Perspectives on Islamic Faith and History- A Collection of Analytical Essays

By Bashir Ahmed Datoo Ph.D

Islam is a monotheistic religion that is unique in that it is also holistic. It has a system of inter-related beliefs that are organically linked to the observance of a set of ritual practices. Together, they guide human beings’ relationship not only with their creator, Allah (the Most Glorified and Exalted), but also with His most noble creation, fellow human beings. Thus, Islam regulates believers’ spiritual quest to move ever closer to Allah as well as their secular responsibilities toward others, believers and non-believers, and to the environment that they share with other mammals and plants.
The message of Islam is thus truly inspiring but, unfortunately, that message has been lost to the general public.
This collection of essays is intended to bridge the gap between the reality of the Islamic message and its popular misperception. While each essay stands on its own, collectively they explore the salient aspects of Islamic faith and practice as well as key traits and contributions of its prominent leaders during the formative period of its history.
The essays are more than simply a statement of facts; they seek to go beyond and provide an explanation of the logic behind those facts. It is hoped that the reader will thereby gain a deeper appreciation of Islam and its leading personalities, and come to look upon Islam as a magnificent religion and its leaders as principled worthy, respectively, of respect and emulation.
A beneficial read for anyone who wishes to study more about Islam.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The World Federation of KSIMC
• Release date: Nov 16, 2014
• ISBN: 9781909285385

Book preview

Overview

As indicated by the title, the book covers two broad topics, namely, Islamic Faith and Islamic History. The two topics are at some level linked to each other. For, in seeking to convey its beliefs and values, the founder of any religion typically encounters negative reaction to the message as it almost always threatens the vested interests of a segment of the society to which the religion is being introduced. The founder, therefore, typically faces some major challenges during the formative period of the religion’s history. While the challenges do not alter the thrust of the message, they certainly affect the mode of the delivery and the pace of the diffusion. Such is also the case with the founder of Islam, Prophet Muhammad (s), the last and most beloved of the Prophets of Allah (swt).

The book does not attempt to provide a comprehensive treatment of all the aspects of Islamic faith or of all the events in its history during the period covered in the book. Rather, it focuses on some overarching themes that inform the two topics and selected sub-themes that underlie the different sections included under each topic (though, for reasons of chronological sequence, the sub-themes occasionally cut across the sections). As is also indicated by the sub-title, the book consists of a series of analytical essays which can be read independently of each other, but each fits into a broad overall framework. This overview is designed to outline that structure to help the reader better appreciate the way in which the essays weave together into a cohesive narrative.

Islamic Faith

Faith covers beliefs or a set of principles from which logically emanate practices or a set of rituals. Muslims maintain that beliefs were revealed to the Prophet by Allah and he, in turn, communicated them piecemeal to the people over a period of time. These beliefs were subsequently enshrined in the holy Qur’an which remains unaltered since it was first organized by the Prophet himself. Practices are also mentioned in the Qur’an but they were elaborated upon and lived by the Prophet. Called the sunnah of the Prophet, this corpus consists of his actions and utterances that were observed and heard by his companions and later reiterated by his infallible progeny.

Belief System

The worldview as deduced from the Qur’an provides the overarching themes of the belief system, namely, Tawhid or Monotheism and Tasleem or Submission. Muslims believe that there is no god, but Allah. Their profession of faith first begins with negation, rejection of all gods, followed next by affirmation, confirmation of One and only One Allah, the Absolute and the Infinite, the One who is at once Transcendent and Immanent. Tawhid has, as its corollary, Tasleem which follows logically from the unity of Allah and which commands human beings to serve Him and Him alone. They are thus the bridge between the heaven and the earth, the instrument through which the Will of Allah is to be realized on this earth.

Within this Qur’anic worldview, four inter-related sub-themes are analyzed. These are covered in the two sections entitled, Insights from the Qur’an and Salient Aspects of Islam.

