THE
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPT OF ISLAM
1.0 Introduction
1.1 What is Islam?
We are providing this
section for our new brother and sisters so that they may have more information
regarding the teachings of Islam; the religion of absolute submission to the
one God; Allah.
We sincerely hope that you will benefit from it, and that it may deepen
your knowledge and increase your interest in Islam. Although we live in the
twentieth century - in probably the most secular and irreligious age in history
- many of us are still inclined to stop from time to time to think about
religion. And yet we find that there are so many different opinions about
religion. Religions seem to cling fanatically to their own beliefs. Each in
turn seems to claim that it possesses all truth, while all others are lost in
hopeless error.
In an age torn by hatred, war and strife among the races, many of us
look back to religion for guidance to peace and brotherhood and are
disappointed when we find in most of them intolerance and narrowness of
spirituality.
So, we may ask, is there a religion which teaches the Oneness of God and
the oneness of mankind, and yet, at the same time is tolerant of other points
of view? This is exactly the teaching of Islam. In fact, Islam teaches that
this message of the Oneness of God and the brotherhood of all races is the
original message which Allah sent to all prophets and religions since the dawn
of human history.
However, man has changed this original teaching of Oneness and developed
out of numerous mutually antagonistic sects. As Allah says in the Holy Qur'an,
the revelation of Allah to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh):
"And verily this
Ummah of yours is a single Ummah and I am your Lord, and Cherisher: therefore
fear Me (and no other). But people have cut off their affair (of unity),
between them into sects: each party rejoices in that which is with itself.
" (Quran 23:52-53)
Islam still preserves
this teaching of the Oneness of God and the brotherhood of all mankind. Islam
seeks to implement this spirit among all races, and yet, at the same time,
remains tolerant and respectful of all other heavenly religions and their
followers who share the belief in the One and only God. The Holy Qur'an
teaches:
"Let there be no
compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects
Tagut and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that
never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things." (Qur'an 2:256)
2.0 Content
of Iman’s
2.1 Aqeedah (Belief)
The
most fundamental concept of Islam and the backbone of all its other principles
and practices is the Oneness of God - tawhiid. Islam is monotheism in its
purest form, and the logic of pure monotheism is the thread which runs through
the entire fabric of the Islamic way of life. Islam teaches a fundamental
difference between Allah, the Creator and that which He has created. The sky,
the moon, the stars, the harmony and perfection of the natural world, the grace
and beauty of the human body and the excellence of the human mind, the
alternation of day and night, the change of the seasons, and the mystery of
life and death all point to something beyond, greater than themselves. To the
believer these are all signs (ayaat) of Allah. Islam teaches that Allah is not
to be likened to anything which He has created. He is All-Powerful,
All-Knowing. He is beyond any imperfection, and is the fulfillment of all
Perfection. He is not a substance, nor is He like any of His creatures. He is
not a far away and distant God, nor is He an unapproachable ideal. He is
All-Kind, All-Merciful, and All-Compassionate.
Islam
teaches that Allah is eternal. He was not Himself begotten, nor has He, in turn
begotten a son or a daughter. Islam rejects the concept of the incarnation of
God, which is found in Hinduism, Christianity, and other religions, and
believes that the concept of incarnation limits the concept of God and destroys
the believer's conviction of God's Activeness and Perfection.
The Qur'an describes
Allah being perfect and active:
"Allah,
there is no god except He. The Living, the Everlasting. Neither dozing nor
sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth.
Who is he that shall intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what
will be before their hands and what was behind them. And they do not comprehend
anything of His knowledge except what He willed. His Seat surrounds the heavens
and earth. The preserving of them does not tire Him. He is the All High, the
All-Glorious. " (Qur'an 2:255)
Islam rejects the
notion that Jesus (PBUH) was the son of God. Rather it honors and respects him
as one of the great messengers and prophets of Allah to the Children of Israel.
