ISLAMIC WAY OF LIFE

BYSyed Abul A'ala Mawdudi

(9 a*.otive office for Ce[ & Guiilame at Bothq 1996

Ktng Frhd Nrtbnal Llbnry Crtetoglng'In 'Publlcrthn Drtr

Al-Moudoodi, Abul-Ala'

Islamic way of lifc.

l l 6P , l 2 x 17 Cm.

ISBN:996G798-l l-9

l- Islamic ethics 2- Islamic theology

l-Title

2l2dc 1961115

Legal Deposil No: 196l/1 5

ISBN; 960-798-l l-9

CONTENTSChapter l:

lslamic Concept of LifeA. Basic Postulates.B. fman: lts Nature and Character.C. The Plan of Life.1-The Objectives and Characters of

the Plan.2-Ma'rufat.3- Munkarat.4- Some other Characteristics.

Ghapter ll:The Moral System of lslam.Why Differences?lslamic Concept of Life and Morality.Goal of Moral Striving.Sanction behind Morality.Motives and Incentives.Distinctive Features of lslamic MoralOrder.

Chapter ll l:Essential Features of lslamic PoliticalSystem.Purpose of the lslamic StateFundamental RightsExecutive and Legislative

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Ghapter lV.islamic Social Order

Equality of MankindThe Institution of FamilYRelatives and Neighbors

Chapter V.Economic PrinciPles of lslam

Right of ProPertYThe Problem of EquatitYSocial JusticeObl igations and Restrictions

Chapter Vl.Spiritual System of lslam

Body- Soul Confl ictCriterion of Moral DeveloPmentRoad to SpiritualitY

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Chapter IISLAMIC CONCEPT OF LIFE

The chief characteristic of the IslamicConcept of Life is that it does not admit aconflict, nay, not even a significant separationbetween life-spiritual and life-mundane. It doesnot confine itself merely in puriffing thespiritual and the moral life of man in the limitedsense of the word. Its domain extends to theentire gamut of life. It wants to mouldindividual life as well as the social order inhealthy patterns, so that the Kingdom of Godmay really be established on the earth and sothat peace, contentment and vvell-being may fillthe world as waters fill the oceums. The IsiarnicWay of Life is based on this unique approach tolife and a peculiar concept of man's place in theUniverse. That is why it is necessary thatbefore we proceed to discuss the moral, social,political and economic systems of Islam, weshould have a clear idea of the Islamic Conceptof Lit'e.

There are certain basic postulates whichshould be understood and appreciated at thevery outset. These posfulates are as follows:

BASIC POSTULATE

l. Allah Who is the Creator, the Ruler and theLord of the entire Universe has created man andprovided him with temporary station in that partof His vast kingdom (cosmos) which is knownas the earth. He has endowed man with thefaculties of thinking and understanding, and hasgiven him the power to distinguish right fromwrong. Man has also been invested withfreedom of will and choice and the power to usethe resources of the world in any manner helikes. In short, man has been given a sort ofautonomy while being appointed by God onearth as a successor to the beings that hadpreviously populated it.

2. Before assigning to man theinheritance of the earth, God made it explicitlyclear to him that He alone is the Lord, the Rulerand the Deity. As such, the entire Universe and

all the creatures in it ( including man ) mustsubmit to Him alone. Man must not thinkhimself totally free and should know that thisearth is not his permanent abode. He has beenmade to live upon it only during the period ofhis probation, and in due course, he will refurnto his Lord, to be judged according to the wayhe has utilized the period of probation. Theonly right course for man is to acknowledgeAllah as the only Lord, the Sustainer and theDeity and to follow His Guidance and HisCommands in all walks of life. Man must livethis life with the realization that he is to bejudged and his sole objective should be to meritthe pleasure of Allah so as to emerge successfulin the final test. Conduct which is conffary tothis would lead man asfay. If, man follows thecourse of piety and Godliness (which he is freeto choose and follow) he will succeed in thisworld and in the next, in this world he will live alife of peace and contenfinent, and in theHereafter he will qualifr himself for the heavenof eternal bliss, al-Jannah. And it he chooses tofbllow the other course, i.e., that crf Godlessness

and evil (which he is equally free to choose andfollow) his life will be one of comtption,disruption and fiusfration in this world and hewill meet colossal misfortune in the life to come- that abode of pain and misery which is calledJahannam (Hell) .

3. After administering the waming, Godset man upon the earth and provided the veryfirst human beings (Adam and Eve) with HisGuidance in accordance with which men wereto live on the earth. Thus, man's life on thisearth did not begin in uffer darkness. The veryfirst "man was provided with a burning torch oflight and guidance so that humanity might attainits glorious destiny. The very fust man receivedrevealed knowledge from God Himself. He hadknowledge of the reality and was grven the codeof life by following which he could live a life ofbliss and success. This code of life was Islam,the attitude of complete submission to Allah, theCreator of man and of the whole universe. Itwas this religion which Adam, the first man,passed down to posterity. But later generationsgradually drifted away from the right path and

adopted different erroneous paths. Because ofnegligence, they lost the original teachings, ordue to folly or mischief they adulterated andperverted them. They associated with Godinnumerable human beings, non-human objectsand imaginary entities as deities and indulged inShirk (polytheism) of the worst type. Theymixed up the pure teachings of God with strangemyths, ideas and philosophies and thusproduced a jungle of religions and cults. Theydiscarded the God-given principles of socialethics and collective morality, the Shari'ah, anddeprived the human life of peace andtranquillity.

4. Although men departed from the pathof tnrth, disregarded and distorted the Shari'ahand some of them even revolted against the codeof Divine Guidance, yet God did not destroythem or force them to the right course. Forcedconversion to the right path was not in keepingwith the autonomy He had given to man.Instead, God appointed certain virtuous personsfrom amongst the people themselves, iodischarge the responsibility of recalling and

guiding men to the right path during theirsojourn on the earth. These men believed inGod, and lived a life of obedience to Him. Hehonored them by His revelations and gave themthe knowledge of reality. These men, known asprophets (peace be upon all of them), wereassigned the task of presenting the message oftruth to humanity and of asking the people tocome to the path of the Lord.

5. These prophets were raised in allepochs, in all lands and in all nations. Out ofnumerous prophets sent by God, the Qur'anexplicitly mentions twenty five. All of thembrought the same rnessage, all of themadvocated the same way of life (Deen) i.e., theway which was revealed to man on the fust dayof his existence. All of them followed the sameguidance: the guidance which was prescribed bythe Lord for man at the outset of his career onthe earth. All of them stood for the samemission: they called men to the religion if Islam,asked those who accepted the Divine Guidanceto live in accordance with it: and organized theminto a movement for the establishment ofthe

Divine Law, and for putting an end to alldeviations from the Right Path. Every prophettried to fulfill this mission in the best possibleway. But quite a number of people neveraccepted this guidance and many of those whoaccepted it gradually drifted astray and, after allapse of time, lost the guidance or distorted itthrough innovations and perversions.

6. At last, God raised ProphetMohammed (peace be upon him) in the land ofArabia and assigned to him the completion ofthe mission for which earlier prophets wereordained. The message of Mohammed (peacebe upon him) was for the whole of mankind. Hepresented anew the teachings of Islam in theirpristine form and provided mankind once again,with the Divine Guidance which they had lost inits original form. He organized all those whoaccepted his message into one Ummah Q.{ation)which was charged with reconstructing its ownlife in accordance with the teachings of Islam,by calling mankind to the path of righteousnessand with establishing the supremacy of the wordof God on the earth. This zuidance is enshrined

in the Holy Qur'an which constitutes the onlyright code of conduct for mankind.

IIVIAN (FAITH): ITS NATURE ANDCHARACTBR

We have discussed above those basicpostuiates of Islam which, on the one hand,revealed God's plan for providing guidance toman in this world and, on the other, defined thenature, position and status of man in it. Now,let us study the foundations on which the Qur'anwants to develop man's relationship with Allahand the concept of life which naturally followsfrom that relationship.

The Qur'an <treals .arith this problem onmany an occasion but tire entire concept of lifeenvisaged by it is epitomized in the followingverse:"God hath purchased of the Believers.

Their persons and their gocds;For theirs (in return)Is the Garden (of Paradise)They fight in His Cause,

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And slay and are slain:A promise binding on Flimln Truth, through the Law,The Gospel, and the Qdan:And who is more faithfulTo his Covenant than God?Then rejoice in bargainWhich ye have concluded:That is the achievement supreme."

(Al-Qur'an, IX:ll1)In the above verse the nature of the

relationship which comes into existencebetween man and God because of Imam (the actof reposing faith in Allah) has been called a"bargain". This means that Iman in Allah is nota mere metaphysical concept; it is in the natureof a contract by which man barters his life andhis belongings with Allah in exchange forParadise in the life Hereafter. God so to say,p-,rchases a believer's life and property andprornises, by way of price, the award ofParadise in the life after death. The concept ofbargain has important implications and we

should, therefore, first of all clearly understandits nature and meanings.

The fact of the matter is that each andevery thing in this world belongs to Allah. He isthe real owner of them all. As such, man's lifeand riches, which are part of this world, alsobelong to Him, because it is He Who createdthem and it is He Who has assigned them toeach man for his use. Looking at the problemfrom this angle; the question of His purchasingwhat is already His: Man is not their real owner;he has no title to sell them. But there is onething which has been conferred on man, andwhich now belongs fully to him, and that is hisfree will, the freedom of choice of following ornot following the path of Allah. As man hasbeen endowed with free will in this respect, heis free to acknowledge or not to acknowledgethe reality of things. Although this freedom ofwill and choice that man possesses, does notautomatically make him the real owner of all theenergies and resources on which he hascommand, nor does he acquire the title to utilizethem in any way he likes, nor does his

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acknowledgment of reality or refusal to do so inany way affects reality as such, yet it does meanthat he is free to acknowledge the sovereignty ofGod and His over lordship on his own life andbelongings or refuse to acknowledge it and toarogate to himself the position of totalindependence. He may, if he so likes, regardhimself free from all obligations to the Lord andmay think that the enjoys full rights and powersover all that he has, and thus, may use themaccording to his own wishes unfettered by anyhigher command. It is here that the question ofbargain comes in. This bargain does not meanthat god is purchasing something which belongsto man. Its real nature is this: All creationbelongs to God but He has bestowed certainthings on man to be used by him as a trust fromGod. And man has been given freedom tohonestly fulfill the trust or if he so likes, tobetray it or misuse it. Now, God demands thatman should willingly and voluntarily (and notunder dtress or compulsion) acknowledge thosethings as His which really belongs to Him andman should use them as a tnrst from God and

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not as something his own to be used as hepleases. Thus, a man who voluntarily renouncesthe freedom even to refuse God's supremacy andinstead acknowledges His sovereignty, so tosay, "sells" his "autonomy" (which too is a glftfrom God and not something which man hasacquired of his own) to God, and gets in returnGod's promise of eternal bliss that is Paradise.A man who makes such a bargain is a "Mu'min(Believer) and Iman (Belief) is the Islamic namefor this contract; while the one who chooses notto enter into this contract, or after making such acontract amounting to its gross breach, is onewho has followed the course of the devil. ThusAllah says:

"Say if it be that your fathers,Your sons, your brothers,Your mates, or your kindred;The wealth that you have gained;The commeroe in which you feara decline. or the dwellings in whichyou delight

Are dearer to you than God,Or His apostle, of the striving

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In His cause; then wait until Allatrbrings about His Decision.

