What is the definition of religion in Islam?
A way of life. Or codes of living. So, Islam does not only cover spirituality, it is about everything we need in this world as well as the hereafter.
Why we need religion?
History has proved that human brain is limited. Islam, not only provides a management system for our emotional lives that helps the human organism stay healthy and well, it provides all functions of our everyday life from personal aspects, to family issues, to governing our society and goes even further: provides what we need in the hereafter life (the so-called salvation).
Who is Allah?
Allah is the Arabic word for “one God”. Allah is not God of Muslims only. He is God of all creations, because He is their Creator and Sustainer.
What is the definition of Allah in Islam?
Simply, Allah has two characteristics that can be used as our definitions for Him:
- He is a thing that cannot be denied.
- There is nothing like Him.
In order to understand the first characteristic, think of space. If you deny the existence of space, you deny existence of everything material. And if you deny existence of knowledge, then we cannot talk of anything. Allah in Islam, and particularly in Shia Islam, is the source of everything. So, if there is no source, there is nothing there to discuss about.
In order to clarify more, the second characteristic tells us that whatever comes to our mind, is far from being the Almighty Allah.
Is God made by humans?
The epistemological image of God is indeed made by human brain. That is why we all have a different image of God. But we simply feel that we are not creator of ourselves. Or even in control of ourselves. The very fact that we understand there is a world outside our mind proves that there is something out of our brain that controls the world. Look at the definition of Allah above.
What is the evidence of supernatural?
The evidence is in ourselves. At some stage of our life, usually at puberty, we feel the need to answer the following questions:
- Who am I?
- Where am I? (what is the nature of my environment?)
- Why me or this world has been created?
- What is my destiny?
The above questions and similar ones are strong evidence that we need to know the answers to the above questions. So, even if we are naturalists, we should agree that answering the above questions is a natural thing. Hence, supernatural is the model of laws and rules that govern this world.
What are the benefits of religion?
• Understand the meaning of life (including what is going on).
• Promoting ethics and good morals in every aspect of life.
• Inner strength and courage to do the right thing.
• The message of love and forgiveness.
• Teachings of goodwill and the golden rule (do unto others).
• Sense of community and belonging.
• Selfless Service.
- Salvaging an eternal life.
Do we have instinct?
Yes. But it is very difficult to say what are they? Instincts do not change by time and their value of truth remains the same all the time (they are not like our knowledge that keeps changing all the time). Instinct is what we have at birth; the ability to extract information from the world outside our mind.
What is the role of intellect in Islam?
Almost all academic researchers agree with the fact that Islam is a rational religion. However, any religion is about faith. But in Islam, faith and intellect go hand in hand. As our right brain (the home of emotion and faith) and left brain (the home of logic and analysis) work together. In the Dark Ages where there was no rational thinker in the West, it was Muslim scholars who developed the logic and improved it. Scholars like Farabi and Avicenna are well known to scientists in this field.
Does faith mean blind following?
Not always. First of all, one should know that every human thought including scientific ones are affected by our world views and emotions. This is discussed in detail in a paper called “The role of religions in technology today”.
Secondly, faith in religions does not necessarily mean to restrict one’s perception, suppress his thoughts and emotions, and live in hypocrisy — in other words, to live in pain and misery. We agree that some do exactly that, but they are in total minority. It is true that our faith must be aligned with evidence, not mere yearning. Without rational standards, like those entrenched in science, we will all sprawl toward chaos and end up in pre-Enlightenment darkness. But losing faith also strips human thoughts from being ethical and humane. Moreover, irrationality in religious faith may even be the source of its power.
Why religions are more philanthropical?
