ISLAMIC STUDIES

RAMEEZA ASLAM

RELIGIONo It is the belief in the existence of a being

that is supreme and sometimes unseen, that has perception and volition, and that manages and controls matters which concern humankind.

o It is belief in a Divine Being worthy of obedience and worship.

TYPESo Revealedo Pagan

The Human Need for Religion

o The mind craves knowledge of the essential facts of existence

o An inborn human needPlutarch wrote:”In history I have seen cities

without forts, cities without palaces, cities without schools, but never have I found cities without places of worship.”

o Man’s need for psychological peace and spiritual strength

o The social need for moral motives and controls

o The social need for cooperation and solidarity

o William James:“The greatest cure of anxiety is undoubtedly,

faith.”o Dr.Carl Bang:“All the patients who have sought my help during

the last 30 years, from every part of the world suffered illness because of their lack of religious faith. They recovered only when they recovered that faith.”

o Dr. Brial:“A man who is truly religious will never suffer

from psychological disorder.”

MEANING OF ISLAMo Islam is an Arabic word, derived from “SLM”

meaning Peace/Purity/Submission/Obedience.

o In the religious sense means submission to

the Will of God and obedience to His Law.

o Islam brings peace to mankind

o According to Muhammad(peace be upon

him),this is the only true religion professed

by all prophets from Adam to

Muhammad(p.b.u.h)

FAITH (Iman)o Islam and Muslims: the termso Some Fundamental concepts of

faitho Concept of Godo Creation and purpose of man on

eartho Guidance from God - prophets and

books o Concept of accountability on the Day

of Judgemento The mercy of God

Articles of Faitho The fundamental belief that serve as a foundation of

religion are called its doctrines or articles of faith.

“I believe in Allah ,in HIS angels ,in HIS books ,in HIS messengers ,and in the last day that everything good or bad is decided by Allah, the Almighty, and in life after death”.

The true Muslim believes in the following principal articles of faith:

o Unity or oneness of Allaho All Messengers of Godo All the scriptures and revelations of Godo Angelso Last Day of Judgment

o Timeless knowledge of God and His power to plan and execute

o God’s creation is meaningful and that life has a sublime purpose

o Man enjoys an especially high-ranking status in the hierarchy of all the known creatures.

o Every person is born “Muslim”.o The Qur’an is the work of God revealed to

Muhammad through the agency of the Angel Gabriel.

o The true Muslim believes in a clear distinction between the Qur’an and the Traditions of Muhammad.

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Concept of Godo Allah : the nameo Creator and creation o Al-Fatihah and Al-Ikhlas o 99 nameso Closest to us- no intermediarieso Tawhid and Shirk

o Once man believes that God exists he must know His attributes.

-He is the Merciful and Compassionate-He is the Rich and the Independent-He is the Unique and the Protector-He is the High and Supreme

“God forgives not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgives anything else, to whom He pleases; to set up partners with God is to devise a sin most heinous indeed.’ (4:48)

Faith Conti…

Muhammad (saws)

o Muhammad (pbuh) as the messenger of Allah;last and greatest.

o Muhammad (pbuh) as perfect ideal for Mankind

o Hadith or Sunnah

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The Qur’anThe living world of

Allaho The very word of God o Revealed to Muhammad (saws)

through Gabriel over a period of 23 years

o Written down immediately as revealed

o Preserved as it is in original language

o The miracle of the last Prophet

Faith Conti…

ACTION (Amal)

o Prayer ( Salat)

o Fasting (Sawm)

o Charity (Zakat)

o Pilgrimage (Hajj)

FAITH AND ACTIONImplication of faith as guiding light and

action as the system and structure in striving Allah's will.

o Man is accountable to Allah.o Man ‘s life does not end with his death.o Human actions in life pay back in life

after death.o Shariah provides the guidelines ,the

rules of external conduct.o Man is free in his will, choice and

action.

REALIZATION (Ihsan)o Realization of man’s relation to Allah is a

spiritual aspect known in Arabic as ihsan which Muhammad(P.B.U.H) explained in the following way::

“You should worship Allah as if you are seeing Him ,for He sees you through you do not see Him ”.

o It means that all action should be performed with Allah in your vision.

o A Muslim should always realize that Allah is seeing you.

o This realization is the basis of Piety , and this piety is the source of righteousness which is regarded by Islam as the core of Just action.

RULE OF THREEo IMAN (FAITH)o AMAL (ACTION)o IHSAN (REALIZATION)

FALLAH (ULTIMATE WELFARE)

Man as the representative of God on earth

o According to Islam, when faith ,action and realization are in perfect harmony, man manifests the fact that he is the vicegerent of God on earth

God, Prophet Hood, The Quran and Sunnah:

1)Believe that God is one and only2)Believe that man is the vicegerent of God on

earth and has freedom of Speech.

o MUHAMAD(P.B.U.H)Believe that He has freedom of choice, he may

go astray and therefore needs guidance from time to time so that he may know how to realize his own true greatness and that is why God sent His messengers and completed this process during the Life of Muhammad

o Act on this message which is preserved in purity without any adulteration in Quran which asks man to follow the Prophet (P.b.u.h) and His supreme ideal

o Know and act upon that ideal preserved in collection of sayings of the Prophet and the reports of his actions-

The Sunnah or the traditions of the Prophet.

ISLAM AND OTHER RELIGIONSo A religion of Peace and Humanityo Islam does not deny any other religion.o Adulteration in the earlier religions according to

needs, time period, age, race etc.o Muhammad (P.B.U.H) purified God`s religion.o No single human habitation where God has not

sent His messengers“Let there be no Compulsion in religion”

(Ch # 2: Verse # 256)