Characteristics of Islam
Godliness
Two objectives of Godliness
1. The godliness of objective and goals
2. The godliness of source and methods
The Godliness of Objective and Goal
- The ultimate goal of Islam is to attain Allah's love and pleasure
"Such a goal is man's greatest hope in life and his most urging incentive for toiling"
84:61
"And that is to your Lord (Allah) is the end (return of everything)"
53:42
- Every item of the Islamic Law aims at preparing man to be a pure servant of Allah alone
Example:
Jihad
"No persecution and the religion prescribed by God (Allah) is fully established"
8:39
The Godliness of Method and Source
- Islam is the only method or system in the world which is absaloutely revealed from Allah
- no change or distortion
- Sourced from al-Quran and as-Sunnah
The Benefits of Godliness in Oneself and His Life
1. Realization of the aim of the aim of human existence
- By means of Godliness, man knows his goals in life, his directions, his motives, and the nature of his mission
2. Guidance to Man's Fitrah
- Godliness also guides man to fitrah that Allah created in him (belief in Allah and His religion)
"So set yourslef steadfast to the religion on a true pat, the instinctive religion which Allah has created in mankind"
30:30
3. Peace of Mind
- Means peace from all sort of internal conflicts
- It saves man from being turned away among different objectives
- The objective is one, that is only Allah's pleasure
"Whoever holds fast to God (Allah) is indeed guided to the straight path"
3:101
4. Freedom From One's Slavery to Own Selfishness and Desires
- when the godly feeling takes hold of one's heart, it free's one from being a slave to his own lust and sensual pleasures
Humanity
- The whole Quran is talking to or about man.
> The word mankind (al-Insan) is repeated 63 times
> The word Sons of Adam (Bani Adam) is repeated 6 times
> The word people (an-Nas) is repeated 240 times
- Muhammad (PBUH) is the human prophet
- In Islamic laws, the part devoted to the act of worship is one-third or one quarter of the whole, the remainder is devoted to man's affair such as personal relations, transaction, penal laws, etc.
- Morevoer, regarding the greatest acts of worship themselves contain a noticable human side.
Example:
Zakah (alms)
- taking a sum from the rich (to purify his heart and wealth) to the poor (for self sufficiency)
Prayer
- an aid for man in the difficulties of his life
"O you who believe! Seek help through patience and prayer."
2:153
Fruits of Human Tendency to Islam
1. Brotherhood
"O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord (Allah), who created you from a single person (Adam) and from him, He created his wife (Eve) and from them both He created many man and women."
4:1
2. Equality
"O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of male nad female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other. Verily the most honourable of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)."
49:13
3. Freedom
- Freedom from inherited sins and slavery
"Say: Shall I seek for (my) Cherisher other than God, when he is the Cherisher of all things (that exist)? Every soul draws the meed of its acts on none but itself: no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another. Your goal in the end is towards God: He will tell you the truth of thing wherein ye disputed"
6:164
Comprehensiveness
- Islam is a message of all time and generation
- It is not a temporal message revealed to the prophets before Muhammad (PBUH)
- It is the message for the whole world
"And we did not send you, but as a mercy to all being"
21:107
"Say O people I am the Messenger of Allah to you all..."
7:158
- It is a message for man in every field of his life wether material or spiritual, individual or group, intellectual or practical, religous or political, economic or ethical.
Moderation
- Islam keep the balance between divinity and humanity, spirituality and materialism, this life and the life to come, the past and the future, individuality and collectivity, constancy and change, revelation and mind.
- Moderation means that each of these aspects should be given an attention without exageration or deficiency
"And the sky Allah raised it high, and has establishe the due balance, that you do not trangress the due balance. So weigh with justice, and fall not short in balance"
55:7-9
Aspects of Moderation
1. Moderation in Worship
"O ye who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on Friday (the Day of Assembly), hasten earnetsky to the Rememberance of God, and leave off your business (and traffic): that is the best for you if ye but knew! And when the prayer is finished, then may ye dsiperse through the land, and seek of the Bounty of God: celebrate the Praises of God often (and without stint): that ye may prosper"
(62:9-10)
2. Moderation in the Field of Morality
3. Moderation of Legislation
"On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischiefin the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people...."
(5:32)
