| Islamic Way of Living |
by Dr. Sayed Abdul Wadud
EQUAL TREATMENT WITH ALL -- The ethical aspect of the Quranic teachings includes not only a gentle treatment with the believers but also with the non-believers. The Quran ordains that all human beings must be treated kindly and gently, without any distinction between them. For example, when it is ordained that men should lower their gazes when they meet women, it does not mean believing woman only, it means all women, believers or non-believers. Similarly when it is ordained that you should not usurp other people's property, it means the property of Muslims as well as of non-Muslims, irrespective of their creed. As a matter of fact an Islamic Social Order is responsible for the protection and nourishment of humanity as whole. That is what is meant by (نظامِ ربوبيت) as ordained by the Holy Quran.
MEANING OF THE WORD K'AFIR -- Non-believers often complain that Quran calls them 'K'AFIR. But it must be realised that the word 'K'AFIR is not an abuse. It means " the one who does not believe in Quranic code of laws". Islam being a social order those who believe in this code are Muslims or members and those who do not believe are 'K'afirs' or non-members of the Islamic Society. Thus the word 'K'afir does not mean contempt.
DO NOT ASCRIBE BAD NAMES TO THE OBJECTS OF WORSHIP OF NON-BELIEVERS -- The Quran says:
Wala tasubboo allatheena yadAAoona min dooni Allahi fayasubboo Allaha AAadwan bighayri Aailmin (6/108)
"You revile not those unto whom they pray, besides Allah, lest they, out of respite, revile Allah, in their ignorance."
It is true that where non-Muslims do not exist, there shall be no idol left at that place; but it does not mean that you begin to destroy their places of worship. The Quran goes against it.
THE PROTECTION OF PLACES OF WORSHIP OF NON-MUSLIMS -- The Quran says that if the rebellious forces are allowed to flourish, they shall destroy the places of worship of the weaker ones. Therefore Allah creates such groups of peoples who check the rebellious from doing wrong, so that men of all religions may carry on their worship peacefully:
Walawla dafAAu Allahi alnnasa baAAdahum bibaAAdin lahuddimat sawamiAAu wabiyaAAun wasalawatun wamasajidu yuthkaru feeha ismu Allahi katheeran (22/40)
"Had not Allah checked one set of people by means of another, they would surely have pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques in which the name of Allah is commemorated in abundant measures."
THE GREAT MEN OF NON-MUSLIMS -- Allah has said:
Walaqad baAAathna fee kulli ommatin rasoolan (16/36)
"For We assuredly sent amongst every people a messenger".
The names of some of the Allah's messengers are mentioned in the Quran but there are others whose names are not given:
Warusulan qad qasasnahum AAalayka min qablu warusulan lam naqsushum Aaalayka (4/164)
"Of some messengers We have already told you the story, of others We have not."
But a Muslim should believe in all the messengers to be true. They should not be differentiated from one another in their capacity of being the messengers of Allah:
La nufarriqu bayna ahadin minhum wanahnu lahu muslimoona (3/84)
" We make no distinction between one another among them and to Allah we bow our will."
Belief in Allah's Messengers and their scriptures means to believe in their appearance at different times, amongst different people, so that they were equal to one another in their capacity of being 'Rasools'.
RESPECT OF ALLAH'S MESSENGERS -- Thus it has become incumbent upon Muslims to believe in all the Messengers of Allah, the question of disrespect to any of them does not arise. But at the same time we cannot accept the way of life the non-Muslims are leading as the one prescribed by Allah; because the scriptures brought their Rasools are no more left in their original form. 'Deen' or the way of life prescribed by Allah, now lies safely, only inside the pages of the Quran. The process of revelation stopped after a (دين) way of life, perfect in all respects was revealed to Muhammad (PBUH) in the form of the Quran. Thus the appearance of the messengers of Allah came to an end. (It may be noted that there is no difference between a 'Nabi' and a 'Rasool'. 'Nabi' means a recipient of Divine message, Rasool means a person who delivers to mankind the Divine message revealed to him by Allah. Thus he is 'Nabi' as well Rasool i.e., the recipient of Divine message as well as its deliverer. 'Rasalat' and 'Nabuwwat' are, therefore, the facets of the same coin).
FREEDOM OF BELIEF -- The Quran has declared that (الديّن) or the way of life prescribed by Allah, now lies only within itself. But their is no compulsion for anybody to accept it.
La ikraha fee alddeeni qad tabayyana alrrushdu mina alghayyi (2/256)
"There is no compulsion (to follow) the way of life based on the Quranic guidance, The right direction is henceforth distinct from error".
Thus there is freedom of choice whether on follows this way or that way:
Waquli alhaqqu min rabbikum faman shaa falyu/min waman shaa falyakfur…. (18/29)
" Say: (It is) the truth from the sustainer of you (all). Then who-so-ever will, let him believe, and who-so-ever will, let him disbelieve".
The Quran has even declared :
Wa-in ahadun mina almushrikeena istajaraka faajirhu hatta yasmaAAa kalama Allahi thumma ablighhu ma/manahu (9/6)
"If one amongst the idolators asks thee for asylum grant it to him, so that he may hear the word of Allah, and if he wants to go somewhere, escort him to (the place) where he can be secure".
Note:- May it be repeated that all Muslims of the world belong to one Ummah or nations and all non-Muslims belong to another nation. Muslims and non-Muslims together do not form one nation. Muslims are ordained by the Quran to do justice to non-Muslims and non-Muslims together do not form a common nationhood.