Math Forum / Mathematics / Numerical Analysis / October 2008

Islam The Modern Alternative

I know that my article is not related to this group ,but it might be
useful.

PLEASE read it.

Islam The Modern Alternative

Some people think that to live an Islamic life is "restrictive". Islam
however, was revealed as a balanced way of living.

Allah (The Most High) created all the humans with what is called ‘A
Fitrah’ (a natural state/desire) [1]

Islam recognises that within this Fitrah there are motivations that
influence a man’s role on earth e.g. a desire for good food and drink,
to have a home, a desire for love and sex, to protect and be protected
and to be successful and strong. Without some form of control and
limit, all of these legitimate motives could prove very dangerous.
So what constitutes the perfect control for the Fitrah? It must be a
method that provides an organised yet practical demonstration of how
to balance all these natural human desires. It cannot be something
that goes against the Fitrah, by placing on it extra burdens.
Likewise, it cannot be something that allows the human desires to run
wild without any form of control.

Islam is the perfect control for the Fitrah. It provides a divine
method that elevates man above animals and the rest of creation.

Limited Wisdom

Humans lack perfect knowledge as well as perfect wisdom. No matter how
hard we try, we will never attain the perfect way of life by our own
thinking and interpretation. This is the reason why Allaah being the
Most Wise, sent us the Qur’an and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)[2] to
show us this practical and organised way of life.

Allaah, being Perfect, in His Wisdom and Knowledge, perfected a
complete way of life for us. He has set His limitations and rules, all
of which are beneficial to mankind, and therefore, do not need
changing:

"These are the limits (set) by Allaah, so do not approach them" The
Holy Qur’an, Chapter 2, Verse 187.

"These are the limits set by Allaah, so do not transgress them" The
Holy Qur’an, Chapter 2, Verse 229.

This is why Islam does not allow celibacy, because it is against the
Fitrah, i.e., the desire for sex. Celibacy goes beyond the limits
required by humans, and is something that cannot be fulfilled because
humans are designed to procreate. As humans we are not expected to
fast every single day for the rest of our lives (for most 30 days of
the year provides an up-hill struggle). It is also from ignorance to
say that ‘I shall not sleep during the night, but rather I shall
pray!’ [3] Humans have not been created by Allah to live life in such
a manner. There is a balance which must be observed.

The following incident describes the Islamic stance towards such
behaviour, Anas reported that some of the Companions of Allaah’s
Messenger (PBUH) used to say: "I will not marry women"; someone else
said: "I will not eat meat"; and someone else said: "I will not lie
down in bed". (On hearing this): The Prophet (PBUH) praised Allaah,
and glorified Him and said: "what has happened to these people that
they say so and so, whereas I observe prayer and I sleep too. I
observe fast and I break my fast; I marry women also. And he who turns
away from my Sunnah (i.e., my example or lifestyle), he has no
relation with me" [Narrated in Saheeh Muslim vol. 2. p703. no.
32361].

Islam on the other hand, does not allow the person to surrender
themselves to lust and desire, as in contemporary ‘civilisation’.
Islam recognises the love a man has for women, children, gold, silver,
and other possessions. But it provides a limit for the amount of this
worldly pleasure which we require, and reminds us of the life in the
hereafter.

"Beautified for men is the love of things they desire: Women,
Children, much of gold and silver (wealth), branded beautiful horses,
cattle and well-tilled land. This is the pleasure of the present
world’s life, but Allaah has the excellent return (Paradise)" The Holy
Qur’an, Chapter 3, Verse 141.

The inclinations and desires of the Fitrah are not to become the
objective in life. Rather they are to be taken in a stabilised manner.
The way to deal with them is real and Allaah (The Most High) has given
us the detailed descriptions of a levelled approach. This levelled
approach gives mankind the perfectly balanced pleasure in this worldly
life. The method of maintaining a well-balanced life is not an
endurance test to see who lasts the longest. Allah has revealed Islam,
to show us how to attain this balance in a real manner. Life is not a
torturous spiritual test, where you are ordered to Iive in mountains
and trees. Fasting all year round is not obligatory. Marriage is
permissible and you do not have to beat yourself senseless to purify
your soul! Rather as Muslims, we must try to follow the Prophet and
his balanced teachings of life and living. As Allah says in the
Qur’an:

"Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), you have a good example to
follow.." The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 33, Verse 21.

