Muslim Woman

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A comparative study of religion and Deen, should help us understand the vital and fundamental characteristics of each and the differences between the two: "Religion & Deen (Islam)"

→ Religion is merely some sort of subjective experience and is concerned only with the so-called private relationship between God and man. Deen is an objective reality and a system of collective life. Every follower of a Religion is satisfied that he has established a communion with the Almighty, and the objective of each individual is his own salvation. The aim of Deen on the other hand is the welfare and progress of all mankind, and the character and constitution of a society indicates whether or not it is founded upon the Divine Law.

→ Religion does not afford us any objective. criterion by which we could determine whether or not our actions are producing the desired results. In a social order governed by Deen, the development of a collective and harmonious life correctly indicates whether or not the people are pursuing the right course.

→ Religion is hostile to scientific investigation and is an adversary of reason, so that it could flourish unhampered with the aid of a blind faith. Deen helps in the development of human reason and knowledge, allows full freedom to accept or reject on the basis of reason and arguments, and encourages investigation and discovery of all the natural phenomena to illumine the path of human life and its advancement in the light of the Permanent Values.

→ Religion follows the susceptibilities and prejudices of men and pampers them. Deen seeks to lead men to a path of life that is in harmony with the realities of life.

→ In every age, therefore, Religion sets up new idols and mumbo-jumbos in order to keep the people's attention away from the real problems of life. But Deen is rational and radical: it breaks all idols, old and new, and is never variable in its principles.

→ Religion induces a perpetual sense of fear in the minds of men and seeks to frighten them into conformity; While Deen treats fear as a form of polytheism and seeks to make men courageous, daring and self-reliant.

→ Religion prompts men to bow before every seat of authority and prestige, religious as well as temporal. Deen encourages man to walk about with his head erect, and attain self-confidence.

→ Religion induces man to flee from struggle of life. But Deen calls upon him to face the realities of life squarely, whatever the hazards.

→ Religion treats the world of matter with contempt and calls upon man to renounce it. It promises paradise only in the Hereafter as a reward for the renunciation of the material world. Deen, on the other hand, enjoins the conquest of matter and leads man to immeasurable heights of attainment. It exhorts him to seek well-being and happiness in this world as well as felicity in the life Hereafter.

→ Religion encourages belief in fatalism, and this tends to dissuade man from active life and self-development. Deen gives man power to challenge fate, and provides energy for a life of activity and self-development.

→ Religion seeks to comfort the weak, the helpless and the oppressed with the belief that the affairs of this world are governed by the Will of God and that its acceptance and resignation helps to endear them to God. This sort of teaching naturally tends to morbidity, and emboldens their religious leaders who profess to interpret the Will of God, so that they indulge in their misdeeds with perfect impunity and persuade the adherents to a complete and quiet submission. Deen, on the other hand, raises the banner of revolt against all forms of tyranny and exploitation. It calls upon the weak and the oppressed to follow the Divine Laws and thereby seek to establish a social order in which all tyrants and oppressors will be forced to accept the dictates of right and justice. In this social order, there is no place for dictators, capitalists or priests. They are all enemies of Deen.

→ Religion enjoins religious meditation in the name of worship and thus induces self-deception. Deen exhorts men to assert themselves and struggle perpetually for the establishment of the Divine Social Order, and its betterment when attained. Worship in din really means obedience to the Laws of God.

→ Religion frowns and sneers at all things of art and beauty. Deen defies those who forbid the enjoyment of the good and beautiful things of life which God has created for the enjoyment of man.

→ Religion denounces everything new and declares all innovation as sin. Deen holds that the needs and demands of human life keep changing with the change in the conditions of life; change and innovation are, therefore, demanded by life itself. Only the Divine Laws are immutable.

It should now be easy for us to see the fundamental difference between Deen and Religion. Islam means saying "Yes" to life; while the response of religion is "No"!

By
Religion Islam
http://www.parvez-video.com

The Mosque in Islamic history was the focal point where political, social, and religious activities were perfectly blended together. The concept of Islamic ideology paid as much attention to a man’s well-being and welfare in this world as much as the life hereafter. In this sense the role of the mosque has always been instrumental in the social-moral and political uplift of the Muslim Community. However, in the later period after Khilafat-e-Rashida, the period of first four pious caliphs with the decline of the political supremacy of the Muslims resulting in their disintegration under foreign rule, the concept and role of the mosque also underwent fundamental changes. Consequently the active and dynamic role the mosque played in the life of the Ummah in the period of our prophet and caliphs was reduced to a place of rituals and worship. The later concept continues up to today. This has not only rendered the mosque ineffective as a center of social uplift but it has rather indirectly or directly increased the sectarianism and parochialism among Muslims. It is therefore of paramount importance that the present concept of the role of mosques be analysed and redefined in the light of its original concept and function in the days of the Prophet and in the context of the present needs of the Muslim community.

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The mere enactment of good laws, the Quran asserts is not enough to ensure peace in the world. It is necessary that the laws should be properly enforced :We sent Our messengers with clear arguments and with these Our laws and the criterion of justice so that man may establish himself in justice ; and with it We have , also created steel wherein is mighty power and many other uses for mankind (57 : 25).

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The aim and objective of Islamic Teaching is to remove all non-Quranic ideologies, beliefs, and practices prevalent in present-day Islam, and replace them with Quranic concepts based upon reason and rationale. Quran is essentially directed towards individuals who are in search of truth so that they can overcome the forces of secularism and be able to establish a pure Islamic society.

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Before the advent of Islam slavery prevailed all over the world. To men in those days, it seemed perfectly normal for the strong and wealthy to have slaves whom they had captured in war or purchased in the market. The Greeks were the leaders of thought in the ancient world. No Greek thinker had ever raised his voice against the institution of slavery. The Quran proclaimed the equality of all men in the sight of God. It struck at the root of slavery by recognizing the moral worth of man as man. However, there were, at the time of the advent of Islam, numerous slaves, both men and women, in Arabia as elsewhere in the world. The Arab economy was based on slavery. To abolish it at one stroke was impracticable. It could not be done without plunging the whole society into confusion. Yet, in every conceivable way, the Quran discouraged slavery and improved the lot of the slaves. The Muslims were urged to be kind and considerate to their slaves. They were told that to emancipate a slave was a meritorious act. They could atone for some of their offences by setting a slave free. Thus the number of slaves was gradually reduced and society was made less dependent on slave labour. The words "whom your right hand possessed" occurring in the Quran are in the past tense and refer to those who had already been enslaved. When they were emancipated through a gradual process, slavery died a natural death. The main source of slaves-men and women-was prisoners in war. The Quran laid down that they should be set free either for a ransom or as a favour (47 : 4). The door for future slavery was thus closed by the Quran for ever. Whatever happened in subsequent history, was the responsibility of the Muslims and not of the Quran.

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