Topic 2

Importance of Deen in human life

Introduction:
Deen plays a vital role in human life and society. Its massage is real and practical for it comprehensive all
human actions. It explains the Tawhid doctrine effectively. It tells us how to live a virtuous life, how to
conduct ourselves in public or at home, how to treat parents, relations, friends, strangers, the poor and
orphans; it instructs us about economic and about our social, educational and political ends. It deals with
the internal and foreign affairs, in peacetime and during war. It provides advice in matters concerning
marriage, divorce, birth and death, property, inheritance, buying and selling, trade and commerce, civil and
criminal law and many other practical matters. In short, it is complete code of life, which provides guidance
in all human situations. A divine religion such as Islam addresses all people, of all ages, irrespective of race
and colour through Quran. “We have explained in detail in this Quran for the benefit of mankind, every
kind of similitude. But man is, in most things, contentious. And what is there to keep men back from
believing, now that Guidance has come to them?”(18: 54-55)
Religion and divine Religion (Islam):
Religion deals man‘s relations with God whereas Deen deals both with man‘s relation with God and his
fellow beings. Religion deals with private affairs of life whereas Deen covers all aspects of life, individuals
as well as collective. In other words Deen is all embracing terms which includes religio-socio-politico-
economic systems. It touches upon the material as well as spiritual dimensions of human existence and
insists that all our thoughts and deeds should be performed with God consciousness. Islam is not only a
religion but also a Deen, which means a complete code of life.
What is religion?
The word religion is commonly used in a narrow sense, its scope being limited to a set of dogmas, some
rituals for worship, and a number of social customs to celebrate important life-events. Religion deals with
individual life only.
i. According to Sir E.B Taylor:
“Religion means the belief in spiritual beings”
ii. According to Mohammad Mazhar-uddin Siddiqui
“Religion affects every step of life. It has great impact on political life, economic domain, philosophy and
other spheres of life. It glorifies the concept of Universe”.
iii. Ibn-Khaldun (1332-1406)
“(Devine) Religions are introduced by Allah in order to leads mankind to eternal blessings. Their objective is
to worship Allah as well as management of worldly affairs. Religion provides guidelines to establish a
composite state and government on the fundamentals enjoined by Allah”.
Necessity of Religion:
i. Man is naturally a religious being; he requires a metaphysical being to fall upon in his quest for
unresolved mysteries of universe, life, death etc.
ii. Religion create mental satisfactions by giving meaning to life
iii. Religion also plays a very significant role in moral and ethical development of society.
iv. Religion teaches msn as to how to seek support of God and how to please him.
v. Religion teaches equality and dignity of mankind.
vi. Religion gives us the concept of brotherhood of mankind.
vii. Religion teaches such concept as tolerance, coexistence and mutual cooperation which are essentials
for world peace.
viii. Religion leads to purification of soul.
ix. Research takes place in various branches of knowledge because of motivation provided by religion.
x. Religion teaches us to care for the needy, the crippled, the minorities, the women, the weak and all and
sundry.
Concept of Deen:
Deen refers to a complete code of life. Religion deals man‘s relation with God whereas Deen deals both
with man‘s relation with God and his fellow beings. Religion deals with private affairs of life whereas Deen
covers all aspects of life, individual as well as collective. In other words Deen is all embracing term which
includes religion-socio-politico-economic systems. It touches upon the material as well as spiritual
dimensions of human existence. In this regard, Islam is not only a religion but also a Deen as it is a
complete code of life.
According to Dr. Khalifa Abdul Hakim:
―Islam means peace as well as submission… The purpose of life is to live it well; in other words, well being.
The purpose of life is life edified, harmonized, enriched, strengthened and elevated‖. He further went to
say that;
―The carving for peace is inherent in human nature; hence being naturally carves for Islam or peace‖.
Importance of Deen in Human life:
1. Deen Provides Guidance to Mankind:
The primary function of Deen is to guide people towards the right path: ―And We have sent down to you
the Book explaining all things as a guide, a Mercy and Glad tidings to Muslims‖. The Quran revelation which