Restrictive Rules

The use of the word "restrictive" often comes from those who think
they live a "free- life". But the fact of the matter is that, wherever
you go you will find rules and regulations. For example, in the
workplace, in colleges and universities and more obviously on the
roads, i.e. the highway and green cross codes. Wherever you are, there
are rules and regulations.

Islam forbids us to follow many of the rules which are held by western
culture and subcultures. Yet people in the west are more than willing
to obey them, because they believe that these rules will protect them.
How wrong they are! Rave subculture is a classical example of this.
Informal dance floor rules dictate to us ". . . . to drink lots of
water, have frequent breaks and don’t take too many pills in one go!"
Despite these "recommendations", young people are still dying [4].

Western society is obsessed with ’safe sex’, in order to ‘prevent the
risk of catching AIDS’. Despite the wide availability of
contraceptives, AIDS is still on the increase, and people are dropping
like flies from this killer epidemic.

Do we think of these rules as being restrictive? If anything you would
expect them to bring about a sense of control and order, as well as
increasing the pleasure. Without realising, people are ready and
willing to accept many man-made rules. Rules that are invented by one
group of people and to be obeyed by the rest of society. These rules
are not perfect because man is imperfect, yet people accept them and
hope and believe that they will benefit from them.

A Better Offer!

So when the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth is offering a reward
which is high, and the Benefit is eternal, shouldn’t we at least see
what’s on offer?

"You desire the good of this world, but Allaah desires (for you) the
Hereafter. And Allaah is Almighty, All Wise" The Holy Qur’an, Chapter
8, Verse 67.

". . . in a lofty Paradise. Therein will be a running spring. Therein
will be thrones raised high. And cups set at hand. And cushions set in
rows. And rich carpets (all) spread out" The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 88,
Verses 10-16.

This worldly life has many good things in it. Things that Allah has
created for us to utilise. But the reality is all of these luxuries
and benefits of the world will come to an end. For example, a person’s
good looks may do them many favours during their youth, but will it
hold them on good ground when they are 60. Such is the reality of old
age.

Likewise with wealth. Islam allows you to gain wealth as long as you
do not oppress other people, and transgress the limits set by Allaah
(The Most High). An example of this is making people pay back more
money than they actually borrow, through usury or interest payments.

However wealth can not benefit you when you die, as it only passes on
to your family as inheritance. Such is the civility of modem society,
that many people are even killed, just so that inheritance can be
gained sooner rather then later!!

Thus, we should see ourselves as travellers on a journey. A traveller
is one who is constantly on the move. He will only take essential
provisions, and not all his life’s possessions. Likewise, a person
must realise that Allah did not design the luxuries of this world to
last forever. They only exist to aid our worship of Allah, which will
take us to the journey’s end, the hereafter. Being human, we must one-
day die, and our worldly benefits and luxuries will also perish. The
true wealth is indeed with Allah in the next-life. As Allah says:

"Seeking the perishable goods of the worldly life. There are much more
profits and booties with Allah" The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 4, Verse 94.

Man-made restrictions exist in all aspects of western society.
Industry, travel and leisure, are just a few of the sectors which are
dominated by human restrictions. Humans automatically assume that
these restrictions are there to protect them. In part this may be
true, but what about the restrictions set by Allah which can save the
whole of man-kind? Such restrictions come from the One Who is Perfect,
and not man, who is imperfect! The so-called ‘freedom’ of ‘modern
civilisation’, is one which is defined for you, by another human. We
are often told what is ‘politically correct’ and what is not. We are
told that this is what everybody will be wearing this Summer, and that
this is the film to watch. Those are the new Hollywood stars to
emerge. You shouldn’t be seen ‘dead’ in this dress and you should
paint your finger-nails this colour. The list is endless. All of this
is then redefined to fit in with the next wave of fashion trends.

Those who do not conform are labelled bigamist, narrow-minded,
backward, out-dated and so on.

Modern civilisation allows you so much freedom, that you can even
waiver the law if you are ‘well connected’. Laws are often defined by
a small group of people, with everyone else conforming to what they
consider right and wrong. What kind of justice is this? This would be
more acceptable to those who accept the concept of man being divine. A
concept where men decide what is moral and immoral even if it
contradicts what God has already laid out for us. God has no part to
play in such a civilisation, because man has adopted the role of god
for himself. History bears witness to this as it was the way of the
civilisations before the advent of the prophet Muhammad (PBUH), as
Allah says:

"They (Jews & Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be
their lords besides Allah (by obeying them in things which they made
lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being
ordered by Allah)" The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 9, Verse 31.

