any prohibition
or opposition to his thought providing that it is for the welfare of mankind.
Everything that benefits mankind or entails prosperity and well being is
encouraged by Islam .
4- The Quran
and the Traditions of the Prophet are the two sources of the Faith of Islam,
and to follow the religious rulings and observances stated in them is compulsory
upon every Muslim. However, he is perfectly free to think, meditate, ponder
and study everything in the world in which he lives. This is what the Prophet
referred to when he said: "You are better acquainted
with the affairs in the world in which you live".
Freedom of thought and academic or scientific
research is guaranteed by Islam, provided that it does not violate the
sanctity of the Faith and its beliefs and divine texts such as the Quran
and the Traditions of the Prophet. Any attempt to change, distort , add,
omit or ridicule any of these holy texts is not only forbidden but is an
unforgivable sin. For the rest everything in the world may be researched,
studied or investigated.
(III) Does The Faith
of Islam advocate fatalism?
1- Anyone who reads and meditates upon the verses of the Quran shall
realize that Islam is a religion that urges man to action, for work is
life and without work life shall cease to exist. Consequently we find in
many Quranic verses that God Almighty linked righteous deeds and true Faith.
Righteous deeds are every good deed or act performed whether it be of a
religious or a worldly nature which benefits mankind or repels evil:
"And
say: work (righteousness); soon will God observe your work, and His Apostle
and the believers (in the Faith)" (9/105).
The Quran urges people to work even on
Fridays, the day of rest and worship of the Muslims:
"And
when the (Friday Noon) prayer is finished, then you may dispense through
the land and seek the Bounty of God" (62/10).
2-The Prophet urged people to work until the last moment of their
lives and till the end of the world. He is related to have said:
"Should the last
our come upon you while you have a palm shoot in your hand that you are
about to plant, plant it if you can". The prophet also refused to
approve of people who spent all day and night long praying in mosques and
depending on others to provide for them and maintain them. He also praised
and blessed the person who earned his livelihood from his own toil and
he said that the hand that toils in labour is blessed by God and by his
Apostle.
3- The Prophet, who is the ideal of all Muslims, as stated in the
Quran, used to work, plan, deliberate and prepare everything that was needed
and then put his trust in God. Putting trust in God does not mean neglecting
work and praying to God to fulfil our hope. The reason for this is that
faith and trust in God is not only necessary but also obligatory, to remind
us of God Almighty which inspires us with a spiritual energy that enables
to overcome obstacles or problems with determination and resolution.
This
trust and dependence on God should be a strong and positive force and not
a passive and an apathetic attitude.
Relying completely upon God, without making
any effort to realize one's aims on the pretext that God's Will will be
done as He Wills, is not accepted by Islam, for God does not assist a person
who makes no effort to help himself. God, however, aids the person who
strives to attain his aim: "Verily God will never
change the condition of a people until they change it themselves'' (13/11).
Omar ben Al khattab expressed his great
displeasure concerning a group of men who spent all their time praying
in a mosque and depending upon others to work to maintain them and he exclaimed:
"The
sky does not rain gold or silver.'' He supported his statement by
relating one of the sayings of the prophet and said:
" Do what birds do .They go out every morning
with empty craws and return at the end of the day with full craws''
.People should learn a lesson from the birds that go out every morning
in search of food and return at the end of the day with full craws.
(IV) What are Islam's
Rulings on Democracy and Human Rights?
1- Islam was the first religion to call for Human Rights emphasizing
the necessity of safeguarding them. Any scholar of Islamic Legislation
learns that it declares the fundamental Rights of Man which include man's
life ,belief, his opinions, his wealth and his family, all of which are
safeguarded by Islam. The history of Islam records 'Omar ben Khattab's
decisive stand against the violation of human rights when he aid: "Why
do you enslave people after their mothers gave birth to them as free individuals".
2- The Human Rights in Islam are based upon two fundamental principles:
(a) Equality among all human beings.
(b) Freedom which is the right of every human being.
Islam bases equality on two foundations
namely that all human beings originated from the same Human origin, and
human dignity which is granted to all mankind. As for the common origin
of all mankind, Islam declares that God created mankind from one soul so
all human beings are brothers and sisters in one large family in which
there is no scope for privileges on account of wealth or status. The difference
that exists between human beings does not affect their origin and essence,
which are one and the same. The differences that exist between human beings
in the world should urge them to become acquainted with each other and
to cooperate with each other in various walks of life:
"O
mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and
made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other'' (49/13).
The second
foundation is that equality is based on the honour and dignity with which
God Almighty graced all mankind: "We
have honoured the sons of Adam'' (17/70).
God made man a vicegerent on earth and
ordered the angels to prostrate themselves before Adam and made him a master
in this universe. God also rendered all that is in the heavens and the
earth subservient to man. These privileges honoured and elevated him above
other created beings. God conferred this honour and dignity in principle
on all human beings without exception so that it would immune and protect
every single human being, or rich or poor, rulers or subjects are all equal
in the sight of God and in the eyes of the law .The second principle
upon which the Human Rights are founded in Islam is freedom. God created
man as a responsible human being for populating the earth and establishing
civilization. Naturally responsibility cannot exist without freedom even
in the matter of the choice of believing in God or rejecting to believe
in Him, which is left to man's free will:''Let him
who will, believe, and let him who will reject (it).'' (18/29)
Freedom includes all aspects of human freedom
whether religious, political, intellectual or concerning civil matters.
3- Passing judgement in Islam is based upon justice and consultation
as is declared in the Quran:"And
when you judge between man and man, judge with justice" (4/58).God
Almighty ordered justice and benevolence in dealing with others:"God
commands justice, the doing of good and liberality... " (16/90)
There are also many other verses in the
Quran which illustrate this point.