continuous the import of Deen of Islam is universal; but only the righteous ones will take heed of it;
―Surely, this Quran guides to that which is most right‖. (5:17) and the God-fearing ones: ―This is the
Book; in it is Guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah‖.
2. Deen provides a clear path:
It is Divine Light of God which shows the clear path right from wrong, the true form the false; ―there has
come to you from Allah a new light and a manifest Book. (5:17) and again in Surah Taghabun; ―Believe,
therefore, in Allah and His Messenger; and in the Light which We have sent down.‖
3. Deen Leads Mankind from darkness to light
The Quran leads people out of the ignorance of darkness and evil into the light of goodness and piety; ―A
Book which We have revealed unto you, in order that you might lead Mankind out of the depths of
darkness into light by the leave of their Lord‖.This Divine Light offers a ray of hope to those who have lost
their way in the wildness of darkness: ―He is the One Who sends to His servants Manifest signs, that he
may leads you from the depths of darkness into light‖. (57:9)
4. Divine Religion is a source of Wisdom and knowledge:
The book of Deen contains unsurpassable knowledge and wisdom: ―Yasin‘ by the Quran, full of wisdom.‖
(4:113). Mohammad (PBUH) was taught the wisdom of the Quran so that he in turn could divulge it to the
rest of mankind.
5. Deen sets the criterion for the Right and wrong:
The Quran provides guidance on judgment and the justice: “Ramadan is the month in which was sent down
the Quran, as a guide to mankind, also clear Signs for guidance and judgment between right and wrong”.
(2:185) It is undoubtedly a manifest criterion between truth and falsehood: ―It is He who sent down to
you, in truth, the Book as a guide to mankind, and He sent down the criterion of judgment between right
and wrong‖. (3:3)
6. Deen Is spiritual Cure of Modern Man
God promises mercy to those who follow the guidance of the Quran: ―And this is a Book which we have
revealed as a blessing; so follow it and be righteous, that you may receive mercy. (6:155). This is the only
hope for the spiritual future of man, a cure for the lost and hurts souls, a guide for the evil and misled
ones, and a joy for those who repent. ―We sent down the3 Quran that which is a healing and a Mercy to
those who believe‖. (17:82)
7. Teachings of Deen are Guard against Evil
The Quran develops fear of the God, and reverence and love for Him: thus it guards those against those
evils; ―It is a Quran in Arabic without crookedness therein, in order that they may guard against evil‖.
(39:28) A true believer is shield by the powerful cover of the Quran against evil and wicked ways: Thus
does Allah make His signs clear to men that they learn self-restraint (and guard themselves against evil)‖.
(2:187)
8. Deen Provides a Clear Message to Mankind
Allah says: ―This is a Book with verses or fundamental (of established meaning), further explained in the
details—from One is wise and well-acquainted with all things‖. (11:1) The details of life are covered
precisely: ―And We have sent down to you the the Book explaining all things‖.(16:89) Problems of life are
explained form all points of view and by different way, so as to elucidate its meaning to any layman: ―We
have explained things in various ways in this Quran in order that they may receive admonition, but it only
increases their fight form the Truth.‖ (17:41) Divine messages, no matter how simple, are always ignored
and rejected by those who do not believe in God.
9. Deen Induces In Man Peity and Remembrance of God
Piety refers to the inner fear man must have for his Creator. This profound fear centralizes the concept of
God and His remembrance in the mind of the believer: ―Thus We have sent the Quran in Arabic and
explained therein detail some of the warnings, in order that they may fear Allah, or that it may cause their
remembrance of Him.‖ (20:113) God has clarified His massage aptly in the Quran for man to attain Taqwa:
―Thus does God make clear His Message to men, that they may fear Him.‖ (187)
10. Deen Provides Principles for establishment of Justice
A vital function of the Deen is to guide in the establishment of balanced system of justice and equality:
―We have sent down to you the Book in truth that you might judge between men, as guided by Allah.‖
(4:105)
Attempt will be made to defeat the system of justice. The Quran therefore, warns the righteous to be on
guard against such people and exhorts them always to seek the help of God for protection: ―it is God who
has sent down the book which is truth, and the balance to Judge between right or wrong.‘ (42:17) Thus the
Quran, Being the last of the revealed Books and Islam provide the most comprehensive Code of Justice.