Humans are extremely dependent on others — not just for acquiring resources and skills, but for feeling well. And feeling well is more important than thinking well for our survival. Religious practice is a form of social interaction that can improve psychological health. When you’ve lost a loved one, religion provides a healing framework of rituals and beliefs that produce the oxytocin, internal opioids, dopamine and other positive effects that can help with coping and surviving. Beliefs play a role, but they are not the primary mechanisms for delivering such therapeutic power. Instead, religious practice (rituals, prayers, and philanthropical / devotional activities) manage our emotions, giving us opportunities to express care for each other in grief, providing us with the alleviation of stress and anxiety, or good feeling of helping our fellow humans in need.
Do we have emotional intelligence?
If you ask anybody who has thought about this subject the answer will surely be positive. But since Socrates, our scientific world has scrapped emotions with grave results. Today, we have many scientists who are working on how our feelings and our thoughts blend together to compose our mental lives and our behaviours? The neuroscientist Antonio Damasio has shown that emotions saturate even the seemingly pure information-processing aspects of rational deliberation.
It is true that the criteria for measuring a healthy theory are not the criteria for measuring a healthy emotion; that is why we do not have right and wrong in emotions. But unlike a healthy theory, which must correspond with empirical facts, a healthy emotion is one that contributes to neurochemical homeostasis or other affective states that promote biological flourishing. Something that gives us strength to fight the difficulties and continue to live despite all problems of life.
Are religions opium of the people?
Marxists claim that religion is an opiate administered indirectly by state power in order to secure a docile populace — one that accepts poverty and political powerlessness, in hopes of posthumous supernatural rewards. “Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature,” Marx claimed, “the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.”
Stephen Asma writes in the New York times: Religion is energizing as often as it is anesthetizing. As often as it numbs or sedates, religion also riles up and invigorates the believer. This animating quality of religion can make it more hazardous to the state than it is tranquilizing, and it also inspires a lot of altruistic philanthropy.
If he knew about Imam Hussain (AS) and his uprising against the tyranny, he could use it as a very successful example of what a religion, specially Islam can do against oppressor governors.
Who was Muhammad (pbuh)?
In brief, Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was born in a noble tribe of Mecca in Arabia in the year 570 AD. His ancestry goes back to Prophet Ishmael (Pbuh), son of Prophet Abraham (Pbuh). His father died before his birth and his mother died when he was six. He did not attend a formal school since he was raised first by a nurse as it was the custom those days, and then by his grandfather and uncle. As a young man, he was known as a righteous person who used to meditate in a cave. At age 40, he was given the prophethood when the angel, Gabriel, appeared in the cave. Subsequently, the revelations came over 23 years and were compiled in the form of a book called the Quran which Muslims consider as the final and the last word of God. The Quran has been preserved, unchanged, in its original form and confirms the truth in the Torah, the psalms and the Gospel.
What is Islam?
The word “Islam” means peace and submission. Peace means to be at peace with yourself and your surroundings and submission means submitting to the will of God. A broader meaning of the word “Islam” is to achieve peace by submitting to the will of God.
Islam is a religion which guides its followers, known as Muslims, in every aspect of their lives. It is a way of life. Islam is the modern or latest version of the message sent by God through Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them all). Islam was sent to humankind through Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). Islam is a religion which seeks to give a meaningful purpose to our life on this earth. It seeks to guide us in fulfilling that purpose by creating harmony between ourselves, our Creator and fellow human beings.
What are the pillars of Islam?
According to Shia Muslims, there are five major pillars of Islam which form its doctrine. These are:
- Unity of God. The belief in one God
- God is Just. God will never do anything unjust. He will punish the sinners accordingly
- Muhammad (Pbuh) is the messenger of God
- Imamate. There are twelve Imams who deliver Islam after the demise of the Prophet Mohammad.
- Hereafter. Those who do good will be rewarded and those who do wrong will be punished accordingly. Thus, He created Heaven and Hell and there are admission criteria for both. Muslims believe that the present life is a temporary one. It is a testing ground and if we pass the test, we will be given a life of permanent pleasure in the company of good people in the Heaven.
However, in order to be a Muslim, one needs to declare only to the unity of God and the prophet-hood of Mohammad (SAW). But in order to be a Shia, one should not only adhere to the five pillars of Islam but should also have the highest possible attribute for being a good human being (a pious).
