Draft Article for newsletter
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Peace all
I have prepared the following article for publication in a newsletter. It is meant to be the first in a series. Some Quranic references have not yet been inserted in this draft. I would appreciate all constructive input, both negative & positive.
HOW DO WE BUILD A SOCIETY BASED ON QURANIC PRINCIPLES?
This question is something that many people have thought about. It is also a concept which many have given up on, not in principle, but as a matter of action. Why is this so? Why is there no concrete move toward a society that establishes the principles laid down in the Quran? Is it because nobody has the will to do this? Perhaps there are too many stumbling blocks along the way. Is the system of principles set forth in the Quran outdated & no longer relevant to our times? These questions & many more require considerable reflection & while there are many reasons people may find answers to them in the affirmative or the negative, as Muslims we are required to meet the challenge of answering them. For far too long the Muslim community of the world has avoided answering the ?difficult? questions posed regarding Islam. This is unacceptable, since from a Quranic point of view, every kind of similitude has been mentioned in the Quran. Therefore any question or objection raised should be answered by the Quran itself. I believe that the main reasons behind shying away from these ?difficult? questions are two-fold. Firstly, there is an inherent aversion toward the study of the Quran. We have been taught that we cannot study the Quran by ourselves, that it will confuse us, that we need to go to a mufti for rulings (even if his ruling contradicts the Quran?), etc. We will discuss this in detail at a later stage. Secondly, many of the questions are based on an assumption of what Islam is rather than the truth about what Islam is.
With the current socio-economic & political climates being what they are, we also need to ask the following question With the failure of these systems around the world, does Islam have an alternative? If it does, are Muslims ready to offer it to communities & the world at large? If not, what are the steps that need to be taken in order to build a society based on Quranic principles?
For these reasons it is imperative that we start any quest for the installation of Quranic principles in our lives & society by understanding what Islam is. A Muslim is not merely one who wears a label because he/she is born with an Arabic name. A Muslim is one whose ?deen? is Islam. Therefore we also need to understand what ?deen? is. To find these definitions we must look to the Quran. The key to understanding any Quranic concept is the use of tasreef in ascertaining the meanings of these concepts. This is the method I will employ in defining Islam, Muslim, Deen & other terms derived from their Arabic roots.
Our starting point will be ?deen? This word is commonly translated as ?religion?. This, however, is inaccurate & has rendered the word ?deen? almost incomprehensible to the modern Muslim. Any definition of the word religion conjures up concepts of spirituality that can only themselves truly be defined in the vaguest terms. This is certainly not the deen brought to us through the Quran. There are over 100 occurrences of the words derived from the root verb of ?deen?. Most of these are in the form of the word ?deen?. In this form, it has generally been translated as Judgement, Account, Religion, Faith, Devotion, among others. When using tasreef, one finds that the only understanding that comes through in ALL occurrences of ?deen? in the Quran is the concept of ?Accountabilty?. In fact the root verb of ?deen? means ?he owed?.
Following this definition, we find that ?deen? is in fact the debt that we owe to Allah & in my understanding the disbursement of the ?amaanah? or trust that we accepted from Allah. This amaanah is described in 9111, which tells us that Allah has purchased the lives & possessions of the ?mu?minoon? from them in exchange for ?Jannah?. Therefore, as believers, we are required to use ?our? lives & possessions in the way Allah has instructed us in the Quran. Our ?deen? is hence our accountability to this amaanah & debt.
Now that we have an understanding of what ?deen? is we need to see if there are any further descriptions in the Quran of what this ?deen? is. It is mentioned several times in the Quran that the only acceptable ?deen? to Allah is Islam. Therefore we are accountable to Allah through the concept of Islam. With this term again, we find many different interpretations. Some of the more common ones being Submission, Peace, Submission to the will of Allah, among others. Through tasreef, though, we find that the only understanding that comes through in ALL occurrences of Islam in the Quran is one of Safety, Security & Freedom. More specifically the CAUSE of Safety, Security & Freedom. This means that a Muslim would be one who is the vehicle or tool that brings about Safety, Security & Freedom.
From this one arrives at a definition of ?Deen ul Islam? that is quite simply ?The Accountability of being a Vehicle of Safety, Security & Freedom?. This definition breaks open the reigns that traditionalists have used to keep a stranglehold on the progression of Islam through the modern age. It shows that Islam is that which is pro-active in all spheres of life from the laws which keep society safe, secure & free to the sciences & technologies whose discoveries allow for a safe, secure & free society. Furthermore it puts great responsibility on practitioners of Islam (i.e. Muslims) for take responsibility for the establishment of these three elements in society. It is from this foundation that any attempt at the development of a society living by Quranic principles must be launched.