Topic 3

Different Between Deen and Religion

Introduction:
Islam is not only a religion but also a Deen, which means a complete code of life. Religion deals man‘s
relation with God whereas Deen deals both with man‘s relation with God and his fellow beings. Religion
deals with private affairs of life whereas Deen covers all aspects of life, individual as well as collective. In
other words Deen is all embracing term which includes religio-socio-politico-economic system. It touches
upone the material as well as spiritual dimensions of human existence and insists that all our thoughts and
deeds should be performed with the will of God.
What is Religion?
The word religion is commonly used in a narrow sense, its scope limited to a set of dogmas, some rituals
for worship, and a number of social customs to celebrate important life events. Religion deals with
individual life only.
What is Deen?
Contrary to religion Deen covers all aspects of human life. It covers both spiritual/scared matters and
mundane/secular affairs of this world. In brief, religion deals with man‘s relation with God; while Deen
deals both man‘s relation with God as well As his fellow beings. Deen provides guidance in the individual
and collective affairs. It offers a belief system, concept of worship to fulfill the spiritual and metaphysical
needs of individual, and provides social, political, economic, legal codes and cultural norms for the
betterment of society-taken as one community. When the term Deen is used for Islam, it obviously means
a system of life where Allah is worshipped and obeyed, not just in the narrow religious sense, but in a
manner that includes all aspects of human life. ―This day, I have perfected your Deen for you, completed
my favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your Deen.‖
Hence an impartial critic like Dr. Michael Hart is compelled to confess that ―My choice of Mohammad to
lead the list of the world‘s most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by
others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular
level.
Meaning of Deen
There is several meaning of Deen.
a. One meaning is honour, government, empire, monarchy and ruleship.
b. The second meaning is quite opposite to it i.e. subordination, obedience, slavery, servitude and
subjection.
c. Third meaning is to account, to give judgment, and dispense reward and punishment of actions.
The word Deen has been Used in the Quran in all these three meanings.
Allah says “Deen with Allah is al Islam”. (3:19)
“And whosoever seeks a Deen other than Islam, it will not be accepted from Him”. (3:85)
―And fight them until persecution is no more and Deen is all for Allah.‖ (8:39)
Total Implementation of Islam: Requirement of Islam as Deen
The essence of true and authentic Islamic thought consists of the idea that it is not enough to practice in
the personal life only, but that the teaching of the Quran and those Sunnah need also be implemented in
their totality in the social, economic, and political fields. In other words, it implies the establishment of the
sovereignty of Allah in the ―religious‘as well as ―Mundane‖ domains, or the removal of the dichotomy
between collective life and state authority on the one hand and Divine guidance on the other. The
underlying and pervasive ideas in this context, which is also an integral part of the Islamic evolutionary
thought, is that the struggle to establish unqualified and unconditional ascendancy of the Holy Quran and
the Sunnah of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) is obligatory upon all members of the Muslim Ummah. The
goal of this is to achieve the domination of the true way of life (Deen al Haq), so that the Islamic system of
social justice which is the most balanced synthesis of human freedom, fraternity, and equality, and which
embodies the Divine attributes of Benevolence, Providence, and Justice- can be established on earth.
Comparison of Deen and Religion:
A comparative study of religion or Madhab, and Deen, would help us understand the vital and fundamental
characteristics of each and the differences between the two:
1. Madhab/Religion
2. Deen
Sr. # Madhab/Religion Deen

1. Madhab is merely some sort of subjective. Deen is an objective reality and a system
of experience and is concerned only with the so-
 called private relationship between God and
man.

2 Every follower of a Madhab is satisfied that he The aim of Deen the other hand is the welfare
established a communion with the Almighty, and progress of all mankind, and the character
and the objective of each individual is his own and constitution of a society indicates whether or
salvation. not it is founded upon the Divine Law.

