ROLE AND NEED FOR DEEN

(MAZHAB KI

ZAROORAT)BY

MUHAMMAD ALI KHAN

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Define Religion, also describing its necessity, importance and kinds of distinguishing between Revealed and Non Revealed religions. (2002)

Despite the scientific and technological advancement the present society is facing moral decline and mental anarchy. In these circumstances elucidate the importance and effectiveness of Religion. (2007)

Differentiate between the Din and Religion. State the important points of Co-Existence among Islam and world religions in the present scenario. (2010)

Describe the necessity and importance of religion for man and its effects on human life. (2012)

Question about need for religion 2

3Important themes1. Define Religion, its necessity, Importance effectiveness of 

Religion

2. Its effects on human life

3. Its kinds of distinguishing between Revealed and Non Revealed religions

4. Despite the scientific and technological advancement the present society is facing moral decline and mental anarchy ,

5. Differentiate between the Din and Religion

6.  State the important points of Co-Existence among Islam and world religions

Concept-Dictionary Meaning

Zahab: Go, pass by, walk

Mazhab: Method, belief or  faith , manner

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Concept

Religion as a “binding together” (Latin, religio, from the verb religare = “to bind together”

Religion is a relationship between the religious devotee and the gods, God) a relationship that binds the two together to :-Who share the same or similar religious

attitudesBound with the object of its devotion

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Religion is all about rituals and Faiths

Gods Allah Shiva Budhh Zeus Aherman Yazdan

Practices (rituals)

Prayers Fasting Alms Youga

ExperiencesLove/EcstasyNothingnessHell/HeavenSacrifice

BeliefsDeathImmortalityAtonementFatePrayer

Spirits : Demons, Ancestors, Ghosts

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Attempts at a Definition

Emile Durkheim “A religion is a unified system of beliefs

and practices relative to sacred things”Max Weber

Refused to attempt a definition of religion. [Smart Man?]

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Concept Spirituality-

EB Taylor ( Social) Emotion Ethics

Mathew Arnold (Literature)

Emotional Appeal to accept Almighty Freud (Psychology)

Only Rituals ? Humanity

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Components of Deen

“Deen “ Accepting the absolute sovereignty (of Allah)

“Deen” means absolute submission (of man to the absolute sovereign

“Deen” indicate reward and accountability “Deen” expresses a way of life or a code of conduct

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DEENLots of Ins and Outs and What-Have-

Yours

Deen is neither a single phenomenon, nor a “thing” rather, it is a divine and dynamic collection of institutions, practices, beliefs and social order

What's our Religion/Deen ?

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Difference b/w Deen and Mazhab11

Concept Frame of Reference (Individual and Collective)  Nature (Right of Allah and Rights of MAn Canvas (Broader or Narrow) In religious connotation

Al-Kafiroon, (Ebbadah)  Ale-Imran 19/IndAllah Islam, ideology of Life) Al-Maida 3/Akmaltukum-Code of Life

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Comparing and Contrasting – the differences between Deen and Mazhab

It is proved by the Holy Qur’an and Ahadees.

The Deen in the sight of Allah (SWT) is only Islaam."The Deen before Allah (accepted by Allah)   is Islam“(Aal-Imran 3:19)

Deen has been approved of and favoured by Alla "Today, I have completed your Deen, and have completed my bliss upon you and accepted for you Islam as a Deen.“ (Al-Mai’da 5:3)

Deen is complete, "Today, I have completed your Deen..” (Al-Mai’da 5:3)

Deen is Pure  “Unquestionably, for Allah is the pure religion. (Az-Zumar 39:3)

Not  been  used  in  the  Holy  Qur’an  or Ahadees in this context.

There  is  no  such  proof  in  Mazhab rather Mazhab is Sectarianism. 

There  is  no  scope  or  rather  an instance  of  Sectarianism  or Mazaahib in Islaam. And is self made

Mazaahib are incomplete. 

Hence,  the  whole  way  of  life  in Mazaahib  is  self-made  law  which  is against Islaam. 

Mazaahib are not pure;  indeed  they  are  adulterated  and  have  the 

combination  of  Statements,  Proclamations, advices and suggestions which are self-made and are contradictory to Islamic concepts

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Deen has been chosen by Allah . “Indeed

Allah has chosen for you this Deen…” (l-Baqara 2:132

Only Deen will be accepted 

And  whoever  desires  other  than  Islam  as  religion  - never  will  it  be  accepted  from  him,  and  he,  in  the Hereafter, will be among the losers. (Aal-Imran 3:85)

The  purpose  of  Jihad  in  Deen  is  to  establish  the Deen of Allah completely.

“And fight them until there is no fitnah and [until] the religion, all of it, is for Allah. And if they cease - then indeed, Allah is Seeing of what they do.”  (Al-Anfal 8:39)

Mazaahib  are  Self-made  and  are made with human-intervention.

Since Mazaahib are self-made and against Islam undoubtedly it will not be accepted.

The purpose of Jihad (which cannot be called as Jihad, anyways) in Mazaahib is to continue the sect based on some Personality, Individuality, Community or Region.