What is the Qur’an?
Qur’an is the book of God as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and his progeny. The purpose of Holy Qur’an is to guide humankind to God and to the correct way of living life. Qur’an is miraculous from many dimensions. For example, no human being can write such perfect guidance on so many subjects. The language used in the Qur’an is of a supreme nature and has the unique quality of conveying oceans of meaning in simple but powerful words. From the time it was revealed, Qur’an has remained in its original, pure, and unaltered form. The topics of the Qur’an include stories of past prophets and moral lessons learned from their descriptions of the afterlife, commentary on the events during the times of early Muslims, practical code of daily conduct, nobility of character of the Prophet Muhammad and his family, and spiritual and metaphorical appeals to the human intellect to know God in the world outside and within the soul. Muslims read passages from the Qur’an in their daily prayers.
Who are the Ahlul Bayt?
According to the most authentic traditions narrated in the collections of all Muslim schools of thought, the Ahlul Bayt (AS) (literally People of the House) of the Prophet are one of the two sources of guidance for humankind after the departure of the Prophet Muhammad from this world. The Prophet (SAW) reminded the Muslim community time after time to adhere to the Qur’an and Ahlul Bayt, in order not to go astray after him. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) also informed us that these two are inseparable until the end of time. Therefore, in order to understand the Qur’an and the traditions of the Prophet (SAW), we should always refer to the Ahlul Bayt (AS). The position of the Ahlul Bayt is a result of their individual piety and knowledge. After the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the Ahlul Bayt consists of Fatimah al-Zahra (AS), Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), Imam Hasan (AS), Imam Hussain (AS), and the nine descendants of Imam Hussain (AS).
What is the purpose of worship in Islam?
The purpose of worship in Islam is to be conscious and admirer of God. Thus, the worship, whether it is prayer, fasting, or charity, is a means to achieve conscious of God, in thought and in action. He will then be in a better position to receive His bounties both in this world and the hereafter.
What is Sharia?
Sharia is the comprehensive Muslim law derived from four sources,
a) the Quran
b) the Sunnah or traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) and Ahlul Bayt (his progeny)
c) Intellect (rational reasoning)
d) the ijma (consensus of scholars).
It covers every aspect of daily individual and social living. The purpose of Islamic laws is to give them what is good for them both in this life and more importantly in the hereafter. The low crime rate in Muslim societies is due to the application of the Islamic laws.
What is Jihad?
The word “Jihad” means struggle, or to be specific, striving in the cause of God. Any struggle done in day to day life to please God can be considered Jihad. One of the highest levels of Jihad is to stand up to a tyrant and speak a word of truth. Control of the self from wrong doing is also a great Jihad. One of the forms of Jihad is to take up arms in defence of Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked. However, the offensive type of Jihad has to be declared by the religious leader (Imam).
What do Muslims think of Jesus?
Muslims think highly of Jesus (Pbuh) and his worthy mother, Mary (Pbuh). Quran calls Jesus the soul of God as compared to the son of God by Christians! Quran tells us that Jesus was born of a miraculous birth without a father. “Lo! The likeness of Jesus with Allah is the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, and then He said unto him: Be and he is” (Quran 3.59). He was given many miracles as a prophet. These include speaking soon after his birth in defence of his mother’s piety. God’s other gifts to him included healing the blind and the sick, reviving the dead, making a bird out of clay and most importantly, the message he was carrying. These miracles were given to him by God to establish him as a prophet. According to Quran, he was not crucified but was raised into Heaven. (Quran, Chapter Maryam)
Was Islam spread by the sword?