3 Madhab does not afford us any objective In a social order governed by Deen, the
criterion by which we could determine whether development of a collective and harmonious life
or not our actions are producing the desired correctly indicates whether or not the people are
results. pursuing the right course.

4 Madhab is hostile to scientific investigation and Deen helps in the development of human reason
is an adversary of of reason, so that it could and knowledge, allows full freedom to accept or
flourish unhampered with the aid of a blind reject on the basis of reason and arguments, and
faith. encourages investigation and discovery of all the
natural phenomena to illumine the path of
human life and its advancement in the light of the
permanent Values.

5 Madhab follows the susceptibilities and Deen seeks to lead men to a path of life that is in
prejudices of me and pampers them. harmony with the realities of life.

6 In every age, therefore, Madhab sets up new But Deen is rational and radical: it breaks all idols,
idols and mumbo-jumbo in order to keep the old and new, and is never variable in its principles 
people‘s attention away from the real problems
of life.

7 Madhab includes a perpetual sense of fear in While Deen treats fear as a form of polytheism
the minds of men and seeks to frighten them and seeks to make men courageous, daring and
into conformity. self-reliant.

8 Madhab prompts men to how before every seat Deen encourages man to walk about with his
of authority and prestige, religious as well as head erect, and attain self-confidence.
temporal.

9 Madhab includes man to flee from struggle of But Deen calls upon him to face the realities of
life. life squarely, whatever the hazard.

10 Madhab encourages beliefe in fatalism, and this Deen gives man power to challenge fate, and
tends to dissuade man from active life and self- provides energy for a life of activity and self-
development. development.

11 Madhab enjoins religious meditation in the Deen exhorts men to assert themselves and
 name of worship and thus induces self- struggle perpetually for the establishment of the
deception. Divine Social Order, and its betterment when
attained. Worship in Deen really means
obedience to the Laws of God.

12 Madhab denounces everything new and Deen holds that the needs and demands of
declares all innovation as sin. human life keep changing with the change in the
conditions of life; change and innovation are,
therefore, demanded by life itself. Only the
Divine Laws are immutable.

Difference between Deen and Shariah:

The meaning of Shariah is mode and path. When one has acknowledged God as one‘s sovereign and
accepted His servitude and has also admitted that the Messenger is the tangible ruler holding authority on
His and that Book has been sent by Him, it will mean one has entered Deen. After this, the mode in which
Muslim to serve God and the path he has traverse in order to obey him is called Shariah. This mode and
path has been indicated by God through his messenger who alon teaches the method of worshiping the
Master the way to become pure and clean. The Messenger shows us the path of righteousness and piety,
tha manner in which rights are discharged, the method of carrying on transactions and dealings with
fellow-beings and the mode of leading one‘s life. But the difference is this that while Deen always was, has
been, and is still one and the same, numberous Shariah came, many were cancelled, several were changed
but these alternations did not change the Deen. The Deen of Noah was the same as that of Abrahim,
Moses, Jesus, Shuaib Saleh, Hud and Mohammad (PBUH) but the same Shariahs of these prophets varied
from each other to some extent. The modes of saying prayer and observing fast were of one kind with one
prophet and of another kind with the other. Injunction about Halal and Haram, rules of cleanliness and
codes of marriage, divorce and inheritance somewhat differed from one Sharrah to another. In spite of
this, all were Muslims the followers of Noah, the followers of Abraham, the followers of Jesus and those
Moses, and we are too Muslims because Deen is one and the same for all. This shows that Deen is
unaffected by differences in the rules of Shariah. Deen remains one though modes of following it differ.

