Basic Practices [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

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Basic Practices [Electronic resources] - نسخه متنی

Maqbul Hussein Rahim

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Basic
Practices


Articles
of Faith

1.
Unity of God
The Islamic creed is that THERE IS NO GOD SAVE ALLAH AND THAT MUHAMMAD
IS HIS PROPHET. (LA ILAAHA ILLA-ALLAH MUHAMMADUR- RASOOLILLAH).

Muslims
believe that Allah is ONE. He was neither begotten nor does He beget.
He has no Partner. He is the Beginning and He is the End. He is Omniscient
and Omnipresent.

The Quraan
says that He is closer to man than his jugular vein yet He cannot be
encompassed by human intellect.

See the
following verses of the Quraan:
II:115
II:163
II:255
VI:101
VII:7
XXIII:91-92
XXXVII:4-5
XXXVIII:65-68
CXII:1-4

Imam Ali
says in a supplication:
"Oh
God, verily I ask Thee by Thy Name, in the name of Allah, the All-merciful,
the All-compassionate, O the Possessor of Majesty and Splendour, the
Living, the Self-subsistent, the Eternal, there is no God other than
Thou, Oh He of Whom no one knows what He is, or how He is, or Where
He is, or in respect of what He is, And yet, we know that He is."

2.
Justice of God
Allah is Just. In XCV:8, the Quraan says "Is not Allah the most
conclusive of all judges?"

Again in
XXI:47 "And we have provided a Just balance for the Day of Judgement.
No soul shall be dealt with unjustly in any way. (Any good deed or evil
deed) though it be as small as a grain of the mustard seed, will be
brought forth by Us (in testimony). We suffice as the best of reckoners."

The Sunni
School of thought subscribes to the view that nothing is good or evil
per se. What God commanded us to do became good by virtue of His command.
What he forbade became evil.

The Shias
believe that there is intrinsic good or evil in things. God commanded
us to do the good things and forbade the evil. God acts according to
a purpose or design. Human reason cannot comprehend this design or purpose
in its entirety though man must always strive to understand as much
as he can.

Compulsion
or Freedom?
The various schools of thought are divided.

Mutazzilas
believe that man is totally free and God exercises no power over his
action. Those who subscribe to this view are also known as Qadariyyas.

Mujabbira
school of thought believe that man has no freedom and is only a tool
in the hands of God.

The
Asharia school of thought to which most Sunnis subscribe believe that
though man has no free will, he will earn the reward of his good deeds.
The Sunni scholar Al-Ghazzalli sums up this doctrine as follows: "No
act of any individual, even though it be done purely for his benefit,
is independent of the will of Allah for its existence. There does
not occur in either the physical or the extra-terrestrial world the
twinkle of an eye, the hint of a thought, or the most sudden glance
except by the Decree of Allah, of His Power, Desire, and Will. This
includes evil and good, benefit and harm, success and failures, sin
and righteousness, obedience and disobedience, polytheism and true
belief."

The
Shias believe that there is neither total compulsion nor total freedom.
The true position is the one in-between. They maintain that Allah
has fore-knowledge of human action but does not compel man to any
particular course of action.

See Quraan:
II:284
IV:79
VI:17
IX:51
X:107
XI:6
XI:56
XXVII:62
XXX:60
XXXIX:52-54
XLII:30

3.
PROPHETHOOD
God created mankind to serve Him (LI:56). He endowed man with faculties
and freedom of action and out of His Grace (LUTF) and Justice sent Prophets
to instruct and guide mankind. No nation or community was left without
such guidance. (X:47 and XVI:36).

Some of
these prophets were sent with Divine Revelation, scripture and miracles.
The first Prophet was Adam and the last was Muhammad, the Seal of Prophets
(XXX:40).

While Quraan
mentions only twenty-five most prominent of the prophets it also states
that there were many more whose names have not been revealed in the
Quraan. (XL:78). Muslims believe that there have been 124,000 prophets.
Amongst those specifically mentioned are Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham,
Ishmael, Issac, Lot, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, Ezekiel, David,
Solomon, Jonah, Zachariah, John the Baptist, Jesus and Muhammad.

Five of
these prophets brought new codes of law. These were Noah, Abraham, Moses,
Jesus and Muhammad. These are called the "ulu l-azm" prophets
meaning those of great constancy.

Quraan
mentions five divine books.
The
Book of Abraham, sometimes referred as the Booklet (LXXXVII:19).

The
Psalms given to David (IV:63 and XVII:55).

The
Torah granted to Moses (II:87, III:3 & 4, VI:91 & 154).

The
Evangel or the Gospel revealed to Jesus (V:46).

The
Quraan revealed to Muhammad.

A Muslim
must believe in all the Holy Books. (II:4 & 285). He must also believe
in all the prophets. (IV:152).