And God Guides not the rebellious."(Al-Qur'an, lX:24)

The attempt to avoid or abrogate thiscontract can lead to Kufr (total disbelief). Suchis the nature and the contract. Now let usbriefly study its various aspects and stipulations.

l. God has put us to serious fiail on twocounts:

(a). He has left man free, but even afterg"ing him that freedom He wishes to seewhether or not man realizes his ffue position;whether he remains honest and steadfast andmaintains loyalty and allegiance to the Lord, orloses his head and revolts against his ownCreator; whether he behaves like a noble soul,or tramples under foot all values of decency andstarts playing fantastic tricks.

(b). He wants to see whether man isprepared to have such confidence in God as tooffer his life and wealth in retum for what is apromise, that is to materialize in the next worldand whether he is prepared ta surrender his

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autonomy and all the charms that go with it, inexchange for a promise about the future.

2. It is an accepted principle of Islamiclaw that Iman consists of adherence to a certainset of doctrines and whosoever reposes faith inthose doctrines becomes a Mu'min. No one hasa right to denounce such a man as non-believeror drive him out of the fold of the Ummah(Islamic Community), save when there isexplicit proof of falsity or of renunciation of thebelief. This is the legal aspect of the problem.But in the eyes of the Lord, only that Iman isvaluable which consists in complete surrender ofone's will and choice to the Will of Allah. It is astate of thought and action wherein man submitshimself fully to Allah, renouncing all claim tohis own supremacy. It is something that comesfrom the heart. It is an attitude of the mrnd andprepares man for a certain course of action. If aman recites to Kalima, enters into the contractand even offers his prayers and performs otheracts of worship, but in his heart he regardshimself as the owner and the sovereigndispenser of his physical and mental powers

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and of his moral and material resources, usesthem to his own liking and upholds his freedomof will, then, however much the people maylook upon him as Mu'min (believer), in the eyesof God he will be a non-believer, for he has, infact, not really entered into the bargain whichaccording to the Qur'an is the essence of Iman(belief). If a man does not use his powers andresources in the way God has prescribed for himand instead uses them in pursuits which God hasprohibited, it clearly shows that either he has notpledged his life and property to Allah, or evenafter pledging them to Him, he falsifies thepledge by his conduct.

3. This nature of lman makes the Islamicway of life distinct from, nay, the very oppositeof, the non-Islamic way of life. A Muslim, whohas real faith in Allah, makes every aspect of hissubservience to the Will of Allah. His entire lifeis one ofobedience and surrender and he neverbehaves in an arrogant or an autonomous way,save in a moment of forgetfulness. And aftersuch a lapse as soon as he becomes conscious ofit, he again re-addresses himself to his Lord and

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repents his error. Similarly, a group of peopleor a society which consists of true Muslims cannever break away from the Law of their Lord.Its political order, its social organization, itsculture, its economic policy, its legal system andits international strategy must all be in tunedwith the Code of Guidance revealed by Allahand must, in no way, contravene it. And if ever,through error or omission, any contravention itcommitted, they must, on realizing this, correctthis immediately and return forthwith to the stateof subservience to the Law of God. It is theway of the non-believers to feel free from God'sGuidance and to behave as one's own master.Whoever adopts such a policy, even though hemay bear a name similar to that of a Muslim, isheading the satanic path and is following theway of the non-believers.

4. The Will of God, which it is obligatoryupon man to foliow, is the one which GodHimself has reveaied for man's grridance. TheWill of God is not to be determined by manhimself. God has Himself enunciated it clearlyand there is no ambiguity about it. Therefore, if

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a person or society is honest and steadfast in itscontraot with Allah, it must scrupulously fashionits entire life in accordance with the Book ofGod and the Sunnah (practical example) of theProphet (peace be upon him).

A little reflection wili show that theseaspects and stipulations are logically implicit inthe bargain and it is also clear from the abovediscussion vvhy the payment of the "price" hasbeen postponed tot he life after death. Paradiseis not the reward for the rnere profession of thebargain, it is the reward for the faithfulexecution of the contract. Unless the contract isfuily executed and the actual tife-behavior of the"vendor" complies with the terms of the contracthe does not become entitled to the reward.Thus, the final act of the "sale" is concludedonly at the last moment of the vendor's life, andas such, it is nahral that the reward should begiven to him in the Lifb Hereafter.

There is another signifrcant point whichemerges from the study of the verse quotedabove (Al-Qur'an, 1x.24) when it is read withreference to its context. In the verses preceding

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it, reference has been made to the people whoprofessed Iman and promised a life ofobeCience, but when the hotr of trail came theyproved unequal to the task. Some neglected thecall of the hour and betrayed the cause. Others,played tricks of hypocrisy and refused tosacrifice their lives and riches in the cause ofAllah. The Qw'an, after exposing these peopleand criticizing their insincerity makes it clearthat Iman is a contract, a form of pledgebetween man and God. It does not consist of amere profession of belief in Allah. It is anacknowledgment of the fact that Allah alone isour Sovereign Lord and Ruler and thateverything that man has, including his life,belongs to Him and must be used in accordancewith His directives. If a Muslim adopts acontrary course he is insincere in his professionof faith. True believers are only those who havereally sold their lives and all that they possessedto God and who followed His dictates in allfields of activity. They stake their all inobedience to the Commands of the Lord. and do

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not deviate even an inch from the path of loyaltyto God. Such only are the true believers.

THE PLAN OF LIFEThis discussion makes it clear that Islam

begins with laying down the proper lines onwhich man's relationship with the Lord is to bereared; his entire individual and social life is anexercise in developing and strengthening thisrelationship. Iman, the starting point of ourreligion, consists in the acceptance of thisrelationship by man's intellect and will. thus,Islam is acfual submission, the way of surrenderto the Will of God in all aspects of life andbehavior. Now, we are in a position to cast aglance over the plan of life which Islamenvisages. This plan - the code of conduct - isknown as the Shari'ah. Its sources are theQur'an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad(peace be upon him).

The Final Book of God and the FinalMessenger stands today as a repositories of thistruth, and they invite the whole of humanity toaccept the truth. God Almighty has endowed

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men with free will in the moral domain, and it isto this free will that this acceptance bearsreference. Consequently, it is always avoluntary act and not of compulsion.Whosoever agrees that the concept of Realitystated by the Holy Prophet and the Holy Book istrue, it is for him to step forward and surrenderhis will to the Will of God. It is this submissionwhich is called "Islam", the fructification of faith(Iman) in actual life, and those who do so, i.e.,those who of their own free will, accept God astheir Sovereign, and surrender to His DivineWill and undertake to regulate their lives inaccordance with His Commandments, are called"Muslims".

All those persons who thus surrenderthemselves to the persons who thus surrenderthemselves to the Will of God are welded into acommunity and that is how the "Muslim society"comes into being. Thus, ihis is a principledsociety - a society radically different from thosewhich are founded on the basis of race, colouror territory. This sociefy is the result of adeliberate choice and effort: it is the outcome of

a "contract" which takes place between humanbeings and the Creator. Those who enter intothis confract, undertake to recognize God astheir sovereign, His Guidance as Supreme, andHis injunctions as absolute Law. They alsoundertake to accept, without question or doubtHis classifications of Good and Evil, Right andWrong, Permissible and Prohibited. In short,the Islamic society agrees to limit its volition tothe extent prescribed by the All-Knowing God.In other words, it is God and not man whosewill is the primary Source of Law in a Muslimsociety.

When such a society comes intoexistence, the Book and the Messengerprescribe for it a code of life called the Shari'ah,and this Society is bound to conform to it byvirtue of the confiact it has entered into. It is,therefore, inconceivable that any Muslim societyworth the name can deliberately adopt a systemof life other than the Shari'ah. If it does so, itsconfract is ipso facto broken and the wholesociety becomes "un-Islamic".

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But we must clearly distinguish betrveen theeveryday sins or violations of the individualsand a deliberate revolt against the Shari'ah. Theformer may not imply breaking up of thecontract, while the latter would mean nothingshort of that. The point that should be clearlyunderstood here is that if an Islamic societyconsciously resolves not to accept the Shari'atr,and decides to enact its own constitution andlaws or borrows them from any other source inutter disregard of the Shari'ah, such a societybreaks its contract with God and forfeits its rightto be called "Islamic".1. The Objectives and Characteristics of theplan

Let us now proceed to understand theplan of life envisaged by the Shari'ah. Tounderstand that, it is essential that we start witha clear .conception of the objectives and thefundamentals of Shari'ah.

The main objective of the Shari'ah is toconstruct human life on the basis ofMa'rufat(virtues) and to cleans it of the Munkarat(vices). The term Ma'rufat proclaims as good

and right everything declared by Allatr and byHis messenger to be so. Taking this definitionas the norm, the term Ma'rufat should denote allthe virtues and good qualities that have alwaysbeen accepted as "good" by the pwe andunadulterated human conscience. Conversely,the word Munkarat refers to everything thatAllah and His Apostle have denounced as evil.In the light of this understanding, it denotes allthe sins and evils that have always beencondemned by pure human nafure as "evil". Inshort, the Ma'rufat are in harmony with humannafure and its requirements in general, whilst theMunkarat are just the opposite. The Shari'ahgives a clear view of these Marufat andMunkarat and states them as the norms to whichthe individual and social behavior shouldconform.

The Shari'ah does not, however, limit itsfunction to providing us with an inventory ofvirtues and vices only; it lays down the entireplan of life in such a manner that virtues mayflourish and vices may not pollute and destroyhuman life.

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To achieve this end, the Shari'atr hasembraced in its plan all the factors thatencourage the growth of good and hasrecommended steps for the removal ofimpediments that might prevent its growth anddevelopment. The process gives rise tosubsidiary series of Marufat consisting ofthecauses and means initiating and nurturing thegood, and yet another set of Ma'rufat consistingof prohibitory commands in relation to thosethings which act as preventives or impedimentsto good. Similarly, there is a subsidiary list ofMunkarat which might initiate or allow growthof evil.

The Shari'ah shapes the Islamic society ina way conducive to the unfettered growth ofgood, virtue and truth in every sphere of humanactivity, and gives full play to the forces of goodin all directions. And at the same time itremoves all impediments in the path of virtue.Along with this, it affempts to era-dicate evilsfrom its social plan by prohibiting vice, byobviating the causes of its appearance andgrowth, by closing the inlets through which it

creepts into a society and by adopting detenentmeasures to check its occurrence.2. Ma'rufat (Ma'roo0

The Shari'ah classifies Ma'rufat into threecategories: the Mandatory fardh and Wajib),the Recommendatory (Matlub) and thePermissible (Mubatr).

The observance of the mandatory(Marufat) is obligatory on a Muslim society andthe Shari'ah has given clear and bindingdirections about them. The recommendatoryMa'rufat are those which the Shari'ah wants aMuslim society to observe and practice. Someof them have been very clearly demanded of uswhile others have been recommended byimplication and inference from the sayings ofthe Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). Besidesthis, special arrangements have been made forthe growth and encouragement of some of themin the plan of iife enunciated by the Shari'ah.Others still have simply been recommended bythe Shari'ah leaving it to the society or to itsmore virtuous elements to look to theirpromotion.