Nature of the Creation and Purpose of Life: Allah speaks of the creation of human beings in a purposive sense, that is, a being with a body and a soul, to shed light on the purpose of the creation. The purpose is elaborated further with the aid of an analogy that serves to underscore the salient characteristics of life; the most important characteristic is that when a person dies and the body separates from the soul, they leave behind all their worldly possessions and take with them only their deeds for evaluation on the Day of Judgment.

Basis of the Relationship with Allah and His Designees: As the Creator of life and as a guide for humankind through the agency of Prophet Muhammad and His appointed successors, Allah indicates that the preferred basis of the relationship with Him is love. It is imperative, therefore, to understand the reasons why He and His designees are worthy of love and the benefits that will accrue to human beings here and in the hereafter if they translate their love into concrete action in the service of Allah.

Perfectly Balanced Position of Islam: As a complete program of life, Islam advocates moderation in the conduct of oneself, a via media or a middle course in all aspects of a believer’s life. Within the divine law that is intended to guide humankind, there are no extreme positions. Believers are enjoined to strike a balance not only in the conduct of their own lives but also in their interaction with the larger community of which they are a part.

Accountability of Life on the Earth: The understanding of death and resurrection for accountability on the Day of Judgment is far too important for Allah to stop with mere pronouncements and exhortations in the Qur’an. He thus underscores this reality in tangible ways to prompt reflection; He provides humankind with natural reminders of life after death and believers with symbolic reminders of the relatively short span of life.

Since the themes of the belief system are derived from the Qur’an, it is necessary to demonstrate that the Qur’an is a guide for all human beings and for all times. Therefore, one issue that is addressed is how the Qur’an contends with the variability in individuals’ capacity so everyone can comprehend the written word at the same time as it offers the depth of meaning so repeat readers can gain an ever deeper appreciation of its message. Another issue that is tackled is how the Qur’an demonstrates that its message has been valid since the Prophet’s time and that it will continue to remain valid until the end of time.

Religious Practices

The overriding themes of the religious observances derive from the philosophy of worship in Islam and the distinction that is made between the two spheres of relationship with Allah. Unlike all other religions, Islam is not simply a religion in the ordinary restrictive sense of the word; rather, it is a complete program for life in an extraordinary expansive meaning of the word. Thus, religious practices are not just confined to devotional acts but they extend to include all kinds of human transactions. The Islamic code of life is thus customarily divided into two spheres of relationship: ibaadaat — human beings’ expression of their gratitude to Allah for His bounties and mercy designed to bring them ever closer to Him, and mu‘amalaat – social interactions that arise out of the interdependencies among human beings intended to forge a caring and unified society.

Within this broader definition of religion, six inter-connected sub-themes are explored. These are included in the sections labeled Religious Observances and Civic Society.

Forms of Allah’s Worship (Ibaadaat): To induce movement in human beings so as to bring them ever closer to Him, Allah has made obligatory certain devotional practices. The common denominator among all these practices is that they require sacrifice of one type or another. However, some practices require a greater degree of sacrifice than others and, since Allah wishes a person’s submission to Him to be in accordance with their capabilities, He has provided grounds for exemption from these obligations that are proportional to the extent of the sacrifice.

Aspects of Human Transactions (Mu‘amalaat): Islam accorded human beings a range of rights centuries before they became a clarion cry of the West. However, Islam not only gives human responsibilities precedence over human rights but also gives the rights of Allah and the society priority over those of the individuals. Among human rights in Islam two of the most fundamental rights are justice and equity. As an illustration, divine criminal law is examined to show that, with the consent of the victims, forgiveness for crimes that infringe upon the rights of the individuals is encouraged, but leniency for crimes that jeopardize the well-being of the society as a whole is disallowed.

Linkage between Ibaadaat and Mu‘amalaat: Religious practices provide benefits that nurture the soul. They also have an extraspiritual role as they instill certain social obligations. Thus, the division between ibaadaat and mu‘amalaat is merely for pedagogic convenience. Allah has, in fact, sought to link the two through the Divine Law. As examples of this linkage, stipulated prayers offered in a congregation are designed to forge social relationships, while fasting during the month of Ramadhan helps to arouse social consciousness.