The Shiahs
also believe that all the prophets were infallible and sinless. Not
all the Sunnis subscribe to this belief.

4.
Resurrection
The world will come to an end on the Day of the Rising (Qiyamah), the
day of final human accountability. All men will be resurrected and presented
before God Who will decide their fate according to their deeds. The
good will be rewarded with paradise (jannah) and the evil will be punished
with hell (jahannam). (XXII:6-9 & 1-2; III:185; VI:62). The dominant
factor in the administration of His Justice by Allah will be His Mercy
(VI:12).

5.
Imaamah
Only the Shiahs believe in the institution of Imaamah. Literally "imaam"
means a leader. In Shiah belief an Imaam is the person appointed by
God and introduced by the Prophet and then by each preceding Imaam by
explicit designation (nass) to lead the Muslim community, interpret
and protect the religion and the law (shariah), and guide the community
in all affairs.

An Imaam
is first and foremost the Representative of God and the successor of
the Prophet. He must be sinless and possess divine knowledge of both
the exoteric and the esoteric meaning of the verses of the Quraan.

There are
many Shiah sects e.g. the Zaidis, the Ismailis etc. The principal sect
is the Twelvers (Ithnasharis).

(NOTE:
In these Notes, unless specifically stated otherwise, references to
the Shiahs and Shiah beliefs, should be construed as references to the
Shiah Ithnasheriyya school of thought.)

The Twelvers
believe that the Prophet was succeeded by twelve Imaams. These are:

1.
Ali ibne Abu TalibDied
40 A.H./659 A.D
He was the Prophets son-in-law, having married his daughter Fatimah.
2.
Hassan ibne Ali
Died
50 A.H./669 A.D.
3.
Hussain ibne Ali
Died
61 A.H./680 A.D.
4.
Ali ibne Hussain
Died
95 A.H./712 A.D.
5.
Muhammad ibne Ali
Died
114 A.H./732 A.D.
6.
Ja'far ibne Muhammad
Died
148 A.H./765 A.D.
7.
Musa ibne Ja'far
Died
183 A.H./799 A.D.
8.
Ali ibne Musa
Died
203 A.H./817 A.D.
9.
Muhammad ibne Ali
Died
220 A.H./835 A.D.
10.
Ali ibne Muhammad
Died
254 A.H./868 A.D.
11.
Hassan ibne Ali
Died
260 A.H./872 A.D.
12.
Muhammad ibne Hassan
Born
256 A.H./868 A.D.

On the
death of his father in 260 A.H. the twelfth Imam went into occultation
(Gaybah), appearing only to a few leading Shiahs. Until 329 A.H./939
A.D. he performed the functions of the Imaam through representatives
appointed by himself. He then went into major occultation which will
continue until the day God grants him permission to manifest himself.

The
Sunni View
The Sunnis use the term Imaam synonymously with the term khalifah. A
khalifah may be elected, or nominated by his predecessor, or selected
by a committee, or may acquire power through military force. A khalifah
need not be sinless. It is lawful for a person of inferior qualities
to be made a khalifah while persons of superior qualities are present.

Development
Of Jurisprudence And Theology

A. The
Shiah School
During their life time the Imaams remained the chief exponents of the
shariah, the Islamic law. Many of the Imaams, when the political atmosphere
permitted, held theological classes and also taught other sciences.

Since the
major occultation of the twelfth Imaam the Shias have, as commanded
not only by him but also most of the preceding Imaams, sought guidance
from mujtahids and followed the institution of taqleed.

Taqleed
literally means to follow or to imitate someone. In Islamic jurisprudence
it means to follow a mujtahid in matters pertaining to law. (XXI:7 and
IX:124)

Taqleed
applies only to matters of shariah. There is no taqleed in matters of
beliefs (the articles of faith). A Muslim must seek to attain conviction
of their truth through reflection and rational examination.

A mujtahid
must be a person learned in all the Islamic sciences. At any given time
there would normally be a number of persons qualified as mujtahids and
it is not uncommon to have two members of the same family in taqleed
of two different mujtahids.

Any muslim
can address any question of law to any mujtahid, whether or not he is
in the taqleed of that mujtahid and the mujtahid would issue a fatwaa
giving his opinion on that subject. This would invariably be by way
of a statement of the law which in the opinion of the mujtahid is the
correct legal position. The fatwaa would be binding on all the persons
in the taqleed of that mujtahid.

A mujtahid
is so called because he does ijtehaad which term means to strive for
deriving the laws of the shariah from its sources which are:
the
Quraan;

the
sunnah which mean the traditions (ahadees) and the practice of the
Prophet and the Imaams;

reasoning
(aql);

consensus
of the mujtahids (ijmaa).

