Religious Duties
Question:-
What is the point of Religion? We need only to know about the Laws and processes of nature and apply this knowledge in order to adjust to reality and live well. What is the purpose of the belief in God or Allah? It seems to be an entirely redundant concept. What is the gist or essence of Islam? How would you formulate Islam in a nutshell.
Answer:-
We live not only by facts, but also meaning and values. Whereas facts refer to isolated objects or events, meanings arise from the relationship between them and values refer to a system with respect to which the facts have a function. Values, therefore, come from above, i.e. they come from a more comprehensive source and require awareness of the context, the whole to which things belong as parts. But facts refer to isolated particular things that arise from sense data. Meanings arise when values are imposed on facts. We can react to facts, but when ever we think we do not really deal with facts at all. There are no facts which have not already been meaningfully interpreted.
There are, in general, three ways of looking at the world which correspond to the distinction between facts, meaning and values. These attitudes are also seen the distinction between dead, living and conscious things, and between three levels of knowledge, namely information, understanding and awareness (or consciousness).
When we look at a stone or other material object we are able to do this quite impersonally. We can think of them in a purely intellectual manner. They do not affect us though we can have information about them. But in the case of animals, especially when they are pets and even sometimes with respect to some machines such as cars or houses, we do have some personal involvement through feelings, emotions and motives. Things have a meaning in that they relate to other things and to ourselves. At this level we require not merely information but also understanding. But our interactions with ourselves and with other conscious beings, particularly with parents, children and spouses, and to a degree with other relatives and friends are much more profound. Values exist at this level.
In general, these distinctions correspond to the difference between the scientific, philosophical and religious attitudes. Though these attitudes are quite distinct from one another, they operate together in unison and in different proportions to various degrees. This is because human beings are a unity, having faculties for all three and these are applied together in the process of living.
Allah, God can be regarded as having the same relationship to the Universe as the Self or "I" has to one's own body or the body of person we are in communication with. It is not merely an impersonal fact that we have to acknowledge, nor just something that provides meaning and understanding to our experiences, but it is a source of values which gives us certain obligations and duties upon which we base our lives.
The whole of Islam can probably be best summarised as follows:-
(1) There is a fundamental original self-existent being referred to as Allah. (See Ref-1 below)
(2) Allah has created the Universe for a purpose. (Ref-2)
(3) Human beings are part of Creation, interact with it and have a function with respect to it. (Ref-3)
(4) In order to live intelligently, human beings need correct knowledge, motives and actions - that is, they need Truth and must have Virtuous motives and the power and ability to act. (Ref-4)
(5) Allah is the source of all Truth, Virtue and Power. These are summarised in the Attributes of Allah. e.g. He is the Truth, the Aware, the All-Knowing, the Just, the Benevolent, the Merciful, the All-Powerful etc. (Ref-5)
(6) The Spirit of Allah is within man. (Ref-6)
(7) The spirit has become dormant owing to sin. (Ref-7)
(8) The spirit must be reactivated in order to know truth and virtue. (Ref-8)
(9) It is reactivated by following the teachings sent by Allah through the Messengers. (Ref-9)
The Religious duties arising from the awareness of Allah can be classified as follows:-
(1) To be constantly aware of Allah, our Creator, and one's relationship, functions and duties to Him. This facilitates all the other duties and strivings.
(2) To strive to do and acquire everything that is necessary for a healthy existence in the world so that one can fulfil one's function efficiently.
(3) To fulfil ones obligation to the human species through marriage and procreation, and one's duty to the family by facilitating the welfare of parents, spouse and children. To strive for a healthy and harmonious family life, and bring up healthy and well functioning offspring.
(4) To repay the debt involved in our arising, development and existence and to fulfil the function for which we were created. We owe a debt to God, nature, parents, the society and humanity as a whole owing to the benefits that we have received from their efforts, works, inventions and research and exploration.
(5) To work for the welfare, defence and development of the community and humanity, particularly of those who have devoted themselves to the service of God.
(6) To consciously strive to progressively increase one's knowledge, understanding and awareness of the nature, materials, forces, laws, processes and functions of God's Creation, the Universe and its contents.
(7) To attain self-knowledge and self-awareness and strive for perfection.