Pinnacle of Worship (Hajj): The pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia at least once in the lifetime of a Muslim (who meets certain conditions) represents a journey toward Allah. The rites associated with it are imbued with symbolism: among others, they signify the deathly experience meant to be a dress rehearsal for the Day of Judgment, the determination to prevent the Devil from thwarting attempts to move closer to Allah, the severance of connections with the undesirable elements of the previous lifestyle, the submission to the Will of the Creator anew with love in the heart along with the recognition of the equally imperative need for full participation in this life.

Laws of Ibaadaat versus Laws of Mu‘amalaat: The two sets of relationships with Allah and His creation are regulated by laws. Those that relate to Allah’s worship do not change over time as He is eternal. However, those that pertain to social, economic, legal and political matters evolve because the world constantly undergoes change. The new laws are formulated through the process of ijtihad. This involves the use of juridical sources together with some tools by the mujtahideen who, based on their sound belief and knowledge, are qualified to derive laws. Ijtihad makes the religion dynamic and progressive as it addresses new issues or situations as they arise.

Vision of the Muslim Community (Ummah): The Muslim ummah is formed through an attachment to a common religion. It is characterized by some fundamental principles and is driven by a call for collective action. The call requires Muslims to reform the community through enjoining the good and forbidding the evil. The Prophet had established an ideal ummah in Medina (Arabia). Even though the ummah today is politically more divided and culturally more fragmented than ever before, the inner feeling of belonging together nonetheless survives among Muslims and is buttressed by a physical identity. Ultimately, though, what binds them together is Allah’s promise of the eventual coming of a messiah who will establish a global Islamic government.

While worshiping Allah and serving His creation require continuous effort, Muslims have the opportunity to observe four annual festivals of Eid. Two of these celebrate their great personal feats of accomplishments following a full month of fasting during Ramadhan and a short but intensive engagement during the season of hajj. Two other eids celebrate important events in early Islamic history when the Prophet challenged Christians on the belief of whether Prophet Isa (Jesus) is the son or the prophet of God, and when he installed Imam Ali b. Talib (a), his cousin and son-in-law, as his first successor.

Islamic History

The period of the history covered in the book is the formative period of Islam, specifically, between 610 C.E. and 680 C.E., that is, between the declaration of Prophet Muhammad’s prophethood and the martyrdom of his grandson, Imam Husain b. Ali (a). Before 610 C.E., Arabia lived through the period of jahiliyah or the age of ignorance. The Peninsula was shielded by geographic barriers and so was not penetrated by the two superpowers of the time, the Byzantine Empire in the west and the Sassanid Empire in the east. After 680 C.E., the Muslim Empire was taken over by the hereditary rulers of the Umayyad dynasty. The erstwhile Islamic government became increasingly secularized, notwithstanding the rulers’ pretensions of their Islamic identity. The 70 years surveyed in the book is distinguished by momentous events that changed the course of the lslamic history.

The Revolution and Counter-Revolution

Prophet Muhammad’s announcement of his prophethood set in motion a far-reaching revolution that constitutes the all-embracing theme of this phase of history. He not only radically changed the orientation of the society from the worship of idols to the worship of One and only One Allah, but also introduced a range of reforms that restructured the basis of the society. Furthermore, by establishing the Islamic city-sate of Medina, he laid the foundation of a Muslim ummah that was to eventually extend through the middle belt of the classical world from the Mediterranean to the China Seas. A revolution of this magnitude that transformed the society and threatened the vested interests of its elite inevitably provoked a counter-revolution which makes it an integral part of the overall theme. The reactionary forces sought to undermine the institution of the Prophet’s succession (imamah) so as to restore pre-Islamic practices and privileges.

Eight associated sub-themes are discussed for the first phase of the Islamic history that spanned 46 years. Almost all of these are covered in the sections called Prophet Muhammad and Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi’s Revolutions and Sayyida Fatima b. Muhammad’s Role in the Islamic Revolution.