B. The
Sunni School
The ruling khalifah invariably assumed the mantle of the chief exponent
of the shariah.

For nearly
a hundred years following the death of the Prophet the State retained
absolute control over authentication, collection and publication of
the sayings (ahadees) of the Prophet. A few unscrupulous khalifahs did
not hesitate to use this power to legitimise their misdeeds by arranging
to have apocryphal ahadees produced.

After the
Banu Abbas came into power in 132 A.H. (750 A.D.), the formation of
the Sunni community was formalised.

Although
there are many sects and sub-sects in the sunni school of thought, the
four main sects are-
The
Hanafis, founded by Imaam Abu Hanifa an-Nu'maan ibne Thabit (died
150 A.H./769 A.D.). He is a scholar greatly respected not only by
his followers but also the other sunnis.

The
Malikis, founded by Imaam Abu Abdullah Malik ibne Anas (died 179 A.H./797
A.D).

The
Shafeis, founded by Imaam Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibne Idris al- Shafei
(died 204 A.H/819 A.D.)

The
Hanbalis, founded by Imaam Ahmed ibne Muhammad ibne Hanbal (died 241
A.H./855 A.D.)

Although
there are many irreconcilable differences in the four Sunni schools,
in the main, however, they agree on the fundamental bases of their doctrines
and laws. Each claims to have derived them from the following four sources:
The
Quraan;
The
Sunnah of the Holy Prophet and at times the Sunnah of the first four
khalifahs;

The
Ijmaa (consensus among the companions of the Prophet or of the religious
leaders or among the followers);

The
Qiyas (deduction of legal prescriptions from the Quraan and the sunnah
through rational analogy).

The extent
of the acceptance of the theological and legal doctrines of any of the
above four sunni schools depended largely on the inclination of the
ruler of the time. For example, although Abu Hanifa himself did not
gain great popularity with the khalifah, his successor Abu Yusuf became
a powerful figure in the court and held office of the Chief Kadhi.

The khalifah,
however, always continued to remain the final arbiter in the exposition
of the law and the jurists were relegated to an advisory role.

Since the
abolition of the institution of khilafah following the fall of the Ottoman
Empire the sunni schools have not developed as fast as they need to
so as to keep pace with the social, economic, political and scientific
development. Some Sunni sects have recognized the need for ijtehaad,
a few appear to concentrate on ijmaa as the main instrument for reform.

In addition
to their differences in jurisprudence, the Sunnis and the Shiahs hold
divergent theological views on various aspects of the articles of beliefs
e.g. human freedom of action and the Justice of God (both discussed
above), whether God has a corporeal form. Some sunni sects believe in
anthropomorphism.

The Shiahs
and the Sunnis, however, agree on the following fundamental beliefs:
That
Allah is One and has no partners;
That
Muhammad is the last Prophet of God;
That
there will be Resurrection and Judgement.

Acts
of Worship
The Arabic term used for Acts of worship is Ibaadah. This does not mean
worship. It means service. To serve God in the manner in which He has
commanded his creatures to serve Him is Ibaadah. The term would include
all acts of piety as well as the mandatory acts of worship.

The mandatory
acts of worship accepted by both the Sunnis and the Shiahs are:

1.
Salaah (The Daily Prayers)
Every Muslim, from the time he or she attains puberty must perform the
salaah. Except for a woman in menstruation, no person is excused from
this act of worship.

Before
a person begins his salaah he must perform the ritual ablution in the
prescribed form. The object is symbolic preparation for the salaah and
not, as often believed, cleanliness. A person has to be clean to perform
the ablution (wudhoo). Then he stands facing Mecca and declares his
intention to pray for gaining proximity to Allah. With this declaration
he enters the formal state of salaah in which he remains until the completion
of his prayers.

A salaah
consists of a number of units called rakaahs. Each unit (rakaah) consists
of
recitation
of the opening chapter and one other chapter of the Quraan while in
the standing position,

the
bowing down (rukoo) and glorifying God in that position and

two
prostrations each called a sajdaah in which again God is glorified.
Then the second rakaah would commence.

The morning
prayers to be performed between the dawn and sunrise have two rakaahs,
the mid-day prayers four rakaahs, the sunset three and the evening four.

The prayers
are ended by affirmation that Allah is One and has no partners and that
Muhammad is His servant and messenger. Salutations are offered to the
Prophet, all the righteous souls and all who are engaged in prayers.

Salaah
is regarded as not only a ritual act of worship but a communion with
the Maker. It is the most important form of ibaadah and sickness (other
than insanity), age or infirmity is no excuse for not performing prayers.

Lapsed
prayers constitute a debt to God and are a first charge on a muslim's
time and conscience. In the event of a person having died without having
said any of his lapsed prayers, the eldest son, or if the deceased is
not survived by a son, his heir must say or pay someone to say the lapsed
prayers of the deceased.