As for consultation, it is a fundamental
and obligatory principle in Islam. When the prophet was not inspired by
Divine Inspiration in any matter, he consulted his companions and acted
according to the opinion of the majority, even if it were contrary to his
own opinion . An example of this was the consultation concerning the Battle
of Uhud. The Prophet was of the opinion that the Muslims should not set
out to fight yet he submitted to the opinion of the majority who advocated
fighting and the result was defeat. Despite this the Quran emphasized the
necessity of consultation and addressed the prophet in the following Quranic
verse:" So pass over
(their faults) and ask for(God's) forgiveness for them; and consult them
in affairs"(3/159).
Accordingly we must not be misled by the
opinion held by a minority of jurists who maintain that consultation is
not obligatory, since their opinion is inconsistent with the religious
texts of the Quran and the Traditions of the Prophet.
Islam left to the judgement of the Muslims,
the method of consultation in keeping with the interests of the community.
If the welfare of a Muslim nation should require that consultation should
follow the acknowledged system currently practised by modern nations, Islam
does not object to that system, the application of which must necessarily
take into account the circumstances of every era on the national and international
level. The aforementioned facts illustrate the extent of Islam's concern
for safeguarding the Human Rights and the application of the principle
of consultation or democracy as it is understood today.
4- Islam permitted people to have different opinions and allowed
interpretative judgement in religious matters providing that these people
fulfilled the necessary qualifications to do so. Islam declares that the
person who uses his judgement in the matter and errs is rewarded by God,
whereas he who uses his judgement and arrives at the correct result is
doubly rewarded by God. The scholars of the doctrines of jurisprudence
will come across many different opinions concerning many matters and nobody
has ever claimed that a difference of opinion is prohibited by Islam. Islam
therefore allows the expression of differing opinions without any limitations,provided
that they are sincerely concerned with the welfare, security and peace
of their community.
(V) What are Islam's
rulings regarding art?
1- Islam is a religion which admires beauty which exists everywhere.
The Prophet himself once declared that God is perfection and He loves beauty.
Nevertheless Islam gives priority to morals over beauty, and that in itself
does not signify that Islam is against art. Islam thus considers that beauty
should be dependent on morals. This is the attitudes taken by Islam concerning
all branches of art. Islam's criterion when judging any branch or work
of art is based upon the rule that what is right is good and what is evil
is wrong.
The Quran draws our attention in many verses
to the beauty of the Universe and the perfection of its creation which
is admired by everyone who sees it, (15/10; 16/6;
41/12). Accordingly Islam does not condemn any branch or work of
art if is beautiful. However, should it display any from of morally or
materially repulsiveness Islam condemns it.
2- If the aim of any work of art to appeal to one's intellect and
finer feelings, Islam naturally does not object to it. However, if
it appeals to the carnal instincts of man and is not a manifestation of
decent art, by spreading vice and an active factor in the deterioration
of morals, Islam will condemn it.
3- When musical melodies, singing, and the worlds of songs are refined
and harmonious, they are approved by Islam provided that they do not induce
the people who listen to them to succumb to any form of temptation forbidden
by God. In other words if art aspires to elevate the human emotions and
the spirit of man, it is not only approved, but is also admired. The prophet
admired the voice of Abu Moussa Al Ash'ary when he recited the Quran. The
prophet also chose, from among his companions those who were gifted with
melodious voices to proclaim the time of prayer. He also listened to musical
instruments such as the tambourine, the pipe and the flute without making
any remarks that could be interpreted as his dislike for music.
On the day of the Feast, Abu Bakr entered
the Prophet's house and found his daughter 'Aisha - the Prophet's wife-
listening to the singing of two bonds maids who were also beating drums.
When Abu Bakr objected, the Prophet replied:" Leave
them Abu Bakr: today is the day of the Feast''.
The Prophet himself also asked his wife 'Aisha to send
for someone to sing at the wedding procession of her relative who was married
to one of the the inhabitants of Al Madina. There were numerous occasions when
the prophet indicated that neither music nor singing are prohibited in Islam,
unless they are accompanied by a form of immorality or vice.
[Al Qardawi , Ph. D. The Permitted
and the Prohibited p.291. Qatar
1978 .
Also , Sheikh Al Ghazali. M. One Hundred Questions about Islam .p.174.]
4-Regarding dancing Islam differentiates between men's dancing and
women's dancing .For example men dancing in a group is approved of by Islam,
and the prophet allowed his wife 'Aisha, daughter of Abu Bakr, to watch
a group of Abyssinians dancing on the day of the Feast. Women dancing before
other women is permitted by Islam, but their dancing in front of men is
prohibited in order to eliminate any possibility of temptation, that may
lead to immorality.
5- Acting is not prohibited providing it adheres to morality. No
one can deny the important role played by the art of acting in its dealing
with and treatment of many problems of the community. It also criticizes
the vices rampant in society and presents solutions to many matters that
concern the community. Also any form of reasonable and decent entertainment
that does not exceed the limits of decency is permitted by Islam. Photography
is also permitted by Islam and has come to be a necessity in the world
of today.
6- There are definite religious rulings that prohibit sculpture
and statues. The reason for this prohibition goes back to the advent of
Islam when most people worshipped idols. Islam feared that statues might
be worshipped by those whose belief was superficial and that they might
revert to the worship of idols.
Currently such a possibility does not arise
and consequently no sin is committed. However, Islam in order to prevent
a recurrence of what took place in the pre- Islamic era in the future or
even in the distant future, has laid down its ruling , since it legislates
for all generations and eras and what may seem impossible in one era may
become a reality in another era, be it sooner or later.