The Grass-Roots Revolution: The Prophet gained his early converts not so much from the lower stratum of the society, as from the ranks of those who had an inferior status within the tribe of Mecca. The reasons for this total rejection by one group and the enthusiastic embrace by the other group were, paradoxically, basically the same. As a consequence of this polarity, Islam during this early period did not trickle down from the upper to the lower classes but, rather, bubbled up from the masses to the elite.

Resistance to the Islamic Ideology: The ideology included belief in Monotheism and Resurrection. The pagan Arabs accepted Allah as the Creator though they refused to acknowledge His Oneness. But they did not think that there was a serious purpose to life and so did not embrace the notion of accountability of one’s deeds through the belief in the afterlife. The ideology also included the acceptance of the institutions of Nubuwwah (Prophethood) and Imamah (Divine leadership after the Prophet). Initially, only a minority acknowledged the Prophet’s divinity but, later a majority came around, albeit grudgingly, and also accepted him as a religio-political leader. However, they refused to honor his immediate successor which had a serious impact on the subsequent history of Muslims.

Establishment of an Islamic City-State: One of the most important duties of the Prophet was to establish a community whose guiding principles would be justice and equity. He was able to do this only after he set up an Islamic city-state in Medina since that was a necessary condition for the enforcement of those principles. The city-sate was characterized by an administrative locus, a unified community, an enlightened constitution, a centralized authority and a foreign policy that eschewed aggression and sanctioned war only in self-defense. This was such a remarkable achievement that Muslims later decided to start their lunar calendar with the year of the Prophet’s migration – 622 C.E. became 1 A.H. (Latin anno Hegirae, in the year of the hijrah).

Introduction of a Comprehensive Set of Reforms: Prophet Muhammad was a revolutionary but he was also a realist and understood that reforms could not all be introduced at once. He thus arrayed social and economic practices of Arabia from those that were less inimical to those that were more inimical to Islam and, then, correspondingly matched his reforms to those practices. His fourfold approach included revamping practices whose form could be retained but whose content had to be altered, regulating those that were being abused due to their excessive use, phasing out those whose immediate elimination would hurt the very people they were meant to help, and abolishing those practices that posed a grave danger to the fabric of an Islamic society. The Prophet’s goal was to ensure that, sooner or later, there was a complete and successful transformation of the structure of the society.

Role of the Prophet’s Family in the Revolution: During the proclamation phase, the Prophet needed the support of a leader who commanded the respect of his people (provided by his uncle and guardian) to serve as a security shield for him; he also needed financial resources (contributed by his first wife) in support of his mission. During the establishment phase, there were serious threats to the security of his city-state of Medina, so he required a warrior (his cousin and son-in-law) who could take the lead in the ensuing battles; he also required the assistance of a lady partner (his only daughter) to live Islam, so between the two of them, they could serve as role models for humanity. So it is that when the people of Medina offered remuneration to the Prophet for his apostolic services, he informed them that his reward was only with Allah and, instead, asked for the love of his family due to their critical support during Islam’s infancy.

Appointments to the Institutions of Nubuwwah and Imamah: These are the two institutions of leadership in Islam. The prophet’s role is to receive Allah’s message and to communicate it to his community, while the imam’s role is to protect that message from misinterpretation and distortion. As with any newly established institution, it has to be introduced to the relevant public. So it is that Allah planned for both the proclamation and the subsequent investiture of the first leader of each institution. However, the circumstances at the time of their accession were vastly different. Prophet Adam, the first prophet, was created before other human beings were, whereas Imam Ali b. Abi Talib (a), the first imam, lived among human beings. Consequently, Allah assumed the responsibility of introducing Prophet Adam, while Prophet Muhammad, the last prophet, presided over the transition from nubuwwah to imamah. There are, therefore, contrasts in the way they were introduced and in the manner in which the news of their appointment was received.