Seyyid
Hossein Nasr writes in his Ideals and Realities of Islam:

"
In the canonical prayers man stands before God as the representative
of all creatures. He prays for and in the name of all beings."

Amongst
the many sayings of the Prophet on the subject are:

"
Salaah is the spiritual ascension of the faithful where he communes
with Allah."

"
The good deeds wipe out the evil deeds of a man. The salaah and patience
(sabr) are the best of deeds."
Salaah is
a spiritual activity where the person performing it is totally immersed,
mentally and physically, in the remembrance of God. (XXIX:45, XXII:34
& 35, XXVII:1-3, XX:6-7 and 14, IX:71, LXXIV:38-48, VI:71 & 72,
XV:98 & 99, XI:114 & 225).

2.
Saum (Fasting).
The second act of worship is fasting in the month of Ramadhaan, the
9th month of the Islamic calendar. This is obligatory upon every mature
muslim except the sick, the traveller, a woman during her menstruation
period and those infirm by age.

Fasting
involves refraining from eating, drinking and sexual activity from the
beginning of the nautical dawn to sunset. But these are not the sole
objectives. Fasting is a conscious obedience of Allah's command. It
is the human being's struggle to dedicate a whole month to activities
which please his Maker. "It is the means", says Nasr, "by
which man pulls the reins of his animal desires and realizes that he
is more than an animal."

Fasting
also begins with a declaration of intent to fast for the attainment
of proximity to Allah. (II:184, 185, 187)

It is incumbent
upon a muslim to know why he prays and why he fasts. Imaam Ali says,
"One who knows not why he prays or why he fasts, his prayers and
fasts are little more than meaningless physical exertions, hunger and
thirst."

3.
Hajj (Pilgrimage To Mecca).
Every Muslim who has attained puberty and has sufficient means not only
to undertake a journey to Mecca but also for the subsistence of his
dependants during his absence, must once in his life time perform pilgrimage.

Kaaba is
the edifice which was presented to God as a gift by His Prophets Abraham
and Ishmael.

The rites
for the pilgrimage begin on the 8th of the eleventh month and culminate
into the Idd of Sacrifice on the 10th. (II:158, 196-203; III:97; V:3;
XXII 26:33).

A muslim's
journey to the House of God, and there seeking his Maker's forgiveness
through expression of repentance and the performance of all the rituals
attending pilgrimage, is a spiritual experience so overwhelming that
the pilgrim's very soul appears to undergo a purification.

The pilgrimage
has another philosophical aspect.

In the
Quraan, like in the Old Testament, there is the story of Abraham having
been commanded to sacrifice his son. The Quraan, however, states that
the son was Ishmael.

The father
communicates the message to the young lad who had just attained puberty.
The lad exhorts the father to comply with the divine command adding,
"God willing, you shall find me amongst the patient ones."

Unbeknown
to the mother, the father and the son travel to the planes of Arafaa,
a short distance from Mecca. There they spend the night in prayers.
The following afternoon they travel to the town of Meena where the sacrifice
was to take place. They spend the night on the outskirts of the town.
The following morning they enter Meena.

On the
way to the appointed place, the Satan tries thrice to lure them into
abandoning the enterprise, but each time the father and the son chase
him away by throwing pebbles at him.

When they
get to the place of sacrifice, the father blindfolds his son saying
that he did not wish the lad to see the anguish on the father's face.
He then blindfolds himself for, as he reasoned, how could any father
watch his son die ?

God saves
Ishmael by substituting a ram and sends His salutations to Abraham for
his act of obedience. God also promises Abraham to immortalize the event.
(II:125-127; III:96-97; XXXVII:101-111).

The mother,
on learning what had happened, screams and falls unconscious at the
thought of what might have happened had Allah not intervened to save
her beloved son. Shortly afterwards she dies and is buried close to
Kaaba. Her burial place is treated as being included in the hallowed
ground around which the pilgrim circumambulates.

Every pilgrim
takes the same route which Abraham and Ishmael had taken. He too spends
the first night, as they did, in Arafaa and the second night outside
Meena. He too symbolically stones the satan at the three places in Meena.

While of-course
the visit to the House of Allah has its own great spirituality, the
pilgrim also must reflect upon the rituals which appear to enshrine
family values, parents' love for their off-spring, the vanquishing of
the satan, the one within man's heart, by symbolically stoning him and
above all the willingness to make sacrifices for the pleasure of God.

4.
Zakah. (The Wealth Tax).
Zakah, which literally means purity or purification, is a wealth tax
of a small percentage (usually 2.5%) for the benefit of the needy in
the society. It is regarded as a debt to God and must be distributed
for the pleasure of Allah to the less fortunate amongst one's relatives,
and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarers, and the beggars,
and for the freeing of slaves. (II: 2-3, II-43, II:177, IX:11, XXII:41,
IX:71, III:91, XIV:91, XXIV:22, XXVI:9, XIV:35-37, XXII:26)

There are
innumerable traditions of the Prophet insisting upon zakah being paid
by every muslim. Imaam Ja'far Sadiq said that the one who does not give
zakah can not expect his salaah to be accepted by Allah.