(8) To facilitate and aid the welfare and development of the rest of the Cosmos, this planet, and particularly the immediate environment and all things in it.
References:-
Ref-1 -
The whole of the Quran.
Ref-2 -
"Do they not reflect within themselves: Allah did not create the heavens and the earth and what is between them but with truth, and for an appointed term (or destined end)? But truly most of the people are disbelievers in the meeting with their Lord." 30:8
Ref-3 -
"And when thy Lord said unto the angels: I am about to place a Vicegerent (Agent, Successor, Inheritor) in the earth, they said: Wilt Thou place therein one who will do evil therein and shed blood? While we celebrate Thy praise and glorify Thee. Said (the Lord): I know what ye know not. And He taught Adam the Names (qualities), all of them; then He propounded them to the angels and said, "Declare to me the names of these, if you are truthful." 2:30-31
"He it is who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and His Throne (or authority, control) was (first) upon the Water that He might try you, which of you is best in conduct." 11:7 and 18:7, 67:2
Ref-4 -
"And follow (or pursue) not that of which you have no knowledge; verily, the hearing, the sight, and the heart, of all of these it shall be asked (to give an account). And walk not on the earth proudly; verily, you can not rend the earth asunder, nor can you stretch to the height of the mountains." 17:36-37
There are many other verses mentioning knowledge and motives.
"Then We will narrate to them with knowledge, for We were never absent. The balance on that day is true, and whose scales are heavy, they are the successful; But those whose scales are light, they it is who lose their souls, for that they did act unjustly by Our Signs. We have given you power (authority) in the earth, and provided for you therein the means of self-fulfilment, little thanks do you give." 7:7-10
See also 2:5, 7:157, 23:1-6 etc.
Ref-5 -
99 attributes of Allah are mentioned in the Quran.
Ref-6 -
"So when I have fashioned it, and breathed into it of My Spirit, then fall you down before him, prostrating yourselves before him (in obeisance)." 15:29 and 38:73
"Then He fashioned him (man) and breathed into him of His spirit, and made for you the faculties of hearing, and sight and hearts (feeling); little is it that you give thanks." 32:9
Ref-7 -
"But Satan made them backslide therefrom and drove them out from what they were in, and We said: Go down, one of you the enemy of the other, and in the earth there is an abode and a provision for a time. And Adam obtained certain words (revelations) from his Lord, and He relented towards him, for He is the Relenting, the Compassionate. We said: Go down therefrom altogether and haply there may come from Me a Guidance, and whoso follows My Guidance, no fear is theirs, nor shall they grieve. But those who misbelieve, and call Our signs lies, they are the fellows of the Fire, they shall dwell therein for ever." 2:36-39
"Surely, We have created man in the best of moulds. Then We reduced him to the lowest of the low; Save those who believe and act right; for theirs is a reward unfailing." 95:4-6
"Verily, We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to undertake it, being afraid of it; but man undertook it. Lo! He has proved a tyrant and a fool." 33:72
"Therefore, keep your duty to Allah as much as you can, and hear and obey and spend, it is better for your souls; and whoever is saved from the greediness of his soul, these it is that are the successful." 64:16
"And get thee hence this Day, O guilty ones! Did I not charge you, O children of Adam! That you should not serve Satan? Verily, he is your open enemy, and that you should serve only Me; this is the Straight Way. And he certainly led astray a multitude of people from among you. What! Could you not then understand?" 36:58-61
Ref-8 -
"And the soul and Who fashioned it, And enlightened it with what is wrong and right for it! He indeed is successful who causes it to grow (or purifies it)! And he indeed is a failure who corrupts it! " 91:7-10
"Whoever is preserved from the avarice of his own soul, these it is that are the successful ones." 59:9
Ref-9 -
"Is he who was dead and We have quickened (given him life) him, and made for him a light, wherein walks amongst men, like him whose likeness is one walking in utter darkness whence he cannot emerge? Thus is their conduct made seemly to the disbelievers. " 6:123
"O you who believe! Respond unto Allah and His Messenger when He calls you to that which quickens you; and know that Allah comes in between a man and his own heart; and that He it is unto Whom you shall be gathered." 8:24
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