WHAT IS ISLAM?

‫اسلم کياھے؟‬
Obedience,
to comply,
to surrender,
to submit.

“And who has a better ‘Deen’ than he, who

submits himself to Allah (swt) and he is
doer of good.” (An’Nisa: 125)
 A complete Code of life
i.e. A system of life in which Allah is obeyed
submissively in all spheres of life.

“Surely, the Deen in the sight of Allah is Islam.”

(Ale-Imran: 19)
Literal:
Path, way, practice, abode, credence
Connotative:
A set of dogmas and rituals, a person has to
accept due to some:
 Natural questions in his mind.

 Urge to worship an ideal.

 Mazhab/Religion

(Personal life of a person)

Set of beliefs customs

modes of worship

 The word religion is also used for different Islamic

schools of jurisprudence,
-Hanfi religion -Shafa’ee religion etc.
Literal:
‘Badla’ Retribution (reward/punishment)

“He is the Owner of the Day of Retribution.”

(Al-Fatiha: 3)
Connotative:
 Code of law, under which retribution takes place.

“He could not take his brother under the king’s ‘Deen’
(law).” (Yousuf: 76)
 Constitution or system, under which the codes of law
are decided.
“The Deen (system) will all be for Allah (swt).”
(Al-Anfaal: 39)
 Subordination, a system is to be subordinate.
“Surely, the Deen (sincere obedience) is due to Allah (only).”
(Az’Zumr:
3)
 A system is recognized when it is followed or
subordinated.
For instance,
 ‘Deen-ul-Malik’ the constitution or the system of
the King.
 ‘Deen-e-Jamhur’ or people’s constitution where
legislative power are granted to the elected
members of people.
 ‘Deen-ullah’ where Allah (swt) is the legislator
and all His rules are enforced thoroughly.
Deen is a system of life, which enacts rules and
regulations for all spheres of life for determining
retribution. ‘Deen’ provides guidance for both
personal and public aspects of life. It comprises:
Set of beliefs – modes of worship – customs
Politics – Economics – Civics
 Individual Life Collective Life

Belief Social System

Religion

Modes of Worship Economic System

Customs Political System

Deen
 The term ‘Mazhab’ hasn’t been used for Islam in
Qur’an or Hadith.
 Islam has been regarded as ‘Deen’.

 Allah (swt) acknowledges only Islam as a ‘Deen’

as it is the only system of life that provides
guidance for all spheres of life.
“Surely, the Deen in the sight of Allah is Islam.”
(Ale-e-Imran: 19)

“And I have chosen for you Islam as Deen.”

(Al-Mai’dah: 3)
Beliefs:
* Monotheism,
* The Institution of Prophet hood,
* The Day of Judgment.
Modes of Worship:
* Salaat * Zakaaat * Saum * Hajj
Customs:
* ‘Aqeeqah’ * ‘Nikah’ * ‘Tajheez-o-Takfeen’
 Politics:
Allah > Ruler Man > ‘Khalifah’
 A man cannot enslave human beings.

Economics:
Allah > Owner Man > Guardian
 Feudal and capitalists cannot suck the blood out of
common people.
Civics:
Allah > Creator Humans > Equal
 The life, property and dignity of every one should
equally be respected and honored.
 In Allah (swt’s) diction ‘Deen’ is only Islam;
however in this world secularism is a
predominant “ism”.
 Under the secular concept people can
practice whichever religion they choose in their
private lives; however, there is no role of Divine
Guidance in the collective lives of people. Allah’s
commandments cannot be chartered or made
the guiding principles in collective affairs of life.
 Under secularism, the collective concerns will
be decided by a popular mandate of the people.
Therefore,
-Secularism does not negate ‘religion’,
however it negates a ‘Deen’ totally.

-Secularism is the worst kind of mutiny

(‫ (منافقت‬against Allah (swt) in the human history,
where the supremacy of Allah (swt) is being
confined to the places of worship only.
 A big majority of us considers Islam as a
‘Mazhab’, a religion only. It is contented to
comply with a few religious traits at an individual
level. It has neglected the command of Allah:
“Enter into Islam entirely”
(Al-Baqarah: 208)