The
Doctrine Of Five Pillars:
Many Sunni theologians, instead of enumerating the Articles of Faith
and Acts of Worship separately, state that belief in God and the Prophet
as affirmed in the creed (the Kalemah), together with the foregoing
four acts of worship constitute the Five Pillars of Faith.

The Shiahs
list the five Articles of Faith as the roots of religion (Usool-e-Deen)
and the Acts of Worship as the branches of religion (Furoo-e-Deen).

In addition
to the above acts of worship the Shiahs believe in the following acts
of worship (The sunnis regard them as mandatory acts of piety):

5.
Jihad Struggle Or Striving:
There are two kinds of jihad, the major jihad and the minor jihad.

The
Major Jihad: (Jihad Al-Akbar)
This is the struggle against one's inner self (nafs) to subjugate and
control one's passions and carnal desires. The base self (nafs-e-ammara)
must be controlled by the conscience (nafs-e-lawwama), and only when
one succeeds in this struggle does one attain the perfect self, the
self at peace with itself (nafs-e-mutmainna). To those who attain this
state, the God says:

"
O the soul at peace, return to your Lord, pleased with His good pleasure
AND enter into the company of My true servants. Enter the Garden !."
(LXXXIX:27-30).
The Minor
Jihad (Jihad Al-Asghar)
This means to struggle for Islam. Not for extension of boundaries, not
for personal glory, not for the glory of any tribe, community or nation,
but for the defence of Islam and the protection of its values. Such a
struggle can take many forms, through the use of pen, through the use
of tongue or through the use of the sword. This last form is often referred
to in the Quraan as Qitaal (warfare).

In the
Shiah theology, a general qitaal can be declared only by an Imaam. A
mujtahid has no authority to summon Muslims to a jihad involving qitaal.

6.
Amr Bi L-Ma'Aroof (Directing Others Towards Good).
It is an act of worship for a Muslim to advise and direct others to
the doing of good deeds for the pleasure of Allah.

7.
Nahy 'An Al Munkir (Directing Others Away From Evil).
Similarly it is the duty of every Muslim to advise others against committing
sins. (III:103, 109, 113; VII:199; IX:71, 112; XXII:41; XXI:17.)

8.
Khums (The One-Fifth Tax)
Only the Shiahs believe in this additional tax and they regard it as
a major obligation of every Shiah Muslim. It was instituted by God as
a token of regard for the Prophet and his family. (VII:1:41; XXXIII:27;
LIX:6-9).

It is a
20% tax on all earnings after deduction of house-hold and commercial
expenses.

Khums is
paid to the mujtahid and is divided into two equal portions. One half
of all receipts of khums by the mujtahid is the portion belonging to
the Imaam in occultation and the mujtahid spends this portion in educational,
social and economic projects for the betterment of the Shiah community.
First priority is accorded to the community from which the khums was
received. The second half is distributed amongst the poor and deserving
descendants of the Prophet (the sayyids) each of whom may receive only
up to a year's subsistence.

Other
Acts Of Piety

Theocentricity:
Islam does not have the concept of secularism. All human activities
must be either in accordance of the law (the shariah) or the prescribed
code of conduct. An act which accords with either is an act of piety.

A muslim's
must consider his life on this earth as a journey from his Maker to
his Maker and must strive to gain the pleasure of his Maker. "Give
glad tidings to the steadfast who say........We are from Allah and
to Him we return'. Such are they upon whom are blessings from their
Lord, and mercy. Such are the rightly guided." (II:155-157).

The purpose
of every creation, other than humans) is to serve mankind (XXXI:20;
XLV:13; LXVII:5). Man, who has been created of the best structure (XCV:4),
must serve none other than Allah.(LI:56-58). It will be beneath the
dignity and status of man to worship any being, thing or power other
than Allah.

The doctrine
of the Unity of God is not just an article of faith. It is an important
factor in man's comprehension of himself and his raison d'etre. God
the One, the Indivisible must be his sole Guide in his journey on this
earth.

The sixth
Imaam explaining the Unity of God said, " The true ibaadah is for
the human being to ensure that the essence of the unity of God lies
between his intent and his deed.

The Prophet
has said, "Man's every action must incline towards Allah".

The Islamic
ethical code is too vast and extensive to permit a full discussion in
this course. We shall, therefore, confine ourselves to a cursory glance
at a few aspects of the code of conduct.

Pursuit
of Knowledge:
Islam regards ignorance as impure (najasah) and the acquisition of knowledge
as a great act of piety. "One who has knowledge can never be equal
to the one who is ignorant" (XXXIX:9).