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This leaves us with the permissibleMa'rufat. Striotly speaking, according to theShari'ah everything which has not beenexpressly prohibited by it is a PermissibleMa'ruf (i.e., Mubah). It is not at all necessarythat an express permission should exist about itor that it should have been expressly left to ourchoice. Consequently, the sphere of permissibleMa'rufat is very wide so much so that exceptfor the things specifically prohibited by theShari'ah, everything is permissible for a Muslim.And this is exactly the sphere where we havebeen given freedom and where we can legislateaccording to our own discretion to suit therequirements of our age and conditions, ofcourse in keeping with the general spirit of theShari'ah.3. Munkarat (Munkar)

The Munkarat (or the things prohibited inIslam) have been grouped into two categories:Haram, i.e., those things which have beenprohibited absolutely and Makruh, i.e., thosethings which have been disliked anddiscouraged. It has been enjoined on Muslims

by clear mandatory injunctions to refrain totallyfrom everything that has been declared Haram.As for the Maknrhat the Shari'ah signifies itsdislike in some way or another, i.e., eitherexpressly or by implication, giving an indicationalso as to the degree of such dislike. Forexample, there are some Makruhat bordering onHaram, while others bear affrnity with the actswhich are permissible. Of course, their numberis very large ranging between the two extremesof prohibitory and permissible actions. More-over, in some cases, explicit measures havebeen prescribed by the Shari'ah for theprevention of Makruhat, while in others sucharrangements have been left to the discretion ofthe society or of the individual.4. Some other Characteristics

The Shari'ah, thus, prescribes directivesfor the regulation of our individual as well ascollective life. These directives touch suchvaried subjects as religious rituals, personalcharacter, morals, habits, family relationships,social and economic affairs, administration,rights and duties of citizens, judicial system,

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laws of war and peace and internationalrelations. In short, it embraces all the variousdepartments of human life. These directivesreveal what is good and bad; what is beneficialand useful and what is injurious and harmful;what are the virhres which are the evils whichwe have to suppress and guard against; what isthe sphere of our voluntary, untrammeled,personal and social action and what are itslimits; and finally, what ways and means we canadopt in establishing such a dynamic order ofsociety and what methods we should avoid.The Shari'ah is a complete plan of life and an allembracing social order - nothing superfluous,nothing lacking.

Another remarkable feature of theShari'ah is that it is an organic whole. Theentire plan of life propourded by Islam isanimated by the same spirit and hence, anyarbitrary division of its plan is bound to harmthe spirit as well as the structure of the Islamicorder. In this respect, it might be compared tothe human body which is an organic whole. Aleg pulled out of the body cannot be called one-

eight or one-sixth man, because after itsseparation from the living body, the leg can nolonger perform its human function. Nor can itbe placed in the body of some other animalswith any hope of making it human to the extentof that limb. Likewise, we cannot form acorrect opinion about the utility, efficiency andbeauty of the hand, the eyes or the nose of ahuman being separately, without judging itsplace and function within the living body.

The same can be said in regard to thescheme of life envisaged by the Shari'ah. Islamsignifies the entire scheme of life and not arryisolated part or parts thereof. Consequentlyneither can it be appropriate to view thedifferent part of the Shari'ah in isolation fromone another and without regard to the whole,nor will it be of any use to take any part andbracket it with any other "ism". The Shari'ahcan function smoothly and can demonstrate itsefficacy only if the entire system of life ispractised in accordance with it and nototherwise.

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ChaPter IITHE MORAL SYSTEM OF ISLAM

Moral sense is inborn in man and through theages it has served as the common man'sstandard of moral behavior, approving certainqualities and disapproving others. While thisinstinctive faculty may vary from person toperson, human conscience has glven a more orless uniform verdict in favour of certain moralqualities as being good and declared certainothers as bad. On the side of moral virtues,justice, cotuage, bravery and truthfulness havealways elicited praise and history does notrecord any period worth the name in whichfalsehood, injustice, dishonesty, and breach of

tmst may have been upheld; fellow-feeling,compassion, fidelity, and magnanimity havealways been valued while selfishness, cruelty,miserliness and bigofiy have never received theapproval of the human society; men have alwaysappreciated perseverance, determination andcourage and have never approved of impatience,ficklemindedness, cowardice and imbecility.Diguty, restraint, politeness, and amiability

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have throughout the ages been counted amongvirtues, whereas snobbery, misbehavior andrudeness have never found recognition as goodmoral qualities. Persons having a sense ofresponsibility and devotion to duty have alwayswon the highest regard of men; never havepeople who are incompetent, slothful andlacking in sense of duty been looked upon withapproval. Similarly, in respect of the standardof good and bad in the collective behavior ofsociety as a whole, the verdict has always beenalmost unanimous. OnIy that society has beenlooked upon as worthy or honour and respectwhich possesses the virtues of organization,discipline, mutual affection and fellow feelingand has established a social order based onjustice, freedom and equality of men. Asopposed to this, disorganization, indiscipline,anarchy, disunity, injustice and social imbalancehave always been considered as manifestationsof decay and disintegration in a society.Robbery, murder, larceny, adultery, fraud andgraft have always been condemned. Slandering,scandal mongering and blackmailing have never

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been considered as wholesome social activities.Contrary to this, service and care of the aged,help of one's kith and kin, regard for neighbours,loyalty to friends, assistance of the weak, thedestitute and the orphans, and nursing the sickare qualities which have always been higttlyvalued ever since the dawn of civilization.Virtuous, polite, mild and sincere persons havealways been welcomed. Individuals who areupright, honest, sincere, outspoken anddependable, whose needs conform to theirwords, who are content with their own rightfulpossession, who are prompt in the discharge oftheir obligations to others, who live in peace andlet others live in peace and from whom nothingbut good can be expected, have always formedthe core of any healthy human society'

This shows that human moral standardsare in fact universal and have been well-knownto mankind throughout the ages. Good and evilare not myths to be hunted out. They are well-known realities and are equally well-understoodby all. The sense of good and evil is inherent inthe very nature of man. Hence, in the

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terminology of the Qur'an virnre is called"Ma'roof' (something to be announced) and evilis designated as "Munkar" (something to bedenounced); that is to say virtue is knorvn to bedesirable for every one and evil is not known tocommend itself in any way. This fact ismentioned by the Qur'an when it says:

" And (Allah gave to the Soul) itsenlightenment as to its wrongand its right;.....(qur'an, 9l :8)

Why Differences ?The questions that arises are: if the basic

values of good and evil have been so well-known and there has virtually been a universalagreement thereon, then why do varyingpatterns of moral behavior exist in this world?Why are there so many and do conflicting moralphilosophies? Why do certain moral standardsconfradict each other? What lies at the root oftheir difference? What is the unique position ofIslam in the context of the prevailing ethicalsystems? On what grounds can we claim thatIslam has a perfect moral system? And what

exactly is the distinctive contribution of Islam inthe real of ethics? These questions areimportant and must be squarely faced; butjustice cannot be done to them on the brief spanof this talk.

To cut a long story short, I shall brieflysum up some of those important points whichstrike us at the very outset when we undertake acritical examination of the contemporary ethicalsystems and the conflicting patterns of moralbehavior.

(a) The present moral system fail tointegrate various moral virtues and norms byprescribing their specific limits and utility andassigning to them their proper place. That iswhy they fail to provide a balanced and coherentplan of social conduct.

(b) The real cause of their differencesseems to lie in the moral systems offeringdifferent standards for good and bad actions andenunciating different means of distinguishinggood form evil. Differences also exist in respectof the sanction behind the moral law and in

regard to the motives which impel a person tofollow it.

(c) On deeper reflection, we find that thegrounds for these differences emerge fromdifferent peoples conflicting views and conceptsabout the universe, the place of man in theuniverse, and the purpose of man on the earth.Various theories of ethics, philosophy andreligion are but a record of the vast divergenceof views of mankind on these most vitalquestions, viz. Is there a God and a Sovereignof the universe and if there is, is He One or arethere many gods? What are Divine Attributes?What is the nature of the relationship betweenGod and the human beings? Has God made anyiurangements for guiding humanity through therough and tumble of life or not? Is mananswerable to God or not? If he is, then whatare the matters for which he is to beanswerable? What is the ultimate aim of man'screation which he should keep in viewthroughout his life? Answers to these questionswill determine the wav of life. the ethical

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philosophy and the pattern of moral behavior ofthe individual and the society.

It is difficult for me in this brief talk totake stock of the various ethical systemprevalent in the world and indicate whatsolutions each one of them has proposed tothese questions and what has been the impact ofthese answers on the moral evolution of thesociety believing in these concepts. Here I canconfine myself to the Islamic concept only andthis I shall try to propound.

Islamic Concept of Life And MoralityThe viewpoint of Islam, however, is that this

universe is the creation of God Who is One. Hecreated it and He alone is its unrivaled Master,Sovereign and Sustainer. The whole universe isfrurctioning under His Divine Command. He isAll-Wise, All-Powerfirl and Omniscient. He isSubbooh and Quddoos that is, free from alldefects, mistakes, weaknesses and faults andpure in every respect). His Godhood is freefrom partiality and injustice. Man is His

creature, subject and servant and is born toserve and obey Him.

The correct way of life for man is to livein complete obedience to Him. It is not for manto determine the mode of worship andobedience; it is for God to decide this. God,being the master, has raised from time to timeprophets for the guidance of humanity and hasrevealed His books through them. It is the dutyof man to take the code of his life from thesesources of divine guidance. Man is answerableto God for all his actions in life. The time forrendering an account will be in the life-hereafterand not in this world. The short span of worldlylife is really an opportrurity to prepare for thatgreat test. In this life all efforts of man shouidbe centered on the object of soliciting thePleasure and Blessings of God in the Hereafter.During this test every person is responsible forall his beliefs and actions. He, with all hisfaculties and potentialities, is on trial. Therewill be an impartial assessment of his conduct inlife by a Being Who keeps a complete andcorrect record not merely of his movements and

J I

actions and their influence on all that is in theworld from the tiniest speck of dust to theloftiest mountains but also a full record of hisinnermost ideas and feelings and intentions.

Goal Of Moral StrivingThis is Islam's fundamental aftitude towards

life. This concept of the universe and of man'splace therein determines the real and ultimategoal which should be the object of all theendeavors of mankind and which may be termedbriefly as "seeking the pleasure of God". This isthe standard by which a particular mode ofconduct isjudged and classified as good or bad.This standard ofjudgment provides the nucleusaround which the whole moral conduct shouldrevolve. Man is not left like a ship withoutmoorings, being tossed about by the blows ofwind and tides. This dispensation places acentral object before mankind and lays downvalues and norms for all rnoral actions. Itprovides us with a stable and flawless set ofvalues which remains unaltered under allcircumstances. Moreover, with makrng the

"pleasure of God" as the object of man's life, ahighest and noblest objective is set beforehumanity, and thus, unlimited possibilities areopened for man's moral evolution, unstained atany stage by any shadow ofnarrow selfishnessor bigoted race or nation worship.

While providing a normal standard Islamalso furnishes us with means of determininggood and evil conduct. It does not base ourknowledge of vice and virtue on mere intellect,desire, intuition, or experience derived throughthe sense-organs, which constantly undergoshifts, modifications and alterations and do notprovide definite, categorical and trnchangingstandards of morality. it provides us with adefinite source, the Divine Revelation, BSembodied in the Book of God and the Sunnahway of life of the Holy Prophet (peace be uponhim) This source prescribes a standard ormoral conduct that is permanent and turiversaland holds good in every age and under allcircumstances. The moral code of Islam coversthe smallest details of domestic life as well asthe broad aspects of national and international

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behavior. It guides us in every stage of life.These regulations imply the widest applicationof moral principles in the affairs of our life andmake us free from exclusive dependence on anyother sourcs of knowledge, expect as an aid tothis primary source.