Islam
rejects the concept of trinity and considers it a contradiction of pure
monotheism. It also rejects the argument of some Christians that God made
Himself incarnate in Jesus, peace be upon him, so that God could be known by
men, and also rejects the argument that Jesus, peace be upon him, died on the
cross for mankind's sins. To begin with, Islam believes that man can come to
know Allah and feel close to Him by means of proper prayer, fasting, charity,
pilgrimage, and righteous deeds. The very practice of Islam is meant to purify
the believer's soul and to bring him/her closer to Allah. With regard to the
second argument, Islam teaches no human being can bear the burden of another's
responsibility.
Allah
is very aware of our human weaknesses and imperfection. He does not condemn us
because we are created imperfect; rather He guides us to self-perfection and He
forgives us and showers His Mercy upon us when we fail and then ask His
forgiveness sincerely.
Muslims believe in
the divine origin of the Old and New Testaments, although Muslims doubt the
historical authenticity of some parts of the Old and New Testaments and do not
believe them to be exact representations of what Allah originally revealed. The
Qur'an upheld this view of the text of the Old and New Testaments hundreds of
years ago, and in recent years, this view has been upheld by textual studies of
biblical scholars. Muslims believe in the Angels of Allah, and His Prophets,
peace be upon them. They believe in the resurrection of the dead at the end of
the world; they believe in the coming of the Day of Judgement and eternal life
in Paradise or Hell.
Although
Muslims believe that Allah is All-Powerful and maintains complete control over
His creation, they also believe that Allah has created man with free will and
the ability to choose and act, and that Allah is just in making man morally
responsible for what man does during his/her lifetime. It is false to say that
Islam teaches its followers to resign meekly and passively to whatever is their
fate or destiny. Rather Islam challenges the believer to fight against wrong and
oppression and to strive for the establishment of righteousness and justice.
2.1.1 Six Articles of Faith(matter of knowledge)
There are six basic Aqeedah or article of faith (Iman)
and these are to believe in
a. Allah,
b. His
angels,
c. His Books,
d. His
Messengers,
e. In coming
to life after death (resurrection) the Day of Judgment,
f. And in
that the fate good and bad is predetermined by Allah.
2.1.2 The issues of ‘aqeedah are invisible
a. It may be noted that the issues which we are required
to believe in are unseen matters, not visible, tangible things.
b. Allah is unseen, as are His Angels and the Last Day.
With regard to His Books and Messengers, one might think that they are visible,
but what is referred to here is the belief that they come from Allah.
c. Example: the Messengers were sent by Allah and that
the Books were revealed by Allah, which is the matter of the unseen.
2.1.3 Correct ‘aqeedah and false ‘aqeedah
a. The correct ‘aqeedah: It is composed of the set of
beliefs brought by the noble Messengers. This is the one ‘aqeedah, because it
was sent down by the All - Knowing, All –Aware (Allah); it cannot be imagined
that it differs from one Messenger to another, or from one time to another.
b. False beliefs: They are very many indeed. Their
falseness stems from the fact that they are the product of human thought and
intellect. No matter how great mankind may become, their knowledge is (and will
remain) limited and is (and will continue to be) influenced by the customs,
traditions and thoughts that surround them.
2.1.4 ‘Aqeedah and Eemaan
a. Eemaan is like a good, strong tree that is firmly
rooted in good soil with its branches reaching up into the sky, bearing
abundant fruit, producing its fruit for everyone by the grace of its Rabb. Thus
eemaan is the tree; its roots are 'aqeedah which is rooted deeply in the heart,
and its trunk, branches and fruits are deeds and actions.
b. If the roots
are removed or turn rotten or dried up, they will no longer exist. Similarly,
eemaan will no longer exist if 'Aqeedah is taken away. if deeds are neglected,
in part or in whole, then eemaan will be reduced or destroyed.
2.2 Worship (Ibadah)
Ibadah (act
of worship) is an Arabic word derived from `abd (a slave) and it means
submission.
It portrays that Allah is your Master and you
are His slave and whatever a slave does in obedience to and for the pleasure of
his Master is `ibadah. The Islamic concept of `ibadah is very wide.