The Prophet
has said:
"It
is the duty of every muslim male and every muslim female to seek knowledge".

"Seek
knowledge even if you have to travel as far as China for it."

"Sitting
an hour in a learned gathering is better than a thousand nights spent
in performance of (optional) salaah, and better than engaging in a
battle for the sake of God on thousand occasions. If one leaves one's
house with the intention of gaining knowledge, for every step that
he takes God shall bestow upon him the reward reserved for a prophet."
Parents:
Respect for, and obedience and kindness to, parents are enjoined upon
Muslims. Obedience is, however, excused where the parents require injustice
to be perpetrated. (XVII:23, XXIX:8, XXXI:14, XLVI:15-18).

The Prophet
has said:
"It
is an act of worship to look at either parent with affection and kindness".

"Allah
is pleased when one has pleased his parents, and Allah is angry when
one has angered either parent".

"Paradise
lies under the feet of your mother".
Charity:
Quraan enjoins the spending of one's wealth in the cause of Allah, for
the poor, the needy, the freeing of slaves, the curing of the sick and
other good causes. Charity is a precondition to the attainment of piety.
(II:195, 215, 245, 254, 261, 262-273; III:92; XXXVI:47; LVII:10, 11; LXIV:15-18)

There are
innumerable traditions of the Prophet and the Imaams on the merits of
charity. In one of these it is said, "If you have nothing to give,
give a kind word or even just an affectionate smile."

Dissemination
of knowledge by a scholar is an act of charity. So is the visiting of
a sick.

Caring
for the bereaved is also a great act of piety. There is a tradition
which requires the extended family or the community to feed the immediate
family of the deceased for at least three days after the death has occurred
and to offer them solace and comfort.

Resisting
Oppression:
Imaam Ali has said:
"
To suffer oppression passively is as bad as to commit oppression".

"He
who makes no effort to alleviate the suffering of an oppressed one
is an oppressor".
Justice:
A muslim is required to act with justice in all his dealings with other
human beings and in all circumstances. (IV:58, 105, 135; VII:29; XVI:90).

In IV:135
the Quraan says:
"O
You who believe, be staunch in justice.......though it may be against
your interests, or the interests of your parents or near relatives,
and whether you are dealing with a rich person or a poor person. Remember
Allah is nearer to them both in compassion. Therefore do not follow
your low desires."
Lewdness
And Indecencies:
These are totally forbidden. (XVI:90)

Idle
Chatter, Slander and Infringement of Privacy:
These are totally forbidden. (XLIX:11 & 12)

The
Freeing of Slaves:
This is not only an act of piety but is also prescribed as the primary
penalty for certain wilful acts or omissions e.g. failure to fast or
repay a lapsed fast, infringement of any regulation required to be observed
during pilgrimage etc.

Liberation
of slaves was also highly recommended as an atonement for various sins.

Ill treatment
of slaves and servants is also forbidden.

It is highly
recommended that zakaah and other alms be spent for liberating slaves.
(XXIV:33; IX:60; II:177; XC:12, 13).

Reasoning
And Reflection:
"Will they not reflect and ponder on the Quraan or are there locks
on their intellect ?" (XLVII:24)

"Say
unto them, O Muhammad: I exhort you unto one thing only. That you awake
for Allah's sake, by two or singly, and then reflect." (XXXIV:46)

"In
the creation of heavens and earth and in the difference between night
and day are tokens for men of understanding. These are those who remember
Allah, standing, sitting, and reclining, and consider the creation of
the heavens and the earth, (and then cry out): Our Lord! Thou hast not
created this in vain. Glory be to Thee !" (III:190-191).

The eighth
Imaam has said:
"Worship
does not lie in engaging oneself in saying prayers endlessly or in fasting
copiously, but in engaging oneself in the contemplation of the works
of Allah."
The Prophet
has said, "Allah has endowed man with the most precious gift, the
reason. The slumber of a man of reason is better than the movement of
the ignorant."

Other
Good Deeds:
Respect
for the elders.

Respect
for teachers and scholars.
The Fourth Imaam has said, " Your teacher has the following rights.
Firstly, total respect from you. Secondly that you listen attentively
when he speaks. Thirdly, that you never raise your voice in his presence".

Hospitality.

The
keeping of promises, adhering to contracts and covenants, and repayment
of debts. All these are mandatory. In V:1 God says, " O you who
believe, fulfil your undertakings".

The
forgiving of any debt owed to one by a person unable to repay.

Women
in Islam
Islam does not accept that the first woman was created of any inferior
composition (IV:1) or that it was Eve who fell to the promptings of
Satan in disobeying God. Both were equally to blame. (VII:20-21).

Women play
an important role and are equal partners of men.