According to the Quran, “There is no compulsion in religion” (2:256), thus, no one can be forced to become a Muslim. While it is true that in many places where Muslim armies went to liberate people or the land, they did carry the sword. However, Islam did not spread by sword because in many places where there are Muslims now, in the Far East like Indonesia, in China, and many parts of Africa, there are no records of any Muslim armies going there. To say that Islam was spread by the sword would be to say that Christianity was spread by guns, F-16’s and atomic bombs, etc., which is not true. Christianity spread by the missionary works of Christians. Ten-percent of all Arabs are Christians. In India, where Muslims ruled for 700 years, they are still a minority. In the U.S.A., Islam is the fastest growing religion and has 6 million followers without any sword around.
Does Islam promote violence and terrorism?
Absolutely not. Islam is a religion of peace and submission and stresses on the sanctity of human life. A verse in the Quran (5:32) says that “anyone who saves one life, it is as if he has saved the whole of mankind and anyone who has killed another person (except in lieu of murder or mischief on earth) it is as if he has killed the whole of mankind.” Islam condemns all the violence which happened in the Crusades, in Spain, in WW II, or even to Jews by Christians. Please note that Muslims are against Zionists and not Jews. Anyone who is doing violence is not practicing his religion at that time. Sometimes the violence is due to a struggle between those who have with those who do not have, or between those who are oppressed with those who are oppressors. We need to find out why people become terrorists. Unfortunately, the Palestinians who are doing violence are called terrorists, but not the armed Israeli settlers when they do the same; sometimes even against their own people. Please note that sometimes those who want Peace and those who oppose Peace can be of the same religion. Westerners often overlook this fact that ISIS terrorists killed much more Muslims (both Shia and Sunni) than Christians. They did not kill even one Jew.
Does Islam promote polygamy?
No, polygamy in Islam is a permission not an injunction. Historically, all the prophets except Jesus, who was not married at all, had more than one wife. For Muslim men to have more than one wife is a permission which is given to them in the Quran, not to satisfy lust, but for the welfare of the widows and the orphans of the wars.
Does Islam oppress women?
No. On the contrary, Islam elevated the status of women 1,400 years ago by giving them the right to divorce, the right to have financial independence and support and the right to be identified as dignified women (Hijab) when in the rest of the world, including Europe, women had no such rights. Women are equal to men in all acts of piety (Quran 33:32). Islam allows women to keep their maiden name after marriage, their earned money and spend it as they wish, and ask men to be their protector as women on the street can be molested. Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) told Muslim men, “the best among you is the one who is best to his family.” Not Islam, but some Muslim men, do oppress women today. This is because of their cultural habits or their ignorance about their religion. Female Genital Mutilations has nothing to do with Islam. It is a pre-Islamic African Custom, practiced by non-Muslims including Coptic Christians as well.
What is the Islamic view on contemporary issues?
a. Dating and Premarital sex: Islam does not approve of intimate mixing of the sexes, and forbids premarital or extramarital sex. Islam encourages marriage as a shield to such temptations and as a means of having mutual love, mercy and peace.
b. Abortion: Islam considers abortion as murder and does not permit it except to save the mother’s life (Quran 17:23-31, 6:15 1).
c. Homosexuality and AIDS: Islam categorically opposes homosexuality and considers it a sin. However, Muslim physicians are advised to care for AIDS patients with compassion just as they would for other patients.
d. Euthanasia and Suicide: Islam is opposed to both suicide and euthanasia. Muslims do not believe in heroic measures to take the misery in a terminally ill patient.
e. Organ transplantation: Islam stresses upon saving lives (Quran 5:32); thus, transplantation in general would be considered permissible provided a donor consent is available. The sale of the organ is not allowed.
Where can I obtain information about Islam?
Please either refer to Hedayat Centre website at www.hedayatcentre.org or write to the Islamic Education Board, Dar al Tableegh, Jackets Lane, Harefield, Middlesex UB9 6PZ, United Kingdom, or email IEB@world-federation.org
Allah = The One and Only God
Pbuh or SAW = Peace be upon him and his family (SAW is used for Prophet Muhammad only)
AS = Peace be upon him/her
Download the Philosophy of Islamic Laws Book to know more About this subject.