Sanction Behind MoralityThis concept of the universe and of man's

place therein also furnishes the sanction thatmust iie at the back of every moral law, viz., thelove and fear of God, the sense of accountabilityon the Day of Judgment and the promise ofeternal bliss and reward in the life hereafter.Although Islam wants to cultivate a powerfirland sffong mass opinion which may induceindividuals and groups to abide by the principlesof moraliry laid by it and also aims at theevolution of a political systern which wouldenforce the rnoral law, as far as possible,through its legislative and executive power,Islam's moral law does not really depend onthese external presswes aione. It relies upon theinherent urge for good in every rnan which is

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derived from belief in God and a Day ofJudgment. Before laying down any moralinjunction, Islam seeks to finnly impiant inman's heart the conviction that his dealings arewith God Who sees him at all times and in allplaces: that he may hide himself from the wholeworld but not from Him; that he may deceiveeveryone but cannot deceive God; that he canflee from the clutches of any one else but notfrorn God's; that while the worid can see man'sonward life only, God probes into his irurermostintentions and desires, that while he may, in hisshort sojoum on this earth, do whatever he likesbut in any event he has to die one day andpresent himself before the Divine cor:rt ofjustice where no advocacY, favour,recofilmendation, misrepresentation, deceptionor fraud will be of any avail and where hisfuture rvili be iiecided wiih complete impartialityand justice. There may or may not be anypolice, law court or jail in the world to enforcethe obsen'ance of these moral injunctions andregulations but this beiief, firmly rooted in theheart. is the real force at the back of the rnoral

4 1

law of Islam which helps in getting it enforced.If popular opinion and the coercive powers ofthe state exist to give it support so much thebetter; otherwise, this faith alone can keep aMuslim individual and a Muslim community onthe straight path of virtue, provided, the spark ofgenuine faith dwells in their hearts.

Motives And IncentivesThis concept of Islam about man and his place

in the universe also provides those motivatingforces which can inspire a person to act inconformity with the moral law. The fact, that aman voluntarily and willingly accepts God as hisown Creator and the obedience to God as themode of his life and strives to seek His pleaswein his every action, provides a sufficientincentive to enable him to obey thecommandments which he believes to be fromGod. Along with this, the belief in the Day ofJudgment and the belief that whosoever obeysDivine Commands is sure to have a good life inthe Hereafter, the Eternal Life. whateverdifficulties and handicaps he may have to face in

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this transitory phase of life, provides a strongincentive for virtuous life. On the other hand,

the belief that whoever violates the

Commandments of God in this world and dies in

a state of Kufr (unbelief) shall have to beareternal punishment however superficially nice alife he may have led in this temporary abode, is

an effective deterrent against violation of moral

law. If this hope and fear are firmly ingrained

and deeply rooted in one's heart, they willprovide a strong motive-force to inspire one to

virtuous deeds even on occasions when worldly

consequences may appear to be very damagingand harmful, and it will keep one away from evil

even on occasions when it looks extremely

attractive and profitable.This clearly indicates that Islam possesses

a distinctive criterion of good and evil, its own

source of moral law, and its own sanction and

motive force, and by them its virtues in all

spheres of life after knitting them into a

balanced and comprehensive plan. Thus, it can

be justifiably claimed that Islam possesses a

perfect moral system of its own. This system

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has many distinguishing features and I shallrefer to the three most significant ones which, inmy opinion, can be termed its specialcontributions to ethics.

Distinctive Features Of Islamic MoralOrder

(l) BV setting Divine pleasure as the objectiveof man's life, it has furnished the highestpossible standard of morality. This is bound toprovide limitless avenues for the moralrevolution of humanity. By making DivineRevelation the primary source of knowledge, itgives permanence and stability to the moralstandards which afford reasonable scope forgenuine adjustment, adaptations and innovationsthough not for perversions, wild variations,atomistic relativism or moral fluidity. Itprovides a sanction to morality in the love thefear of God which will impel man to obey themoral law even without any external pressure.Through belief in God and the Day of Judgment,it furnishes a motive force which enables aperson to adopt the moral conduct with

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earnestness and sincerity, with all the devotionofheart and soul.

(2) It does not, through a false sense oforiginality and innovation, provide any novelmoral virtues nor does it seek to minimize theimportance of the well-known moral norms norglve exaggerated importance to some andneglect others without cause. It takes up all thecommonly known moral virtues and with asense of balance and proportion it assigns asuitable place and function to each one of themin the total plan of life. It widens the scope oftheir application to cover every aspect of man'sindividual and collective life his domesticassociations, his civic conduct, and his activitiesin the political, economic, legal educational andsocial realms. It covers his life from home tosociety, from the dining table to the battlefieldand peace conferences, literally from the cradleto the grave. In short, no sphere of life isexempt from the universal and comprehensiveapplication of the moral principles of Islam. Itmakes morality reign supreme and ensures thatthe affairs of life, instead of being dominated bv

t <

selfish desires and petty interests, should beregulated by the norms of morality.

(3) It stipulates for man a system of lifewhich is based on all good and is free from allevil. It invokes the people, not only to practicevirtue, but also to establish virrue and eradicatevice, to bid good and to forbid wrong. It wantsthat the verdict of conscience should prevail andvirtue must not be subdued to play second fiddleto evil. Those who have responded to this calland gathered together into a community(Utro"uh) are given the name "Muslim" and thesingular object underlying the formation of thiscommunity (Ummah) is that it should make anorganized effort to establish and enforcegoodness and suppress and eradicate evil. The

Qur'an is quite explicit on this fact as can beseen from the following verse:

Ye are the best for Peoples, evolvedFor mankind,Enjoining what is right,Forbidding what is wrong,And believing in God.If only the PeoPle of the Book

Had faith, it were bestFor them: among themAre some who have faith,But most of themAre perverted transgressors.

(Qur'an, 3: I l0)And also in the following verse:

(They are) those who,If we establish themIn the land, establishRegular prayer and giveRegular charity, enjoinThe right and forbid wrong:With God rests the end(And decision) of (all) affairs.

(Qur'an, 22:41)It will be a day of mourning for the

community and a bad day for the entire world ifthe efforts of this very community were atanytime directed towards establishing evil andsuppressing good.

ChaPter IIIESSENTIAL FEATURES OF

ISLAMIC POLITICAL SYSTEM

The political system of Islam has been basedon three principles, viz., Tawheed (Oneness ofGod), Risalat (Prophethood) and Khilafat(Catiphate). It is diffrcult to appreciate thedifferent aspects of the Islamic policy withoutfully understanding these three pnnciples. Iwill, therefore, begrn with a brief exposition ofthem. Tawheed (Oneness) means that one Godalone is the Creator, Sustainer and Master ofthis universe and of all that exists in it organic orinorganic. The sovereignty of this kingdomrests only in Him. He alone has the right tocommand or forbid Worship and obedience aredue to Him alone, none else sharing it in anydegree or form. Life, in all its multifariousforms, our physical organs and faculties, theapparent control which we have over everythingthat exists in this universe, and the thingsthemselves none of thern has been created oracquired by us in our own right. They are the

48

bountiful provisions of god and in bestowingthem upon us, no one is associated with Him.Hence, it is neither for us to decide the aim andpurpose of our existence or to prescribe thelimits in our worldly authority nor is anyone elseentitled to make these decisions for us. Thisright vests only in God Who has created usendowed us with rnental and physical faculties,and provided all material provisions for our use.This principle of the Oneness of God altogethernegates the concept of the legal and politicalsovereignty of hunnarr begins, individually orcollectively. Nothing can claim sovereignty, beit a hurnan being, a family, a class or group ofpeople, or even the human race in the world as awhole. God alone is the Sovereign and HisCommandments are the Law of Islam.

The medium through which we receivethe Law of God is known as "fusalat" (Prophethood). We have received two things from thissource:

(a) The Book in which God hasexpounded His Law; and

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(b) The authoritative interpretation andexemplification of the Book of God by theProphet, through his word and deed, in hiscapacity as the last messenger of God.The broad principles on which the system ofhuman life should be based have been stated inthe Book of God. Further, the Prophet of Godhas, in accordance with the intention of theDivine Book, set up for us a model of thesystem of life in Islam by practicallyimplementing the law and providing necessarydetails where required. The combination ofthese two elements, according to Islamicterminolory, is called the "Shari'ah". There is aspecific purpose for man's existence. Thispurpose is achieved when man fulfills hisfirnction and is missed when man fails to live upto his designated role. ln that case, his life witlbe barren and devoid of any original meaning.Total loss and perdition await everyone whofails to respond to Allah's call.

This special role relating man to hisCreator is subservience to Allah and worship ofHim. All aspects of man's life are based on this

'consideration. Thus, the meaning ofworship

must be extended to go beyond mere rituals intoall activities since Allah does not only call uponus to perform rituals but His injunctions regulateall aspects of life. The Qtr'an develops thistheme:

"Behold,thy Lord said to the angels:'I will create a vicegerent on earth'."

rt is this Khilafat ontTilf;'ri,il.nencompasses the range of activities of thishuman being. It consists in settlement o earth,exploration of its resources and energies,firlfillment of Allah's purpose of making full useof its resources and developing life on it. Inbrief this task requires the implementation ofAllah's way which is in harmony with the DivineLaw governing the whole universe.

Thus, it becomes clear that the meaningof worship, which is the very purpose of man'sexistence and his primary fi.rnction, is muchmore comprehensive than mere rituals. The roleof Khilafat is definitely an integral part of

5 l

meaning of worship. The truth about worshipcomes out in two essential points, namely:

l) There should be a feeling of absolutecertainty and conviction about the meaning ofworship of Allah in one's heart; a feeling that theonly possible relationship which holds is one ofcreator and the created and nothing but that.

2) It is imperative to turn to Allaftdedicating to Him every stir of one's conscience,every fluttering of the senses, every movementof life. This dedication should be channeledsolely to Him and nobody else. No other feelingshould have any room left, except in so far as itis construed as part of the meaning of worshipof Atlah. In this way the meaning of worship isfulfilled. Thus, work becomes one with rituals;rituals one with settlement on earth; settlementon earth like strive for Allah's cause; strive inthe way of Allah like patience in bearingcalamities contentedly in the knowledge thatthey are part of Allah's plan, all these areinstances of worship of Allah.

With this healthy frame of mind, based onthe right understanding on man's role in this

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universe, man becomes ready to implementAllatr's teaching, as communicated through themessage of Prophet Muhammad (peace be uponhim).

This is exactly what Islam means when itlays down that man is Khalifatr (servant) of Godon the earth. The state that is established inaccordance with this political theory will have tofulfill the purpose and intent of God by workingon God's earth within the limits prescribed byHim and in conformity with His instructions andinjunctions.

PURPOSE OF THE ISLAMIC STATEI shall now place before you a brief outline of

the type of state which is built on the foundationof Tawheed (the Oneness of God), "Risalat"(the hophethood of Muhammad) and "Khilafat"(the Caliphate).

The Holy Qur'an clearly states that theaim and purpose of this state is theestablishment, maintenance and development ofthose virtues with which the Creator of thisuniverse wishes the human life to be adorned

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and the prevention and eradication of those evilsthe presence of which in human life is utterlyabhorrent to God. The state in Islam is notintended for political adminisfiation only nor forthe fulfillment through it of the collective will ofany particular set of people; rather, Islam placesa high ideal before the state for the achievementof which, it must use all the means at itsdisposal. And this purpose is that the qualitiesof purity, beauty, goodness, virtue, success andprosperity which God wants to flourish in thelife of His people should be engendered andevolved and that all kinds exploitation, injusticeand disorders which, in he view of God, areruinous for the world and detrimental to the lifeof His creahres are suppressed and prevented.Simultaneously, by placing before us this highideal, Islam gives us a clear outline of its moralsystem clearly stating the desired virtues and theundesirable evils. Keeping this outline in viewthe Islamic state can plan its welfare program inevery age and in any environment.