"The
women are raiment (comfort, embellishment and protection) for you and
you are raiment for them." (II:187; IV:1).

As a daughter,
she is to be shown greater affection than a son. The Prophet commands
that a daughter must receive twice as much love and affection as a son.

As a wife,
the woman has no obligation to provide for her husband or the children
out her income or wealth. The husband has this responsibility. What
a woman earns, or receives by way of inheritance or gift, is her own
property over which she has sole control.

It is injustice
for the husband to require the wife to do the house-hold chores. It
is for the parties to agree on the division of labour.

The wife,
however, is under a duty to obey the lawful and just commands of her
husband.

As a mother
the woman occupies a unique position. She is placed upon an almost divine
pedestal. She must be obeyed (save where obedience would lead to injustice),
revered and her feelings never hurt. The Prophet has said that while
both parents must be obeyed and respected, the father's place is three
rungs below that of the mother.

The woman
is the pivot of the family, and Islam holds the family as being the
most important unit of the society. From the moment of conception to
birth and up to the attainment of puberty, it is the mother who shapes
the mind, the thinking and the behaviour of that future member of the
society. The Prophet repeatedly emphasised the importance of the upbringing
of children and the role of the mother.

He is reported
to have said:
"It
is better to bring up your children so that they have good manners and
morals than to spend your wealth for the pleasure of Allah."
There are
also several traditions of the Prophet and the Imaams about the treatment
and conduct of pregnant mothers.

Dress
The Quraan commands both men and women to lower their gaze and be modest'.

The women
have been further commanded not to display their ornaments except what
appears thereof and to wear their head-coverings over their bosom and
not to display their ornaments except to their husband (and other members
of their family within the prohibited degree of marriage e.g. a son,
father, brother, uncles excluding uncles by marriage etc.)'. (XXIV:30
& 31).

Again in
XXXIII:59 God says:

"O
Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers
that they let down upon them their over-garments. This will be more
proper. They will be known and will therefore not be given trouble."
The above
verses have been interpreted by some jurists as requiring a veiled face
and body and others as requiring a scarf over the head to conceal the
hair (an essential ornament) and the rest of the body, except the face,
the hands and the feet, to be covered by a loose fitting outer garment.
In different cultures different forms of womens dress, or veil or "purdah"
have evolved.

The Quraanic
object clearly appears to be protection of women from molestation and
disrespect, and not their treatment as inferior beings.

Marriage
Marriage is a solemn contract between a man and a woman, each giving
his or her consent freely and without any duress, to become life partners
and enjoy the rights conferred and fulfil the obligations imposed by
the shariah.

The basic
requirements are free consent, the mahr (dowry) and the recitation of
the marriage formula (the aqd) in the prescribed form and perfect Arabic.
The mahr is the giving or a promise to give any sum of money to the
bride and/or to fulfil any condition or obligation that the bride may
impose.

The parties
may recite the aqd themselves or appoint agents to do so on their behalf.

According
to some Shiah jurists the bride may, in the mahr, confer upon herself
a right to divorce, or provide for the division of property of property
in the event of divorce or any other condition to reserve for herself
any right or benefit which under the shariah she would not normally
enjoy.

The relationship
between husband and wife must be founded upon love and mutual tolerance:

"And
of His (God's) signs is that He has created for you mates from amongst
yourselves so that you might find comfort and solace in them, and He
has ordained between you love and mercy." (XXX:21)
There are
many traditions and sayings on thios subject. Two are given below:

May
Allah bless the man who lays the foundation of his relations with
his wifeon goodness. (Imaam Ja'far Sadiq)
A man
must honour and love his wife. (The Prophet)

Temporary
Marriages (Mutaa):
The Shiah law also permits temporary marriages. It has the same rights
and obligations as a permanent marriage except that the marriage will
terminate by effluxion of time, and, if the parties so agree, the relationship
may be for companionship only without consummation.

Polygamy:
A marriage with up to four wives is permitted. There are, however, strict
conditions as to equal and just treatment of all the wives.

Divorce
Islam permits divorce where the marriage has irreparably broken down.
But first there must be a process of reconciliation in which the elders
of the two families as well as of the community must strive to get the
parties to reconcile.

The Prophet
has said that of all the permissible things divorce is the most detestable
to Allah.

Political
Science
Sovereignty belongs to God. The ruler, whether a king or an elected
or nominated representative, can only rule as His vicegerent and in
accordance with His laws. (XLII:38; XXII:41).

When Imaam
Ali was finally elected the khalifah he endeavoured to establish an
Islamic government but alas he was not permitted to rule for long.