Topic 4
 Distinctive Aspects of Islam

1) Introduction
Islam is the religion of truth. It is the embodiment of the code of life which God, the Creator and Lord of
the universe, has reveled for the guidance of mankind. For the proper development of human life, and
needs two elements: (a) the resource to maintain life and to fulfill the material needs f the individual and
society. (b) Knowledge of the principles of individual and social behavior to enable man to fulfill himself
and to maintain justice and tranquility in human life. The Lord of the universe has provided for both of
these in full measure. To create the material needs of man, He has put all of nature’s resources at his
disposal. To provide for his spiritual, social, and culture needs, He has raised His prophets from among men
and has revealed to them the code of life that can guide man’s steps to the right path. This code of life is
known as Islam, the religion preached by all of the prophets of God. God said: “Say: We believe in Allah
and (in) that which had been revealed to us, and (in) that which was revealed to Ibrahim and Ismail and
Ishaq and Yaqoub and the tribes, and (in) that which was given to Musa and Isa, and (in) that which was
given to the prophets from their Lord, we do not make any distinction between any of them, and to Him do
we Submit” (Al-Baqarah 2:136). The Quran says: “He has revealed to you (O Muhammad) the scripture
with truth, confirming that which was revealed before it even as He revealed the Torah and Gospel before
as guide to mankind and has revealed the Criterion (for judging between right and wrong)”. (Aal-Imran 3:3-
4). All of them called humanity to the way of the Lord, the way of submission to God. All of them gave the
same message, and all of them stood for the same cause.
2) Meaning and concept of Islam:
Already discussed, the Arabic word Islam is derived from the origin “Silm” (peace and submission) which
obedience to Allah. It is the obedience and submission not only in belief and mode of ibadat but in ethics
and morality, politics, in culture, social behavior, laws, and economic, national and international affairs
both in individual and collective manner. Submission to the good will of Allah is the safeguard of peace
and harmony. It enables man to make peace with himself and his fellow being on the one hand and with
the human community and Allah on the other hand. This submission does not take away his individual
freedom. It frees the mind from superstitions and fills it with truth.
3) Definition of faith
Belief in the special terminology of Islam, means to believe in the Prophets of God as such, that is to
acknowledge that for our guidance God had vouchsafed to them knowledge that was beyond the range of
our intelligence and understanding, and, on the basis of it, to affirm what was communicated to us by
them as from God, and to accept religion brought by them as Divine religion.
Basic Building Blocks of Islamic Belief /Faith:
1. Belief /Faith in Allah (Tauheed / Oneness of Allah)
2. Belief /Faith in prophets (Nubuwwat and Risalat )
3. Belief /Faith The life in the Hereafter (Day of Judgment)
i. FAITH IN ALLAH: Faith in Allah is based on four premises.
1. Allah exists and nobody created Him.
2. He alone is the Lord of the whole Universe.
3. He alone is the Master and He alone is authorized to make any modifications in the universe according
to His will.
4. He alone is to be exclusively worshipped and He has no associates.
 The existence of Allah
The Quran has clearly told us that the proof of the existence of Allah lies within ourselves. How can we,
then deny something which is writ large on our very foreheads as the proof of its veracity Allah says. Who
have sure faith, and within your own selves, so do you not see? In the very depths of our hearts, it is
etched that Allah exists. When struck with hardships and misfortune, we seek his shelter because of our
 faithful nature and religious instinct. There are, within us and all around us numerous proofs of His
existence. Our sub conscious that is our heart, unconsciously in Him, but our conscious self, that is our
reason, accepts His existence.
 He alone is the Lord of the whole Universe
The second dogma of faith is that Allah is the Sustainer of the whole Universe. It means that You have to
believe from the depth of Your heart that Allah alone is the Creator of all the world. He alone created, out
of nothing, the living organisms, the heavenly bodies and all the visible as well as invisible world. He
devised such marvelous canons for all these worlds that the Scholars of medicine, chemistry, physics and
astronomy, have been able to discover only a few of them. He alone has the Full knowledge about every
big or small thing of all these worlds. It is written with Him that how many leaves a tree has, what shape
does a leaf carry, or how many germs float in this world and what is their size and volume and what are
their constituents. He only knows how many rotating electrons an atom has, what transitory changes occur