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Two Theories of Evolution of Religion/Deen Islamic Point of View 7 Stages _Evolution of Religion

Atheism Worshiping the Nature

Fear and Greed Totoism Worshiping the Elders (Past) Idolatry Monotheism In Future

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Need of Religion/Deen

Pascal Boyer’s Religion Explained (2001)

Religion Provides ExplanationsPeople created religion to explain

puzzling natural phenomenaReligion explains puzzling

experiences: dreams, forethought, etc

Religion explains the origins of things

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Su

rat

Al-

'Aĥ

zāb

 (Th

e C

om

bin

ed

Forc

es) 

-  ورةس

ابحزأ ال

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Need of Religion/Deen

Religion provides comfortReligious explanations make

mortality less unbearableReligion allays anxiety and makes

for a comfortable worldReligion explains why there is evil and

sufferings

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Need of Religion/Deen

Religion provides Social OrderReligion holds society togetherReligion perpetuates a particular

social orderReligion supports morality

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Cont…

Religion is a Cognitive ApproachPeople are superstitious; they will

believe anythingReligious concepts are irrefutable

and Refutation is more difficult than belief

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Religion and Law

As Source of Law No agreed upon source of law, (Fuller)

The law in quest for itself, No eternal law, (Kohler)

Human nature is the best source of law (Jhon Auston)

Islam being religion of nature is the best source of law

What are the Scale of Values or what are ideal values ?

If we secularize jurisprudence , where can we find an agreed basis ? (George Paton)

The solution is divine law

Encounter with Ideological/ Spiritual Vacuum  

Man cannot live in an ideological vacuum for long Man does not has sound beliefs A superstitious and even destructive ideas

may find way into his spiritual emptiness Man's tendency towards idolatry, man

worship diverse superstitions All this originates from spiritual &

ideological vacuum It is religion which can fill the ideological

vacuum

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Need of Religion All civilizations have

their Religions, Great civilizations are not died, they attempt suicide

Religion and Science

Guidance to Wisdom

Religion as Change Agent for Natural, Spiritual, social needs

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Cont…

Universal Peace v/s Materialistic Development 

(survival of the fittest  is questioned)

Life after Death– Possibility only in religion

Accountability here and in life after death

Religion for Social Correction , Reformist movements

Religion as Panacea

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Quotes ; for need of Deen /Religion28

August ComteTheological (Religion)Metaphysical ( Philosophy and

Psychology)Positive Stage (Science)

Napoleon says “It has kept the poor murdering the rich”

Supernatural hope in dooms hopes (Imam Jaffar RA)

Heaven and utopia are buckets in a well if one goes up other goes down (Will Durend)

Religion Rich in Miracle system and myths is needed

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World is Religious today, even ! “Worldwide, more than eight-in-ten people

identify with a religious group,” says a new comprehensive demographic study of more than 230 countries and territories (Pew Research Center’s Forum)

“There are 5.8 billion religiously affiliated adults and children around the globe, representing 84 percent of the 2010 world population of 6.9 billion,” the analysis states.

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Cont…

2.2 billion Christians (32 percent)

1.6 billion Muslims (23 percent)

1 billion Hindus (15 percent)

500 million Buddhists (7 percent)

There are 14 million Jews

58 million people-slightly less than 1 percent of the

global population belong to other religions

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Cont… Christians 

Vatican City 100% Christians, USA Majority of the Christians 230 Mi, More Jews in USA (66 Lac than Israel 59 Lac)

Muslims Mauritania 99.9%, Maldives 99.4%,Yemen 99.1,

Somalia & Afghanistan 99%  220 M in Indonesia, 177 Mi in India, KSA 26 M

Hinduism 81 % Population of Nipal is Hindu, 957 M in India Majority of Jainism-5M, Bahai-2M,Sikhs-28M are

also in India

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Agnostics and Atheists

 Japan (76%)

 Sweden (65.5%)

Denmark (61.5%)

 Hong Kong 57%

 France (53.5%)

 Norway (51.5%)

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Role of Religion Points described in need for religion

are also the role of religion as: Example

To define good and bad we need religion and it is role of a religion to define good and bad.

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Impact of Deen or Religion

Relationship between God and Man

They consider that the laws of the worldly life

should be on logic and reason

Other religions bifurcate life into spiritual and

material realms but Islam

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Explanation of life

Religion leads man of an inner , most institute experience to the acceptance of unitary explanation of life

Religion that cultivates these virtues within man and impels him to automatic righteousness and adherence to duty to make sacrifices for the sake of others

Without the backing of religion, morality is nothing more than arithmomancy , as without it, the sense of obligation disappears

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Power to Endure Adversities of Life Religion provides power for facing adversities

Serves as a fortification against undesirable reactions of despair and hopelessness

A religious man, with firm belief in Allah, and of His generosity, does not find himself in utter desperation even in the worst moments , as he knows, he is under the protection of a Being who is Almighty.

Can overcome every disappointment and hopelessness

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Strength for life- No Fear Holy Quran says:

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According to Dr. Will Durant

Behavior of a man

who is not blessed

with reliance on

religion suffers from

special confusion,

and the life which

has not the

comforting support of

religion, is an

unbearable burden

Roots of Religious Sense

It covers the entire recorded history of human life and in pre-historic times Religious Institution are found

Islam is in harmony with nature which Allah has designed for man. ( Surah al -Rum,30 : 30)

Research carried out by sociologists and historians shows that places of worship have always had an influence on human life, and religion in its various shapes has been interwoven with its history

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A thought !40

Is religion possible without GOD ? Is religion a cause to recognize the GOD ? Will religion end when human beings will reach at

Heaven or Hell ? Hazrat Ali (RA) said

“Mein ny apny Khuda ko apny eradon k totny sy pahchana”

(I recognized my God , when my intentions were doomed)

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Epilogue41

As long as there are : Poverty, Desires and Planning

there will be gods there will be religion

God is a beautiful manifestation of human wishes

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Need for Religion in Scientific Age/Modern Age

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Other Arguments

1. For Social Order

2. As source of Law

3. To fill the ideological vacuum

4. To Authenticate science

5. As change Agent

6. For Universal Peace

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Points of Peaceful co-existence

Ethical and Morality System of Sin and Virtues

Respect for Humanity

Universal Peace

Tolerance

Acceptance of divine wisdom

Share common cultural identity

Muslims and Christians share the Abrahamic tradition of faith

Share responsibility of Global Village

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Thanku, the most !