Distinguishing Qualities of Islam | Part 10

[33] The religion of Islam has permitted all types of financial transactions, such as buying and selling, forming of companies, rent, trade and bartering in order to make matters pertaining to daily life easy for them. This of course, is permitted in accordance to specific guidelines set in Shari’ah such that no party is harmed by the transaction and individual rights remain preserved. Also, both sides should be happy with the agreement, and the product should be known amongst them as well as the relative conditions pertaining to it. Nothing is forbidden in Islam except if it ensues a harm or danger or one of the parties in the transaction stands to be harmed, such as interest, gambling, or a transaction in which the product or its conditions are unknown. Although, everyone has the right to freely use his money in accordance to Shari’ah, a person may be debarred from using it if his actions would inflict harm to himself or others. The young, insane, incompetent”, and those in debts until they pay off their loans are among those who are debarred from using their wealth. In this, we can see a great wisdom and protection of rights which is clearly accords to sound intellect. [34] Islam is a clear and unambiguous religion. There is no belief in Islam which is confusing; a person has the right to ask about all of this. Allah (SWT) says:

So ask of those who have knowledge of the Scripture [scholars] if you know not. [21:7]

Islam has sternly warned against hiding knowledge from others which Allah has revealed. Allah (SWT) says:

Verily, those who conceal the clear proofs, evidences and the guidance, which We have sent down, after We have made it clear for the People in the Book, they are the ones cursed by Allah and cursed by the cursers. [2:159]

[35] Islam is a Religion of unity and cooperation which calls Muslims to stand together in unity so that they may achieve honor and pride. This is achieved through the following:

• Leaving aside personal wants, and desires which are stirred up by nationalistic and tribal feelings, and are considered factors that would lead to the weakness and disintegration of the Muslim nation.
• Purifying beliefs and acts of worship from things that taint them, such as associating partners with Allah and innovations in the Religion.
• Cooperation between Muslims in all affairs, whether political economical, social, etc… which lead to peace and security. Allah (SWT) says:

And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah, and be not divided among yourselves.[3:103]

Islam prohibits that Muslims differ and divide into groups. Allah (SWT) says:

And be not as those who divided and differed among themselves after the clear proofs had come to them. It is they for whom there is an awful torment. [3:105]

Furthermore, differing is not from the religion of Allah. Allah (SWT) says:

Verily, those who divide their religion and break up into sects, you [O Muhammad (ﷺ)] have no concern in them in the least. Their affair is only with Allah, Who then will tell them what they used to do. [6:159]

The religion has clarified the detrimental results of differing and division, among them, the enemies of Islam would not fear the Muslims and would gain the upper hand, and the Muslims would fall to a low level. Allah (SWT) says:

… and do not dispute (with one another) lest you lose courage and your strength depart. [8:46]

[36] Some of the natters of the unseen world have been explained in Islam, as it has mentioned stories of previous nations. Many verses detail what happened between those nations and their Prophets and Messengers. Allah (SWT) says:

And indeed We sent Moses with Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and a manifest authority, to Pharaoh and his chiefs but they followed the command of Pharaoh, and the command of Pharaoh was no right guide. [11:96]

Allah (SWT) says:

And (remember) when Jesus the son of Mary, said: ‘O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah unto you confirming the Torah before me, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad. But when he (Ahmad, i.e. Muhammad (ﷺ)) came to them with clear proofs, they said: This is plain magic.’ [61:6]

Allah (SWT) says:

And to Aad (We sent) their brother Hud, He said, ‘O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other god but Him. Certainly, you do nothing but invent (lies)! [11:50]

Allah (SWT) says:

And to Thamud (We sent) their brother Salih, He said: `O my people! Worship Allah, you have no other god but Him. He brought you forth from the earth and settled you therein, then ask forgiveness of Him and turn to Him in repentance. Certainly, my Lord is Near (to all by His Knowledge), responsive. [11:61]

Similarly, Allah narrated the stories of other prophets and messengers and what took place between them and their nations. [37] The religion of Islam challenges all mankind to bring forth something similar to the Qur’an, the final Heavenly Book. This challenge is ongoing until the Day of Judgment. Allah (SWT) says:

Let them then produce a recital like unto it (the Qur’an) if they are indeed truthful. [52:34]

Allah lessened this challenge by asking mankind to try to bring only a few chapters similar to the chapters of the Qur’an. Allah (SWT) says:

Or they say, ‘He (Prophet Muhammad (RA)) forged it (the Qur’an).’ Say: ‘Bring you then ten forged chapters like unto it, and call whomsoever you can other than Allah (to your help), if you speak the truth!’ [11:13]

Allah lessened this challenge further and asked them to try to bring forth one chapter similar to it. Allah (SWT) says:

And if you are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down (this Qur’an) to Our slave (Muhammad (ﷺ) then produce a chapter of the like thereof and call your witnesses (supporters and helpers) besides Allah, if you are indeed truthful. [2:23]

This challenge was made to all of creation, jinn and men. Allah (SWT) says:

Say: If mankind and jinn were together to produce the like of this Qur’an, they could never produce the like thereof, even if they helped one another.’ [17:88]

[38] Jihad is legislated to protect the religion, individual, family, and country. It also commands that jihad be waged against those who seek to impede the spread of the religion of Allah, for it is a global call, not limited to a specific race. Therefore, everyone should be given a chance to know it and the goodness, justice and love it contains. .jihad is also waged in order to relieve oppression and to aid the oppressed. Allah (SWT) says:

And fight in the Way of Allah those who fight you, but transgress not the limits. Truly, Allah likes not the transgressors. [12:190]

Jihad in Islam is waged in order that Allah’s Word be made supreme and that His religion may spread. Allah (SWT) says:

And fight them until there is no more disbelief and polytheism, and the religion will all be for Allah Alone [in the whole of the world]. [8:39]

A person said to the Prophet (ﷺ):

“A person fights for war-booty, another fights for fame, and yet another fights to showoff. Which one is doing so for the sake of Allah?” The Prophet (RA) answered: “Whoever fights in order to raise the Word of Allah and make it supreme, he is the one who does so for the sake of Allah” [al-Bukhari]

The goal of Jihad is not to achieve some worldly, personal, or satanic benefit, nor is it carried out to expand one’s boundaries, show one’s military strength, or revenge. Allah (SWT) says:

And be not like those who come out of their homes boastfully and to be seen of men. [8:47]

Islam is a religion which enjoins the good and forbids the evil. This safeguards the Muslim nation. For the tenets of the religion can never be upheld unless its followers adhere to its commandments and abstain from its prohibitions. It also seeks to rectify those who have diverged from the Straight Path, and deter them from doing sinful acts. In this manner, society is safeguarded from evil and decay. The Prophet (ﷺ) said:

“The likes of those who stay within the limits set by Allah and those who trespass them is like a group of people who divided their places on a ship (before setting out to sea). Some of them were on the upper deck while others were on the lower deck. When those on the lower deck required water, they had to pass by those above them. So they said, ‘If we make a hole in our part, we will not have to bother those on top.’ If they (those on the upper deck) left them to do as they pleased, they would all be destroyed, and if they are stopped they would all be saved.”

[al-Bukhari]

[39] The religion of Islam is universal and covers every aspect of life, such that it has legislated laws and regulations concerning transactions, warfare, marriage, economy, politics and acts of worship and so on. This builds a perfect society; even if mankind gathers together to produce something like it, they would never be able to do so. The more a society furthers itself from these laws and regulations, the more corrupt it becomes. Allah (SWT) says:

And We have sent down to you the Book (the Qur’an) as an exposition of everything, a guidance, a mercy, and glad tidings for those who have submitted themselves (to Allah as Muslims). [16:89]

Islam has defined the relationship between a Muslim and his Lord, his society and surroundings, both living or nonliving. There is nothing in Islam which is rejected by the natural disposition of man or sound intellect. A proof which points to this fact is the importance it has paid to ethics and specific issues which deal with daily life, such as the manners specific to answering the call of nature and what a Muslim should do before, during and after relieving himself. Abdurrahman b. Zaid said that someone said to Salman al-Faarisi,

“Your Prophet has taught you everything, even how to relieve yourself!?” Salman replied: “Yes indeed. He forbade us from facing the direction of Mecca when defecating and urinating, and that we clean ourselves with our right hands, and that we use less than three stones when doing so, or that we clean ourselves with dung or bones.” [Muslim]

[40] The religion of Islam is a sign of the advent of the Day of Resurrection and end of this world. The Prophet (RA) clarified that he was the last Prophet, and his commissioning as a Prophet was a sign of the nearness of the Final Hour. Anas (ﷺ) said that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

“‘The Hour and I were raised like these two,’ and he joined his middle and index finger together.” [Muslim]

This is due to the fact that he is the last and final Messenger.