With that, I will take your leave for this edition. We will continue on our journey for the establishment of a society based on Quranic principles in the next edition.
Imraan
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Peace Necray
Thanks for the response.
Just curious, what topics are you including in this series of articles?
The series will be entitled HOW DO WE BUILD A SOCIETY BASED ON QURANIC PRINCIPLES?
. It will be a step by step process in trying to achieve this. Initially it will be general, moving towards specifics.It is part of a newsletter a group of us are starting in South Africa. The group was started in order to investigate how this kind of society can be started in stages. We hope to have a website soon that we can direct people towards, but we are in our infancy.
If anyone has ideas on this issue, please feel free to respond or pm me.
Imraan
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peace 1CELOSTNOWFOUND, all,
I find it a bit unusual that the first topics you bring up around the subject of building a society based on Quranic principles, is defining terms such as "deen", "islam" and thus "muslim". I'm not saying it's wrong or right, just unusual to me.
For example, a society based on Quranic principles can include non-believers, and this is exampled in AQ quite clearly. Thus, to these people, your definitions of "deen", "islam" and "muslim" may not be necessary.
As a side note, from my understanding so far
deen = core connotation is "that which is due", hence obligation, indebtedness, requital
islam = derived from "aslama" meaning "to give over" (e.g. oneself), hence surrender/compliance/submission/conformance, i.e. the state everything in the universe is in.
muslims = one who gives over / submits -
Isn't it derived from "salam"? ???
Peace
Islam means Submitting and not Peace. Therefore, a moslem is a person who submits to Allah by obying His Final Divine Laws (i.e., Quran), and not man made laws (e,g., Hadiths).
For example
2131 When his Lord said to him ?Submit,? he said ?I submit to the Lord of the worlds.?
2131Salam
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Peace
Islam means Submitting and not Peace. Therefore, a moslem is a person who submits to Allah by obying His Final Divine Laws (i.e., Quran), and not man made laws (e,g., Hadiths).
For example
2131 When his Lord said to him ?Submit,? he said ?I submit to the Lord of the worlds.?
2131Salam
2122
O Children of Israel! call to mind the special favour which I bestowed upon you, and that I preferred you to all others (for My Message).Here "AAalameena" becomes "all others" . So what's all others, arn't they human beings rather then the worlds?
Interesting!
peace
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2122
O Children of Israel! call to mind the special favour which I bestowed upon you, and that I preferred you to all others (for My Message).Here "AAalameena" becomes "all others" . So what's all others, arn't they human beings rather then the worlds?
Interesting!
peace
Peace
"Aalameen" means "every thing in the universe", including humans. Therefore, in 2-122 it could be translated as "I favored you over the universe creatures"; and in 2-131, it could be translated as "The Lord of the universe".
But for the Arabic readers, the meaning can be easily understood.May God Bless
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Peace
"Aalameen" means "every thing in the universe", including humans. Therefore, in 2-122 it could be translated as "I favored you over the universe creatures"; and in 2-131, it could be translated as "The Lord of the universe".
But for the Arabic readers, the meaning can be easily understood.http//free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=9596520.msg51053#msg51053
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Peace Wakas & all
THank you for the feedback.
I find it a bit unusual that the first topics you bring up around the subject of building a society based on Quranic principles, is defining terms such as "deen", "islam" and thus "muslim". I'm not saying it's wrong or right, just unusual to me.
For example, a society based on Quranic principles can include non-believers, and this is exampled in AQ quite clearly. Thus, to these people, your definitions of "deen", "islam" and "muslim" may not be necessary.
While I agree that to non-believers these definitions may not be necessary, the intended audience of this article is Sunni Muslims. It will appear in a small newsletter we are starting. This is the reason for my approach.
As a side note, from my understanding so far
deen = core connotation is "that which is due", hence obligation, indebtedness, requital
islam = derived from "aslama" meaning "to give over" (e.g. oneself), hence surrender/compliance/submission/conformance, i.e. the state everything in the universe is in.
muslims = one who gives over / submitsI agree with your understanding of deen. It is not different from the view I hold. I understand "accountability" to be similar in meaning to obligation, indebtedness & requital.
As for Islam, in my understanding, it is in the first instance derived from the tri-lateral root meaning "he was safe, secure or free". Aslama is the fourth form of this verb & is almost always causative. Hence "aslama" would mean "he caused safety, security or freedom". "Islam" is the infinitive of "aslama", meaning "to be the cause of safety, security or freedom".