The persistent demand made by Islam isthat the principles or morality must be observed

at all cost and in all walks of life. Hence it laysdown an unalterable policy for the state to baseits politics on justice, truth and honesty. It is notprepared, under any circumstance whatsoever,to tolerate fraud, falsehood and injustice for thesake of any political, administrative or nationalexpediency. Whether it be the mutual relationsof the rulers and the ruled within the state, or therelations of the state with other states,precedence must always be given to truth,honesty, and justice over material consideration.It imposes similar obligations on the state as onthe individual, viz., to fulfill all contracts andobligations, to have uniform measures andstandards for dealings; to remember duties alongwith the rights and not to forget the rights ofother when expecting them to fulfill theirobligations; to use power and au*rority for theestablishment of justice and not for theperpetration of injustice; to look upon duty as asacred obligation and to fulfill it scrupulously;and to regard power as a trust from God and useit with the belief that one has to render anaccount of one's actions to Him in the Hereafter.

))

FT]NDAMENTAL RIGHTSAlthough an Islamic state may be set up in any

portion of the earth, Islam does not seek torestrict human rights or privileges to thegeographical limits of its own state. Islam haslaid down some universal firndamental rights forhumanity as a whole, which are to be observedand respected under all circumstances whethersuch a person is resident within the territory ofthe Islamic state or outside it, whether he is atpeace with the state or at war. Human blood issacred in any oase and cannot be spilled withoutjustification. Its is not permissible to oppresswomen, children, old people, sick persons or thewounded. Woman's honour and chastity areworthy of respect under all circumstances. Thehungy person must be fed, the naked clothed,and the wounded treated medically irrespectiveof whether they belong to the Islamiccommunity or not or even if they are fromamongst its enemies. These, and a few otherprovisions have been laid down by Islam asfundamental rights for every man by virtue ofhis status as a human being to be enjoyed under

the constitution of an Islamic state. Even therights of citizenship in Islam are not confined topersons born within the limits of its state but aregranted to every Muslim irrespective of hisplace of birth. A Muslim ipso facto becomesthe citizen of an Islamic state as soon as he setshis foot on its territory with the intent to livetherein and thus enjoys equal rights ofcitizenship along with those who acquire itscitizenship by birthrieht. Citizenship hastherefore, to be common among all the Islamicstates that may exist in the world and a Muslimwill not need any passport for entry in or exitfrom any of them. And every Muslim is to beregarded as eligible and fit for all positions ofthe highest responsibility in an Islamic statewithout any discussions of race colour or class.Islam has also laid down certain rights for thenon-Muslims who may be living within theboundaries of an Islamic state and these rightsmust necessarily from part of the IslamicConstitution.According to the islamic terminology such non-Muslims are Dhimmees (the convenant).

implying that the Islamic state has entered into acovenant with them and guaranteed theirprotection. The life, property and protectedexactly life that of a Muslim citizen. There is nodifference at all between a Muslim andDhimmee in respect of the civil or criminal law.The Islamic state shall not interfere with thepersonal law of the Dhimmee. They will havefull freedom of conscience and belief.

EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVEThe responsibility for the administration of the

Government, in an Islamic state, is entrusted toan Amir (leader or chief) who may be likened tothe President or the Prime Minister in theconventional democrative state.

The basic qualifications for the election ofan Amir uue that he should command theconfidence of the AHLUL FIAL WAL'AQD[The Constitutional Body ].

They are recruited from among thescholars (of Islam), leaders, and notables whoef;lectively have the duty to carry out this task ofappointing the ruler. ln this, they do not act on

their own personal preferences, but on behalf ofthe whole nation, being as they il€, itsrepresentatives. Three conditions must be metfor eligibility to membership of this body,namely:

l) Moral credit (piety and moral standards).2) To be well versed in religion so as to

be in a position to decide upon whodeserves the position of Amir.

3) Good and sound judgment leading to asharp perception of who is most suitablefor the role of Amir.The Amir can retain office only so long as

he observes Allah's Shari'ah laws, being himselfthe primary example of it both in his dealingsand conduct, honoring his commifinents andbeing true to his trust; in brief, he shouldconform to the conditions originally stipulatedupon his holding office and will have to vacatehis office when he loses this confidence. But aslong as he retains such confidence he will havethe authority to govern and exercise the powersof the Government, of course, in consultationwith the Shura (the advisory council) and withinthe limits set by aShari'ah. Every citizenwill

59

have the right to criticize the Amir should hedeviate from the straight path, fail to honour thetrust laid in him, transgress and tyrannize overpeople, change his conduct for the worst, freezethe implementation of Allah's penal code, orflouts Allah's regulations in anyway. If he failsto live up to one of the conditions stipulated forhis eligibility to the office, the nation has theright to ovemrle his judgment either bycorrecting him or by deposing them.

Legislation in an Islamic state will beresfficted within the limits prescribed by the lawof the Shari'ah. The injunctions of God and Hislegislative body can make any alterations ormodifications in them or make any lawrepugnant to them. As for the commandmentswhich are liable to two or more interpretationsthe duty of ascertaining the real intent oftheShari'ah, in such cases, will devolve on peoplepossessing a specialized knowledge of the lawof Shari'ah. Hence, such affairs will have to bereferred to a sub commiffee of the advisorycouncil compressing men learned in IslamicLaw. A vast field will still be available for

legislation on questions not covered by anyspecific injunctions of the Shari'ah and theadvisory council or legislature will be free tolegislate in regard to these matters.

In Islam the judiciary is not placed underthe control of the executive. It derives itsauthority directly from the Shari'ah and isanswerable to God. The judges no doubt can beappointed by the Government but once a judgehas occupied the bench he will have toadminister justice among the people accordingto the law of God in an impartial manner. Theorgans and frrnctionaries of the Government willnot be outside his legal jurisdiction much so thateven the highest executive authority of theGovernment is liable to be called upon to appearin a court of law as a plaintiffor defendant likeany other citizen of the state. Rulers and theruled are subject to the surme law and there canbe no discrimination on the basis of position,power or privilege. Islam stands for equalityand scrupulously sticks to this principle insocial, economic and political realms alike.

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CHAPTER IVISLAMIC SOCIAL ORDER

The foundations of the social system of Islamrest on the belief that all human beings are equaland constitute one single fraternity.

EQUALITY OF MANKINDGod created a human pair to herald the

beginning of the life of mankind on earth and allthe persons inhabiting this world today havesprung from this pair. For some time in theinitial stages the progeny of this pair remained asingle goup. It had one religion and spoke thesame language. There were little or nodifference among them. But as their numbersgradually increased, their diversification andgrowth were divided into various tribes, andnationalities. Their languages became different;their modes of dress varied; and their mannersof living also becarne distinct from one another.

AII these differences are said to be signsfrom Allah. They do exist in the world ofreality. Hence, Islam recognizes them asmatters of fact. It does not seek to wipe them

62

out or to ignore them but affirms that theiradvantage consists in affording the only possiblemeans of distinguishing one form the other. Butthe prejudices which have arisen amongmankind out of these differences in the shape ofgroupings and organizations based on race,colour, language, nationality, etc., aredisapproved by Islam. Islam regards alldistinctions of birth, of high and low amongmen, of upper and lower classes, on natives ofthe soil and aliens as the manifestation of theirignorance. It declares that all men in the worldhave sprung from the same parents andtherefore, are equal in their status as humanbeings.

After propounding this concept ofequality of mankind, Islam adds that if there canbe any real difference between man and man itcannot be one of race, colour, country or butone of their relationship with their Creator. Themost honored of people in the sight of God isthe most righteous. On the basis of thisfi.rndamental tenet, Islam seeks to buildprincipled society as against the racial, national

and parochial societies existing in the world.The basis of cooperative effort among men insuch a society is not one's birth but a creed anda moral principle. Any one, if he believes inGod as his Master and Lord and accepts theguidance of the prophets (the essence of whichis embodied in Islam, the message of the lastProphet Muhammad (peace be upon him)) asthe law of his life, can join this community,whether he is a resident of America or Africa;whether he belongs to the Semitic race or theAryan; whether he is black in colour or whiteskinned; whether he speaks a Europeanlanguage or Arabic. All those who join thiscommunity will have the same rights and socialstatus. They will not be subjected to any racial,national or class distinctions of any kind. Noone will be regarded as high or low. There willbe no untouchability among them, nor could bepolluted by the touch of anyone's hand. Therewill be no handicaps for them in the matter ofmarital relations, eating and drinking and socialcontacts. None will be looked down upon aslowlv or mean bv reason of his birth or

profession. Nobody will claim any distinctiverights by virtue of his caste, community orancestry. Man's merit will not depend on hisfamily connections or riches, but only onwhether he is beffer than others in moralconduct or excels others in piety andrighteousness.

Such a social order, outstepping thegeographical boundaries and limits of race,colour and language as it does, can spread itselfin all parts of the world and on its foundationscan be raised the edifice of the universalbrotherhood of men. ln societies based on raceor nationality, only those people can join whobelong to a particular race or country and thedoor is closed in the face of those who do notbelong to them. But in this highly principledsociety anyone who accepts the creed and itsmoral standard can become its member,possessing equal rights with everyone else. Asfor those who do not accept this creed, thecommunity, while it cannot receive them withinits fold, is prepared within the limits laid downby law and decency to give them all the basic

65

human rights on condition that they are from thepeople of the Book or those who are classifiedunder their category.

After appreciating these foundations ofIstamic social order, we would like to cast aglance over the principles and patterns of socialrelationship which have been fostered by Islam.

THE INSTITUTION OF FAMILYThe foremost and frrndamental institution of

human society is the unit of family. A family isestabtished by the coming together of a man anda woman, and their contact brings into existencea new generation. It then produces ties ofkinship and community, which graduallydevelop into a large society. The family is theinstitution through which a generation preparesthe succeeding generation for the service ofhuman civilization and for the discharge of itssocial obligations with devotion, sincerity andenthusiasm. This institution does not merelyrecruit cadets for the maintenance anddevelopment of human desire that those whohave to replace them in future should be better

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than themselves. In this respect, the family canbe truly called the fountain-head of the progress,development, prosperity and strength of humancivilization on the earth. Hence, among socialproblems Islam devotes much aftention to thoserelating to the family and strives to establish thisimportant social unit on the healthiest andstrongest foundations. According to Islam thecorrect form of relationship between man andwoman is marriage, that is, the one in which fullsocial responsibilities are undertaken by themand which results in the emergence of a family.Free sex-license and inesponsible behavior arenot condoned by islam as innocent pastimes orordinary transgressions. Rather, they are actswhich sffike at the very roots of human society.Hence, Islam holds every form of extramatrimonial sex-relationship as sffil, forbidden(haram) and punishable under the criminal lawof Islam. It prescribes severe punishments forthe offense so that such unsocial behavior maynot become cornmon. At the same time it aimsat purifoing and pugrng the society of allactivities which encourage such irresponsible