Fight for the Restoration of Political Justice: Upon the Prophet’s demise, the counter-revolution began in earnest. Imam Ali was denied his right to succeed the Prophet. He and his wife, Sayyida Fatima (a), sought to rally Medinites behind their cause but the latter lacked the courage of their conviction. Since the Imam did not have the unanimous support of the community, he decided not to risk a civil war while Islam was still in its infancy. He offered advice and counsel whenever the leadership called upon him, so Islam’s message could be secured and Muslim unity preserved. When the estate of Fadak which had been gifted by the Prophet to Sayyida Fatima was confiscated by the state, she seized the opportunity to demonstrate in an open court the incapacity of the leadership to be the head of the Muslims.

Contribution of Lady Personalities to Islam: More than any other religion, Islam elevated the status of women in society centuries before the feminist movement came into existence. Prophet Muhammad topped his reforms with the acknowledgment of the contributions of four lady personalities to the mission of the Great Prophets – Lady Asiya (Pharaoh’s wife) to that of Prophet Musa (Moses), Lady Maryam (Mary) to that of Prophet Isa (Jesus), and Lady Khadija and Sayyida Fatima to that of Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet showed special reverence for Sayyida Fatima because she was at the nexus of the two institutions of leadership in Islam. She complemented the Prophet’s role by being his partner in living Islam and she demonstrated that Imam Ali was the rightful successor of the Prophet by exposing the inadequacy of the new leadership.

The Protection of the Wilayah (Mastership)

The all-encompassing theme of the next phase of the Islamic history is the protection of wilayah —Allah’s authority on the earth as devolved upon the Prophet and on his progeny. This became a serious challenge as the new rulers increasingly deviated from the Prophet’s teachings and fabricated traditions to support their own political agendas. When the masses became unhappy with the direction the ummah was taking, they bestowed the caliphate on Imam Ali. It turned out to be a short interregnum of some five years but he began the process of restoring the Prophet’s principles and policies in the administration of the Muslim Empire. Following his assassination, the reactionary forces vigorously reasserted themselves, so within half a century of the Prophet’s demise, a point had been reached when the survival of the true Islam was at stake. This was the moment when Imam Husain launched his movement that was unique in its strategy and powerful in its impact.

Eight linked sub-themes are presented for this phase of the Islamic history that lasted for the next 24 years. They are included in the sections headlined, Imam Ali b. Abi Talib’s Leadership and Imam Husain b. Ali’s Movement.

Re-Establishment of an Islamic State: The Qur’an lays great emphasis on the two lofty concepts of justice and equity. Notwithstanding the great opposition that Imam Ali faced, he strove to bring the Islamic movement back on track when he assumed the caliphate of the Muslim Empire by reinstating these principles that the Prophet had first implemented. Furthermore, he maintained that it was impossible for these principles to be upheld at the state level unless its leader exemplified them in their personal behavior. Several examples are discussed of the Imam’s model personal behavior and model governmental leadership.

Principles of Good Governance and Progressive Policies: One of the first acts of Imam Ali as a caliph was to replace powerful and corrupt governors of the provinces of the Muslim Empire with competent and righteous ones. He issued them a letter of instructions that laid down the overall policy directives and advice for personal conduct, criteria for the appointment and the performance of key functionaries, guidance for the treatment of subjects, and avoidance of bloodshed and conflict. Imam Ali also introduced some progressive policies that became norms only in the twentieth century. These included the cognizance of the chain of accountability, the exemplification of the divine standards of morality and ethics, the enforcement of fairness, the protection of basic human rights, the institution of progressive taxation, the establishment of a rudimentary welfare state, the advocacy of accessibility and transparency, and the provision for a system of oversight.

State of the Ummah during the Umayyad Rule: Serious deviations and distortions in the Prophet’s teachings began under an Umayyad caliph around the middle of the seventh century and they accelerated after the establishment of the Umayyad dynasty a decade or so later. Consequently, four categories of moral and criminal transgressions became commonplace: falsehood was disseminated through a vigorous propaganda machinery, corruption occurred through nepotism and misappropriation of public funds, injustice resulted from the emergence of one class that benefited from the favors of the regime and another that was deprived of its equitable share, and oppression was committed against the devotees of the Prophet’s family as they were denied safety or security of their life and property. This was the situation that Imam Husain faced in 680 C.E and he reckoned that it was time for a decisive action.