The
meaning of "ibadah" in the Arabic language is
obedience, submission, and humility.
*The
Spirit of `Ibadah in Islam
By Syed
Abul A`la Maududi
Muslim
Scholar and Reformer
2.2.1 Concept of worship in Islam
a. Worship is everything one says or does for the
pleasure of God.
b. Worship includes rituals as well as beliefs, social
activities, and personal contributions to the welfare of one's fellow
human-beings.
c. A Muslim is required to submit him/her self completely
to God.
2.2.2 Common & Specific of Ibadah
|
Common
|
Specific
|
|
|
Fardhu
Ain
|
Fardhu
Kifayah
|
|
|
Meaning
|
Personally
Obligatory
|
Communally
Obligatory
|
|
Explaination
|
Act
is what Allah SWT requires from each and every morally responsible person
|
An
act which Allah SWT requires from the collectivity of those morally
responsible, not from each of individuals
|
|
Example
|
Ø Solat
Ø Zakat
Ø Hajj
(except for special conditions)
Ø Keeping
agreements
Ø Avoiding
wine
Ø Avoiding
Gambling
|
Ø Praying
over the dead
Ø Building
hospitals
Ø Lifesaving
Ø Industries
people require
Ø The
existence of Islamic courts and judges
Ø Responding
to someone who says "Assalaamu'alaikum"
|
2.3 RITUAL
WORSHIP
Islam sets down five
principle duties which are obligatory upon all Muslims, and form the structure,
or pillars, of his/her life. They are:
1. Belief in the Oneness of Allah, and the bearing of witness to this
belief by the words. "I bear witness that there is no god except Allah,
and that Muhammad is His Prophet and Messenger."
2. The five daily prayers at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset and
nightfall. These five daily prayers help one to develop Allah consciousness in
his/her everyday life. The importance of these cannot be over-emphasized. They
are a constant reminder to the worshipper of the Presence and Power of Allah
and help the worshipper to keep himself from deviating from the Right Path.
3. The bestowal of charity on one's fellow man. Islam places great
emphasis on generosity and charity as a means of purifying one's soul and
getting closer to Allah. The Muslim is enjoined to give voluntarily whenever
he/she can; however, he/she is required each year to pay an obligatory charity
tax of two and a half percent of his/her annual net earnings that exceed
necessities, to go to the poor and the needy, etc. The Zakat - charity - thus
enables the Muslim community to take care of all its members and insures that
no one will be deprived of his/her basic human right to exist.
4. Fasting during the ninth month of the lunar year 'Ramadan'. This
fast is enjoined upon Muslims of good health and sound body who have attained
the age of physical maturity and are not prevented from performing the fast by
various circumstances like travel, sickness, mental illness, or specifically in
the case of women, menstruation, or childbirth. The fast of Ramadan begins at
dawn and last until sunset. During this period the Muslim abstains from eating,
and drinking, sexual activity and smoking. Fasting teaches self discipline and
control, while purifying the soul and body and strengthening one's
consciousness of Allah.
5. The pilgrimage to Mecca. The pilgrimage is required of all Muslims
at least once during their lifetime, if they have the financial means. The
annual pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the greatest events of the Muslim world,
uniting Muslims from every race and from every corner of the world. This is a
great experience in the life of a Muslim which enables him to draw himself
closer to Allah. We would like to remind the reader that the Holy Mosque in
Mecca was built by Prophet Abraham and his son, the Prophet Ishmail, peace be
upon them.
2.5 Akhlaq (ethics)
- Definition ethics is known as akhlaq ( plural
of khuluq ) which means character, nature, disposition.