6'l

actions or provide opportunities for them.Regulations of Hijab (For Muslim Women), banon free mixing of men and women, restrictionson filthy music and Pictures, anddiscouragement of the spread and propagationof obscenities and aberrations, are all intendedto guard against this. Their sole object is toprotect and strengthen the institution of thefamily. Islam does not merely regard thedesirable form of social contact as justpermissible but holds and afiirms it as a goodand virtuous act, indeed, an act of worship. Itdoes not simply look upon celibacy of an adultperson with disfavour, but it calls upon everyyoung man to take in his turn upon himself thesocial responsibilities of married life just as hisparents did so in their time. Islam does notmerely regard asceticism and perpetual celibacyas no virtue at all but as aberrations anddepartures from the true nahre of man and actsof revolt against the Divine plan of things' Italso strongly disapproves those rites,ceremonies or restrictions which tend to makemarriage a difficult and tedious affair. The

intention of Islam is that marriage may becomeeasy and fornication the most difficult thing insociety, and not vice versa as it is in most of thesocieties today. Hence, after debarring a fewspecified relatives from entering into matrimonywith one another, it has legalized maritalrelations with all other near and distant kith andkin. It has removed all distinctions of caste andcommunity and permitted matrimony of anyMuslim with any other Muslim. It hasrecommended that the amounts of mehr (dower)should be fixed at a low and easy figure, theburden of which can be easily borne by thehusband and has dispensed with the necessity ofpriests and offices of compulsory registration.ln an Islamic society marriage is such a plainand simple ceremony as can be performedanywhere before two witnesses, though it isessential that the proceedings should not be keptsecret. The idea is that the society should knowthat the couple is now going to live amatrimonial life. The family itself islam hasassigned to man a position of authority so thathe may maintain order and discipline as the

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chief of the household. Islam expects the wifeto obey and look after the comforts and well-being of her husband and expects the children tobehave accordingly to their parents. Islam doesnot favour a loose and disjointed family systemwhich is devoid of any authority, control anddiscipline and in which someone is not pointedlyresponsible of the proper conduct and behaviorof its members. Discipline can only bemaintained through a central authority and in theview of Islarn the position of father in the familyis such that it makes him the fittest person totake over this responsibility. But this does notmean that man has been made a tyrant andoppressor in the household and woman has beenhanded over to him as a helpless chattel.According to Islam the real spirit of marital lifeis love, understanding and rnutuai respect. If thewoman has been asked to obey the husband, thelatter has been called upon to exercise hisprivileges towards the welfare of the family andtreat the wife with love, affection andsweetness. Islam makes the marital bond strongbut not trnbreakable. It aims at keeping the

bond intact only so long as it is founded on thesweetness of love or at least the possibility oflasting cornpanionship still exists. When thispossibility dies out, it gives man the right ofdivorce and woman the right of separation, andurder certain conditions where married life hasbecome a source of misery or nuisance, givesthe Islamic courts of justice the authority toannul the marriage.

RELATTVES AND NEIGI{BORSBeyond the limited circle of family the next

social sphere which is suffrciently wide is that ofkinship and blood relationship. Those who areone's kith and kin through relationship withcorrunon parents or common brothers and sistersor relations through in-laws, Islam wants themall to be mufually affectionate, cooperative andhelpful. ln many places in the Qur'an goodfreafinent of the Zawil Qurba (near relatives ) isenjoined. In the traditions of the Holy kophet(peace be upon him) good treatrnent ofone's(Silat Al-Rahm) has been emphasized andcowited among the highest virtues. A person

7 i

who cold-shoulders his relatives or treat them anindifferent manner is looked down upon byIslam with great disfavor. But this does notmean that it is an Islamic virtue to be partial orunduly lenient toward one's relatives as mayresult in injustice, is repuglant to lslam which,condemns it as an act of Jahiliyyah (ignorance).Similarly, it is ufferly un-Islamic for agovemment official or public trustee to supporthis relatives at public expense or to be partial tohis kith and kin in his offrcial divisions: hiswould actually be a sinful act. Fair treatment ofone's as enjoined by Islam, should be at one'sown expenses and within the limits ofjusticeand fair play.

Next to relations come the neighbors.The Qur'an has divided them into threecategories :

1) A neighbor who is also a relative;2) An alien neighbor, and3) A casual or temporary neighbor with

whom one had occasion to live or travel forsome time. All of them are deserving of fellow-

72

feeling, affection, courtesy and fair treatrnent.The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) has said:

Ayesha and Ibn Omar reported from theMessenger of Allah who said: Gabriel did notstop to advice me about neighbor till I thoughtthat he would soon make him an heir. - (Agreedupon)ln another tradition the Prophet (peace be uponhim) said:Abu Hureira reported from the Messenger ofAllah who said: "By Alllah he does not believeby Allah he does not believe, by Allah he doesnot believe". The companions asked who is heO Prophet of Allah? The Holy Prophet (peacebe upon him) replied, "One whose neighbor isnot immune against his mischief'.

Again, he (peace be upon him) said: thata person who enjoys a full meal while hisneighbor is starving really possesses no faith inIslam. The Prophet was once informed ofawoman who used to offer prayers regularly andkeep fasts very often and gives alms frequently,but her neighbors were sick of her abusivetongue. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said

t - )

that woman deserved only the fire of hell. Hewas also told of another woman who did notpossess these virhres but did not trouble herneighbors either, and the Prophet $eace beupon him) said that she will be rewarded withparadise.

The complete sayings goes as follows:Abu Hurairah reported that a man asked:

O Messenger of Allah! such and such a womanis reputed for such prayer, and fasting and alms-grving, but she offends her neighbors with hertongue. He said: She will go to Hell. Heinquired: O Messenger of Allah! such and sucha woman is reptrted less for her fasting, alms-grving and prayer but she gives alms of theremainders of curds and she does not offend herneighbors by her tongue. He said: She will goto Paradise. Qrlarrated by Ahmed and Baihaqi)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) has laidso much ernphasis on this virtue that he hasadvised that whenever a Muslim brings fruits forhis children he should either send some to hisneighbors as a gift or at least not throw the

peelings outside the door so that the neighborsmay not have a feeling of deprivation.

The complete Hadith reads as follows:It was narrated by Amro Bin Shueib who

repoved from his father who repoved from hisgrandfather that the Messenger of Allah said:Do you know what the duties of a neighbor are?Help him of he seeks your help; give him succorif he seeks your succor; give him loan ifheseeks you loan; give him relief if he is needy;nurse him if he falls ill; follow his bier if he dies;cheer him if he meets any good; sympathisewith him if any calamity befalls him; raise notyour building higher so as to obstruct his airwithout his permission, harass him not; give himwhen you purchase a fruit; if you do not do it"take it secretly; and let not your children take itour to excite thereby the anger of his children.

On one occasion the Prophet (peace beupon him) said that a man is reaily good if hisneighbors regard him as such and he is bad ifthey consider him so.

The complete Hadith goes as follows:

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Ibn Mas'ud reported that a man asked the HolyProphet: O Messenger of Allah! how can I knowwhen I do good and when I do bad? The HolyProphet (peace be upon him) said: When youhear your neighbors say - you have done goodyou have done good, andwhenyouhearthemsay - you have done bad youhavedonebad.(Narated by Ibn Majah)In brief, Islam requires all neighbors to beloving and cooperative with one another andshare one another's sorrows and happiness. Itenjoins that they should establish socialrelations in which one could depend upon theother and regard his life, honour and propertysafe among his neighbors. A society in whichtwo persons, separated only by a wall, remainunacquainted with one another for yeirs andthose living in the same area of a town have nointerest or confidence in one another can neverbe called Islamic.

Next to these is the wider circle ofrelationship which covers the entire society.The broad principles on which Islam seeks to

regulate the general gamut of our social life arethe following:

l) To cooperate in acts of virtue andpiety and not to cooperate in acts of sin andinjustice. To this point Allah says in the HolyQur'an:

"Help ye one anotherIn righteousness and piety,But help ye not one anotherIn sin and rancour:Fear God: for GodIs strict in punishment."

( Qur'an, 5:2 )2) "One's friendship and enmity should

be for the pleasure of God only; whatever you(Muslim) give should be given because Godlikes it to be given, and whatever you (Muslims)withhold should be withheld because God doesnot like its gift. (Sayings of the Holy Prophet)

3) "You (the Muslims) are the bestcommunity ever raised unto mankind, your dutyis to command people to do good and preventthem from committing evil." Allah says in theHoly Qur'an:

11

Ye are the best Of PeoPles, evolvedFor mankind, Enjoining what is right,Forbidding what is wrong,And believing in God.If only the People of the BookHad faith, it were best For them::rmong them are some who have faith,

But most of themAre perverted transgressors.

(Qur 'an. 3: I l0)

And the Prophet in various of his otherteachings said:

"Do not think evil of each other nor probe

into each other's affairs nor excite one againstthe other. Keep yourself away from mutual

hafied and jealousy. Do not unnecessarilyoppose each other. Always remain the slavesand subjects of Allah and live like brothersamong yourselves."

"Choose for others what you choose foryourself. "(Agreed upon)These are some of the social values which Islamaffirms and establishes and which it wants to

see enshdned in the human socie8.

CHAPTER VECONOMIC PRINCIPLBS OF

ISLAMIslam has laid down some principles and

prescribed certain limits for the economicactivity of man so that the entire pattern ofproduction, exchange and distribution of wealthmay conform to the Islamic standard ofjusticeand equity. Islam does not concern itself withtime-boturd methods and techniques f economicproduction or with the details of theorganizational pattern and mechanisms andequity. Islam does not concern itself with time-bound methods and techniques of economicproduction or with the details of theorganizational paffern and mechanisms. Suchmethods are specific for every age and areevolved in accordance with the needs andrequirements of community and exigencies ofthe economic situation. What Islam aims, is thatwhatever be the form or mechanism ofeconomic activity, the principles prescribed by itshould find a pennanent and parrunount place in

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such activities under all circumstances and in allages.

According to the Islamic point of view,God has created for mankind the earth and allthat it contains. It is, therefore, the birthright ofevery human being to try and secrue his shareout of the world. All men enjoy this rightequally and none can be deprived of it; norshould one mum get precedence over another.From the standpoint of Islam, there can be nobar on any individual, race, or class for taking tocertain means of livelihood or adopting certainprofessions. All are entitled to equalopportunities in the economic realm. Similarly,no distinction is valid in Islam which wouldresult in creating a monopoly of a particularmeans of livelihood for a particular person,class, race or group of people. It is the right ofall men to strive and get their share of the meansof sustenance provided by God on the earth.Islam ensures that this effort should be made inthe context of equal opportunities and fairchances for all.

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RIGHT OF PROPERTYResources which are provided by nature free

of cost and which can be used directly by manmay be utilized freely and every one is entitledto benefit from them to the extent of his needs.Water flowing in the rivers and springs, woodsin the forest trees, fruits of wild plants, wildgrass and fodder, air, animals of the jungle,minerals under the surface of the earth andsimilar other resources cannot be monopolizedby anyone nor can a restriction of any sort beimposed on their free use by God's creatures tofulfill their own needs. Of course, people whomany want to use of these things for commercialpulposes can be required to pay taxes to thestate. Or if there is a misuse of the resources,the Government may step in and set the thingsright. But there is no bar on the individuals toavail of God's earth as long as they do notinterfere with the rights of others or of the state.