Goal of Imam Husain’s Movement: There was no grassroots movement that emerged to challenge the Umayyad efforts to turn Islam into a political instrument. This was because of two philosophies that the regime propagated: the philosophy of hope asserted that it was God’s prerogative to decide whether to punish or show mercy to a person on the Day of Judgment for their misdeeds; and the philosophy of determinism claimed that God Wills a person’s actions, so they could not be held responsible for their transgressions. This led to acquiescence in or indifference to the policies of the regime and preempted attempts to organize opposition against it. Imam Husain was the only one willing – nay, duty-bound – to take a stand. His goal was to arouse the consciousness of Muslims so as to revive in them the capacity to feel and think, and to restore to them the courage to give expression to the dictates of their conscience.

Strategy of Imam Husain’s Movement: Imam’s Husain goal for his movement required that he build two planks into his strategy of moral confrontation with the Umayyad ruler, Yazid b. Muawiya. One consisted of sacrifice since, as one scholar so aptly put it, martyrdom injects blood into the veins of society. Another consisted of suffering by setting up the enemy to violate fundamental human rights and show contempt for elemental Muslim obligations. His strategy can thus be summed up as suffering the sacrifice. For he realized that sacrifice without suffering would be just as ineffective as suffering without sacrifice in arousing the consciousness of Muslims. It was only the combination of the two that would ensure that martyrdom touches the hearts of the people and makes a durable impact on them.

Best Specimens of Humanity as Martyrs of Karbala: Imam Husain did not want his death to be shrouded in mystery. He, therefore, left Arabia for Iraq and ended up in Karbala. He came ready and willing to sacrifice not only his life but also those of his supporters to achieve a critical mass for maximal impact. However, the Imam was not interested in quantity as much as in quality, so he tested his entourage to determine whether or not they had reached their decision to die according to the voice of their conscience. Moreover, he wanted a cross-section, not just one section of martyrs, so history could record that persons of every stripe recognized the Imam’s cause as just, and future generations could identify, at every stage of their life, with one martyr whom they could look up to as their hero.

Imam Husain’s Message and its Propagation: Imam Husain’s movement was to "reform the ummah of my grandfather [the Prophet]" through two important Islamic principles of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil. These are typically applied at the individual level, with one Muslim exhorting another to the right path. But there was now a dire necessity to apply them at the societal level, with one institution (imamah) that represents Allah’s goodness on this earth challenging another (kingship) that had become an embodiment of evil. The Imam’s message could not die with his death. He, therefore, brought with him to Karbala women and children of his family who he figured would be taken captives to be used as instruments of the Umayyad propaganda machinery. However, the pair of Imam’s son and sister carried the message to the court of Yazid’s governor in Kufa (Iraq) and to his own in Damascus (Syria). Muslims who had been brainwashed into believing that the martyrs were anonymous rebels who had challenged the authority of the Muslim ruler were disabused of their disinformation.

The Victor at Karbala: Yazid clearly won the battle in Karbala. His forces killed Imam Husain along with his supporters and desecrated their bodies. They imprisoned his family of women and children and herded them into the courts of Kufa and Damascus. But it is Imam Husain who won the war both in the short- and the long-term. A standard litmus test of who is victorious in the war is to determine which of the protagonist’s memory stands the test of time. A more rigorous short-term test is to assess the observed behavior of the protagonists (Imam’s advocates, his son and sister, versus that of Yazid) since their behaviors are a manifestation of their inner thoughts and feelings; and a long-term test is to examine the viewpoint of followers of the Prophet’s progeny and of eminent scholars and respected leaders of the society since their viewpoints show respective identification with the causes and values championed by the Imam.