While I am trying to study arabic in order to gain a better understanding of AQ, I am not fluent in it & my understanding of the grammar has a long way to go, so I would appreciate any further input anyone has on my article.
Imraan
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peace,
I guess if the intended audience is Sunni Muslims, then it makes more sense. Might want to hit them with 1311 (God is not to change what is in a community/nation until they change what is within themselves) sooner or later
Re aslama
Is it other than God's deen that they desire, and to Him caused safety/security/freedom whom is in the heavens and the Earth, voluntarily or by force? And to Him they will be returned.
Does that make sense to you?
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As for Islam, in my understanding, it is in the first instance derived from the tri-lateral root meaning "he was safe, secure or free". Aslama is the fourth form of this verb & is almost always causative. Hence "aslama" would mean "he caused safety, security or freedom". "Islam" is the infinitive of "aslama", meaning "to be the cause of safety, security or freedom".
This is how I understand it too the root verb salima means be safe; aslama is the form IV which means "to make others safe; not to harm". The nearest translation for in my opinion is "muslim" is "peaceful".
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Peace sister Samia,
This is how I understand it too the root verb salima means be safe; aslama is the form IV which means "to make others safe; not to harm". The nearest translation for in my opinion is "muslim" is "peaceful".
The nearest translation of "muslim" is "peacemaker".
Peace,
Ayman
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Peace sister Samia,
The nearest translation of "muslim" is "peacemaker".
Peace,
Ayman
I understand "muslim" as someone who does not harm others, but not necessrily someone who will take an active step to make them safe he/she will not kill, but will not make an effort to protect or save. This will be the "mu'min" difference between "salaam" and "amaan".
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Submission be upon you all
I just like to share my understanding of Islam/Muslim and Amaanu/Mumin with the members and visitors to freeminds *
TO ME ISLAM MEANS "PEACE" AS WELL AS SUBMISSION * SO TO ME "MUSLIM" MEANS PEACE LOVING PERSON OR PEACE_MAKER AS BRO AYMAN PUT IT * WHAT LEADS ME TO THIS CONCLUSION < is the many call from the QURAN TOWARDS THE AMAANU( MUMIN) * IF ISLAM IS > PEACE AND "AMAAN" IS SECURE ( SECURITY ) THEN SURELY " DEEN AL ISLAM " IS A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT WHERE PEACE AND SECURITY OF THE PEOPLE ( EVERYONE ) INCLUDING PROTECTION OF ALL THE CREATURES AND THE ENVIRONMENT >
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE GOVERNANCE OF MOST OF THE ADVANCED WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE MORE ISLAMIC ( CLOSER TO QURAN ) THAN MOST ALL OF THE SO CALLED MUSLIM COUNTRIES * OF COURSE NONE OF THE EXISTING SYSTEM IS PERFECT *AS AN ASIDE< I WAS ONCE OBSESSED WITH QURAN CONCORDANCE AND LEXICON TO UNDERSTAND THE QURAN AND THROUGH THEM ISLAM * HOWEVER< I NOW AM SURE THAT ONE CAN UNDERSTAND THE QURAN JUST AS WELL THROUGH LOGIC AND COMMON SENSE AND WITHOUT SLAVISHLY HANGING ON TO EVERY DICTATE OF THE LEXICON AND ROOT LISTS>* I NOW THINK INDEPENDENTLY AND LET "THE ONE WHO GUIDES" GUIDE ME TO THE TRUTH REGARDLESS FROM WAHT BOOK I READ AND TOOL AND METHOD USED*
PEACE TO YOU ALL
PS MY APOLOGIES FOR THE USE OF CAPS < MY KEYBOARD IS MALFUNCTIONING
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Peace sister,
I understand "muslim" as someone who does not harm others, but not necessrily someone who will take an active step to make them safe he/she will not kill, but will not make an effort to protect or save. This will be the "mu'min" difference between "salaam" and "amaan".
The forms
follow the same pattern as for example
Clearly the musli7 is taking active steps to fix things so this would indicate that muslim is also taking active steps to make peace, i.e., a peacemaker. This is also confirmed by 2278 which provides the description of "al-muslimin" in the context of "striving for the god his true striving".
Peace,
Ayman
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Peace Wakas,
My apologies for not responding sooner. I have been extremely busy. I appreciate you input.
You wrote
Re aslama
Is it other than God's deen that they desire, and to Him caused safety/security/freedom whom is in the heavens and the Earth, voluntarily or by force? And to Him they will be returned.
Does that make sense to you?
It is an interesting point. I have started some research into answering your question. I will post as soon as I am satisfied with my conclusions.
Imraan