in them, what is the nature of their statics and dynamics, what forms they take and what are the
characteristic of their transformation.
 He alone is the Master and He alone is authorized to make any modifications in the universe according
to His will.
Thus, He is the sustainer of the world. He gave from to everything and he looks after them. He makes
alteration and changes in their conditions and character. He has predetermined every detail and has placed
such proofs in each atom of this universe that every person with sufficient reason can trace Him and seek
guidance from him. This is the second dogma of faith and it is obligatory to accept it and believe it. But,
does one become a believer by just accepting this as an article of faith? Someone declares before You that
Allah alone is the creator of this universe and He alone is the sustainer of everything. Would you accept
him as a believer just because of his declaration? Nay, this declaration alone is not enough to be a believer,
because many nations of the antiquity made this declaration. The idolators of the Quresh, whose fetishism
the prophet Muhammad repudiated and those against whom he waged Jihad, also declared Allah the God
of Gods and never denied his existence.
 He alone is to be exclusively worshipped and He has no association.
When you admit that Allah exists, is the Sustainer of the worlds, is the lord of the incomparable Kingdom,
then it follows out of necessity that there should be no associate with Him in worship nor should anyone
besides him be worshipped in any form or shape to be construed as his adversary. By the Grace of Allah, I
had the good fortune to arrive at a point in the interpretation of the Surah An-Nas (114), which no other
exegesis carries for the guidance of those who admit that Allah exists is the master of all and is the lord of
the worlds yet do not display that unadulterated belief in the unity of Allah which indeed is a requirement
of the divinity of Allah this Surah An-Nas says: Thou say: .I came under the shelter of the Lord of men, The
King of men, The God of men. (114,1-3)
2. FAITH IN PROPHETS
Definition of Prophet:
The Prophets too are human beings; they are not endowed with divinity because Divinity merits only Allah
the Peerless; The Prophets, however, have one distinctive feature that the Revelation descends upon
them; Allah Almighty says: “And we sent not before thee Messengers but that they ate food and walked in
the markets (bazaars).
Faith in the Prophets is based on three premises.
1. Islam does not discriminate between Prophets.
2. All Prophets are human beings.
3. Faith in the Miracles of Prophets.
 Islam does not discriminate between Prophets
There are people among the followers of other prophets who talk disparagingly about prophets other than
the ones they follows, but Islam has made it incumbent that all prophets should be equally respected. If a
person talks insolently of any prophet or reproaches him, he violates the dictates of Islam. Allah says: The
Messenger accepted what was sent down on him from his Lord and the Muslims too. All of them believed in God
and in His Angels and in His Books and His Messengers they say, .We make no division between any one of His
Messengers and they spoke out .We heard and accepted we want thy pardon, Our Lord and unto Thee is our
return. In other words, a Muslim loves and respects Moses and Jesus just as he loves and respect the prophet
SAW. He reveres them all, like his own prophet SAW, without discrimination. This means that it a Jew becomes
a Christian he does not undergo any loss of not believing in Moses; he rather, benefits by believing in both
Moses and Jesus. If after this, this Christian becomes a Muslim, he is not at a loss of not believing in the prophet
SAW as well as believing in all the prophets and messengers.
 All Prophets are human beings.
All Prophets are human beings; they are born like other human beings and die like them. They fall ill like
other human beings and recover also like them. They are not any whit different from other human beings
so far as the structure of their bodies, the outward appearance of their limbs and organs, the circulation of
blood and the function of the heart is concerned. They eat and drink like other human beings. It is only to
indicate that they have no features of Divinity which behaves only Allah and is reserved for Him. However,
in spite of being human beings, they have one distinction that the Revelation descends on them from Allah.
And, this is not an ordinary thing. The earlier communities were flabbergasted when the Revelation
descended upon man from Allah, on which Allah called their perplexity improper and said. Was it a wonder
to the people that we revealed to a man from among them: .Warn the people and give good tidings to the
Believers that they have a true footing with their Lord?. Thou say: I am also a man as you are, the order
comes to me that upon you the worship is of One Single Sovereign. They said: .Has God sent forth a mortal
as Messenger?.
 Faith in the Miracles of Prophets