Anyone who takes possession of thenatural resources directly and renders it of valueacquires a rightful title over it. For instance, ifsomebody takes possession of an turcultivated

8 l

piece of land, on which nobody has a prior right

bf oon.tship, and makes a productive use of it

he carurot be arbitrarily dispossessed of thatpiece of land. This is how all rights of

ownership originated in the world. When man

appeared for the first time in the world and

population grew, everything was available to

iruiryon., and whoever took possession of

anything and made it useful in any manner

became its owner; that is to say, he acquired the

right of using it specially for his own purpose

and obtaining compensation from others if theywanted to use it. This is the natural basis of all

the economic activities of mankind and must not

be tampered with. This right of ownershipwhich one may acquire by permissible legalmeans is to be honored under all circumstances'The legality of ownership can be inquiredthoroughly by the competent authority throughlegal means to determine its validity in

accordance with the Sari'ah law. If, it be found

to be illegally acquired, such ownership be

annulled and be terminated accordingly.However, in no case, shall there be allowed any

state or legislation to arbitariiy divest thepeople of their legitimate rights of ownershipwithout justifiable cause. Islam cannot approveof, an economic policy which desfioys the rightsconferred by the Shari'ah however attractive itsname may be and whatever welfare pretensionsit may make. Social justice and collective goodare very dear to Islam, but not at the cost ofnghts given by the Shari'ah. It is as unjust toreduce or rcmove the restrictions placed by theShari'ah on the rights of individual ownershipfor the sake of collective good of the communityas it is to add such restrictions and limitationswhich do not fit into the scherne of the Islamiclaw. it is one of the duties of an Islamic state toprotect the legal (stlari'ah) rights of theindividuals and tc ensure that they fulfill theirobligations to the carnmunity as enjoined bylaw. That is how Islam stnkes a baiancebetween individuaiism and collectivism.

TT{E PROBLEM OF EQTIALITYlf we observe the phenomena of nature and

God's blessings unto mankind we find that He83

has not observed equality in the distribution ofHis bounties and favouis but in His infinitewisdom has accorded precedence to someindividuals over others. Beauty of form,pleasantness of voice, excellence of physiqueand mental talents, etc., have not been grantedto men in equal degree. The same is the casewith the material means of life. Human naturehas been so ordained that divergence, varietyand inequality among men in their modes andstandards of living seem to be most naturalthing. Variety is the spice of life and the drivingspirit behind human effort and excellence.Consequently, all those schemes and ideologieswhich are forced to mankind are unrealistic andimpossible to achieve. The equality in whichIslam believes is equality in respect of theopportunities of struggle for securing alivelihood and for climbing the uppermost rungof the ladder of well-being and prosperity.Islam desires that no legal, frrnctional ortraditional handicaps should exist in society toprevent an individual from struggling for a livingaccording to his capacity and talent nor should

any social distinctions subsist with the object ofsafeguarding the privileges of a particular class,race and dynasty or group of people. All thoseschemes and ideologies which serve the vestedinterests or which want to perpetrate the hold ofa certain goup are repugnant to Islam and canhave no place in its scheme of things. Suchmovements seek to establish, through force andresort to artificial means, an unnatural inequalityin place of the natural limited inequality whichfeeds the springs of incentive to effort in asociety. Hence, Islam aims at wiping them outand putting the economic system on the naturalfooting so that the opportunities of struggle mayremain open to all. At the same time Islam doesnot agree with those who desire to enforcecomplete equality in respect of the mean ofproduction and the fruits of economicendeavour, as they aim at replacing, limitednatural inequalities by an artificial equality.Only that system can be the nearest to humannafure in which everyone joins the economicstruggle at the start and in the circumstances inwhich God has created him. He. who has

inherited an aeroplane should struggle to beequipped with it; while he who has only a pairof legs should stand on his feet and fiy to moveahead. The laws of society should neither besuch as would establish a permanent monopolyof *.he aeroplane owner over his aeroplane andmake it impossible for the bare-footed toacquire an aeroplane nor such that the race foreveryone of them should compulsory begin fromone point and under the same conditions andthey should all per force be tied to each otherright till the end of the race. Contrary to this,the esonomic laws should be such as to make itpossible for the bare-footed, who started hisrace under adverse conditions, to secure andpossess an aeroplane if he can do so by dint ofhis struggle and ability, and for him whoinherited the aeroplane, to be left behind in therace and be without it if that is due to his owninability or incapacity or inefficiency. Effortshould be paid and inactivity penalized.

SOCIAL JUSTICEislam does not wish that this economic race

takes place in an atmosphere of cold86

impartiality, moral neutrality and social apathy.It deems it desirable that the participants in theeconomic race should be considerate andsympathetic to one another. On the one hand,Islam, through its moral injunctions, aims atcreating a feeling of mutual love and affectionamong the people, under which they may helptheir weak and weary brethren and at the sametime create a permanent institution in the societyto guarantee help and assistance to those whoare lacking in the necessary means ofsubsistence. People who are unable to take partin the economic race should secure their sharefrom this social institution. And those who needsome assistance commence their struggle in theeconomic field may also receive it in fullmeasure from this institution. To this end, Islamhas commanded that Zakat should be levied atthe rate of 2.5% per annum on the totalaccumulated wealth of the country as well as onthe invested capital. On agncultural producel0o/o are levied on lands which are irrigated bynatural means (through rains) and 5o/o onirrigation's which require man's efforts. And

2.5% is required on mineral products. Theannual Zakat should also be levied at a specifiedrate, on the herds of cattle owned by anyonebeyond a certain minimum number. The amountof Zakat thus collected is to be spent on givingassistance to the poor, the orphans and theindigent, etc. This provides amen'sofsocialinsurance in the presence of which no one in anIslamic society can ever remain without beingwell provided with the necessities oflife. Noworker can ever be forced through fear ofstarvation to accept any conditions ofemployment which may be dictated to him bythe industrialist or the landlord to hisdisadvantage. And nobody's physical healthcan ever be allowed to fail below the minimumstandard of fitness for lake of proper medicalcare and hospitalization.

As regards the position of the indivrdualvis-d-vis the community, Islam aims at strikingsuch a balance between them as would promotethe individual liberty of a person and at the sametime ensure that such freedom is not detrimentalto the interests of the communitv as a whole- but

is positively conducive to its growth andtranquillity. Islam does not approve of apolitical or economic organization which aims atmergrng the identity of the individual into that ofthe community and depriving him of thefreedom essential for a proper development ofhis personality and talent. The inevitableconsequence of nationalizing all the means ofproduction in a country is the annihilation of theindividual by the community, and in thesecircumstances the existence and development ofhis individuality becomes extremely difficult, ifnot impossible. Just as political and socialfreedom is essential for the individual, economicfreedom is likewise indispensable for civilizedmoral existence. Unless we desire tocompletely eliminate the individuality of manour social life should have enough margln for anindividual to be freedom to earn his living, tomaintain the freedom of his conscience, and tobe able to develop his moral and intellectualfaculties according to his own inclinations andaptitudes. Living on a dole or virtual dole at thehands of others cannot be very satis$ing, even

though it is plentiful because the retardation ofmental, moral and spiritual development towhich it ultimately leads can never becompensated or counter-balanced by merephysical welfare and prosperity which too aredoubtful.

Just as Islam does not like such a system,it also does not favour a social system whichgives unbridled economic and social freedom toindividuals and gives them a blank cheque tosecure their individual interest and achieve theirobjective even at the whole or by exploiting andmisappropriating the wealth of others. Betweenthese two extremes Islam has adopted themiddle course according to which the individualis first called upon, in the interest of thecommunity, to accept certain restricts, and isthen left free to regulate his own affairs. He hasfreedom of enterprise and competition within aframework which guarantees the good of boththe individual and the society. it is not possibleto explain all these obligations and restrictionsin detail and I shall, therefore, content myselfwith presenting a bare outline of them.

OBLIGATIONS Ail[D RESTRICTTONSTake the case of earning a livelihood first.

The meticulous care with which Islam hasdistinguished between right and wrong inrespect of the means of earning wealth is not tclbe found in any other legal and social systemexisting in the world. It condems as illegal allthose means of livelihood rvhich injure, morallyor materially, the interests of another individualor of the society as a whole. Islamic lawcategorically rejects as iilegal the manufactureand sale of liquor and other intoxication,adultery; professional dancing and obsceniry;gambling; speeulation, race and lotteries;transactions of speculative, imagrnary,fraudulent or controversiai nafure; businessfansactions in whieh the gain of r:ne palty isabsolutely guaranteed and assured whiie that ofthe other pa*y is left uncertain and doubtfullpnce manipulaticn by withhclding the sale ofnecessities af life; and many other similarfransactions wldch are detrimental to theinterests of community. If we examine this

9 l

aspect of the economic laws of Islam, we willfind a long list of practices declared illegal mostof which can and are making people millionairesin the capitalistic system. Islam forbids all theseunfair means and allows freedom of earningwealth only by those means through which aperson renders some real and useful service tothe community and thereby entitles himself to afair and just compensation for it.

Islam accepts the rights of ownership ofan individual the rights of ownership of anindividual over the wealth earned by him bylegitimate means but even these rights are notunqualified. A man can spend his legitimatewealth, only in legitimate avenues and bylegitimate means. Islam has imposedrestrictions on expendifure so that while one canlead a decent life, one carurot waste one's richeson luxurious pursuits. A person cannottransgress the prescribed limits of exhibiting hisstatus and affluence and behave as super beingvis-d-vis other persons. Certain forms of illegaland wasteful expenditure have been clearly andunequivocally prohibited while some others,

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though not expressly banned, may be prohibitedat the discretion of the Islamic state.

One is permitted to accumulate wealththat is left over after meeting his legitimate andreasonable requirements, and these savings canalso be used in producting more wealth but thereare some resffictions on both of these activities.In the event of accumulationofwealthhewill,of course, have to pay Zakat at the rate of 2.5o/oper annun on the accumulation exceeding thespecified minimum. If he desires to invest it inbusiness he can only do so in what is declaredas legitimate business. It is permissible for aman to undertake the legitimate business himselfor to make his capital available to others on aprofit-loss sharing basis. It is not at allobjectionable in Islam if, working with in theselimits, a man becomes even a millionaire; rather,this will constitute a Divine favour. But in theinterests of the community as a whole Islamimposes two conditions on the individual; fust,that he should pay Zakat on his commercialgoods and 'Ushr (l/10) (which has not requiredany mirn effort for irrigation) and 5% on

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irrigated produce which has required man'sefforts of the value of agricultural produce;secondly, that he should doal fairly and honestlywith those whom he brings into his parfirershipin trade industry or agnculture, with thosewhom he takes in his ernployrnent and with thestate and the oommunity at large. If one doesnot do justice to others, particularly hisemployees, of his olvn aocord, the Islamic statewili ccrnpel him to cio so.

Then again, even rvealth that isaccumulated within these legal iirrrits is notallowed by Islam to be concentrated at a pointor place for a long time. By virtue of its larv ofinheritance islam spreads it over a large numberof persons from generatian to generation. Inthis respect, the spirit of Islarnie law is differentfrom that of other law"s prevailing in theeontempcrary world. Most of the inheritanceiaws attempt to keep the wealth oneeaccunulated by a persoll concentrated in thehands of the beneficiary from generation togeneration. As against tiris, isiam has rnade alaw under which the weaith accrrmulated bv a

person in his lifetime is distributed among all ofhis near relatives soon after his death. If, thereare no near relatives, then distant relatives are tobenefit from it in the proportions laid down bythe law for each one of them. And, if no distantrelative is forthcoming, then the entire Muslimsociety is entitled to its inheritance. Under thislaw, the creation or continuance of any bigfamily of capitalists or landlords becomesimpossible.

