Islam will appear different according to who
looks at it - whether he is hostile to Islam, indifferent to it, merely an interested
but external observer or whether he is one brought up in Islam or a convert
with conviction. It will also be seen differently according to whether it is
thought to be a teaching, a people, an institution, or a culture. But even as a
teaching, Islam is a unity composed of many mutually supporting and
interdependent parts.
These files contain a description of the
various elements of the teachings of Islam as seen from the point of view of a
believer. The articles are in no particular order because each has links with
several other articles. The reader can choose his own order of reading.
Islam is an Objective Unified Comprehensive Self-consistent Way
of Life centred around Allah, the Creator of the Universe. It can be regarded
as having the following 7 aspects, levels or systems:-
(1) A Spiritual System, (2) A Theological or
Philosophical System, (3) A Cultural-Educational System (4) A Social System,
(5) An Ethical System (6) A Political System (7) An Economic System. These are
not wholly separate but inter-dependent.
As a Spiritual System, Islam has three
aspects - Practices, Faith and Righteousness. (Or Doctrines, Practices and
State of Being,
where the first leads to the second, which leads to the third).
The Practices have been formally classified
as 5 Pillars - Remembrance, Prayer, Charity, Abstinence, Pilgrimage; and three
Duties - Seeking Knowledge, Striving (Jihad) and Endurance. Together these may
be regarded as techniques for the Purification and development of the soul.
Conventionally these have been reduced to bare minimum and rather legalistic
and rigid requirements. There is much more to Islam than that and an attempt is
made in these articles to restore its original richness.
Faith is formally reduced to 7 articles of
Faith - The existence of Allah, Angels, Prophets, the Scripture or Teachings,
Resurrection, the Day of Judgement, The Law of causation and Predetermination.
Here, too, an attempt is made to restore the breadth of the doctrine. Belief in
Allah and His Nature as described in the Quran is also connected with the
nature of the Spirit, of the Universe and of Man.
From the point of Righteousness, Islam can be
regarded as having 7 levels, aspects or degrees as follows:- Justice, Love,
Truth, Surrender, Universality, Human Development, Theocentric Community
(sometimes known as the Kingdom of God on earth). The Islamic community has
aspects such as the Spiritual, Cultural, Social, Political, and Economic
Systems.
The Quran is not systematised but has all its
elements mixed up together as in Nature, each element having multiple
relationships with other elements. It is therefore, possible to create many
different systems. Each system by its nature forms a self-consistent whole but
is separate from others. A system is an aid to understanding and awareness, but
it should not be regarded as excluding other systems. One way of making a
systematic study of Islam is to follow the following scheme:-
Section 1 - Doctrines - Nature of Religion, Purpose of
Religion, Articles of Faith, Concept of God, Cosmology, Nature of Man, Human
Faculties, The Human Condition, Ethics, Conceptual Framework, Light, Spirit,
World Views, Civilisation, Science & Religion, Idolatry, Quran, Sunna,
Prophets, Salvation, Suffering, Will & Predestination, Evolution, Christianity,
Beings.
Section 2 - Practices - Worship, The five Pillars (Remembering,
Prayer, Charity, Abstinence, Pilgrimage) and three Duties (Seeking Knowledge,
Striving, Endurance).
Section 3 - Righteousness - Justice, Love (or Compassion),
Truth, Surrender, Universality, Human Development, the Theocentric Society.
The Theocratic Society is described in the
Islamic Way of Life, Social System, the Status of Women, the Political System,
the Economic System, Problems, Features of Islam, Authority, Diversity, Righteousness,
Conduct, Muslim, Islam & Muslims, Morality, Rights & Duties, Freedom,
Equality, Brotherhood, Art.
Section 4 - Philosophy - Existence, Reality, Relativity, Logic,
Language, Faith, Objectivity, Intelligence, Consciousness & Matter,
Philosophy, Ideas, Ethics, History of Religion, The Future.