COLLECTIVE LIFE OF MUSLIMS

What is the Deen, System of Life, according to the Quran, and how and why is Islam a challenge to Religion?
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Ahmed Mateen
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COLLECTIVE LIFE OF MUSLIMS

Post by Ahmed Mateen »

by Dr. Sayed Abdul Wadud Islamic Way Of Living

COLLECTIVE LIFE OF MUSLIMS

ONE COMPACT NATION – The Holy Quran ordains the Muslims to live a social life in the form of one compact nation, ‘Millat’ or ‘Ummah’. ‘Ummah’ means an ideologically united people. The Quran does not address individuals. All its injunction (and laws) are addressed to the Muslim ‘Ummah’ as a whole. Thus it is said:

Wakathalika jaAAalnakum ommatan wasatan…..(2/143)
“We have made of you an ‘Ummah’ centrally placed (in the world community).”

It means that Muslim ‘Ummah’ is equi-distant from other nations of the world, neither inclined towards nor disinclined towards another. Thus Muslim Ummah is an international body. Again the Quran says:

Kuntum khayra ommatin okhrijat lilnnasi….(3/110)
“You are the best of Ummah made for the benefit of humanity”.

SECTARIANISM – The development of ideological difference amongst the ‘Ummah’ and its division into sects is un-Islamic. The Quran has declared categorically:

Wala takoonoo mina almushrikeena (30/31)
"(Look: After you become Muslim) be not among those who become Mushrik”.

Who are these people whom the Quran calls ‘Mushrik’ :

Mina allatheena farraqoo deenahum…….(30/32)
“Those who split up their ‘Deen’ (The Quranic Social Order) and become divided into sects (forming cleavage in the Islamic Society).”
And after they become divided:

Kullu hizbin bima ladayhim farihoona (30/32)
"Each sect is obsessed with its own view of it,"

The Quran has openly declared that such people are absolutely cut off from Allah and His Rasool (PBUH):

Inna allatheena farraqoo deenahum wakanoo shiyaAAan lasta minhum fee shay-in (6/159)
“And those who create differences in the social order prescribed by Allah and divide themselves into sects, (O Rasool!) you have noting to do with them.”

BROTHERHOOD AMONGST BELIEVERS --
Innama almu/minoona ikhwatun (49/10)
“The believers are but one brotherhood.”

To create difference amongst themselves on the basis of race, language and locality etc., is to go against the teachings of the Quran. The believers must avoid it and live with mutual love and cooperation. If dispute arises amongst two people, it is the duty of those around them to get their differences amicably settled:

Faaslihoo bayna akhawaykum (49/10)
“So make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers.”

The process of reconciliation must be accomplished with justice. And if anybody disobeys the settlement reached on the basis of justice, he must be checked, even if it requires force to do so.

HOW TO GET RID OF SECTARIANISM? – Allah Almighty has ordained that the believers must follow the Quran only, leaving all the man-made ideas and false beliefs:

WaiAAtasimoo bihabli Allahi jameeAAan wala tafarraqoo (3/103)
“And hold fast all together, by the rope (the Quran) which Allah (stretches out for you) and be not divided amongst yourselves.”

It means that you only follow that way life which Allah has laid down for you. You must test all your beliefs and laws on the basis of the Quran. All that is in consonance with the Quranic teachings is right and all that goes against it is wrong. You must call yourself a ‘Muslim’ because that is the name prescribed for you by Allah.:

Huwa sammakumu almuslimeena…… (22/78)
“It is He Who has named you Muslims.”

ISLAMIC SOCIAL ORDER – The practical way of achieving Muslim Brotherhood is by establishing a social order in which the code of life is the Quran. In this social order the Millat shall chose its own representatives who in turn shall choose, the one who is the best among them, their ‘Ameer’ or leader. The ‘Ameer’ shall enforce the Quranic laws, injunctions and permanent values of the Quran; and also, at the same time, shall enforce bylaws in consonance with the existing circumstances, after mutual consultation. The rest of the ‘Millat; shall obey the laws enforced by the ‘Ameer’. That is what is called an Islamic Social Order. This social order shall be applicable to the entire Millat but a beginning can be made at the lower levels: for example in localities inside a city, gradually rising up to the level of the city and further rising from city level to State level. Such a social order shall enable the voice of each individual to be heard at the highest level; and at the same time shall allow the orders enforced by the highest authority, to reach individuals, at the laws level, who shall thus be bound down to the Quranic guidance.

NO PARTIES – In this social order there shall be no parties. The whole Millat shall be a single party, one compact society with the Quran as their code of life.

THE WORLD MUSLIMS – When this social order rises upto the entire Muslim Millat living in different parts of the world, then there shall be one center for the entire Muslim world, with one code of life.
This is the social order ordained by the Quran for world Muslims and the same was put into practice by the Rasool (PBUH)
To establish such a social order is termed as "obedience to Allah and His Rasool (P.B.U.H.)" and its organisation has been repeatedly stressed by the Quran. This is what is required to be done at present. There is no other way which can lead to one compact 'Ummah.

FOR HUMANITY AS A WHOLE -- The social order, described above shall embrace the entire Muslim world, Accordingly, every Muslim is a member of Ummah (the Muslim community of the world). For administrative purposes, however, the world Muslim community can be divided into sub-communities living in different parts of the world, but with one center and one code of life prescribed by the Quran.
Thus the basis of an Islamic Social Order is obedience to the Quran and a practical shape shall be given to it by mutual consultation. That, in fact, is the aim of Haj congregation, where Muslims from world over gather for mutual consultation to give a practical shape to their programme.

But it must be kept in mind that although this social order shall apply to the world Muslims, its benefits shall be available to the humanity as a whole. It shall devise ways and means to fulfil the needs of all human beings, as well as to develop their potentialities. Thus it shall encircle the entire human world. That is how the Quran leads towards the formation of one world-community in which the development of all human beings shall be the responsibility of the Islamic Social Order. The Holy Quran stresses the point that such an organisation must come into existence. People of the world have begun to think in this direction and to feel the necessity of such an organisation. This, however, can come into being only on the basis of the Quran.
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