Renewed Islamic Revolution

The Islamic history surveyed in the book stops at 680 C.E. However, Muslims (and followers of other religions) maintain that a cathartic event will occur at the end of time. This prophecy is made in the Qur’an and is backed up by numerous traditions as discussed in the essay on The Challenge for the Qur’an, Part II. The event itself is analyzed in two essays on Bookend Revolutions in Islamic History and "Vision of the Muslim Ummah (Community)."

The deviations from the principles and values of Islam have continued over the centuries to such an extent that there will not be any stranger religion than Islam at the end of time. It will have undergone so drastic a change that it will not even be recognized as the religion of Islam. At the time when the earth is filled with injustice and inequity, Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi (a) (The Guided), the Twelfth and the last Imam in the line of succession to the Prophet, will emerge from the occultation. He will not introduce a new religion but, rather, reintroduce the same religion. He will be the agency through which Islam will prevail over all the religions, monotheistic as well as polytheistic, and a global community will be established under one God, one religion, one system of law and one ruler.

Toward the Qur’anic Worldview

Part I: Tawhid (Monotheism)*

* Revised version of the original published in Towards the Qur’anic Worldview, Report of the Los Angeles 2002 Retreat, published by IEB of NASIMCO, Toronto, 2004

Concept of a Worldview

It is essential for any sound worldview, secular or religious, to have certain salient characteristics. It must offer, as the expression goes, a 30,000 feet view, a high-level perspective; provide the intellectual foundation for a school of thought; apply to the totality of the universe and not just to a part of it; be supported by reason and logic; and be eternal, true forever and ever.

However, a religious worldview, including the Qur’anic Worldview, must go beyond the general characteristics enumerated above and have some additional unique characteristics. It must give meaning to life or avow a purpose; advance ideals or lead to aspirations among its adherents; and promote commitment to the ideology or foster adherence to its dictates.¹

Essence of the Qur’anic Worldview

"And We did not send any messenger before you except that We revealed to him that there is no other god but Me, so worship Me [only]." (21:25)

The essence of the Qur’anic Worldview is captured by the above verse from Surah al-Anbiya’ (The Prophets). The first part of the verse asserts that the message has been uniform and consistent. The message itself is strikingly simple, yet it is profound in its implications. The verse says that there is no god, but Allah (la illaha illa-Laah). There is first negation, rejection of all gods, followed by affirmation, confirmation of One and only One Allah, the Absolute and the Infinite, the One Who is at once Transcendent and Immanent. Thus, Tawhid is the all-encompassing reality that constitutes the overarching theme of the Qur’anic Worldview.²

The second part of the verse goes on to give a clear unambiguous command. This command is directed to man, used in the generic sense to include both man and woman, since man is the most noble of creatures (ashraf-ul-makhluqaat), endowed with intelligence, the power to think as well as free will, the freedom to act. The command follows logically from the unity of Allah (swt) which is to serve Him and Him alone. Tawhid has, as its corollary, Tasleem (submission). Human beings are thus the bridge between the heaven and the earth, the instrument through which the Will of Allah is to be realized on this earth.

Part I of the Qur’anic Worldview

The first part of the essay deals with the overarching theme of Tawhid and attempts to break it down into its constituent themes, to decompose it into its component parts. (Please see the diagram at the end of this essay which shows the inter-relationships among the themes/components.) Each component will be introduced with a verse from the Qur’an followed by a brief commentary on the essence and implication of that component.³

TAWHID (MONOTHEISM)

"Say: He, Allah, is One. Allah is He on Whom all depend. He begets not, nor is He begotten. And none is like Him." (112:1-4)

The best exemplification of Allah’s Oneness is Surah at-Tawhid (The Unity of God) cited above. He is the One and Only God; all other beings are only His creatures. He is the Eternal, without a beginning or an end; the Absolute, not limited by time or space or subject to any change under any circumstances; the Supreme Reality, the source of all existence; and the Everlasting Refuge, means of comfort in times of distress. Accordingly, believers must not think of Him as having a son or a father, for that would reduce the conception of Allah to that of a human being. The only sin that is unpardonable is to associate a partner with Allah (4: 48).

The fact that He is unique in every respect has its logical correlate in the statement that there is nothing that could be