- Al-Ghazali states that man consists of two
forms, khalq and khulq. Khalq refers to the physical form of mankind,
while khulq ( which is the singular form of akhlaq ) refers to the
spiritual form of mankind
- Thus, akhlaq from al-Ghazali’s point of view
is rooted in the soul and manifested through man’s actions. Good soul will
produce right action and vice versa
2.5.1 Sources
- Qur’an and sunnah ( scriptural morality ) –
the original core of the Islamic ethical spirit
- Sunnah (acts and conversation prophet MUHAMMAD
S.A.W )
- Islamic theology – they discussed the source
of ethica; knowledge, the basis of moral obligation, the meaning of
ethical terms, the question of human freedom and responsibility and god’s
justice
2.5.2 Features
Of Ethics In Islam
Features morals are:
a. Moral act is an act that has been deeply embedded in the soul of
a
person, so it has become a personality.
b. Moral act is an act which is done easily and without thought .
c. Morals are acts that arise in people who do it .
d. Morals are the acts done by indeed. Morals ( especially good morals )
is sincere acts done solely for Allah's sake.
e. Because morality is a condition inherent in the soul , then a new act
called probation if certain conditions are met , among others :
f. The act was done repeatedly .
g. Doing so easily arise without thought or researched in advance so it
really is a habit
Stated in a hadith of the Prophet :
عَنْ
اَنَسِ بْنِ ماَلِكٍ قَالَ النَّبُّى صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : تَرَكْتُ
فِيْكُمْ اَمْرَيْنِ لَنْ تَضِلُّوْا ماَ تَمَسَّكْتُمْ بِهِمَا كِتَابَ اللهِ
وَسُنَّةَ وَرَسُوْلِهِ
Meaning " From Anas Bin Malik
said : The Prophet said : Have I left two things for you all , that if you
stick to them , it will not be lost , even the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of
His Messenger
2.5.3 Types
of Akhlak
a. Morals to Allah
i.
Worship God
ii.
Remembrance of
Allah
iii.
Pray to Allah
iv.
Trust in God
v.
Humility to Allah
b. Morals to Ourselves :
i.
Patience ,
ii.
Be grateful
iii.
humility
c. Morals to the family :
i.
Morals of the
family is to develop the love between family members expressed in the form of
communication . Morals to parents is to do good to them with words and deeds .
d. Morals to Humans :
i.
Moral good for
others in fact a form of affection and results of true faith , as the words of
the Prophet , " The most perfect believers are the best names morals. And
the best among you are those who are best to their wives . " ( HR . Ahmad
) . Between morality - the morality of them , are :
2.5.3.1 Finer
a.
Application of
fellow human morals and the good characteristics are as follows :
b.
Husnuzan
c.
Tawaduk
d.
Tasamu
e.
Ta'awun
2.5.3.2 Disgraced Morals
a.
Envy
b.
rancor
c.
Gibah and Slander
d.
Namimah
2.5.4 Why
ethics important?
- Morals shaping behavior
- Balance morals affect consideration
- Morals reflects the faith
- Morals as a symbol of human civilization
- Morals are catalysts change
2.5.5 Morals
Mahmudah and mazmumah
- Definition of moral mahmudah :
"Good" in Arabic is called "khair", in English called
"good". From some dictionaries and encyclopedias acquired the
notion of "good“
- Definition of bad behavior : Akhlak mazmumah
is temperament or behavior that is reflected in human beings that tend to
stick in a form that does not please others.
3.0 Conclusion
Virtue is a habit of spontaneous attitudes and actions in everyday life
that have been embedded in the soul of a person. Morals are a commendable is
the habit of good behavior, while otherwise despicable character. Humans are
the caliph, was gift of God to mankind perfection of God's creation more than
others, even though the perfection is also contained limitations.
The Divine Religion, Islam is complete in all aspects; it is the
constitution for a happy life in this world, and an eternal and everlasting one
in the Hereafter. You may find some deviated manners or faults in the way
Muslims deal with themselves and others, but know that Islam has nothing to do
with these short comings.
This may be due to their ignorance of the religion or weakness in their
faith which leads them to do what you see, so do not judge Islam according to
what you may experience from some of its followers. This small publication
should be regarded as a key to start researching the Truth, but must be
accompanied with the following traits such as one should remove any individual
desires or religious biases from his/her mind, one should have a true desire to
reach and know the Truth and not hunt for faults and errors, one should think
independently and should not merely judge with something because others have.
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