When the incidence of Ascension ([Link]) took place and the prophet SAW was transported from Makkah
to Quds and he SAW returned the same night the Quresh did not believe it. In their opinion is was
impossible because it was inconceivable, with the then available means of transport (camels, horses, etc.)
to travel such a long distance and return in the same night but this very impossible thing has not only
became possible in our times but has become common. And nobody is amazed at that nor any body denies
it.
A century or two ago .if the greatest physicist was told that soon people will fly in “metallic machines” and
that they will fly faster than sound, or that it will be possible to record somebody’s speech, etc, which may
be later reproduced at any time, even after his death, even that scholar would have shaken his head in
disbelief, whereas, it has become a common thing today which all know.
How did all these impossible things become possible after all? It may be said that impossible are of two
types: One is the Common impossible ([Link]) occurrences which we are not used to see while
happening and we consider them impossible only because of hat .Its example is the incident of Ascension
or other miracles. The second type of “impossible” is that the occurrence of which is rationally impossible,
such as the co-existence of opposites (ijtima-i-diddain) for example ,existence and non .existence are
opposites of each other, and is impossible for anyone to be present at one place and absent from it at the
same time. Similarly, things cannot assume different forms at the same time: a book, while. It is a book,
cannot become a morsel of bread at the same time.
The rationally impossible “occurrences” are inconceivable but the so-called impossible occurrences in
ordinary circumstances have become possible through our scientific knowledge and progress and have
become commonplace. Is it not possible for Allah, the All-Powerful, who originated these laws Himself, to
make impossible, possible? Certainly, the Omnipotent Allah is competent to make a thing, impossible in
the ordinary circumstances, happen. Therefore, if we hear through a true report that a thing impossible
under the ordinary circumstances has occurred, we will take it as a real happening and will accept it.
3. THE LIFE IN THE HEREAFTER (DAY OF JUDGMENT)
The life in the Hereafter is the true life .The short- sighted are unable to see it and the feeble minded do
not believe what they are told about it .But one endowed with vision and possessed of wisdom and
comprehension know that the human life passes through stages. There was a time when this very man was
lying in the womb of his mother in a contracted and shrunken position and as breathing in this limited
world of his .if he could think at that time ,he would have considered this state as his real life and would
have never agreed to leave it and emerge from the womb of his mother, unless forcibly removed from it .if
he were able to speak, he would have considered his emergence as his death and would have construed it
as being buried in a dark dungeon, although is was his birth ,which meant that be was to inhabit this vast
and wide world after leaving the womb of his mother. In the same way we consider death banishment
from his world, although that too is a kind of our rebirth and progress to a very comfortable life, that is,
transfer to purgatory or limbo (Barzakh) which is a temporary halting place between this material and
transitory world and the eternal world of the Hereafter. It is related that a Companion once enquired from
the Prophet, .O Messenger of God, who will God raise up his creatures from the dead? Is there anything
like it here in this world which may be cited as example ?,The Prophet replied, Has it never accrued to your
that your may have passed by a stretch of land in your country and found it dry and bereft of all vegetation
,and then ,on coming upon it again ,after sometime ,discovered that it was covered lavishly with fresh,
green grass?. The Companion replied, “Yes”, may master. It has .The Prophet remarked, this typifies
resurrection. God will raise from the dead in the same manner.
Distinctive Aspects/Characteristics of Islam:
The prominent characteristics of this faith are discussed in the following:-
lslam is the Religion of Nature :
Islam is called the Religion of Nature as it has been framed after the very nature of human beings and the
tenets and injunctions of lslam guide man to the strict observance of the laws of nature. In short, Islam has
ordered nothing which goes against the very nature of man. Man cannot have any other religion but that
which is strictly observed by the various component elements of his body and nature. Islam is certainly
such it religion.
Islam presents details of rights and duties:
Islam has presented in detail the rights and duties of man as a servant of God, as a father, as son, as
husband, as wife, as a relative, as a neighbor, as a citizen etc. No religion of the world bears this
characteristic.