 They have no remorse whatsoever that Islam

has been overpowered or has been subdued as
a ‘Deen’.
 Under the limited concept of Islam there is a
partial compliance to obedience of Allah, for
which there is a severe punishment in this world
and hereafter.
“Then, do you believe in a part of the Book and
reject the rest? Then, what is the reward of
those who do so among you, except disgrace in
the life of this world, and on the Day of
Resurrection they shall be consigned to the most
grievous torment.” (Al-Baqarah: 85)
 The object of keeping ‘Ummah’ unified,
disappeared from the sight.
 The forewarning of the Qur’aan: “To keep ‘Deen’
established and do not become disaccorded.”
(Ash’Shoora: 13)” was not heeded to.
 The unified binding of ‘Ummah’ was tattered to
pieces.
 The major differences between the various sects
of Muslims are related to religious affairs. Due to
emphasis on religious affairs these differences
have turned into the menace of sects. Yielding
its final dividend, it is serving us the last course
of meal, the desert of infighting and mutual
insolence.
 Practice of division in ‘Deen’; i.e., to obey a few
and disregard the others is ‘Shirk’.
“And be not of ‘Mushrik’ (Polytheists). Of those
who divided their ‘Deen’ and became sects.”
(Ar’Rum: 31-32)
 ‘Shirk’ is the worst of all sins, Allah will never
forgive it, unless a person atones and asks for
Allah’s forgiveness.
“Verily, Allah (swt) does not forgive that anything
should be associated with Him, and forgives
what is besides that to whom He pleases.”
(An’Nisa: 48, 116)
 Practicing partial Islam is not acceptable to Allah
(swt) and is very detrimental in the hereafter.
People who practice partial Islam are deprived of
guidance and imprecated by Allah and His
angels and all humans.
“And whoever desires a ‘Deen’ other than Islam,
it shall not be accepted from him and in the
Hereafter he shall be one of the losers. How
shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved after
their Belief and after they bore witness that the
Messenger is true and after clear proofs had
come to them and Allah does not Guide the
unjust people. They are those whose reward is
that on them is the Curse of Allah, of the Angels
and of all mankind all together.” (Ale-Imran: 85-87)
 Due to implementation of an unjust un-Islamic
order, the humanity is under a constant
oppression. We will be accountable for this
excessiveness and should be prepared for the
divine vengeance, b/c it is our duty to stand out
for a Just system (Islam).

“O ye who believe! stand out firmly for justice.”

(An-Nisa:
135)
 Here’s a Hadith, let’s see how it foretold the
present prevalent situation - And said the
prophet of Allah (swt),
“A time will come on people that Islam would be
just a phrase void of its spirit and Qur’aan just a
script void of its essence and the places of
worships ‘Masajid’ will be filled with people but
void of guidance, their scholars will be worst of
living beings under the sky: They would be
involved in nothing, but raising and
boomeranging the tumults.” (Bayhiqi)
 The world will never be desolate of true
scholars. On one side if pseudo scholars are
busy in keeping people involved in petty
religious issues, on the other side there are true
scholars who are giving the vast and holistic
concept of ‘Deen’.
 Another Hadith of Prophet (SAW):
“Islam originated like an alien to the people and
it will be like an alien to the people once again;
therefore, glad tidings to those who will follow it
at that time.” (Muslim)
 It is imperative to get the real knowledge of
‘Deen’ so that one can become a part of a
revivalist movement involved in a struggle to
breathe back the true vigor into Islam.
 According to a Hadith:
“The one who faces death in the process of
acquisition of knowledge, intending to
reinvigorate Islam, his place in heaven would be
just a grade away from the Prophets.” (Darmi)
 The schooling of Qur’aan has a vital role in
acquiring the knowledge of ‘Deen’ therefore it is
necessary to give due priority to teaching and
learning of Qur’aan to empower Islam. Saying of
the Holy Prophet (saw):
“Indeed Allah (swt) will, exalt nations who are
the true bearers of Qur’aan, and Allah (swt) will,
debase the one’s who abandon it.” (Muslim)
 As the awakening will grow deeper that Islam is
not a religion but a ‘Deen’, it will be realized that
‘Deen’ by virtue of its specific nature, needs its
own empowerment. There is no ‘Deen’, which is
subdued. In a given society many religions can be
practiced at one time, but ‘Deen’ will only be one.
Islam, in that case will either be empowered, or
subjugated.
 Muslims should realize the demand of ‘Deen’ that
a simple practice of rituals and customs or just
having a belief will not render its due. Instead
implementation of Islamic orders in our collective
lives will have to be taken seriously and struggle
for it should be taken as a goal of life.
‫جزاکم اللہ خیر‬