The true freedom of man is found in a civilisation that has a divine
value system. A civilisation in which man submits to his Creator
alone. A civilisation that reacts with the life of this world and
links it to the Day of Judgement. On that Day, everyone will be held
accountable in front of ALLAH, the Creator and The True Master of the
universe.

The Purpose

Allaah created man and man belongs to Him. Allah decreed that one day
man shall die and return to Him. The world is just a temporary period.
We are born, we live in this world and then we die.

So while we are on this earth Allaah has given us the instruction
manual to shape our lives according to what He has decreed. This is
the meaning of worship. It requires absolute obedience, humility and
love for Allaah, the way He has prescribed it.

We cannot love Allaah the way we want to, especially if we do not know
what Allaah loves or hates in the first place.

So through Allaah’s Perfect Wisdom and Infinite Knowledge, He sent us
the Qur’aan and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and told us how this love
is to be expressed:

"Say (O Muhammad (PBUH) to mankind): If you really love Allaah then
follow me (i.e. the Prophet (saw), and accept that Allaah is the one
truly deserving of worship, follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah). Allaah
will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allaah is Most Forgiving,
Most Merciful" The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 3, Verse 31.

The Problem with Human Law

Humans by themselves cannot determine what is good and bad for each
other for all of the time.

Man-made laws are often defined by a person’s personal motives,
emotions, limited intellect, beliefs and prejudices. Thus, they are
designed with these built-in flaws. This is why human law has so many
loop-holes and deficiencies. It is always requiring change,
modification and re-modification, time after time!

So when Allaah (The Most High) revealed the Qur’an and the example of
the Prophet (PBUH), all the details about good and bad, or right and
wrong, were not left for the limited nature of mankind to define for
themselves. Allaah (The Most High) says:

"And We have sent down to you the Book (Qur’an) as an EXPLANATION of
EVERYTHING and a GUIDANCE, a Mercy and glad tidings for those who have
surrendered (to Allaah as Muslims)" The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 16, Verse
89.

So What is Islam saying?

The message of Islam fits the Fitrah of man. Allaah (The Most Wise)
created man in the best form. He gave his Fitrah the ability to
believe in the unseen. Thus, man’s soul and its horizons are broader
and more open than that of the rest of creation - like the animals,
bird’s and insects. In nature we can see the signs of Allah:

"Do they not look at the camels, and how they were created? And at the
heavens, how it is raised? And at the mountains, how they are rooted
and fixed firm? And at the earth, how it is spread out?" The Holy
Qur’an, Chapter 88, Verses 17-20.

In ourselves we can see Allah’s signs through the diversity of our
languages, colours and nationalities.

"O mankind! We have created you from a male and female, and have made
you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another" The Holy
Qur’an, Chapter 49, Verse 13.

Having been told this, we must now recognise the Perfect way our
Creator has chosen for us to follow, which is:

"Indeed, in the Messenger (Muhammad [PBUH]), you have a good example
to follow" The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 33, Verse 21.

We have been commanded to worship Allah alone without partners. We
must recognise and understand that He is the Only True God who
deserves to be worshipped;

"So know (Muhammad [PBUH]), that none has the right to be worshipped
except Allah" The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 47, Verse 19.

To help us do this, Allaah (The Most High) sent the Prophet Muhammed
(PBUH), to deliver and explain the Final Message of Islam, and to help
us recognise and worship our Lord in the best manner. We have been
told to form our lives’ according to this Message, by following and
imitating the Final Messenger who is our only guide to worshipping our
Lord: Allah.

This is what is meant when we say: Laa-illaa-ha il-Allaah, wa
Muhammadur Rasool-Allah. "There is no true God worthy of worship
except Allaah, and Muhammad is the Final Messenger of Allaah"

Footnotes

[1] This can be explained as, the inborn or innate nature of mankind
to recognise the Truth about the Creator [Allah]; that he is the only
one who truly and sincerely deserves to be worshipped.

[2] Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam, i.e. The peace and Blessings Of Allah
Be upon him (the Prophet). We as Muslims have been commanded to say
this every time the Prophet’s name is mentioned. This is done as a
mark of respect and the honour which he deserves.

[3] This is not to say that prayer at night is not important, but if
you don’t get enough sleep how are you going to fulfil your other
obligations, e.g. going to work in order to provide for your family.
The times of praying at night have been explained by the Prophet
(PBUH) as being in the last 3rd of the night before the Fajr prayer.

[4] The death of the teenager Leah Betts a few years ago [in England],
has shown how such rules work to destroy the very society which forms
them.

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