Islam - a combination of kind and just:
Islamic injunctions are not as harsh as that of Moses, neither as lenient as that of Christ but are a
combination of kind and just, harsh and lenient—a midway. This characteristic of lslam pleads for its being
the religion of nature.
Islam a sum total of teachings of all prophets:
lslam was the religion of Adam. Of North, of Moses and Jesus and was perfected with Hazrat Muhammad
(Peace be upon him). Therefore it has the credit of having in itself the best of the teachings of all the
prophets and over and above all this; God Himself has declared/slam a perfect religion.
Teachings of Islam very instructive:
The teachings of Islam are embodied in Quran Majeed and Quran Majeed is all in all light which shows the
straight path and one can never be misled accepts the guidance of the Holy Quran. God has Himself-said
that the Book is full of valuable instructions and is a complete cure for all diseases.
Islam is a complete code of life:
Islam does not only deal with the religious aspects of human life but with its social, political and economic
aspects also. It gives what a man requires to live in this world and to prepare himself for the world
hereafter. The greatness of Islam lies in the fact that while all other religions deal only with the spiritual
aspects of human life, Islam gives a complete code of human life spiritual as well as temporal.
Simplicity:
Islam's as a religion is simple as it is free from superstitions and irrational beliefs. The unity of God, the
Prohethood of Muhammad (PBUH) and the concept of life after death are the basic articles of this faith. All
the teachings of Islam follow from these three articles and are based on sound logic and reason. In Islam
there is no hierarchy of priests, no farfetched abstractions, no complicated rites and rituals and everybody
can translate the book of God and dictates it into practice.
Rationalism:
Islam enjoins man to see things in the light of reality. It teaches man to use his intellect and observe as well
understand the real meanings of the presence of the things around him .The Prophet of Islam said, "He
who leaves his home in the search of some knowledge walks in the path of God."
Quran advised man to pray, "O, my Lord! Advance me in Knowledge."(Taha 20:114). Muhammad (PBUH)
also stressed regarding the attainment of knowledge in the following words, "To seek knowledge is
obligatory for mankind."(Ibn Majha and Bayhaqi).Islam appreciates the intellectual activities of man to
such a degree as to place him above the angels. No other religion went ever so far in asserting the
dominance of reason and, of learning above all other manifestations of life.
Unity between matter and spirit:
One of the unique characteristics of Islam is that it does not divide life in water tight compartments of
matter and spirit. It is against asceticism and believes in the achievement of spiritual elevation by living
piously in this world with a complete sense of virtue and morality instead of renouncing the world. Every
individual Muslim has to regard himself as personally responsible for all the happenings around him and to
strive for the establishment of Right and abolition of Wrong at every time and every direction. A sanction
for this attitude can be found in the verses of Quran, "You are the best community that has been sent forth
unto mankind: You enjoin the Right and forbid the Wrong and you have faith in God."
Islam stresses again and again in the attainment of moderation and decency in all walks of life. Its
injunction is, "Eat and drink but do not exceed". The Holy Prophet said that,
"A Muslim who lives in the midst of the society and bears with patience and afflictions that come to him is
better than the one who shuns society and cannot bear any wrong done to him."
Universality and humanism:
God in Islam is the God of all the world (Quran 1:1). In Islam there is no distinction on the basis of color,
creed, language or nationality. All men are equal in the eyes of Islam and it insists in the removal of all the
impediments on the basis of status, wealth and social status. "O Lord! Lord of my life and of everything in
the universe! I affirm that all human beings are brothers to one another." Islam wants to unite all the
human race under one code of life and presents a message of hope and a glorious future for its followers.
According to Holy Prophet (PBUH), "Respect God and be affectionate to the family of God." Islam leads
man to a unification of all aspects of life. It’s a universal religion which stresses on the equality of all human
beings with basic equal rights for all. It is a dynamic belief and a revolutionary doctrine. It means that all
men are the creatures of one God .Discrimination based on color, class, race or territory is unfounded and
illusionary. It is remnant of the days of ignorance which chained men down to servitude. Humanity is one
single family of God and there can be no sanction for those barriers. Men are one and give a revolutionary
concept of the unity of mankind.