CHAPTER VITHE SPIRITUAL SYSTEM OF

ISLAM

What is the spintual system of Islam andwhat is its relation with the system of life as awhole? To understand this, it is necessary tocarefully study the difference between theIslamic concept of spirituality and that of otherreligions and ideoiogies. In the absence of aclear understanding cf this difference it oftenhappens that when talking about the spiritualsystem of Islam many of the vague notions

95

associated with the word "spirifual"unconsciously come to one's mind, and in thisstate of confusion, it becomes difficult for one tocomprehend the spiritual system of Islam whichnot only transcends the dualism of spirit andmatter but is the nucleus of the integrated andunified concept of life presented by Islam.

BODY - SOUL CONFLICTThe idea which has been most influential in

making the climate of thought in philosophy andreligion is that body and soul are mutuallyantagonistic and conflicting and hence, theycannot go together in life, and one can developonly at the cost of the other. For the soul, theconfines of body and matter are a prison-house;the mundane activities of worldly life are theshackles with which the soul is kept in bondageand its growth is arrested. This has inevitablyled to the well-known concept of classifuing theuniverse into the spiritual and the secular.Those who chose the secular path wereconvinced, at the very outset, that the demandsof spirituality could not be complied with, and

96

thus, went headlong into a sensate outlook inlife culminating in stark materialism andhedonism. Consequently, all spheres of worldlyactivities may they be social, political, economicor cultural were deprived of the light ofspirituality and the world was smitten withitqiustice and tyranny. On the other hand, thosewho wanted to head the path of spiritualexcellence innovated such ways and devices forthe development and elevation of the spirit, as tomake them "noble outcasts" in this world. Theybelieved that it was not possible to find anyprocess for spiritual growth which might becompatible with a normal life in this world. lntheir view, physical self-denial andmortification's of the flesh were necessary fordeveloping and perfecting the spirit. Theyinvented spiritual exercises and their asceticpractices which would kill one's physical desiresand render the body senseless and even useless.They regarded forests, mountains and othersolitary places, as ideal places for spiritualdevelopment because in those hideouts thehustle and bustle of civilization would not

interfere in their spiritual practices and nose-guing meditations. They could not conceive of

the feasibility of any means of spiritualdevelopment except by withdrawing themselvesfrom the world and its affairs and severing all

contacts with society and civilization.This conflict of body and soul resulted in

the evolution of two different ideals for theperfection of man. One of the ideals was of

material perfection, which meant that a manshould be sunounded by 'all the materialcomforts and bounties of the worid and regardhimself as nothing but an animal, the ideal beingthe seek dircy heights in this realm. The resultwas that he could exceed as an animal but theman in him could not seek its flowering. Menlearned to fly like birds, swim like crocodile, runlike horses and even terrorize and destroy like

wolves - but to live like noble human beingsthey learned not. The other ideal was of theperfection of spiritual iife to an extent that thesenses are not only subdued and conquered butsupra sensory powers are awakened zurd thelimitations of the sensory world are done away

with. With these new conquests meri coulcldistant voices like powerful wireless sets, seeremote objects as one does with the telescopeatrd develop powers tlrough which the rneretouch of their hand or focus of their sight mayheal the unhealable. This supra sensory fieidhas been the other avenue of humanadvancement, but hor.v throbbrngly humar-r ttrisraaliy is it is not difficult to visualizel

The Isizurric viewpc;int differs radirallyfrom that of ali the prevaiting reiigrcus andplulosophicai systerns in this regerd. Aeeordingto Islam, God has appointed man as his"Khalifah" {trustse) in t}re tueiverse. He lrasinvested him with certain authority and laidupon him certain responsibilities and cbligationsfor the frrlfillment of iv.hich He has endovred hirnwith ths best and most suitable physical &ame.The body has been created p'ith the soie objectihat the soul should nruake use oi" it in ttreexercise of its atithority an,J the fulfilhnent of itsduties and responsibilities. Hence, rhe bady isnot a prison house for the soul but its workshopor factory, and if there is any possibility tbr the

growth and development of the soul, it is onlythrough the use of the power machines andinstruments provided by this workshop.Consequently, this world is not a place ofpunishment in which the human soul has beenconfined somehow but is a field in which Godhas sent him to work and do his duty towardHim. lnnumerable things in this universe havebeen placed at the disposal of the human souland many more human beings endowed with ithave been created in this world to fulfill theduties of this very vicegerency. The naturalurges of man have given birth to civilization,culture, and social systems. The spiritualdevelopment which is possible in this worldshould not take the form of man turning his facefrom the workshop and retiring in someuninhabited corner. Rather, the only form itshould take is that man should live and work init and give the best account of himself. It is inthe nature of an examination center for him;every aspect and sphere of life is, as it were,like a question paper in this tes! the home, thefamily, the neighborhood, the society, the

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marketplace, the office, the factory, the school,the law courts, the police station, the parliament,the peace conference and the battlefield, allrepresent 'question papers' on different subjectswhich man has been called upon to answer. Ifhe does not take any question paper, or leavesmost of the answer books blank, he is bound tofail in the examination. The only possibility ofsuccess and development would lie in man'sspending his whole time and glving his wholeattention to this examination and to attempt asfar as possible to answer all the question papershanded over to him.

Islam rejects and condemns theasceticism of life, and proposes a set of methodsand processes for the spiritual development ofman not outside this world but inside it, one thatpasses through the rough and tumble of life.According to it the real place for the growth,uplift and elevation of the spirit lies right in themidstream of the activity of life and not insolitary places of spiritual hibernation.

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CRITERION FOR MORALDEVELOPMENT

After this exposition of the basic approach of

Islam let us try to discuss the criterion given byIslam to judge the development of decay of thesoul. Tho answer to this question lies in the

eoncept of Khilafat whieh has just beenrnentioned. In his capacity as the Khalifatt(Servant) of God, man is answerabie to Him for

ail his actir.ities. it is his duty to use all thepowers with which he is invested and all themeans placed at his disposal in this world, inaccordance with the Divine Will. He shouldutilize to the fullest extent all the facuities andpotentialities bestowed upon him for seeking the

approbation of God. In his dealings with otherhuman beings he should adopt an attitude whichis approved by G,rd. In bried ali his efforts and

energies shoulc! be dirested towards regulatingthe affairs of this world in the rnanner in whichGod wants tirem to be regulated. Tlte moreadmirably an man performs this function, *'ith a

sense of responsibiliry, obedience and humilit-v,and with the object of seeking the pleasure of

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God, the nearer he will be to God. In Islam,spiritual development is synonymous withnearness to God. Likewise, he will remainaway from God if he is lazy, slothful,transgressor, rebellious and disobedient. Andbeing away from God signifies, in Islam, thespiritual fall and decay of man.

This explanation should make it clear thatfrom the Islamic point of view the sphere ofactivity of a religious-minded man and of asecular-minded man is the same. Both willwork in the same field of action, rather a man ofreligion will work with greater enthusiasm thana secular minded person. The man of religionwili be as active as the seeker after the world orindeed much more active, in the domestic andsocial functfons of life which extend from theconfines of the household to the market squareor the venue of international conferences. Ofcourse, what will distinguish their course ofaction will be the nature of their relations withGod and the objective which they pursue.Whatever a religious man does, will be with thefeeling that he is answerable to God, with the

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object of securing Divine Pleasure, and inaccordance with the Law which God hasordained for him. As against this, a worldlyperson will be irresponsible, indifferent towardsGod and will be guided only by his personalmotives in his actions. This difference makesthe whole of the material life of a man ofreligion a thoroughly spiritual venture and thewhole of the life of a worldly person devoid ofthe spark of spirituality.

ROAD TO SPIRITUALITYNow, we are in a position to briefly understand

the road which Islam chalks out for the pursuitof spiritual development of man in the context ofthe mundane life in this world.

The first step in this direction is Iman(faith). It means that the idea which should holdsupreme in the mind and heart of a man is thatGod alone is his Master, Sovereign and Deity;seeking His Pleasure is the aim of all hisendeavours; and His Commands alone constifutethe law of his life. This should be his firmconviction, not merely cognition of the intellect,

but also of the will. The stronger and deeperthis conviction, the more profound the faith willbe, and it will enable man to tread the path ofspiritual development with patience andsteadfastness and face all the vicissitudes firmlvand squarely.

The second stage is of Ita'at (obedience)meaning that a man divests himself of hisindependence altogether, and acceptssubservience to God in practice after havingproclaimed faith in Him as his creed. The sub-servience is called Islam (obedience) in thelanguage of the Qur'an. Thus, it means that manshould not only acknowledge God as his Lordand Sovereign but should actually submit beforeHim and fashion his entire life in obedience tothe Lord.

The third stage is that of Taqwa (piety)which consists in the practical manifestation ofthe faith in God in the mode of daily life.Taqwa (piety) also consists in desisting fromeverything which God has forbidden or eventhat which he disapproves even slightly, in areadiness to undertake all that God has

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commanded and in observing the distinctionbetween lawful and unlawful, right and wrong,and good and bad in life.

The last and the highest stage is that ofIhsan (benediction) which signifies that man hasidentified his witl with the Will of God and hasbrought it, at least as far as he is concerned,completely in hrned with the Divine Will, withthe result that he has begun to like what is likedby the Lord and to abhor what is disapproved byHim. Man should, then, not only himself avoidthe evils which God does not like to spread orTHis earth but should use all his power andenergy to wipe them offthe face of earth; and heshould not merely rest content with adoringhimself with the virtues which God desires toflourish, but should also strive to establish andpropagate them in the world even at the cost ofhis life. A man who reaches this state attainsthe highest pinnacle of spirituality and is nearestto God.

This path of spiritual development is notmeant for individuals only but for thecommunities and nations as well. Like

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individuals, community also, after passingthrough the various stages of spiritual elevation,may reach the ultimate stage of Ihsan(benediction), and also a state with all itsadministrative machinery may become Mu'min(faithftl), Muslim (obedient), Muttaqi (pious)and Muhsirn (beneficent). In fact, the idealsaimed by Islam are achieved in a perfect maruleronly when the whole community moves on thispath and a Muttaqi and Muhsin (pious andbeneficent) state comes into existence in thisworld.

That is the acme of ciwlization wherevirtue reigns in society and vice is subdued.

Let us now cast a glance at themechanism of spiritual raining which Islam haslaid down for preparing individuals and societyfor this purpose.

The spiritual system of Islam rests on fourfundamentals. The first is prayer (Salat) whichbrings man into communion with God five timesa day, reviving His remembranee, reiterating Hisfear, developing His love, reminding man of theDivine Commands again and again, and thus,

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preparing him for obedience to God. Theseprayers are not to be offered individually but itis obligatory to offer them in congregation sothat the whole community and the society maybe prepared for this process of spiritualdevelopment. It is a tool of individual as well associal fiaining in the path of spiritual elevationin Islam.

The second is Zakatwhich develops thesense of monetary sacrifice, sympathy andcooperation irmong Muslims. There are peoplewho wrongly interpret Zakat as a mere taxalthough the spirit underlying Zakat is entirelydifferent from that which lies at the root of a tax.The real meaning of Zakat is sublimity andpurification. By using this word, Islam desiresto impress on man the real value of Zakat whichis inspired by a true love of God, that themonetary help he renders to his brethren will infact, purity and benefit his soul.

The third is fasting (Saum) which for afull month every year trains a man individually,and the Muslim community as a whole, in pietyand self-resfiaint; enables the society, the rich

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and the poor alike, to experience the pangs ofhunger, and prepares the people to undergo anyhardship to seek the pleasure of God.

The fourth is Haji @ilgrimage) whichnims at fostering universal brotherhood ofthefaithful as the basis of worship of God, and hasculminated in a movement which has beenanswering the call of tnrth throughout thecenturies and will, God willing, go on answeringthis call till eternitv.

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