However,
during the five years of Ali's reign he wrote several letters to his
Governors and Commanders restating the principles of governance in Islam.
These letters and instructions have been compiled into a book called
Nahjul Balaagah', English translations of which are available. The
most famous of these documents is Ali's letter to his Governor in Egypt,
Maalik Ashtar, which deals with a variety of subjects including administration,
judiciary, treatment of non-muslims, the army and the conduct of a ruler
or his representative. In the preamble of the letter Ali says:

"This
is what Allah's servant Ali has ordered Malik ibne al-Harith al-Ashtar
when he appointed him Governor of Egypt, for the collection of its (Egypt's)
revenues, fighting against its enemies, seeking the good of its people
and making its cities properous."
The Quraan
& Modern Science
The French author Maurice Bucaille has written a book entitled La Bible,
le Coran et la Science', which has been translated into English. In this
book the author writes:

"The
relationship between the Qur'an and science is a priori a surprise,
especially when it turns out to be one of harmony and not of discord........The
totally erroneous statements made about Islam in the West are sometimes
the result of ignorance and some times of systematic denigration."
The author
then proceeds to take various scientific subjects and give Quraanic references
which fully accord with the modern scientific conclusions. While it is
not proposed to deal with the subject in any detail in this course, it
might be interesting to give here a few of the scientific subjects dealt
with by Bucaille and the corresponding Quraanic verses cited by him:

The
sky:
(L:6;
XIII:2; XLV:13; X:5).
The
Planets:
(XXIV:35;
XXXVII:6).
Celestial
organization:
(XXXVI:40;
XXXV:13; LI:47).
Conquest
of space:
(LV:33;
XV:14 & 15).
The
earth:
(II:22;
XX:53 & 54).
The
water cycle:
(XXX:48;
VII:57; XXV:48 & 49).
Origin
of life in water:
(XXI:30;
XX:53).
Vegetable
and animal reproduction:
(XX:53;
XII:3; LIII:45 & 46).
Animal
communities:
(VI:38).
Bees:
(XVI:68
& 69).
Spiders:
(XXIX:41).
Human
reproduction:
(LXXXII:
6-8; XVI:4; LXXV:37; XXIII:13; XXII:5; XXIII:14; LIII:45 &
46; XXXV:11).

Islamic
Jurisprudence
This too is a subject beyond the scope of this course. The main sources
of Islamic Jurisprudence are the Quraan and the sunnah, and encompasses
inheritance, marriage, divorce, paternity, waqfs (trusts), contracts,
penal laws, evidence and procedure.

Islamic
Culture ?
Culture has been defined as "the totality of socially transmitted
behaviour patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products
of human work and thought characteristic of a community or a population.
It is the set of shared beliefs, attitudes, values, and behavioral patterns
of a group or organisation." (Readers Digest Universal Dictionary)

Religion
on the other hand is "the expression of man's belief in and reverence
for God or gods who created the Universe and Govern it."

It is as
naive to think that any religion encompasses the totality of culture
as it is to think that any culture is solely the product of a religion.

Islam like
many other religions claims to be universal accommodating within its
fold the cultures of all its adherents provided that the bounds of the
religious laws are not transgressed.

Islam has
broad parameters of rules and regulations and within these parameters
an African can remain as much a Muslim as a Pakistani or a Bangladeshi
or an English-man or Scots-man or an American or Chinese or any individual
from any country anywhere in the world.

Nevertheless
there is a difference of opinion on whether Islam has its own distinct
culture. Scholars are divided on whether there is a central cultural
theme in Islam.

Some vehemently
argue that there is such a central theme.

Others
maintain that because of the universality of Islam it is wrong to insist
upon a common cultural theme.

This latter
school of thought argue that culture is an historical heritage of a
nation, people or society in the fields of art, architecture, dress,
cuisine, language, literature and other cultural norms and pursuits.
Islam, on the other hand, consists of beliefs, acts of worship, a code
of conduct and jurisprudence. So long as the culture of a society lies
within the parameters of Islamic beliefs, acts of worship, code of conduct
and the shariah, that culture would be acceptable in Islam. Many an
artist, architect, poet, author and chef has, upon acceptance of Islam,
adjusted himself/herself so as conform to the Islamic requirements.

Muslims
in Great Britain
There is a substantial muslim community in Great Britain and at times
there occur conflicts between them and other communities.

It is wrong
to link racism with religion. Racism is an attitude of hostility based
upon racial prejudice. This is often exploited by unscrupulous politicians
and community leaders for their own ends.

Unfortunately,
both the victims and the perpetrators of racial prejudice tend to foster
the image of it being the result of the diversity in religious beliefs.
This often rallies support for the victim community and provides the
perpetrators with the mantle of defending their faith.

At the
same time there is amongst the indigenous population a fear, nurtured
by irresponsible media, that Islam poses a threat to their community.

If a solution
is not found, and found soon, the muslim communities could be driven
to extreme ethnicity with the future generation growing up as pariahs
in their own country.

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